Incremental games are a video game subgenre characterized by the incremental accumulation of in-game resources, and gradual, often exponential progression through repetitive actions or automation. Incremental games that emphasize active input, such as repeatedly clicking a button to generate resources, are also called clicker games, while games that center on automation and progress that continues with minimal player interaction are also called idle games. Many incremental games combine both elements.[1]
Auto-play mobile games not only already exist but are super popular.
Yeah…idlers are a category for the desktop too, but IME they also aren’t typically oriented towards being “TV-like”, something that you’d watch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incremental_game