''Farming Simulator'' is a

farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is use ...

ing

simulation A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of Conceptual model, models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or proc ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...

series developed by GIANTS Software. The locations are based on American and European environments. Players are able to farm, breed

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

, grow

crop A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydropon ...

s and sell assets created from farming. The games have sold over 25 million copies combined, as well as had 90 million mobile downloads. The game is revised, expanded, and re-released each 2 years, (excluding their newest release) with better graphics, a larger array of vehicles and more interesting tasks for the user to perform.

Career

In career mode, players take on the roles of farmers. Their tasks depend on expanding and upgrading dated equipment and machinery, which can be achieved by harvesting and selling crops. Players are free to explore the surrounding areas of the map, grow from their choice of several crops, and invest their money in additional fields and equipment. They can also raise livestock or earn an income from

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

Missions

There are dynamically generated missions that consist of the player performing various tasks within a time frame such as mowing grass, fertilizing fields, or delivering cargo. The player is rewarded with money once the task is finished, plus a bonus based on how quickly the task was completed (excluding ''Farming Simulator 19,22'').

Multiplayer

''Farming Simulator 14'' is the first mobile ''Farming Simulator'' to have

multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system ( couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...

mode. ''Farming Simulator 16'' has

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...

functionality. Current generation consoles have multiplayer (''Farming Simulator'' on the last generation consoles was the first console port of the game, with all features of 2013 Titanium). ''Farming Simulator 15'' for

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 i ...

and

Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...

also has a multiplayer mode.

Games

PC and console

''Farming Simulator 2008''

''Farming Simulator 2008'' was released on April 14, 2008 as the first official release of the Farming Simulator game series.

''Farming Simulator 2009''

''Farming Simulator 2009'' is the second game in the series. It had a lot of new features such as new crop types (

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

, rapeseed/

canola Close-up of canola blooms Canola flower Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, ...

, and

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley p ...

), modding support and much more machinery, while having the same map as 2008, but remastered.

''Farming Simulator 2011''

This is the third game in the series, and first to feature a multiplayer mode. It was greatly expanded with the introduction of a new map. Machinery from Deutz-Fahr, Pöttinger, and Horsch were added (also featured in the ''FS 2009'' Gold edition). Cows were also an addition to this title.

''Farming Simulator 2013''

The initial release for ''Farming Simulator 2013'' was on October 26, 2012. A version was released for the PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in 2013, known as ''Farming Simulator''. Almost a year after its PC release, it received a large update and re-release under the title ''Farming Simulator 2013 Titanium Edition'', on October 10, 2013. It contains all of the previous assets from the first iteration, with new content of a US-based environment in the form of a map called "Westbridge Hills" and new vehicles. New content was also released as DLC add-ons for those with the original version of the game.

''Farming Simulator 15''

''Farming Simulator 15'' was released to Windows and Mac OS on October 30, 2014. This version introduced

, washable vehicles, and 41 brands. Around 140 pieces of equipment are in the base game, 160 in the gold edition DLC pack. ''Farming Simulator 15'' was released to consoles on May 19, 2015.

''Farming Simulator 17''

''Farming Simulator 17'' was released on October 25, 2016. It features the return of Fendt since its last debut in ''Farming Simulator 2009'', and also Massey Ferguson, Challenger, and Valtra. For the first time in the base game, soybeans, sunflowers, and oilseed radishes are introduced as growable crops. In previous games, the player would have had to download a modification to add these crops. The crop growing mechanics have been altered, to allow different ways to increase crop yield. These include fertilizing the fields multiple times throughout the growth stages, plowing the field after a set amount of harvests, de-weeding crops, or using oilseed radish as a

cover crop In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in ...

. The missions system were also updated, allowing the player to do work for other in-game farmers. Other additions include drivable trains and an in-game radio. On November 14, 2017, a new expansion pack was released for all platforms. This added a new map, the growth of sugarcane and new vehicles and tools. This was called the platinum expansion pack and is free with the season pass which is also available for all platforms.

''Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition''

''Farming Simulator Nintendo Switch Edition'' was released on November 7, 2017. It is a port of Farming Simulator 17 with the same maps, vehicles, etc. No DLC has been released for this title.

