Info about Supermarket Simulator:

Official game description:
"Supermarket Simulator" is a chill first-person simulation where every detail of running a supermarket comes alive.
Design your store, optimizing for efficiency and aesthetics. Determine where products are displayed, manage your aisles, and ensure a smooth shopping experience for your customers.
Order stock using an in-game computer. Unpack goods, organize them in your storage room and place them on shelves, fridges, and freezers.
Scan items, take cash and credit card payments, and ensure customers leave satisfied with their shopping and checkout experience.
Navigate the complexities of a real-time market. Buy products when prices dip and determine the best-selling prices to balance customer satisfaction with profit margins.
As you accumulate profits, consider reinvesting. Expand your store's physical space, upgrade interiors, and continually adapt to the evolving demands of the retail world.
Personalize your shop to make it unique. Customize the floors, paint the walls, put up category signs, and more.
Not every customer visits your store in person. Receive online orders, prepare the packages, and deliver them yourself.
Tired of paying delivery fees or searching for discounts? Visit local markets to find the best deals.
Make your store shine. Clean the floor, take out the trash, and polish the windows to keep everything squeaky clean.
Not everyone is a paying customer. Use security tools like cameras and alarm sensors, or hire security guards to protect your store from shoplifters.
Supermarket Simulator lets you team up with up to four friends to run your store. Stock shelves, serve customers, fulfill online orders, manage deliveries, and expand your market, all while working together in real time. From driving trucks to cleaning up and setting prices, teamwork is the key to growing a successful supermarket.
In "Supermarket Simulator", every decision matters. Will you rise to the occasion, transforming a modest establishment into a retail powerhouse, all while balancing customer satisfaction, and finances?

Release date: Jun 19, 2025

Categories: Management Simulation, Business Simulation, Economic Simulation, Cooperative Multiplayer, Inventory Management, Resource Management, First-Person Perspective

