Summary
- Potionomics brews a unique blend of card-based crafting and haggling.
- Shoppe Keep offers chaotic fun by managing a medieval store.
- Merchant of the Skies combines trading and exploration in a laid-back experience.
There’s a curious sort of satisfaction that comes from managing a shop, where the only concerns are whether the shelves are properly stocked or wares are fairly priced. Shopkeeping games offer a slow but engaging gameplay loop, one where customers, profits, and occasional strange requests become highlights of the day.
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Some games feature deep economics, others treat the store as part of a greater adventure, but all share that cozy appeal of making a living without any urgent quest to save the universe. From haggling with customers to crafting the best wares possible, here are some games that prove keeping the lights on and shelves stocked can be just as engaging as slaying dragons.
Potionomics
Potion Seller, Give Me Your Strongest Potions
Potionomics
- Released
- October 17, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, Indie Games, RPG, Strategy
In Potionomics, running a magic shop becomes a full-blown performance. Players brew potions with a card-based crafting system, then sell them using a deck-building haggling mechanic where every turn matters. Each sale is a balance between maximizing profit and keeping customers happy enough to return.
Its narrative layer adds even more depth, with relationships that unlock perks and special ingredients. The art direction bursts with personality, making each customer interaction a little stage play of wit and persuasion. The result is a shop sim that feels as much about personality as inventory, and that personality is hard to resist.
Shoppe Keep
Customers With A Knife-Shaped 100% Discount Coupon
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Platforms |
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, macOS, Linux |
|---|---|
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Released |
August 20, 2015 |
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Developer |
Arvydas Žemaitis |
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Genre |
Management Sim |
Being tasked with running a chaotic medieval storefront where customers will happily shoplift if players are not paying attention is no easy job, but that’s exactly what Shoppe Keep demands . Carefully managing shelves, prices, and stock while keeping an eye out for thieves, with the occasional need to physically chase them down, is all part of a day’s work.
The fun is in the controlled chaos. Between crafting, cleaning, and crowd control, no two days feel the same. As the store grows, so does the madness, and soon, armor sales have to be juggled with trash cleanup and even taking up arms to deter thieves personally. It’s messy, frantic, and somehow deeply satisfying to keep the whole operation running.
Merchant Of The Skies
Airships, Commodities, And A Long Horizon
Merchant of the Skies
- Released
- April 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
Trading the storefront for a flying merchant vessel, Merchant of the Skies has players travel between floating islands, buying goods where they’re cheap and selling them where they’re not. The game is as much about exploration as it is about economics, with the routes chosen and ports visited shaping profit margins.
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The charm comes from its laid-back pacing. There’s no ticking clock, just the slow satisfaction of building a trade empire one shipment at a time. Along the way, players can buy their own islands, expand their fleet, and even engage in light resource gathering, making each voyage feel like a step toward something bigger.
No Umbrellas Allowed
The Art Of Overcharging, Politely
No Umbrellas Allowed
- Released
- September 3, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Hoochoo Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Simulation
Buying items from desperate townspeople and selling them for a profit sounds morally gray, because it is. No Umbrellas Allowed takes place in a dystopian setting where propaganda finds its way into daily transactions. The mechanics blend shopkeeping with careful reading of customer moods and market fluctuations.
What makes this game special is how the player's pricing decisions subtly influence relationships and story events. Some sales feel like little victories, others like personal compromises. It turns shopkeeping into a strange puzzle where every item is a piece of the world’s culture and economy, and every price tag is a test of the player’s conscience.
Travellers Rest
Brewing Business And Community
Travellers Rest
- Released
- July 28, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Developer(s)
- Isolated Games, Louqou
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Indie Games, Adventure, Strategy
Though the store counter is replaced with a bar counter, Travellers Rest still carries the same shopkeeping spirit. Players run a Medieval inn, cooking meals, brewing ales, and upgrading their tavern into a cozy gathering spot for passing adventurers. While profit is the primary goal of the experience, its charm lies in creating a welcoming atmosphere for NPCs who start to feel more like family than customers.
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The progression combines crafting with interior design, encouraging players to experiment with recipes and furniture layouts. Expansions in brewing add complexity over time, making the inn feel like a living, evolving place. It is as much about building a community hub as it is about managing inventory, which makes every pint served feel oddly meaningful.
Moonlighter
Midnight Markets And Moonlight Dungeons
Moonlighter
- Released
- May 29, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Digital Sun
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action RPG
Shopkeeper-turned-adventurer Will runs a store by day and raids dungeons by night. This dual structure in Moonlighter makes every sales decision directly tied to the player's risk-taking in combat. Rare loot means higher prices, but also has tougher enemies guarding it.
Selling items isn’t passive; players must set prices, watch customer reactions, and adjust accordingly. This feedback loop between adventuring and shopkeeping creates a compelling push and pull. Each morning feels like a reward for surviving the dangers of the night, and every evening feels like an investment in tomorrow’s profits.
Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale
Where Dungeon Loot Meets Ledger Books
Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale
- Released
- September 10, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale flips the RPG formula on its head. Instead of playing the hero, this is a game about supplying them. As Recette, a young girl trying to pay off her father's debt, players manage an item shop while also venturing into dungeons to restock inventory. The back and forth between negotiation with customers and action-RPG looting creates a cycle that feels endlessly satisfying.
Haggling isn’t just a side mechanic; it’s core to success, with each customer type having unique behaviors and price tolerances. The dungeon crawling is light but offers enough tension to keep the shop’s shelves from running dry. It’s a perfect combination of management sim and classic adventure.
Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!
Where Capitalism Meets Adorable Weaponry
Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!
- Released
- July 13, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone: Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Violent References
- Developer(s)
- Daylight Studios
- Genre(s)
- Indie, Management, Simulation
With a name like this, it’s clear that this game would turn crafting into a comedy routine. Players have to run a blacksmith shop in a world populated by sentient potatoes, taking on bizarrely named heroes as clients. While the visual style of Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! Is all charm, the management layer runs deeper than it looks; players must train staff, refine blueprints, and match weapon traits to customers’ needs.
The flow of humor is constant, poking fun at RPG tropes with every transaction. Even so, there’s a rhythm to managing materials and deadlines that scratches the classic simulation itch. Watching a squad of silly spuds hammer out legendary weapons for equally absurd adventurers is the kind of reward that keeps players smiling even while they're juggling orders like hot potatoes.
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