41 games

The best sandbox games on PlayStation

No fixed task, only possibilities: games where you set your own goals, build, experiment and shape the world to your ideas.

Mark games you enjoyed with “+ Select” and we’ll find what fits.

  1. 1. Space Engineers

    Sci-fi setting · Open world · Deep systems to master

    16.99 € 89 % positive

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  2. 2. Satisfactory

    Sci-fi setting · Lavish presentation

  3. 3. Terraria

    Pixel art · Loot and gear

Close behind

  1. 4. Ark: Survival Evolved

    2017 14.79 € 83 % positive

    Resources and survival · Open world

  2. 5. 7 Days to Die

    2024 43.99 € 87 % positive

    Post-apocalyptic setting · Resources and survival

  3. 6. Conan Exiles

    2018 39.99 € 78 % positive

    Resources and survival · Fantasy setting

  4. 7. Besiege

    2020 14.79 € 95 % positive

    Puzzles and brain teasers

  5. 8. LEGO Worlds

    2017 29.99 € 77 % positive

    Cosy, great for unwinding · Open world

  6. 9. Valheim

    2026 −10 % 29.99 € 26.99 € 2 days left 93 % positive

    Open world · Melee combat with weapons or fists

  7. 10. Kerbal Space Program

    2015 36.99 € 95 % positive

    Puzzles and brain teasers · Challenging difficulty

The full ranking

1 Space Engineers

Sci-fi setting

2019 PC, PlayStation, Xbox 16.99 € 89 % positive

A physics-driven space sandbox where you engineer ships, stations and rovers block by block, mine asteroids and watch your creations get realistically torn apart. Its huge creative and technical freedom shines brightest with friends in co-op.

2 Satisfactory

Sci-fi setting

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 38.99 € 97 % positive

As a FICSIT Pioneer you build sprawling automated factories in first person on an alien planet. Designing efficient production chains in a beautiful open world, solo or in co-op, is deeply satisfying.

3 Terraria

Pixel art

2011 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified 9.75 € 97 % positive

A 2D sandbox adventure where you dig, build and craft while ever-tougher bosses unlock new gear tiers and biomes. Its huge item pool and hidden secrets make it a near-endless experience, especially with friends.

4 Ark: Survival Evolved

Resources and survival

2017 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified 14.79 € 83 % positive

Stranded on an island full of dinosaurs, you gather resources, build bases and tame prehistoric beasts to ride and fight alongside you. On multiplayer servers it becomes a harsh, time-hungry struggle of tribes, raids and alliances.

5 7 Days to Die

Post-apocalyptic setting

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 43.99 € 87 % positive

A zombie survival sandbox built on crafting, looting, base building and skill progression, where every seventh night a massive horde tests your fortifications. Played solo or in co-op, it blends first-person shooting with tower-defense tension.

6 Conan Exiles

Resources and survival

2018 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable 39.99 € 78 % positive

A survival sandbox set in the brutal world of Conan the Barbarian: you build bases and whole cities, endure hunger, cold and enemies, and rise from a lowly exile to a mighty warrior. Playable solo, in co-op, or on persistent online servers with siege warfare.

7 Besiege

Puzzles and brain teasers

2020 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 14.79 € 95 % positive

Besiege is a physics sandbox where you build your own siege machines from beams, wheels and weapons to wreck castles and armies. The appeal lies in inventive tinkering and the often chaotic, funny failure of your contraptions.

8 LEGO Worlds

Cosy, great for unwinding

2017 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified 29.99 € 77 % positive

A LEGO sandbox of procedurally generated worlds where you build brick by brick, reshape entire landscapes and ride dragons or gorillas around. Relaxed creative play comes first rather than challenge, and it works well in co-op.

9 Valheim

Open world

2026 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified −10 % 29.99 € 26.99 € 2 days left 93 % positive

A Viking survival game set in a procedurally generated Norse afterlife where you explore biomes, build longhouses and ships, and take down massive bosses. It shines in co-op, balancing relaxed base building with tense, dangerous expeditions.

10 Kerbal Space Program

Puzzles and brain teasers

2015 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 36.99 € 95 % positive

You assemble rockets and spacecraft from parts and send the endearing Kerbals to moons and planets under realistic orbital physics. Failure is part of the fun and often as entertaining as success.

11 Ark: Survival Ascended

Resources and survival

2023 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 44.99 € 60 % positive

You are stranded on islands full of dinosaurs, taming and riding prehistoric beasts, building bases and surviving alone or with tribes of other players. The Unreal Engine 5 remake makes the huge sandbox world look far more impressive.

