From social media to video games and videos, cozy content is on the rise. While it's still a bit nebulous, cozy content is paving the way for more diverse entertainment options and building more communities across the globe.
There are no clearly defined parameters for what makes content "cozy." But there is a sort of universal vibe around it as an almost form of "anti-stimulation" compared to the typical, fast-paced world of retention editing. Cozy content encapsulates a variety of content styles, but one of the larger segments of the niche — cozy gaming — can perhaps provide the most clear distinction of the genre.
The video game world is full of fast, hyper-stimulating (and often violent) excursions that involve intense stories and expansive worlds. It's impressive, but it's not for everybody — and it's far from a mental vacation. Cozy gamers, instead, like to dive into games with simpler, more relaxing tasks, from farming to raising pets to simple puzzles to just, you know, sitting around a fire. While this genre has always existed, its popularity has really exploded in the past decade.
From Stardew Valley and The Sims to Animal Crossing and Spiritfarer, there are hundreds of cozy games that have permeated the market on mobile, console, PC, and Mac. Even massive franchises like The Legend of Zelda allow players to just take pleasure in the simple tasks of the game. And many cozy gamers are totally fine keeping to the simpler elements.
Outside of video games, content like ASMR videos, "chillstream" livestreams, and restoration videos also fall into the cozy content sphere. You know those videos that just "feel satisfying," like watching somebody clean a really dirty rug? Yep, that's cozy too. Even cultural staples like The Great British Bake Off skew towards cozy, given there are no real stakes or competition and the majority of the content focuses on the skills and stories of amateur bakers.
As cozy content creators continue to build their followings, the genre continues to expand and diversify its consumer base. With video games in particular, cozy gaming has led to an influx in female gamers. And perhaps even more importantly to game creators and the industry as a whole, cozy gamers like to talk about it.
As estimated 45 percent of gamers are female, while an estimated 72 percent of the "online population" that identifies as female also plays games. Interestingly enough, though, only 36 percent consider themselves "gamers," whereas 50 percent of men who play games identify themselves as gamers.
But here's the thing — cozy gaming women like to talk about it way more than other segments of the gaming population. As Cosmopolitan summarizes, "55 percent of gender-categorized online mentions around cosy games are from female authors versus 25 percent of general gaming conversations." And given that women control much of the buying power in the U.S., from sports to games, that's a notable difference with financial implications.
Many cozy content games come from independent developers. When it comes to ASMR, more creators are women and more listeners have identifying preferring a female creator over a male creator, in one instance 45 percent to 18 percent (with 30 percent signifying no gender preference). Shows like Great British Bake Off also skew higher with women.
But that doesn't mean it's necessarily made for women. After all, the content itself doesn't particularly focus on the needs or experiences of any one group of people. But studies show that playing cozy games can actually reduce stress and make people feel safer. And women and other marginalized communities tend be to on higher alert and at great risk even in just daily activities. So it makes sense that sinking into a nice, satisfying piece of cozy content would resonate even more with these groups.
So what does it mean for content creators? Well, for one, it's just another way niche communities have been able to flex their power. And it goes to show that if you like doing something that feels relaxing and "cozy," you could also be sitting on a great opportunity. (What we're saying is, YES, people do want to watch your knitting livestream).
But it also means you can reach a lot of people simply by embracing cozy content as a medium. You have no idea how many people may want to watch your bakery knead the dough and watch a timelapse of it slowly rise on their feeds. Or even if you're, say, a large sports franchise, there are still opportunities to embrace cozy content. Mascots playing with puppies, anyone?
The point is, the more styles of content there are, the more opportunity there is for people to find community and meaning in it. And genuine communities support genuine companies.
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