PowerWash Simulator: Cleaning Up the Mundane
PowerWash Simulator invites players to equip cleaning gear and hose down various grimy in-game locations until they are spotless and gleaming.
Although the concept may appear unusual, the original 2021 game has sold over 17 million copies. Its sequel, launched in 2025, has recently been nominated for two BAFTA Games Awards.
Both titles belong to the "mundane job simulations" genre, a rapidly expanding category where players perform routine, seemingly unexciting tasks.
"We want to make the Graham Norton of video games,"says Kirsty Rigden, chief executive of Brighton-based FuturLab, the developer behind PowerWash Simulator.
Aspiring to emulate a talkshow host known for being affable rather than thrilling is an uncommon goal for a gaming studio.
"Graham Norton doesn't make you feel stupid, but you also don't have to think too hard,"Rigden told .
"It engages the right amount of brain and at the end of it you go, 'Oh, that was really pleasant'."
The Appeal of Repetitive, Soothing Tasks
A defining feature of the simulation genre is its calming, repetitive activities.
In PowerWash Simulator, this involves cleaning one dirty area after another—such as a fun house or roller disco—in a literal rinse and repeat cycle.
"I think it's really struck a chord with how people are feeling in the world right now - the world is in quite a stressy place,"Rigden explained.
"With the game you are able to focus in on one thing, which kind of blocks all the other distractions out - it's a pure form of meditation."
The concept originated from Rigden's personal interest in watching YouTube videos of people power washing and the simple satisfaction of seeing dirt transform into cleanliness.
Social media platforms are filled with influencers, some boasting hundreds of thousands of followers, creating content centered on cleaning or tidying up. FuturLab's series is not the only simulator capitalizing on this trend.
Lawn Mowing Simulator and Its Growing Popularity
In Lawn Mowing Simulator, players "experience the beauty and detail of mowing the Great British countryside" by managing a lawn care business using "real-world licensed lawnmowers."
A sequel is in development, promising to take players to the "trailer parks and town hall gardens" of America.
David Harper, managing director and founder of Liverpool-based Skyhook Games, noted that players often use the game as an "escape" from everyday pressures.
"It's basically about the satisfaction of starting with something untidy, learning the skills to bring order to the scene, then looking back at a job well done,"he said.
Streaming Success and Community Engagement
The relaxed nature of mundane job simulators has made them especially popular among YouTubers and Twitch streamers, who can engage with their audiences without needing to focus intensely on gameplay.
A 2021 video of US creator Markiplier playing PowerWash Simulator has amassed over nine million views.
Comedian and games journalist Ellie Gibson began streaming the game to her Twitch community after a friend's recommendation.
She also holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous play of PowerWash Simulator—24 hours, six minutes, and 33 seconds.
Gibson described the attempt as mostly smooth, except for a "nightmarish" section cleaning a children's playground at 4 a.m., where the game's bright primary colors affected her in a "very psychedelic way."
She added that the game's "calming and soothing" qualities resemble the relaxation people derive from activities like coloring books or knitting.
"You get the finished result of a clean monster truck, rather than a scarf."
Positive Impact on Mental Health
Both Rigden and Harper have received messages from players expressing how their games have supported them during difficult times.
"Hearing how our game has helped our players with their anxiety and mental health has been really rewarding to us,"Harper shared.
Rigden noted that many players have written in to say the games helped them cope with challenges such as cancer treatments.
"It's really lovely and uplifting."
Academic Study on Wellbeing Effects
PowerWash Simulator was the subject of an Oxford University study examining the effects of video games on players' wellbeing.
In March 2023, over 8,600 players tracked their mood every 10 minutes via pop-up prompts while playing a custom version of the game.
The study found that 72% of players experienced an uplift in mood during gameplay.
Nick Ballou, one of the study's researchers, stated that while mundane job simulators are unlikely to replace therapy, they offer unique benefits.
"These games are particularly suitable for people with low energy, and they're really effective in absorbing attention,"he said.
"I do think playing them can be more mindful than other games that require lots of cognitive engagement to coordinate with teammates or react in a split second."
Future Plans and the Graham Norton Ethos
Looking ahead, Rigden and her team plan to develop a new game distinct from their current "soapy empire," continuing their ambition to become "the market leader in cathartic games."
Regardless of their next project, the unique Graham Norton-inspired approach will likely remain a defining feature.
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