The Self-Playing Tycoon: When Idle Games Remove the Player

By eliminating player input entirely, this AI-generated experiment challenges the fundamental assumption that games require interactivity to be engaging. The result reveals that watching automated systems compound—without any ability to influence them—can be surprisingly satisfying and philosophically honest about what 'idle' games actually demand. It demonstrates how generative AI rapidly prototypes complex mechanics while redefining what makes a game worth playing.