As an expert in the gaming industry, I have witnessed countless games come and go. However, one game that has truly captured my attention is Grow a Garden. This simplistic farming simulation, created by a 16-year-old in just a few days, has taken the world by storm and become one of the most played titles of all time. In a world of fast-paced action and high-risk challenges, Grow a Garden stands out for its calm and consistent approach. While other video games require years of development and millions of dollars, this game was created in just a few days and has broken records for simultaneous players. On May 21, Grow a Garden became the most popular game on the Roblox platform, surpassing even the most traditional and exciting games like Fortnite.
As I write this, the game has around one million concurrent users, making it the most popular game on Roblox and surpassing all others on Steam except for Counter-Strike 2.But what makes Grow a Garden so special? According to Janzen Madsen, owner of Splitting Point, the video game studio that manages the game, it's the simplicity of it all. Players can fill a plot of land with plants and animals, harvest and sell them, trade with others, or even steal each other's rewards. The game's popularity only continues to grow with each update. On May 18, the Blood Moon update was released, breaking the previous record for concurrent users on Roblox. And while some may be surprised that a game like Grow a Garden could reach millions of players, the reality is that Roblox has become a huge platform with millions of active users. Thordis Fridriksson, a garden podcaster and BBC presenter, believes that the appeal of watching something grow is shared between the virtual and physical worlds.
This could explain why Grow a Garden has become so popular, with its simple yet satisfying gameplay. However, not everyone is convinced of the game's success. Investment firm TD Cowen alleged that fraudulent bot activities had artificially inflated Grow a Garden's visibility in Roblox's game recommendation algorithm. But despite these claims, the game's financial model reflects broader digital gaming trends, with in-game purchases and virtual economies playing a critical role. In June, Grow a Garden reached a record-breaking 21.6 million simultaneous players, surpassing even Fortnite's previous record of 15.2 million. And it's not just kids who are playing this game.
A popular music video showed a classroom full of children eagerly waiting for an update to Grow a Garden, while in Edinburgh, real-life children are also helping out in their family garden. Coincidentally or not, Grow a Garden's popularity soared around the same time that Take-Two Interactive announced the delay of its highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 until next year. This could be a sign that players are looking for a more calming and relaxing gaming experience, rather than the high-intensity action of other popular games.
