Relax Gaming — Chill Video Game Soundtracks

Cozy game soundtracks have grown into a genre of their own. Think Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Spiritfarer, A Short Hike, Unpacking. The composers behind these games (ConcernedApe, Kazumi Totaka, Max LL among others) tend to lean on acoustic instruments and chiptune textures rather than orchestral grandeur. This playlist samples across the cozy-gaming canon.

Cozy game OSTs sit in a useful middle ground. Lighter than ambient, less attention-grabbing than vocal indie. They're sweet without going saccharine, mostly because game music has to repeat all day without becoming irritating. I keep them in rotation for evenings when I want music that has feelings but doesn't ask anything of me.