The year was 2016 and after years of ever-improving developer kits, the time was nigh for the launch of consumer VR. We all know what happened next, Oculus Rift arrived first, then came HTC Vive followed by PlayStation VR. This wave of VR hardware was joined by plenty of innovative software, most of which has now been forgotten. However, one title, in particular, has weathered the years, outlasting all of its contemporaries; Job Simulator. But how has this seemingly innocuous game managed it, continuing to dominate VR charts in the process?
Jobs in VR at launch
The work of Owlchemy Labs – a small indie in 2016 before its acquisition by Google – Job Simulator is a fun, easy game for VR newbies. Originally titled Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives, its premise was simple, in the future all jobs are now undertaken by robots. With humans unaware of what jobs actually entailed they can now ‘job’ by way of a simulator. So in Job Simulator can try your hand at being an office worker, chef or mechanic.

What the game actually provide was a great way to learn motion controls and how you could interact with an immersive environment. What we take for granted now thanks to devices like Meta Quest 2 was new and unexplored by many people in 2016.
A launch game for HTC Vive, it wasn’t until PlayStation VR and its Move Controllers came along in late 2016 that Job Simulator found its forever home.
The PlayStation VR charts domination begins
Job Simulator is available for almost every VR platform out there. But thanks to PlayStation Store’s monthly digital download charts we get an interesting take on the game’s popularity. While this doesn’t reflect physical sales, what has always been striking is the fact that Job Simulator continually ranks in the top three downloads for North America and Europe.
Traditionally, two VR games have jostled for the number one spot over the last few years; Beat Saber and Job Simulator. The rhythm-action title has tended to stick at the top because of its general popularity and continual stream of new content. Bafflingly, Job Simulator sits there proudly without any new content or updates in ages, the last real one was the addition of PSVR 2 support in February 2023.
That month saw the top PSVR 2 downloads change dramatically. Yet as the June downloads reveal, a natural order has returned. Beat Saber sits at number one in both territories, whilst Job Simulator appears at number three in North America and fourth in Europe.
It’s remarkable that Job Simulator stills manage those numbers. Surely the only people who are buying the game are first-time PSVR 2 owners. What we can put it down to is Owlchemy Lab’s unique VR magic that makes all of their titles so enjoyable. Yet subsequent games like Vacation Simulator and Cosmonious High never quite achieved that same level. You can see Job Simulator’s DNA in all of them, but it’s watered down.
Why do you imagine Job Simulator can still dominate VR charts? Let us know your thoughts.