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I think I’ve finally seen one too many of these ‘simulator’ games on Steam
A Destructoid writer has voiced frustration at Steam's growing flood of low-effort "simulator" games, prompted by the appearance of "Ball Scratch Simulator," a browser-based novelty title in which players score points by discreetly scratching in public without being spotted. The piece contrasts the genre's respected origins, including titles such as Kerbal Space Program, Euro Truck Simulator, PowerWash Simulator and Farming Simulator, with a newer wave of games the author argues simulate very little of substance, using this example to question the direction the trend has taken.
The developer, 10ft Games, describes the title as "the world's premier public ball-scratching panic experience," with players scoring based on how long they scratch undetected. Its Steam page's AI-generated content disclosure openly states the game is "AI slop," created because "the machines wanted to know what it felt like to scratch." The writer acknowledges not all simulator games are poor quality but singles out this release, due for launch sometime in August 2026, as emblematic of the genre's decline.
In short
- Writer criticises Steam's flood of low-effort "simulator" games
- Cites "Ball Scratch Simulator," admitted by its dev to be "AI slop"
- Game due for release in August 2026
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The gaming ecosystem benefits from low-barrier creative expression and market diversity. Not every game must be ambitious or complex; novelty and absurdist entertainment have legitimate appeal and serve as low-stakes experimentation for indie developers. Steam's discovery systems allow players to filter and find what genuinely interests them, and the existence of silly or conceptual games does not diminish high-quality simulators or prevent their success. Arguing that certain games should not exist because they lack substance undermines creative freedom and assumes gatekeepers should determine what ideas are worth developing.
The case against
The volume of low-effort, algorithmically-generated content flooding Steam substantially diminishes platform quality and usability. When creation barriers become negligible and games exploit AI generation to produce quantity over substance, the platform shifts from a space for worthwhile gaming experiences towards an undifferentiated glut optimised only for algorithmic engagement. The simulator genre specifically has suffered meaningful dilution; the term once signified substantive design but now encompasses everything from Kerbal Space Program to novelties created by machine, rendering the classification nearly meaningless. This degradation of standards matters because it makes discovering and valuing genuine creative work measurably harder for all players and developers.
Explained simply
Steam is a digital shop where people buy and download PC games, including many made by small independent developers. “Simulator” games put players in charge of an activity or role: some recreate tasks such as driving a lorry or washing a house, while others use the idea more loosely for comedy or novelty.
The games named in the story range from detailed recreations to lighter experiences, so the label covers a wide variety. 10ft Games is the developer behind Ball Scratch Simulator, a novelty game built around trying to scratch without being noticed. Its Steam page says it uses AI-generated content, a disclosure that tells players how some of the game was made.
The debate matters because Steam hosts a large and varied catalogue, making it easier for small games to reach players but also harder to sort them by quality or substance. The story raises a broader question about what players expect when a game is called a simulator.