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 70; verdict: Aggressive Monetization; summary: The reviews reveal a pattern of aggressive post-launch monetization: the base game costs a fixed price but then the developer releases multiple small DLC packs on the same day, priced as high as $22-26 for what users consider minor additions. Many complain that these DLCs should have been free updates or included in the base game. Additionally, the game has persistent bugs that remain unfixed while new paid DLCs are pushed out, and at least one reviewer mentions the introduction of broken microtransactions. This strategy creates a 'pay to get the full experience' feel, with no free content updates. The overall sentiment is that the community sees this as predatory and greedy.
- Mods: score 15; verdict: Vanilla Ready – Mods are primarily for enhancements, not necessary for gameplay.; summary: The user feedback indicates a community reliance on mods for quality-of-life improvements (faster scanning, larger warehouses, better interaction), but no evidence of game-breaking bugs that make the game unplayable. The game is described as 'playable with minor clunkiness.' Mods are requested for enhancements, not for fixing critical failures.
- Wiki: score 75; verdict: THE HOARDER; summary: Users frequently resort to creating or using external spreadsheets to handle economic data, such as determining selling prices and tracking profits. This indicates a strong dependency on external tools for inventory management and valuation.
- Proton/Linux: score 15; verdict: Works Well; summary: The majority of user feedback indicates that the game runs well on Linux via Proton and on Steam Deck. One isolated complaint about unplayability on the Steam Deck is contradicted by multiple positive reports, and a single save issue is not clearly tied to Proton compatibility. No evidence of required tweaks, anti-cheat blockers, or critical failures was found.
- Steam Deck: score 80; verdict: Broken; summary: This game suffers from critically small UI text, frequent crashes, inconsistent Steam Deck compatibility, and performance issues like battery drain and FPS drops. While a subset of players enjoy it on the Deck, the widespread reports of broken functionality and unreadable text place it firmly in the 'Broken' category.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance is largely negative on most Windows hardware cohorts, with widespread reports of crashes, lag, freezing, and poor optimization. The only positive cohort is dominated by macOS users with 8-11GB VRAM, who report smooth native performance on Apple Silicon.
  - Sample size: 291 (2% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM (negative, 96 reports): Reports of lag, stuttering, crashes every 10-15 minutes, poor optimization, and low frame rates even at minimum settings.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 55 reports): All five recommended reviews come from macOS devices (MacBook Air M3, Mac mini M4) reporting flawless native performance; the sole Windows-based negative review cites server lag and bugs.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 47 reports): Mostly negative with reports of customers and workers freezing, crashes losing hours of progress, despite one positive review citing smooth performance.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM (negative, 46 reports): Many reports of FPS drops, lighting errors, poor multiplayer optimization, frequent crashes, and workers getting stuck, with only a few recommending after noting lag.
  - Caveats: 291 of 14773 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: These reviews consistently indicate that the base game's full price of around 20 euros / dollars is considered too high by the community. The sentiment is that the game is only worth purchasing at a discounted price, specifically between 10 and 15 euros/dollars. Many players also point to cheaper or free alternatives, supporting a lower fair price range. This suggests that while the base game has enjoyable elements, its value is not seen as matching the current $20 price tag, and a fair base-game price would be in the $10–$15 range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 79.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion: an Italian review states approximately 79 hours for all achievements, and an English review estimates around 60 hours to reach store level 99 (all upgrades), so the typical total completion time is around 70 hours on average, with 79 being a concrete figure. Story/campaign completion: the game has no main story or campaign mode, so null. Session length: multiple reviews mention losing track of time and playing for 3-4 hours in a single session, indicating a typical session of about 3 hours. Endgame: no credible evidence found for typical post-story or endgame hours; players report progression stops or the game becomes repetitive after 15-20 hours, but no specific endgame duration is given, so null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Supermarket Simulator hooks players instantly with its immersive and addictive core loop, but the fun quickly deteriorates due to grindy progression, repetitive chores, and technical bugs, making long-term solo play tedious.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Early game immersion
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: grindy progression with slow money and license unlocks; repetitive tasks (stocking, restocking) that become chores; technical bugs: broken UI, sync issues in multiplayer, invisible items; limited depth and half-baked features (employee AI, lack of variety); performance degradation as store grows (lag, crashes)
  - Unlock drivers: co-op with friends (roleplay, shared tasks); hiring NPC employees to automate restocking and cashiering; using mods to fix friction or add QoL; future updates that add content and polish
  - Conditions: playing with friends in multiplayer (makes repetitive tasks social); having patience for the grind (completionists may enjoy); using mods or external tools to bypass technical hurdles; enjoying the therapeutic rhythm of stock management
- Player Archetypes:
  - Casual Relaxer (sale)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and repetitive satisfaction
    - Playstyle: Plays in short sessions, enjoys organizing shelves and watching the store grow. Often plays with music or podcasts in the background.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: chill gamer; dispersion player; simulation fan
    - Reference games: Supermarket Together; My Supermarket Simulator 3D
  - Meticulous Grinder (no buy)
    - Motivation: Optimization and completion
    - Playstyle: Plays for long sessions, micromanages stock, prices, and layouts. Uses external tools like Cheat Engine to bypass slow grind. Tracks every number.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: completionist; math-brained; hardcore optimizer
    - Reference games: Schedule I; Supermarket Simulator (Roblox)
  - Co-op Frustrated (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Playing with friends
    - Playstyle: Plays co-op with 1-3 friends, takes turns as cashier or stocker. Often roleplays, but constantly has to reload or restart due to bugs.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: co-op enthusiast; streamer; friend group gamer
    - Reference games: Supermarket Together; Supermarket Simulator 3D


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Highly enjoyable and fun (weight 0.2): Players consistently describe the game as fun, cool, good, and enjoyable, with many praising its core gameplay and value for money.
- Good multiplayer functionality (weight 0.08): Co-op and multiplayer modes are praised as fun additions that enhance the experience, especially with at least two players.
- Great for management game fans (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for fans of management games, with simple yet effective mechanics and customization options.
- Improved with updates (weight 0.04): The game has significantly improved since launch through updates, making it much better and more recommendable over time.

