I’m not sure why there hasn’t been a business simulator where you can experience the glamorous, incredibly cruel, exploitative and horrible life of an Old Hollywood movie studio owner. At least until now, when Weappy Studio announced the February 2025 release of Hollywood Animal as an early access game where you’re tasked with navigating the dim streets against other major studios in order to build a movie empire that will last.
If you think about it, this is an obvious target for a management game! A terrible little industry that chewed up idealistic youth and spit out drug-addicted adults who burned the candle at both ends. Where your connections to organized crime (and worse) allow you to take drastic measures when things don’t go your way.
Hollywood Animal promises to have it all and will probably let you make a few movies along the way, selecting talent such as stars, cinematographers, producers, directors – all those significant professions.
“Make your dreams come true – or crush someone else’s. Take the helm of a major Hollywood studio at the dawn of sound cinema and lead it through decades of creative achievement and glamour, debauchery and dark deeds, difficult choices and unpleasant compromises.” says the developer.
I’m particularly interested in the temporal aspects of Hollywood Animal. Starting in the 1930s means the game will hit a very dim period in history and may even extend into the war years, creating light-hearted entertainment and propaganda films for soldiers overseas. The demo shows that this isn’t out of the question – the studio’s talent pool includes virulent racists and sexists who have their flaws, as do drug addicts and the like.
Hollywood Animal was published by Weappy Studio, creators of This is the Police and Rebel Cops, and developed by Weappy Wholesome.
You can find Hollywood Animal on Steamwhere it will be released on February 27, 2025.
