A Beginner's Guide to Becoming a
'Cozy Gamer'

So you want to be a cozy gamer...

trio of cozy games

Youā€™ve seen your favorite Twitch Streamers and Gaming YouTubers cozying up with comfy games and now you want to be just like them butā€¦

How do you become a Cozy Gamer?

As a gamer myself, Iā€™ve embraced cozy games to their FULLEST since the 80s, so in this post Iā€™m going to share exactly how I did it so you can too!

For more info on what cozy games actually are go ahead and read this article 'Are More Women Playing Games in 2022 due to the Rise in Cozy Gaming?' first.

But a cozy gamer is, in the simplest sense, a person who likes to play video games that help them slow down and unwind. Being a cozy gamer is fairly niche as of the writing of this article, but itā€™s rising fast, and I predict that by 2024 cozy gamers will be all over social media, populated predominantly by women over the age of 25.

Women who have traditionally been alienated from gaming are now buying the Nintendo Switch Lite to play. This shows a positive shift in attitudes towards gaming and demonstrates how it is being increasingly accepted among different age and gender groups.

Why are cozy games so popular amongst women?

two girls playing nintendo switch

Video Games have long been a male-dominated hobby since they became heavily marketed toward boys as a toy during the 1980s.

As Caesar Kommatas states in his article for Mindless Mag, ā€œUnderstanding the origin of the idea that ā€˜girls donā€™t play gamesā€™ is a vital step to dismantling it.ā€ Play doesnā€™t have a gender. And as such, being a gamer should be genderless. Iā€™ve experienced firsthand the sexism and sexualization that goes with being a girl who plays video games. Mostly this happened in first-person shooter teams and other online competitive gaming spaces.

There have been extensive studies on gender biases in gaming, but until women feel safe playing online with men there will continue to be a gendered divide. Women will carve out their own communities and online spaces to play in peace and solidarity. Cozy gaming communities will become a light during our difficult times, spreading hope and kindness, and embracing all people from all backgrounds around the world until we can learn to play together mindfully and respectfully.

So how can you join us?

Here is your plan to becoming a cozy gamer!

1) Choose your ideal console.

When you want to play a game, where do you start? Well, you need something to play it on right? The gaming platform you choose makes a huge difference to how, where, when and what you play. You canā€™t create a gaming setup unless you know what youā€™re building it for.

2) Create your own personal space and cozy aesthetic.

Your cozy gaming setup should be a place where you can retreat when you need a break from the world. Itā€™s a place where you can go to escape from the chaos and noise of your everyday life.

3) Find the games that help you relax.

Congratulations!! You have your console and your space, but what games do you play? Well, this is something each gamer has to figure out for themselves, but there are tons of resources to help you do so. If you'd like my personal recommendation list, click the button belowšŸ˜Š.