Why cosy games earned a permanent slot

Not every game needs a leaderboard. Lanterns of Vale reminded us that the phone in your pocket can also be a place to slow down, and we think that's a genre worth taking seriously.

Cosy games live or die on tone. The art, the sound, the way the world responds gently to your presence, those small things add up. When they're done right, a five-minute session leaves you calmer than when you started.

We've noticed these games often get dismissed as too simple. But making something feel effortless is hard. The puzzles in a good cosy game are placed with real care, guiding you without ever making you feel stuck.

If you've only ever played mobile games to fill dead time competitively, try one that just wants you to look around. It changed how a couple of us use our phones in the evening.