Deal | This cozy productivity sandbox is free to play on Steam for a limited time

You sit down at your PC intending to get some work done, only to end up on YouTube or a gaming platform instead. Anyone familiar with that problem may find an unusual solution on Steam: gogh: Focus with Your Avatar. The multiplayer coworking sandbox is free to try until July 13 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Those who want to keep it afterward can purchase it at a 40% discount off its regular price of $11.99.

Players can create cozy virtual workspaces, customize their own anime avatar and use productivity tools such as Pomodoro timers, to-do lists and focus statistics. Those who prefer not to work alone can also study or work alongside up to 16 other players in peaceful multiplayer rooms, accompanied by lo-fi music, rainfall and other relaxing ambient sounds. With more than 5,100 user reviews and a 90% positive rating, gogh has been very well received on Steam.

Many users say the game genuinely helps them stay productive. Whether that effect lasts in the long term, however, is less certain. It is also worth noting that gogh adds to the workload on your PC, and its recommended system requirements are fairly demanding for this type of application: an Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 16 GB of RAM. Anyone curious to find out whether a gamified workspace like this can improve their productivity can currently do so without spending any money. If the answer is yes, the discounted price of around $7.20 may prove to be a worthwhile investment.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.