First announced as an April Fools joke in 2024, Genasys Technologies has released the Insurance Simulator 2026.
Genasys Technologies, an insurance firm, has developed an unusual campaign – an insurance simulation game.
The Insurance Simulator 2026 is a free game accessed via a web browser, and puts players in charge of an insurer – turning the mechanics of marketing into a strategy game.
Built entirely by the in-house Genasys marketing team, the game was originally proposed as an April Fools – as a management game built by an ‘independent studio’ and coming to online gaming app store, Steam. The studio head, ‘Ian Trelom’ (which is an anagram of ‘I’m not real’), didn’t exist, and neither did the game.
Despite the jokes, the fake game actually got a great reception. Comments reportedly included: “I’d so play this if it was a thing” and “someone should absolutely make this.” Now, you can.
Ed Halsey, vice president of marketing at Genasys, said: “In 2024 we invented a games studio, because inventing a developer was easier than becoming one. In 2026 we did not need one. We built this with a blend of generative AI tools: Claude Code, Midjourney, ChatGPT and Photoshop.
“The distance between an idea and a working thing has collapsed for everyone, not only companies with a development team on retainer. The same shift that let a marketing team build a game in a few months is now reshaping how insurance software itself gets built.”
Within the game, users can choose a character, read emails, review claims, underwrite risks, and take on broker agencies. If the business fails, you lose the game; if your cash reserves dry up, the FCA intervenes, or when the loss ratio runs too hot for too long, you also lose.
Leaders take
This is a really interesting idea from Genasys. It’s a fantastic, low-risk way to find out if a product resonates with its targeted audience. Gamification has become a key theme for marketing campaigns as a way to engage with audiences in a fun and natural setting.
The insurance sector has traditionally been quite detached from its audience, and this campaign from Genasys turns that on its head. It’s poking fun at its own industry, while acknowledging some of the challenges its customers face.
It is a great brand awareness campaign that could help the firm build trust.
