Farming Simulator Video Game Series

Initially, successive parts of the series were released on personal computers every year, but eventually it was decided to include other platforms and release the games alternately - in one year we get the main part intended for personal computers and current-generation consoles, while in the other - a spin-off of a slightly smaller caliber, intended for handhelds and mobile devices. In this way, owners of a given hardware receive successive releases every two years - this allows for more novelties and improvements.

Game Farming Simulator 2013 was the first part of the series to hit the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in turn Farming Simulator 15 added eighth-generation consoles (Xbox One and PlayStation 4) to the pool of platforms, which allowed, among other things, a big leap in graphics quality. Nevertheless, it was only released in 2016 Farming Simulator 17 took full advantage of the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, due to the lack of support for their predecessors.

Although Farming Simulator 17 was also the first game from under the banner to hit the Nintendo Switch console, in the following years only side-scrolls of the series, created with mobile devices in mind, appeared on the Kyoto giant's hardware. Farming Simulator 22 on the other hand, was the first part of the series to appear (among other things) on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S; it was also the first installment of the series since 2012, which GIANTS Software released in-house.

Worthy of a separate mention is Farming Simulator Kids, an unusual spin-off of the series, prepared with the youngest players in mind, which appeared on Nintendo Switch and smartphones and tablets in 2024.

Gameplay in games of the Farming Simulator series

In productions from the series Farming Simulator the player takes on the role of a farm owner, and his task is to, among other things, plan crops, operate heavy equipment (tractors, harvesters, plows, etc.), as well as invest the money he earns in machinery to increase the efficiency of his work. The most important element of fun in games of the series Farming Simulator is steering various types of agricultural equipment. Admittedly, the control is simplified, but it takes into account a number of basic parameters related to the physics of driving. In many cases, the appearance and technical capabilities of machinery and equipment are reproduced on the basis of authentic models from well-known manufacturers (including Lizard Automobile, New Holland, Fendt, Steyr, Zetor and Ursus).

At the same time, each new installment of the series introduces a number of improvements and novelties in relation to the previous parts.. To Farming Simulator 16 the authors have added forests and a set of machines for felling and processing trees, which provides the player with an additional source of income. W Farming Simulator 17 there was a new, more complicated soil fertilization system, an option to lease equipment or the ability to use freight trains to transport one's produce. On the other hand, in Farming Simulator 19 in addition to the possibility of growing new varieties of plants and breeding horses, players can change the appearance of their farmer and take care of his physical condition by ensuring an adequate amount of sleep, as the game has been provided with a character fatigue mechanism. Farming Simulator 22 introduced, on the other hand, changing seasons, forcing the player to perform a variety of duties and properly prepare the farm for the next seasons.

Graphics in games of the Farming Simulator series

Against the background of competing titles, the series Farming Simulator is distinguished by a refined audiovisual layer. The games take into account, among other things, the changing cycles of day and night, as well as the various weather conditions that farmers have to face while working.

The popularity of the Farming Simulator brand

Farming Simulator is one of the most popular series representing the simulator genre. Proof of this can be seen in the sales record of the game Farming Simulator 19, which within 10 days of its appearance on the market went to more than one million buyers.