Music festivals have been absent from our lives for the past couple of years. The joys of muddy fields, blocked up toilets, crowds and crowds of people, and watching some sort of music act somewhere in the distance obscured by a load of flags have all been scuppered by the pandemic.
For anyone suffering from withdrawal, there’s Festival Tycoon courtesy of solo Austrian developer Driehaus, currently in early access on Steam. It’s a cute little title that puts you backstage managing your own music festival, thankfully without your wellies getting sucked into a muddy hole.
It’s a wonder really that more sim games haven’t tapped into the festival scene. Selling tickets; managing amenities; booking bands and sponsors; pleasing thirsty guests and demanding artists – this is all great fodder for a strategy game.
Festival Tycoon Release Window Trailer Watch on YouTube
And Festival Tycoon has all of these things, delivered in a clean and simplistic aesthetic. First you’ll need to name your company and choose a logo, before starting your first festival proper in the surprisingly sunny scenery of Wales. A tutorial takes you through slapping down your key buildings: an entrance, a stage, a tent area, food and drinks stalls. Then it’s on to booking sponsors, creating your lineup and setting the ticket prices.