''Farming Simulator 19''

''Farming Simulator 19'' was released on November 20, 2018. Some key new features include a redesigned graphics engine and the addition of horse farming as well as oat and cotton crops. The game also features

John Deere Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...

machinery for the first time, as well as Komatsu, Rau, Wilson trailer, and more. ''Farming Simulator 19'' also has a Platinum Expansion containing 37 pieces of

Claas } CLAAS is an agricultural machinery manufacturer based in Harsewinkel, Germany, in the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia. Founded in 1913 by August Claas, CLAAS is a family business and one of the market and technology leaders in harv ...

machinery (or 41 if pre-ordered). The 6th DLC is the Kverneland & Vicon DLC, which contains 20 pieces of equipment from Kverneland aVicon, such as the FastBale; a non-stop round baler wrapper. A seventh DLC, ''Alpine Farming'' was released on November 12, 2020. It features a new map, dubbed 'Erlengrat' as well as new licensed machinery, including AEBI and Rigitrac, as well as the return of Bührer. ''Farming Simulator 19: Ambassador Edition'', which includes the base game, along with its two expansions and six DLC, was announced is due to release on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on June 21 2022.

''Farming Simulator C64 Edition''

Released alongside Farming Simulator 19 as a Collector's Edition bonus for the PC version.

''Farming Simulator 20''

''Farming Simulator 20'' was released on December 3, 2019, on Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe, and was released in Japan on May 28, 2020. It looks to be based on Farming Simulator 19's rendering engine, and also includes many features from said title.

''Farming Simulator 22''

''Farming Simulator 22'' GIANTS Software is known to develop "even number" titles for mobile platforms, and "odd number" titles for consoles & PC. However, this title will not be released on mobile platforms, since ''Farming Simulator 21'' was skipped. was released on November 22, 2021. It features a seasonal cycle, gear shifting, production chains for harvested crops and livestock products, new crops in the form of

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ' ...

s and

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many other ...

and over 400 vehicles and implements. Also new is compatibility with DirectX 12,

parallax occlusion mapping Parallax occlusion mapping (POM) is an enhancement of the parallax mapping technique. Parallax occlusion mapping is used to procedurally create 3D definition in textured surfaces, using a displacement map (similar to a topography map) instead of ...

, occlusion culling, texture streaming and temporal anti-aliasing.

Mobile

''Farming Simulator 2012''

''Farming Simulator 2012'' was released for the Nintendo 3DS, iOS, and Android in 2012. The 3DS version also supported 3D graphics.

''Farming Simulator 14''

''Farming Simulator 14'' was released for iOS, Android, Nintendo 3DS, Windows Phone and PlayStation Vita on November 18, 2013, and gives a more polished and more casual gaming experience on mobile platforms than its predecessors. There are 10-20 brands in the game.

''Farming Simulator 16''

''Farming Simulator 16'' was released for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and PlayStation Vita on May 8, 2015.

''Farming Simulator 18''

The game was announced for release on the Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita. It was released on June 6, 2017. The game has a total of 28 drivable vehicles, and 48 pieces of equipment. This game features a map representing the American desert/grasslands.

''Farming Simulator 20''

The game was released for iOS and Android on December 3, 2019. The game feature a total of 25 driveable vehicles and 91 pieces of equipment. While it does feature more drivable vehicles and equipment, it lacks many features like lumber, and frontloaders. Unlike recent versions, Farming Simulator 20 includes new features like; varied terrain, vehicle suspension, first person, the ability to walk around, several new profitable crops livestock, an updated economy, and a brand new rendering engine resembling that of Farming Simulator 19.

Release history

There are 8 main series titles with 5 mobile titles, including the 2017 Nintendo Switch standalone edition.

Reception

Reception of the Farming Simulator series has been mixed across all titles, with critics praising its sense of relaxation and array of realistic machinery and vehicles. Some have criticised the games for their repetition and lack of interesting mechanics, while others argue such qualities should be expected in a simulator. Though the series targets the audience that are knowledgeable in the farming industry, the series is generally liked by both farmers and non-farmers alike.

Notes

References

External links

* {{Authority control Android (operating system) games Farming video games IOS games MacOS games Open-world video games PlayStation 3 games PlayStation Vita games Simulation video games Windows games Nintendo Switch games Video games developed in Switzerland Xbox 360 games Multiplayer and single-player video games Xbox One games PlayStation 4 games Xbox Series X and Series S games PlayStation 5 games Lua (programming language)-scripted video games 2008 video games 2009 video games 2010 video games 2012 video games 2013 video games 2014 video games 2015 video games 2016 video games 2017 video games 2018 video games Focus Entertainment games Stadia games Video game franchises introduced in 2008