NEW YORK, MARCH 25th, 2025 - Essay Games has announced that its ‘parent simulator’, Bundle of Joy, is out now on Steam and Itch.io.
Bundle of Joy is a lighthearted minigame compilation about becoming a parent during the pandemic. Funny but moving, the game connects on a level of shared parental trauma, and the inexplicable joy of raising a child.
Introspective narrative vignettes accompany a chaotic day populated by a collection of 15 childcare challenges including changing a diaper, sucking snot out of a blocked nose, and clipping baby’s fingernails.
Watch the new launch trailer here.
“At its heart, Bundle of Joy is a game about balance—between joy and exhaustion, between chaos and calm.” said Essay Games Nicholas O’Brien, “For me, one of the most exciting things about launching Bundle of Joy is how it might connect with others who have been through these moments - people who understand the unfathomable relief when your kiddo finally succumbs to sleep, or the unreasonable joy at the sight of a clean and tidy playroom floor.”
The game, which also has a demo available, brings difficulty tiers, new branching narratives, controller support, and Steam Deck Compatibility with it to launch.
For more information and press inquiries, please contact nicholas@essay-games.com. You can download the press-kit here.
ESSAY GAMES
Essay Games makes nuanced, introspective, and essayistic video games by blending personal narrative with critical observation.
PANTALOON PHANTOM PUBLISHING
Pantaloon Phantom Publishing is a white-labelled publishing service for developers looking to self-publish their games. Pantaloon, a publisher of bold and bizarre games, also helps indie game studios bring their games to market whilst remaining fully independent.