12 Dune: Awakening

Sci-fi setting

2025 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 49.99 € 72 % positive

A survival MMO on Arrakis where you battle thirst, sandstorms and sandworms, build bases and fight rival guilds over precious spice. Its draw is a faithful, atmospheric take on the Dune universe, including the lore's Mentat and Bene Gesserit skill paths.

13 Summerhouse

Cosy, great for unwinding

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 4.99 € 93 % positive

A relaxing building game where you craft small, charmingly lived-in houses with no rules or pressure. Pure creative freedom in a cozy atmosphere.

14 The Sims 4

Cosy, great for unwinding

2014 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable free 86 % positive

The definitive life simulator: craft Sims in detail, build their dream homes, and steer their careers, relationships and families across generations. A relaxed, humorous sandbox with no set goals, driven entirely by your creativity.

15 Dreams

Distinctive, stylised art style

2020 PlayStation

Dreams is Media Molecule's creative sandbox toolkit for building and sharing games, music, animation and art. It also offers a vast universe of community-made dream worlds that you can freely browse and play.

16 Cities: Skylines II

Economy and management

2023 PC, PlayStation, Xbox −30 % 49.99 € 34.99 € 5 days left 57 % positive

A deep city-building simulator where you freely plan traffic, economy and infrastructure of a sprawling metropolis. The detailed, living simulation makes it both relaxing and complex.

17 Palworld

Open world

2026 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 28.99 € 94 % positive

Palworld mashes creature collecting together with survival crafting and base building. Captured Pals fight beside you, carry you across the islands or toil away in your factory while you explore an open world armed with guns. Its cheeky, slightly macabre humor gives the whole thing a flavor of its own.

18 Planet Coaster 2

Lavish presentation

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 49.99 € 74 % positive

A creative theme park sandbox where you build roller coasters, water slides and entire parks piece by piece while keeping an eye on park management. It adds water parks and cooperative building with friends.

19 SimCity 2000

Economy and management

1993 PC, PlayStation

A classic city-builder where you plan and run a metropolis with roads, rail, subways, power and public services. You juggle budget, traffic and citizen happiness, in open sandbox play or in disaster scenarios.

20 Unturned

Post-apocalyptic setting

2017 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable free 91 % positive

A free-to-play zombie survival sandbox with blocky low-poly visuals where you scavenge, craft and build bases across large maps, teaming up with or betraying other players. A huge modding and workshop scene keeps it endlessly replayable.

21 Trailmakers

Driving or flying

2019 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 24.99 € 92 % positive

You build your own cars, planes and boats from parts and explore a colorful world alone or with friends. The appeal lies in creative tinkering, failing spectacularly and improving your designs.

22 PixArk

Open world

2018 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 19.50 € 73 % positive

You gather resources, craft, tame dinosaurs and mythical beasts, and build huge bases in a voxel world. Play solo or with a tribe in a colorful, blocky take on Ark's survival formula.

23 Roblox

Co-op or multiplayer

2006 PC, PlayStation, Xbox

Roblox is less a single game than a vast platform of user-made worlds, from obstacle courses and roleplay hangouts to survival games, all built for playing with friends. Anyone can also build and script their own creations.

24 Core Keeper

Pixel art

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified 19.99 € 92 % positive

A mining sandbox adventure in a vast underground world where you dig, build, craft, farm and fight bosses, solo or with up to eight players. The mystery of the ancient Core drives your exploration.

25 Citadel: Forged With Fire

Fantasy setting

2019 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable 14.79 € 67 % positive

You build massive castles, tame beasts and wield magic in an open fantasy sandbox, while rival players compete with you for power and influence. Its appeal lies in the freedom to choose your own path through scheming, hunting or construction.

26 Planet Crafter

Sci-fi setting

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 23.99 € 96 % positive

You terraform a hostile planet by gathering resources, building bases and machines, and watching a barren wasteland slowly gain atmosphere, water and life. The blend of calm survival and visible, large-scale progress is what makes it special.

27 Fallout 76

Post-apocalyptic setting

2018 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable 39.99 € 74 % positive

An online Fallout set in the irradiated hills of Appalachia, where you explore a huge world solo or with friends, build camps, join public events and shape your character with perk cards. After a rocky launch, NPCs, factions and steady updates turned it into a lively post-apocalyptic sandbox.

