A tribute to the golden age of 8-bit management sims.
Forget flashy 3D graphics. Agency Manager captures the high-stakes tension of 1980s classics like Football Manager and Championship Manager. Swap the locker room for the boardroom and transform a living room startup into a global digital powerhouse.
Table of Contents
1. The Dashboard: Your Command Center
Every empire starts in a cramped, rent-free apartment. Your goal is to manage your resources without going bust.
- Cash on Hand: Your lifeline. If this hits zero, it’s game over.
- Monthly Balance: Your profit/loss. Red means you’re bleeding; green means you’re growing.
- Reputation: High reputation unlocks premium clients and elite talent.
- Workspace: Your current office tier. Better offices hold more staff and boost morale.
2. Building Your Dream Team
Success depends on the talent you hire. Visit the Job Market to find candidates with five core skills: Design, Development, Marketing, SEO, and Content.
- Skill Levels: Ranked 1–5. A “Level 5” pro is rare and expensive.
- The First Hire: You only have one spare desk in your apartment. Choose a “Jack-of-all-trades” early on to cover multiple project needs.
- Employee Happiness: Measured 0–100. Overworked or underpaid staff will quit.
3. Winning Work & Managing Projects
Browse the Client Board to find contracts. Each project lists a budget, a deadline, and specific skill requirements.
- The Strategy: Find the jobs your team is capable of. Assigning an under-skilled teaam risks project failure and reputation damage.
- Burnout: Overworked employees (too many projects simultaneously for too less staff on the team) will see their happiness plummet.
4. The Workspace Ladder
To grow, you must move. Better offices increase your Capacity and provide a Morale Bonus.
| Workspace | Capacity | Rent | Morale Effect |
| Apartment | 2 | Free | -10% |
| Co-working | 8 | $800 | +5% |
| Small Office | 15 | $2,000 | +10% |
| Premium Office | 35 | $12,000 | +25% |
Pro Tip: Upgrade only when you have 3–4 months of rent saved in reserve.
5. Retaining Talent: The Poaching Problem
Competitors will try to steal your stars. Each month, a rival might offer your employee a 10–30% raise.
When an employee is headhunted, you must decide:
- Do nothing: Risk them leaving immediately.
- Counter-offer: Give them a raise to stay. Their decision depends on their current happiness, your office quality, and how close your offer is to the “Market Rate.”
- Manage time: Letting your team study helps qualifying them for greater tasks.
6. The Game Loop: Advancing the Month
The game moves in one-month turns. When you click Advance Month, the simulation calculates:
- Project Progress: Completed jobs pay out.
- Expenses: Salaries and rent are deducted.
- Life Events: Random market changes or staff issues occur.
- Flight Risk: Unhappy employees (below 30 happiness) may quit.
Quick Strategy Tips
- Months 1-6: Focus on cash reserves. Don’t hire too fast.
- Months 7-18: Move to a Small Office and diversify your team’s skills.
- Late Game: Pursue high-budget “Premium Clients” and invest in the Premium Office to lock in loyalty.
Saving your progress: Agency Manager uses a retro Hashcode System. Click “Save” to generate a unique code. Copy and save it safely; paste it back later to resume your empire exactly where you left off.