title. These pairings are proven to resonate with early audiences [5.5, 5.4]. Watch the Sliders : For an Action game, pour your soul into . For Strategy, focus on Level Design

If you’ve searched for , you’re likely past the tutorial phase and entering the most delicate transition period in the game. By game year 176 (roughly 1989-1991 in standard play), your small studio has unlocked the third generation of consoles, faced the RPG and Action-Adventure boom, and is now staring down the arrival of the nGage or mSystem — depending on your timeline.

This guide will break down, step-by-step, how to consistently hit the 176 threshold and turn your garage startup into a billionaire publisher.

Assign tasks to employees whose stats match the phase requirements.

To get the "Game of the Year" award, you need a score of 10/10.

If you release a game that scores 170 but not 176, do not panic. Release a exactly 14 months later.

Focus on the "Great" combinations (e.g., RPG + Fantasy). Use the Game Dev Tycoon Wiki to find optimal slider percentages for specific genres.

Here’s what the game doesn't tell you in the tutorial:

The PC platform is always available, has no licensing fee, and retains a stable mature audience throughout the entire game. Use it as your fallback option. 4. Studio Progression and Management Strategy Garage Phase (Level 1)

When you see a review score of or 11/11 , the underlying calculation is roughly 176/200 internally. Veteran players use "176" as shorthand for a "perfect game."

RPG, Adventure, and Casual games require a heavy emphasis on story, quests, and world design.

: Your reviews are based on how much you improve over your previous best game. Avoid releasing a "perfect" game with all features too early, or you'll struggle to beat your own score next time.

The fix? I buried Zombie Chef for two full years. Made a weird Space/Ninja RPG called Stealth Miso . It bombed at launch—but critics noticed the risks. Slowly, trust returned.