It’s no secret that I love the Farming Simulator series, but what might come as a surprise is just how much impact Farming Simulator had on this very outlet. Farming Simulator 23 launched the day after my birthday, and I was in the first few months of What’s It Like?, emailing developers, publishers and anyone else I could think of, hoping to learn more about the industry and somehow get a foot in the door. I’ve shared the story before about how Kalypso Media took the time to offer me some valuable advice, but what I haven’t shared is that the very next day, GIANTS Software replied to one of those emails and gave me the opportunity to interview Martin Rabl, Head of Marketing & PR. At the time, it felt like a huge opportunity for someone with only a handful of subscribers. Three interviews later, it’s become something of a tradition. This year was no different as I sent my questions for Farming Simulator 26, and Martin once again took the time to answer them, and I noticed a pattern that kept appearing. Whether we were talking about Nintendo hardware, new features, or the future of the series, Martin always returned to community and player feedback, and it made me think about my own experience with the communities that form around video games, and why some developers choose to be part of that journey long after launch.
To me, video games have always been one of the easiest ways to break the ice, so to speak. When I worked in a marketing firm in Brisbane, a bunch of us would swap Battlefield and Call of Duty stories around the office before eventually teaming up in Destiny after work. Life has taken us in different directions since then, but I still talk with some of those friends today. It’s something I’ve noticed throughout my life… games have a funny way of bringing people together. Sometimes it’s long-running conversations with legends in the What’s It Like? community about different Skyrim builds, other times it’s watching Animal Crossing players help complete each other’s item sets. The games themselves are important, but they’re often just the starting point because the friendships, conversations and communities that grow around them are what give those games a life far beyond the credits.
Farming Simulator had become one of those games for me. When I first started out, I knew nothing about optimising production chains, raising livestock or how to make enough money to expand into new industries. Like most people, I turned to the internet for help and found a Farming Simulator Facebook group. Sheepishly (pun intended), I introduced myself and asked what were probably some very basic questions. Most of the people in the group were playing on PC or the more powerful console versions, building huge farms, experimenting with mods and managing multiplayer operations. I worried that asking basic questions would end with their ridicule, but instead, they welcomed me. People took the time to explain game mechanics, recommend which production chains were worth investing in and point out expensive pitfalls. Before long, I found myself sharing screenshots of my own progress, celebrating little milestones like finally purchasing the massive field at the top of the map, while the group cheered me on. I played Farming Simulator 23 consistently right up until Signature Edition launched on Nintendo Switch 2. Moving across felt like taking the training wheels off. There were more systems to learn and more decisions to make, but just like before, every time I had a question, someone was willing to point me in the right direction.
Farming Simulator stopped being another game I had reviewed and became one of the games I return to when I want to switch my brain off for an hour. I don’t think it was just the farming gameplay that kept bringing me back; it was the sense of belonging in a community, and after reading back through my interviews with Martin, I started to realise that the community I’d stumbled into wasn’t simply the result of a few welcoming Facebook groups. Every conversation, no matter where it started, eventually came back to the people playing the game. When I asked about Farming Simulator finding an audience on Nintendo, Martin spoke about the creativity, freedom and accessibility that appealed to players. When I asked about the future of Nintendo support, he explained why Farming Simulator 26 was designed as a more streamlined experience while Signature Edition catered to players wanting the full simulation. Even when our conversations turned to new features or future plans, the discussion never drifted too far from the community itself.
“We’re very proud of our large and passionate community, and we try to stay as connected with players as possible” is probably the sort of answer you’d expect from the Head of Marketing & PR, because every developer wants players to know they value their community, but reading it alongside our previous conversations, I noticed something else… GIANTS also seemed to be actively involved in cultivating it. Martin spoke about FarmCon, where more than a thousand fans travel to celebrate the series together. He talked about the Cultivators program, where community ambassadors organise local events around the world, and he described staying connected through social media and how player feedback continues to influence the games across every platform.
This is the community I interacted with in my own personal experience. Nobody at GIANTS told those Facebook groups to answer my beginner questions, nor did they instruct experienced players to spend their evenings explaining production chains or encouraging someone who’d just bought their first field. Communities like that exist because thousands of players choose to make them welcoming every single day, and GIANTS doesn’t appear to take that for granted. I remember asking Martin about mod support for the Signature Edition, and he explained the challenges, managed expectations, and said it was something the team would like to explore if the opportunity arose. As of May this year, Signature Edition now has ModHub support, opening the door to thousands of community-created mods. Even 6 months after launch, the team has continued releasing updates that improve performance and refine the experience. I appreciated that approach far more than I would have appreciated a promise that couldn’t be kept. Listening to players doesn’t always mean saying yes immediately, and I think we respect when people are being honest about what’s possible, continuing to work towards it and supporting the game long after release.
Communities don’t appear overnight. They grow because people take the time to answer emails, reply to comments, welcome newcomers and keep conversations going. That’s exactly what happened when I first emailed GIANTS Software. It happened again when a group of strangers helped me build up my first successful farm, and again when I finally purchased the 900k field. For a long time, there was this idea that gaming was a solitary thing, something you did alone. But the reality I’ve seen over the years is the opposite… behind some of our favourite games are these wonderful communities that somehow make games even better. I think having one foot in that door as a professional, and another as a fan, has helped me see the message behind the PR more clearly. Most great games have even greater communities behind them… Farming Simulator just happened to be mine.
If you are interested in the interview that sparked this story, you can find it here – Farming Simulator 26 Interview with Martin Rabl, Head of Marketing & PR at GIANTS Software | What’s It Like?
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