Common complaints:
- DLC overpriced and broken (weight 0.28): Many players report DLCs are overpriced (over 30 euros total), add basic items that should be in the base game, and are buggy. The DLCs feel like cash grabs or cut content, and some cause game-breaking bugs.
- Items disappear after saving (weight 0.13): Items frequently vanish from shelves, freezers, fridges, and warehouses after saving and reloading. This is a persistent bug that affects inventory management heavily.
- Shelves duplicate and break (weight 0.12): Shelves and refrigerators duplicate, move, or change type after loading a save, causing items to disappear or overlap. This is a common save corruption bug.
- Game becomes too grindy (weight 0.11): The gameplay becomes monotonous, tedious, and grindy after 5-10 hours, feeling like a mobile game. It requires excessive waiting or repetitive actions.
- Game crashes frequently (weight 0.1): The game crashes regularly, sometimes every 1-2 hours, and has too many bugs overall that are not fixed properly.
- Restocking is too slow (weight 0.1): Restocking by employees is inefficient and slow, forcing players to AFK for long periods (up to 30 minutes) or endure freezes during restocking.
- Multiplayer is very buggy (weight 0.09): Multiplayer mode has severe bugs, including connection issues, being stuck with boxes, unable to leave menus, and general glitchiness. It is often unplayable.
- Developers prioritize DLC over fixes (weight 0.07): Players feel developers focus on releasing paid DLC instead of fixing the base game's bugs. DLCs are released while the game remains broken, frustrating the community.
- Workers get stuck on shelves (weight 0.06): Warehouse workers and restockers frequently get stuck in shelves or spin in place, disrupting restocking and logistics. This is a common AI pathfinding bug.
- Delivery NPCs missing (weight 0.05): Delivery NPCs sometimes do not spawn or disappear, preventing deliveries from arriving. This is a rare but disruptive bug.

Gameplay feedback:
- Supermarket management simulation game (weight 0.23): Players describe this as a supermarket management simulation where they stock shelves, hire employees, and manage store operations.
- Shelf stocking mechanics (weight 0.11): A significant part of the gameplay involves restocking and arranging products on shelves.
- Cooperative multiplayer mode available (weight 0.11): The game supports cooperative multiplayer, allowing players to play together with friends in managing the store.
- Store expansion system (weight 0.09): Players can expand their store over time, possibly to multiple stores, with progression mechanics.
- Employee restocking system (weight 0.09): Workers can be hired to bring products to racks and help with restocking.
- Store management simulation core (weight 0.08): Core gameplay revolves around store management including item organization, shelf stocking, and customer handling.
- Cash register mechanics (weight 0.07): The game includes cash register and inventory management systems for processing customer purchases.
- Product licenses system (weight 0.05): Players need to purchase licenses to expand the range of products they can sell.
- Delivery driving with map (weight 0.05): The game includes driving elements with a map for deliveries from wholesalers.
- Inventory management system (weight 0.04): The game includes stock management and inventory systems to track products.
- Loan and debt system (weight 0.04): Players can take loans, which may lead to a grind to pay them back.
- Customer behavior system (weight 0.03): The game simulates customer behavior as they shop in the store.
- Grindy gameplay loop (weight 0.03): The gameplay loop can be repetitive and grindy, especially with loan repayment.
- Hiring delivery workers (weight 0.03): Players can hire delivery personnel to assist with logistics.
- Automation systems present (weight 0.03): Some automation systems exist to streamline tasks.
- Level progression system (weight 0.03): There is a progression system with levels to advance through.
- Dynamic price system (weight 0.03): Players can adjust prices dynamically, affecting customer satisfaction.
- Easy difficulty level (weight 0.03): The game is considered easy with no significant challenge.
- Box carrying one at a time (weight 0.03): A noted limitation is that boxes must be carried one at a time, which can be tedious.
- DLC content mentioned (weight 0.02): The game has cosmetic DLCs available for purchase.

