Silverstring Media takes on attention-hungry design with a gentler, more intentional twist
The team at Silverstring Media, known for Glitchhikers, is taking on one of mobile gaming’s most entrenched genres: the idle game. Their latest project, Greenheart Necromancer, is an unconventional twist on the format, asking players to nurture a magical balcony garden powered by necromancy—and patience.
But this isn’t your typical tap-heavy experience built around speeding timers and squeezing microtransactions. Instead, Greenheart Necromancer aims to redefine what it means to be idle.
Growing a garden… slowly (and that’s the point)
According to studio leads Lucas J.W. Johnson and Claris Cyarron, the goal is to reclaim the idea of idle gameplay—not as something that hooks players with compulsion loops, but as a way to encourage real breaks, gentle engagement, and moments of reflection.
“It’s about designing around peace, not pressure”. “We want players to walk away from the game—and feel good doing it.”
said Cyarron
Rather than pushing users to check in constantly or watch ads for boosts, Greenheart Necromancer rewards players for not playing. Letting plants wilt isn’t failure—it’s part of the loop. The protagonist, a socially awkward necromancer, can revive them at will, shifting the emotional tone from guilt to growth.
Turning off the dopamine drip
Idle games like AdVenture Capitalist or AFK Arena often keep players hooked through finely-tuned feedback systems: flashing visuals, vibrating alerts, and relentless countdowns. These elements exploit players’ natural desire to “optimize”—even when playing casually.
“These games can prey on that little itch to check back ‘just one more time’”.
Cyarron noted
Greenheart Necromancer pushes back against that philosophy. Timers can stretch for hours or days. Progression paths may only unlock after players let plants die and return later. There are no penalties—just natural rhythms that reflect real-life attention spans.
Idle, but never meaningless
Silverstring’s approach emerged from an internal game jam inspired by the balcony gardens many of the team had during COVID-19 lockdowns. The tone is calm, the visuals serene. Plants sway gently. Chill ambient music plays. In short, it’s a vibe.
And if you neglect your plants? That’s fine, too.
In fact, the game’s progression rewards players who disappear for a few days and come back. Dead plants don’t mean lost progress—they’re just part of the cycle. One door closes, another opens.
The challenge: designing for real attention spans
While the team doesn’t claim idle games are inherently harmful, they do acknowledge how common engagement tactics can wear people down—especially neurodivergent players who may be more prone to hyperfocus or struggle with attention fatigue.
“We’re trying to make something that can sit beside your life, not dominate it”.
said Johnson
That means no endless grinding, no monetized urgency, and no shame for missing a day. It’s idle gameplay that encourages detachment—in a good way.
A quiet rebellion in the attention economy
This shift in design philosophy ties into broader conversations about the “attention economy.” From TikTok’s endless scroll to games that reward daily log-ins, modern digital experiences are often optimized to consume every spare moment.
“Attention is the substance of life,” wrote journalist Chris Hayes. The team at Silverstring agrees—and Greenheart Necromancer is their response.
Cyarron compared the approach to Stardew Valley, a game that appears cozy but pushes players toward optimizing every task to meet invisible deadlines (like impressing a ghostly grandparent). That gameplay loop, while engaging, can lead to burnout.
Instead, Greenheart Necromancer asks: what if you just didn’t worry about being efficient?
Less grind, more meaning
As open-world games balloon in size and demand longer play sessions, players are beginning to question whether more really means better. According to Cyarron, some are starting to push back against the idea that meaningful experiences require dozens of hours of effort.
“You can still carry something powerful from a smaller game,” she said. “It doesn’t always have to be a 100-hour epic.”
For Greenheart Necromancer, the goal isn’t to become the next billion-tap blockbuster. It’s to offer something thoughtful in a space dominated by metrics and monetization.
And in doing so, it opens a wider conversation: what would game genres look like if more developers challenged their assumptions?
