Take control of a 90s television station in Retro TV Tycoon! Acquire rights to hit sitcoms and cult movies, schedule 24/7 broadcast grids, sign lucrative sponsor contracts, upgrade your newsroom, and expand your antenna transmission network to dominate the airwaves.

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About This Demo

WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION

Step into the master control room in Retro TV Tycoon, an authentic 90s television management simulator. As Station Director and Chief Program Scheduler, you start with a modest local transmitter and a humble library of tapes. Your goal? Turn your fledgling channel into a global broadcasting empire!

Every single hour on the clock is yours to program. Balance morning cartoons, daytime dramas, high-stakes Primetime blockbusters, and late-night cult hits to capture maximum viewer shares and satisfy demanding commercial advertisers.

CORE GAMEPLAY & FEATURES

  • 24-Hour Broadcast Grid Scheduling: Full control over 24 discrete hourly slots. Schedule 1-hour series, 2-hour movie blockbusters, or your permanent in-house newsroom. Use retro automation tools like Copy Yesterday or Auto-Fill to streamline your daily workflow.

  • Demographics & Primetime Curves: Master the daily viewing habits of 5 distinct demographic groups: Kids, Teens, Adults, Women, and Seniors. Catch early commuters, dominate daytime soap operas, and unleash your best content during the critical 19:00 - 22:00 Primetime window.

  • Time Slot Loyalty Streaks: Air the same TV series at the exact same hour on consecutive days to build viewer habits. Rack up loyalty streaks for up to +60% bonus audience ratings! Progress episode by episode, cycle through seasons, or liquidate syndication rights for quick capital.

  • Commercial Contracts & Sponsor Tenders: Sign agreements with commercial sponsors to collect immediate upfront cash advances. Place ads in matching time slots to hit target impression quotas before deadlines expire—or face steep contractual breach penalties!

  • In-House Newsroom Upgrades: Upgrade your permanent news desk from a simple fold-out table (★ 1.0) to a state-of-the-art satellite studio (★ 5.0). News costs zero syndication fees and delivers reliable, steady ratings whenever you need them.

  • Planetary Transmission Grid: Expand from a local HQ mast (+10% reach) to continental microwave trunks and geostationary orbital satellites (+100% reach). Unlock rating multipliers up to 3.20x across your entire station!

  • Network Specialization & Branding: Tailor your channel's identity as a Youth Network, Sports Network, Entertainment Hub, or Family Channel to gain permanent demographic bonuses on matching genres.

  • Authentic 90s Retro OS Aesthetic: Built with nostalgic attention to detail — classic beveled windows, CRT monitor displays, financial balance sheets, and retro WinHelp documentation.

CAN YOU WIN THE RATINGS WAR?

Manage bank loans, balance transmitter overheads, avoid bankruptcy, and claim your place as the ultimate television tycoon!

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

Some visual assets used in Retro TV Tycoon were created with the assistance of generative AI.

Specifically, AI-generated imagery is used for some of the fictional thumbnail artwork displayed in the **TV Catalog** and **Film Archives** sections of the game. These images are pre-generated assets created during development and are not generated dynamically while the game is running.

Generative AI is not used to generate gameplay, player interactions, or live content. The AI-assisted images are used solely as visual illustrations and thumbnails representing fictional television programs and films within the game's catalog and archive interfaces.

System Requirements

Windows
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • OS *: Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 7 SP1+ (64-bit)
    • Processor: 1.6 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core i3 / AMD equivalent)
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 / AMD Radeon Vega 3 or any DirectX 11 compatible GPU
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card or integrated audio
    • VR Support: N/A
    • Additional Notes: Minimum display resolution: 1280x720. Highly optimized for low-spec PCs and laptops.
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
    Minimum:
    • OS: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS / SteamOS 3.0+
    • Processor: Dual Core 2.0 GHz
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM
    • Graphics: OpenGL 3.3+ / Vulkan compatible GPU or Intel Iris Graphics
    • Storage: 500 MB available space
    • Sound Card: ALSA / PulseAudio compatible sound card
    • VR Support: N/A
    • Additional Notes: Fully playable on Steam Deck using trackpad or touch controls.
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