Performance notes:
- Performance degrades over time (weight 0.15): Many users report that the game's performance progressively worsens after extended play sessions, with FPS drops, lag, and stuttering becoming more severe after one to two hours, often requiring a restart to restore smooth gameplay.
- Severe stuttering and micro-stutters (weight 0.13): Players frequently encounter various forms of stuttering, including micro-stutters, constant freezes while moving, and choppy gameplay, even on high-end hardware, which significantly impacts the gaming experience.
- Frequent game crashes and freezes (weight 0.11): The game exhibits a high frequency of crashes and freezes, including during startup, loading screens, and regular gameplay, with some users experiencing crashes every 1 to 2 hours or constant freezes every couple of minutes, making the game unplayable.
- Recent patches have mixed results (weight 0.07): While some users note that recent updates fixed specific map stuttering bugs and general lag, others report new freezing issues or crashes after updates or DLC installations, indicating incomplete fixes.
- Performance degradation with game progression (weight 0.06): As players progress through the game and build larger stores with more customers, performance degrades noticeably, with increased lag and lower FPS, suggesting scalability problems in the game's engine.
- Multiplayer connectivity issues (weight 0.05): Multiplayer is affected by lag and connectivity problems, which degrade the cooperative experience.
- Low FPS on laptops and limited settings (weight 0.04): Players on laptops experience low frame rates that hinder gameplay, and there is a call for better graphics options to optimize performance, especially on less powerful systems.
- Graphical glitches and real-time lighting issues (weight 0.04): Graphical bugs, including a persistent line on the horizon causing frame drops, and real-time lighting degrading performance in late game, suggest rendering problems.
- Optimization for Steam Deck and low-end PCs praised (weight 0.04): Contrasting with poor high-end performance, some users report the game runs well on Steam Deck and on non-gaming or 'potato' laptops at medium settings, suggesting inconsistent optimization across platforms.
- Crashes on Mac and M-series chips (weight 0.04): MacBook users specifically report crashes and instability, though some Apple Silicon users (M3, M4) mention flawless performance, indicating mixed optimization for Mac platforms.
- Poor optimization on high-end PCs (weight 0.04): Users with powerful hardware configurations, such as an i9-12900K with an RTX 3080 and 64GB RAM, still report extremely low FPS (5-10) and persistent stutters, indicating severe optimization issues.
- Specific game feature causing freezes (weight 0.03): Freezes occur at specific in-game locations, such as near wholesale markets or when moving to certain areas, indicating location-related bugs.
- Hardware damaging concerns (weight 0.03): One user claims the game can damage hardware, while others mention overheating on older laptops, raising potential reliability issues.

Recommendations:
- Good for management fans (weight 0.22): Players who enjoy management and simulation games find this game highly suitable and enjoyable. It is frequently recommended as a deep, cozy management simulator.
- Game-breaking bugs present (weight 0.12): Several reports indicate serious bugs that make the game unplayable or frustrating. Reviewers warn not to buy until these issues are fixed and the game is more stable.
- Not worth full price (weight 0.11): Many players feel the game is overpriced at its current or full price point. Suggestions include waiting for a sale or only buying when discounted significantly.
- Do not buy DLC (weight 0.1): Multiple reviewers advise against purchasing the DLC, citing overpricing and lack of value. Some recommend avoiding the DLC entirely unless it is deeply discounted.
- Wait for future fixes (weight 0.08): Reviewers suggest waiting for updates or a significant overhaul before considering purchase. The current state is not recommended, but may improve later.
- Not for completionists (weight 0.05): The game is unsuitable for those who aim to finish everything, due to excessive grinding or design choices. It is only recommended for players who enjoy heavy grind.
- Play alternative game instead (weight 0.05): Some reviewers suggest choosing a different game, such as Supermarket Together, instead of this one. This indicates strong competition or dissatisfaction with this title.
- Multiplayer not recommended (weight 0.03): Feedback indicates that the multiplayer experience is poor, while the single player mode is considered acceptable. Players specifically advise against buying for multiplayer.

