Confetti’s Cozy Corner: Discounty, a cozy game taking on the final boss… capitalism!
Discounty is one of the most anticipated cozy games of 2025 and I was given an exclusive sneak peak to check it out and share my initial thoughts!
But first let’s rewind the clock to Wholesome Direct 2024, when the trailer for Discounty premiered and it was definitely a stand out amongst many games that were showcased. The game trailer brilliantly presented as an upbeat infomercial about running your own grocery store but then gradually turned dark as the realities of being a business owner and the crushing weight of capitalism settles in.
While the commercial had me in stitches because the script and comedic timing was executed perfectly, the tone of the game was clearly established, and instantly this became my number one anticipated cozy game of 2025!
In my play session, which was about 20 minutes, I was glad to see that there was a character creator! I personally love when I can self-insert an original character into cozy games but if this game also had a set character, similar to Terra in Wylde Flowers or Diana in On Your Tail, I would have been happy with that too!
After the 2024 Wholesome Direct, what visually caught my eye was the MC we saw looked like a Black Woman. From the deep skin tone and visibly afro textured hair style, I was excited to see that main character may have been set to be a Black Woman, especially because that weekend South of Midnight also had a gameplay trailer release, in which the main character is also a Black Woman. Regardless, I am happy that the developers went they way they did to showcase inclusivity in Discounty.
After customizing your MC you enter the quirky town of Blomkest that is home to interesting residents, dilapidated buildings and one singular grocery store that your aunt entrusted you to run.
Upon entering the grocery store, it is pretty empty apart from a cash register and one other employee, Grace. After going through the tutorials to learn the basics, it’s time to start your first day of work! Customers enter the grocery store and their quirky and vibrant personalities shine as they browse the shelves and buy what they need. As customers make their final decisions, you must check them out at the register, which is straightforward. You center the price for the item and if there are more than one you multiply it by that number.
Now I know what you are thinking… math… DURING PRIDE?! My anxiety spiked a bit when seeing that math was involved but players will not be doing any of the calculations, just entering numbers and pressing enter. I found using the NUM pad to be the easiest and most engaging when checking out customers. Gaming keyboards are slowly making the NUM pads obsolete, but I think using it when games allow adds to the experience and sometimes ease of completing tasks within games.
After the first day of work, the shopkeeper is shown to their home but is informed that they must be to work on time by the next day for their shift. Also there is a task that can be completed before the next shift to boost sales and ‘disrupt’ the monopoly a local company has on the fish trade in Blomkest. The tone established in the Discounty trailer makes itself apparent throughout the gameplay session of how capitalism can really drain the life out of a populace and also hurts small businesses trying to make a living.
Cozy games with a message will always have a big place in my heart as a gamer who cares about the world around her.
A cozy shop keeping sim based in a small town would not be complete without a little… DRAMA… right? As I completed tasks and my shift, so much drama unfolded leaving me stunned yet on the edge of my seat ready for the next bout of tea to be spilled. What makes games like Stardew Valley, Fields of Mistria and Sunny Side so fun is the small town drama and tea that is spilled and the MC is inadvertently a part of. Discounty has drama, tea and an underlying hint of rebellion that is leading the story full steam ahead and I am ready to dive in once the full game is released.
As far as accessibility options not many options were given in this small preview. Things I would want to see from Discounty are time control [the ability to slow or speed up time], the choice to adjust the front [I personally found the in-game front to be small and hard to follow], and color blind options to start off! Accessibility in cozy games has been getting better and better as developers realize that gamers and their needs are very diverse, and all should have access to make their experience a positive one when they play.
Even with the short play session of exploring the quirky elements of the game and plot, Discounty still remains my top anticipated game of 2025. The writing is funny, relatable and what I got to experience left me excited for more.
Discounty will be released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Steam, and Xbox some time in 2025.
Tune into the Wholesome Direct June 7th for more cozy game news!
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