Soft Power Play: How Brands Can Authentically Enter the World of Cosy Games

From ‘Animal Crossing’’s dreamy islands to the bittersweet storytelling of ‘Spiritfarer’, cosy games have become more than digital retreats – they’re cultural sanctuaries.

In a world of algorithmic noise and hyper-targeted ads, these slow-paced, emotionally-resonant titles offer players something rare: peace. And that’s exactly why brands are taking notice.

But cracking the cosy code requires a different kind of thinking – one rooted in empathy, aesthetics, and authenticity. We asked agency thinkers and brand leaders how marketers can step into these tender spaces without breaking the spell. Their answer? Don’t barge in. Be invited.

Lory Martignoles, lead strategic planner & lead DE&I at Biborg

I believe cosy games are a haven of peace and quiet in an overwhelmingly loud world, one where people don’t want to be interrupted by anything, least of all ads or brands. But cosy games are more than a gaming genre, they've become an entire life aesthetic, and that’s where brands can find their place: not within the game itself but in the culture that surrounds it. From a warm cup of tea on a rainy Sunday afternoon, to lounging under a fluffy blanket, your cat on your lap, to the soft click of your keyboard, to tiny plants and lofi music, brands can amplify their image and tone by being a part of how this lifestyle is lived.

Aidan McGlone, Social Media Coordinator at Mythic

To connect meaningfully with cozy game communities, brands must lead with empathy, not interruption. These are spaces built on shared values, whether it’s creative expression and wholesome connections in ‘Animal Crossing’ or the fantasy and storytelling in ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’.

Success starts with understanding what each community cares about and how they engage across platforms. Smart brands don’t force themselves into these worlds – they’re invited in. Gucci’s #ForeverGuilty campaign is a great example. Rather than overlaying their brand onto the game, they partnered with a well-known ‘Animal Crossing’ creator to build a Gucci-themed island, then promoted it by creating Youtube video tours. It felt authentic because it embraced two values that matter to players who already participate in the game: creative expression and community.

This approach reflects a broader truth: virtual communities welcome brands that contribute, not disrupt. Campaigns that feel forced, overly commercial, or out of sync with community norms often backfire, no matter how high the production value.

Strategic integration means meeting audiences on the platforms they use most and speaking in a tone that aligns with their experience. It’s not about making noise; it’s about creating something worth being part of. In cozy gaming environments, authenticity isn’t optional; it’s the entry point. Brands that do their homework and show up with humility and relevance are the ones that truly connect.

Tershari Johns, junior strategist at Toaster

Cozy games have evolved from simple, dress-up experiences like ‘MyScene Makeover Studio’ to rich, emotive titles like ‘Spiritfarer’, or enduring classics like ‘Animal Crossing’ and ‘The Sims’ that strike the perfect balance between relaxation and light challenge. These games prioritise comfort, creativity, and emotional connection, often giving players the freedom to express themselves through character customisation, decorating spaces, or engaging in low-stakes tasks.

Brand appearances in cozy games have become more common, often taking the form of pop-up shops or themed events like the Sandy Liang’s pop-up in ‘Animal Crossing’. When done thoughtfully, brand integrations can feel seamless and even enhance immersion. The key is ensuring the brand’s presence doesn’t feel forced or overly commercial. Instead, it should align naturally with the game’s aesthetic and values, bringing elements of real-world culture like fashion, food trends, or music into cozy, stylised universes.

Depending on the gameplay style, it may be easier for some games than others to incorporate branded content. Games with shops and social interactions offer an easy way to inject collaborations, such as branded clothing lines, furniture, or seasonal events. But even in more narrative-driven cozy games, there are opportunities for brands to appear subtly through in-game items, storylines, character dialogue, or art style influences.

Ultimately, timely and relevant brand integrations are most likely to resonate with cozy game audiences in my opinion. Cozy gamers often value being able to use these games as a form of escapism to get lost in a different world, so ensuring that they don’t feel distracted or bombarded by ads which is often felt in the real world, Brands that understand the culture and pace of cozy gaming can create memorable in-game moments that feel both natural and delightful.

Jamal Brown-Watts, client lead at the7stars

Brands are increasingly tapping into cozy games to build deeper, more authentic connections with gen z and millennials. Through custom in-game experiences, collaborations with streamers, and user-generated content, brands are moving away from traditional, intrusive advertising. Instead, they’re leveraging cozy games to foster genuine engagement that feels natural.

While Coca-Cola introduced branded vending machines for players’ islands, brands like Gucci and Nike have integrated into ‘Animal Crossing’ with virtual outfits and sneakers.. These worked because they enhanced the game without disrupting its relaxing tone – blending into the environment rather than standing out as overt marketing.

Success in this space requires authenticity. Traditional ads – like pop-ups or banners – feel out of place in cozy games and risk disrupting the player experience, which can damage brand perception. Equally overexposure risks diluting their authenticity. If too many brands jump in, the charm that draws players there in the first place could wear thin.

But done right, brand integrations add value – whether aesthetic, narrative or functional – without breaking immersion. Cadbury and Doritos have struck this balance well, positioning themselves as convenient, enjoyable companions for cozy gaming moments.

Cozy games are an exciting route to relevance for brands – but only if they tread lightly. As more brands enter the space, the risk of overexposure grows, threatening the very authenticity that makes these games appealing. To truly connect, brands must complement the experience, not compete with it. In cozy gaming, success comes to those who blend in – not barge in.

