If you’ve ever paused a mission to cast a line into a suspiciously well-stocked pond, you’re not alone. From Stardew Valley to Red Dead Redemption 2, from Final Fantasy XV to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—it seems like every modern game wants you to fish.
In fact, at this point, it’s more surprising when a game doesn’t have a fishing mini-game. But… why? What is it about pretending to fish that has developers reeling us in, time and time again?
Press X to Zen
At its core, fishing is a break. It’s gaming’s built-in pause button that doesn’t stop the game—just slows it down. Whether you’re a cowboy or a space marine, fishing lets you take a breath, vibe with the scenery, and maybe score a rare item if you’re lucky.
It’s low-stakes, high-reward. It taps into that deeply human love for little surprises. What’ll you catch this time? A legendary swordfish? A boot? Your 57th carp? From a developer standpoint, fishing is a modular mechanic: it’s easy to isolate, easy to customize, and endlessly expandable. Add a rod, a rarity scale, some splashing sounds, and boom—you’ve added 10 hours of gameplay and a side quest line about a mysterious fisherman named Grumble.
For open-world and sim-style games, fishing fits perfectly into the loop. It’s progression-based (rare fish, better rods), completionist-friendly (yes, there’s an achievement), and monetizable (don’t even talk to us about microtransactions for fancy lures).
Fishing mini-games hit the same dopamine nerve as shiny hunting in Pokémon or grinding for loot in Diablo. There’s a collection to complete, odds to beat, and maybe even a museum to fill (looking at you, Blathers). Even if the mechanic is janky (looking at you, Nier: Automata), we keep coming back.
Some games even make fishing weirdly emotional. In Spiritfarer, fishing becomes a quiet way to process loss. In Yakuza, it’s… well, it’s Yakuza, so somehow both a full-on side hustle and a criminally underrated bonding activity.
So the next time your game offers you a pole, don’t skip the bait. Cast out, kick back, and remember: you’re not wasting time—you’re participating in one of gaming’s weirdest, most beloved traditions.
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