PLAYISM has announced that the latest title in the Idol Manager series, Idol Manager: Virtual Venture, is coming to Steam in 2027. Developed by Glitch Pitch, the developers behind the original Idol Manager, this management simulator-slash-visual novel has you running a virtual streaming agency instead of a pop star talent agency. This doesn’t make your life easier though, as you’ll be dealing with both the flashy and the dark sides of the industry.
Disclosure: The publisher of this game, PLAYISM, is part of Active Gaming Media, the owner of this website.
Your work begins by scouting new talent, which is done by holding auditions or recruiting independent streamers. Streamers that you hire congregate under one roof, whom you then manage individually. You’ll moderate streams by choosing overlays, music, and overseeing chat messages, but you’ll also conduct conversations with your streamers that deepen your relationships. Not everything is sunshine and roses, however, as some talks involve drama, gossip, and scandals within your agency.
Virtual Venture has a number of ways that let you customize your experience. I already mentioned that you can freely choose how your streamers present themselves online, but you can also choose their gender, appearance, and manage their social media profiles (the latter of which is done by liking and reporting posts). Your streamers’ dorm rooms will even change depending on their personalities. While this might make you seem like a control freak, that’s the price of fame (at least by the game’s standards).
Featuring a Story mode that chronicles your way to the top and a management-focused Freeplay mode, Idol Manager: Virtual Venture is set to release in Early Access on Steam sometime in 2027. It will remain in Early Access for approximately 12 to 18 months, after which it is planned to fully release. The final version will include the full Story mode with three routes and multiple endings (the Early Access version will launch with roughly 20% of the main campaign), romance options, as well as more game mechanics, random events, and building options for your merry home of streamers.
Idol Manager: Virtual Venture is set to release in Early Access on Windows and macOS (Steam) in 2027.