Stefanie Gomez, associate creative director at VIRTUE Worldwide

As an avid cosy gamer, the most important thing for brands is to remember that cosy gaming is an escape to a completely different reality. The future of cosy gaming for brands is to look at the space and the way we view experiential and collab marketing.

However, to build true brand affinity, marketers must play by the game's rules.
PLAY LIKE A PLAYER: In games like ‘Animal Crossing’, ‘Stardew’ and ‘Minecraft’ (depending on how you play…) the players create their own spaces and build their alternative reality. Fashion brands like Burberry or Gucci have done this well by building servers/islands that people can visit, experience the brand, and take away skins for their avatars. In a way, it's like my avatar is in the craziest cool fitting room for me before I purchase the clothes IRL.

PLAY A NEW REALITY: The universes in games like Sky, Monument Valley, and Abzu, are dreamy and fictional. There is an opportunity for brands to be bold and create an alternative reality for themselves and their products/ services, allowing players to experience the brands in new ways and foster new connectivities.

PLAY OUTSIDE THE GAME: Marketers can build ties to their target communities by going beyond in-game experiences using the same rules and universes IRL. How can your brand create customization like ‘Animal Crossing’? Can unboxing your product become the new unpacking?

Whichever path a brand takes, it should ensure, it creates that escape gratification for gamers.

Zach Morrison, senior art director at H/L

To build brand affinity with gen z and millennial audiences, we launched ‘Toyota Test Track’ – an interactive video game that invited players to take virtual road trips through Northern California in Toyota’s most popular vehicles. Players could choose from multiple models, customise their rides, and explore four uniquely designed maps, each tailored to resonate with an adventure-seeking audience.

Traditionally, our campaigns drive traffic to informational landing pages focused on sales offers and vehicle specs – important touchpoints for the business. But in speaking to the next generation of Toyota buyers, we recognized the need for a different approach: one that prioritised immersion, storytelling, and experience.

We saw an opportunity to engage users more deeply by meeting them on platforms where they already spend time, like Twitch. Instead of passive viewing, we created a playable experience that placed Toyota vehicles directly in the action. This strategy allowed us to shift from a message-first approach to one rooted in participation and discovery.

The result? High engagement, competitive gameplay, and organic social buzz all extended the campaign far beyond its launch. By reimagining what a test drive could look like for digital-first consumers, Toyota Test Track became more than a game – it became a way to build lasting brand connections.

Calvin Innes, executive creative director at JvM NERD London

The reality is that attention is increasingly-fragmented and ad fatigue is very, very real. Cosy games like ‘Animal Crossing’, ‘Stardew Valley’, and ‘Spiritfarer’ offer brands a surprising new edge: emotional resonance. These kinds of gentle, slow-paced games are spaces where gen z and millennials go to self-soothe, express creativity, and build communities. And that makes them fertile ground for thoughtful brand engagement.

Unlike traditional advertising or even more traditional gaming sponsorships, cosy games invite a softer approach. When Gucci dropped digital items in ‘The Sims’ or Hellmann’s set up a food rescue island in ‘Animal Crossing’, they were doing what most brands strive for. Not advertising, but storytelling. That’s the sweet spot.

The perfect execution is a seamless integration that aligns with the game’s ethos. Not one which disrupts it.

Game developers stress that authenticity is non-negotiable. Players are protective of their safe spaces. If a brand shows up purely to sell, it’s blatantly obvious, and few things are more off-putting to gamers.

But when they add genuine value, whether it’s a co-created quest, a meaningful storyline, or in-game items that spark genuine feelings of joy, brands become part of the world. They’re no longer an intrusion.

The insight is clear: Cosy games are more than just another media channel. They’re emotional ecosystems. To connect here, in a way that feels genuine, brands need to slow down, listen closely, and show up with intention, and warmth.

Mark Anderson, managing director at fivebyfive

From a creative marketing point of view, connecting with digital native generations like gen z and millennials is a huge challenge due to the saturation of digital third spaces, and marketing teams generally shoulder the blame when entertainment properties fail to meet expectations – paraphrasing the words of large Twitch streamer NorthernLion – ‘the average social media comment on any just released movie is a person with 16 ad blockers installed on their Internet browser who never leaves their house loudly proclaiming “MARKETING FAIL!! – I had no idea this was coming out”

Gaming is an invaluable advertising space for marketers as it is one of the few activities where I can guarantee that a user is actually looking at the screen while engaging with the content – similar to why brands are putting their placements during sports coverage rather than in the ad breaks.

In terms of brand strategy, the brand safe content of cosy games is more a cherry on top of the ice cream itself – the bigger upside is that cosy games have done arguably more work collectively than any other video game genre to establish equity with their audience with fair monetisation models (box price with free content patches at a regular cadence) and ensuring that there is no ability to purchase in game power, and when you’re a brand, having your collaboration items be warmly received on their cosmetic merits by the audience rather than have them skeptically analyse how your brand’s items will break the balance of the game makes a huge difference.

As the gaming pie has grown bigger (now more annual revenue than Hollywood) and more than 96% of Australia households now have a dedicated gaming device according to recent IGEA reports, brands have realised that tuning their audience for ‘gamers’ is just as fruitless as targeting ‘TV watchers’ and ‘music listeners’, and due to the inherent brand safety of cosy games content and the demographics in this genre skewing toward female audiences (who tend to drive purchase decisions), brands have recognised that this slice of this pie bears more fruit and is big enough in and of itself to provide measurable returns.