Make like a tree
Image credit: LifT Games
There are many words that could be said, and I’ll attempt to say a few of them here, on the gamification of both menial labour and tasks, but it is always fascinating to me when a new game crops up that somehow makes me go “oh, sure, why not!” Today that applies to a game called Leaf Blower Co., which is a simulation game about exactly what you’d expect (blowing leaves) and I suppose not what you expect (blowing paper boats and coconuts).
I bring your attention to Leaf Blower Co. because it just released a release date - November 17th, later this month, very seasonally appropriate - but also because of how specific a task it…
Make like a tree
Image credit: LifT Games
There are many words that could be said, and I’ll attempt to say a few of them here, on the gamification of both menial labour and tasks, but it is always fascinating to me when a new game crops up that somehow makes me go “oh, sure, why not!” Today that applies to a game called Leaf Blower Co., which is a simulation game about exactly what you’d expect (blowing leaves) and I suppose not what you expect (blowing paper boats and coconuts).
I bring your attention to Leaf Blower Co. because it just released a release date - November 17th, later this month, very seasonally appropriate - but also because of how specific a task it is. Said task is one that is, as many of these games often are, satisfying. Hurray, no more leaves on my front lawn, and I did so by blowing them around, what fun! It is also the kind of task that many of us who face this problem will inevitably put off until it is not so putoffable.
Here though, there is an opportunity to do it recreationally, without the requirement of physical effort, and no so to speak real-world punishment (messy lawn your neighbour doesn’t like and moans about at you) for not finishing or even starting it.
You don’t have to just blow the leaves in Leaf Blower Co. You can jump in them, of course, or burn them, rake them, suck them up, magnetise them. Not entirely sure how that last one works, but the world of video game logic is infinitely confusing, so we’ll put that to the side. There are secrets to discover too apparently, one of the trailers on Steam shows that you can, quite quietly, play a bunch of different horns that all toot one note by blowing into them with your blower.
There is some of that ickiness that can come with these games, in that the goal is to build up your leaf blowing business. I think games like these often end up becoming so popular because they are (almost) tangible ways to accomplish these tasks that in reality we just might not be able to because of external factors like mental and physical health, or a simple lack of time due to feeding that disgusting beast called capitalism. So, I don’t entirely judge games like Leaf Blower Co., I do think it looks like a relaxing time, but I wonder how we can reframe, or even just frame, ideas of what relaxing is or could be.
Anyway, as mentioned, Leaf Blower Co. is out November 17th, and you can wishlist it on Steam here.