Other player notes:
- Store security breach fix (weight 0.03): A security breach is described where attackers could connect to random players' sessions and change store names. A suggested fix involves deleting the NoktaGames folder in AppData to resolve a game not starting after a DLC update.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.3): The overwhelming majority of frustration stems from a multitude of game-breaking bugs, poor AI, and missing quality-of-life features. Players are forced to manually manage tasks due to inefficient workers, and experience frequent crashes, save corruptions, and progression loss. The game's high price and perceived unfair DLC practices, where basic content is locked behind paywalls, further amplify this sentiment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Disappointment is primarily caused by the game's failure to live up to its initial potential, transforming from an enjoyable experience into a bug-ridden mess. The developer's focus on releasing paid DLCs rather than fixing core issues and adding requested features is a major source of this feeling. Many players feel the game becomes repetitive, grindy, and tedious after the early hours, leading to a sense of wasted time and money.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Satisfaction is derived from the game's core loop of managing a store, watching it grow, and the feeling of accomplishment from organizing products efficiently. Players appreciate the detailed simulation, frequent updates that fix issues and add content, and the overall quality of the game when it functions correctly. The game's ability to be played casually or as a time-waster is also a valued aspect.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players find enjoyment in the addictive and fun gameplay loop of managing a supermarket, which includes making money, expanding, and organizing. The game is often described as a relaxing and educational simulator, with the fun co-op mode and simple mechanics being key contributors. Despite some issues, many find the core experience to be highly addictive and engaging.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is generated from the addictive 'just one more day' gameplay loop and the anticipation of future updates, expansions, and new content. Players are excited by the potential of the game to evolve, the freedom to customize their store, and the engaging features like hitting thieves. The presence of mod support and co-op modes also fuels this feeling.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is directed at the developer's perceived greed and incompetence, particularly regarding the pricing of DLCs and the failure to fix game-breaking bugs. Players are infuriated by the loss of progress due to corrupted saves, the inability to get refunds, and the feeling that basic features are sold as separate paid content. The developer's dismissive response to bug reports and community management also contributes to this anger.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom sets in during the mid-to-late game when the core loop becomes repetitive and grindy. The novelty of restocking and managing shelves wears off, making the game feel monotonous and like an idle game. The lack of varied content after the tutorial and the slow pace of progression contribute to this feeling of tedium.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game stems from the enjoyment of the detailed supermarket simulation and the high degree of customization and freedom it offers. Players appreciate the lack of time pressure and the ability to play with friends, finding the experience to be relaxing and immersive. This positive sentiment persists even when acknowledging the game's bugs and issues.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance is caused by a collection of minor but persistent issues, such as inefficient employee AI, glitches, and missing convenience features. The tediousness of certain tasks like manual restocking and deliveries, along with performance issues, also frustrate players. These minor annoyances build up and detract from the overall experience.
- Addiction (weight 0.02): Addiction is driven by the compelling 'just one more day' loop and the constant drive to optimize and expand the store. The game's ability to absorb players for hours, leading to late nights, is a testament to its addictive nature. The desire to fill shelves and manage the store perfectly is a key factor in this feeling.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is based on the belief that the game will continue to be improved through future updates, fixing its current bugs, and expanding upon its potential. Players express cautious optimism after seeing hotfixes and hope the developer will not abandon the game. This feeling is also tied to requests for specific features that would make the game great again.
- Desire (weight 0.02): Desire is expressed for more content and features that would enhance the gameplay experience, such as more product variety, automation for restocking, and additional management mechanics. Players want the game to expand its scope with options like co-op competition, a second store, and more realistic features like a notepad or customer surveys.
- Relaxation (weight 0.02): Relaxation is found in the game's therapeutic and stress-relieving qualities, as the simple tasks of stocking shelves and managing a store are described as calming. The game is seen as a perfect way to wind down after a stressful day, requiring little thought and offering a way to switch off. The lack of time pressure is a key component of this feeling.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed towards the developers for their responsiveness and release of updates that fix game-breaking issues. Players appreciate the developers' efforts in improving the game, fixing bugs, and for providing compensation for issues. The overall positive sentiment is often accompanied by thanks for a good game that improves on previous titles.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret stems from purchasing DLCs or the game itself before realizing the extent of its issues, leading to a feeling of wasted time and money. Players regret specific actions like taking a loan that caused them to lose everything, or spending time on a game that turned out to be persistently buggy.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is derived from playing the game with family and friends, particularly in co-op mode, where the realistic simulation is a source of fun. The enjoyment of the addictive gameplay loop and the satisfaction of using features like speed boosts to make employees efficient are also key contributors to this positive feeling.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from the core gameplay loop of managing a supermarket, including tasks like managing stock, restocking, and designing the store layout. The early game elements and the ability to play with friends in co-op mode are highlighted as primary sources of this positive feeling.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement comes from the game's more outlandish features, such as the ability to attack people with a baseball bat, and the specific feedback about its content. The suggestion that the game is good but lacks certain features, like the ability to sell certain items, is a source of humor, as are wishes for over-the-top mechanics.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is characterized by a forward-looking perspective, with players expressing excitement for future updates and the eventual payoff of their efforts. The feeling is tied to the potential of their supermarket empire and the promise of new features and customization options that lie ahead.
- Wish (weight 0.01): Wish is a sentiment expressed for specific improvements and additions to the game, such as more product licenses, cross-platform co-op support, and better automation to reduce the grind. The desire is for the game to be more complete and convenient, with a focus on features that would enhance long-term playability.}