Mining bitcoin can be lucrative but it’s an expensive enterprise to undertake. Between the sky-high electric bill, skyrocketing price of graphics processing units, and thousands you’ll spend on cooling systems, becoming a miner is often more trouble than it’s worth. Worse, the markets are so volatile that anyone getting in now could spend thousands and end up with nothing. Some people want to see what all the fuss is about without having to invest thousands of dollars that may disappear overnight. Thankfully, a new video game coming soon to Steam early access has them covered: Bitcoin Tycoon—Mining Simulation Game .

Image: 99 Game Studio

Developed by Shanghai-based 99 Game Studio, Bitcoin Tycoon—Mining Simulation Game lets players explore the career of a bitcoin miner without having to deal with its frustrations first hand. It’s set in 2014 and the player is an early adopter of cryptocurrency mining. The player steers the protagonist's career, builds a rig, and learns to “understand the bitterness behind mining.”