28 Inzoi

Lavish presentation

2025 PC, PlayStation, Xbox 39.99 € 77 % positive

A Sims-style life simulator with strikingly realistic visuals, letting you guide your Zois' careers, relationships and daily lives in cities modeled on Seoul and Santa Monica. Deep character creation, home building and city-wide editing are the main draw.

29 TerraTech

Sci-fi setting

2018 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 24.99 € 92 % positive

You assemble custom vehicles from blocks to mine resources, build bases and fight your way across a procedurally generated planet. The appeal lies in creative tinkering and testing your own contraptions.

30 Growtopia

Pixel art

2013 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch free 27 % positive

A free-to-play 2D sandbox MMO where players build worlds, collect and trade items, and hang out together. Its appeal lies in creativity and social play, backed by thousands of items and regular events.

31 Planet Zoo 2

Economy and management

2026 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 49.99 € 64 % positive

A zoo-building sim where you design and manage detailed parks with land, aquatic and flying animals. New wildlife reserves let you release your animals into larger natural habitats.

32 Jurassic World Evolution 2

Economy and management

2021 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified 59.99 € 90 % positive

Build and run your own dinosaur park, engineering species through genetics and keeping guests happy while predators test your fences. Campaign, film-inspired Chaos Theory scenarios and a sandbox mode offer plenty of variety.

33 cyubeVR

Pixel art

2018 PlayStation 33.99 € 90 % positive

A VR voxel sandbox set in an endless procedurally generated world where you gather resources, craft and build freely. Roomscale VR controls and a dynamic day/night cycle make the building feel immersive.

34 Dig or Die

Sci-fi setting

2018 PC, PlayStation, Xbox −55 % 11.99 € 5.39 € 2 days left 90 % positive

You are stranded on a hostile alien world after your ship crashes and must turn local resources and your own fabrication tools into a working base. It blends survival, automation and exploration into a sandbox where you build your own way off the planet.

35 Boundless

Co-op or multiplayer

2018 PC, PlayStation, Steam Deck playable 19.50 € 73 % positive

A multiplayer sci-fi sandbox where you travel between colorful procedurally generated planets to mine, build, trade and raise guild cities. You can also hunt giant Titans and search for Oort technology.

36 Aground

Pixel art

2017 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified 14.79 € 93 % positive

A 2D pixel-art sandbox survival game where you mine resources, craft gear and build up settlements while exploring islands and working through a long chain of recipes and tools.

37 Duckside

Competing against other players

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox −60 % 14.79 € 5.91 € 2 days left 71 % positive

Think DayZ or Rust, but you play a hat-wearing duck with a gun. You scavenge, craft, build bases and fight other players and the environment in a persistent open world.

38 Path of Titans

Lots of grind

2020 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

You hatch as one of over 30 dinosaur species and grow from egg to adult in an open sandbox. Build your own cave on the map Panjura, take on MMO-style quests, and meet other players along the way.

39 Autonauts

Cosy, great for unwinding

2019 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable 19.99 € 89 % positive

You colonise an alien planet by teaching little robots, through simple visual scripting, to gather resources and run whole production chains. The relaxed tinkering and optimising slowly grows into a sprawling robot empire.

40 TrainerVR

Cosy, great for unwinding

2017 PC, PlayStation 9.99 € 93 % positive

A physics-based VR sandbox where you build track layouts and rail networks with your own hands, like a wooden toy train set. It is about relaxed, creative tinkering without pressure.

41 Railroads Online

Cosy, great for unwinding

2024 PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable 29.99 € 75 % positive

A relaxed railroad sandbox where you lay track, drive locomotives by hand and haul freight to grow your own line. It shines when you build and run the railway together with friends online.

What matters: Sandbox games

Sandbox games hand you tools and leave the goals to you. On PlayStation that can mean designing a factory, building a spaceship, surviving a hostile world with friends, or simply stacking blocks until something looks right. The appeal is freedom, but that same freedom means the experience depends heavily on what kind of project you enjoy.

Start with the mood you want. If you prefer relaxed, colorful building, LEGO Worlds is tagged cozy and relaxing, and it supports co-op. If you like engineering and problem solving, Satisfactory is built around factory planning with strategy and puzzle elements, while Kerbal Space Program mixes exploration, puzzles and comedy. Besiege suits you if you enjoy designing contraptions and seeing whether they work. Many of the others lean on survival, which adds pressure: 7 Days to Die brings horror and a post-apocalyptic setting, and Conan Exiles goes for dark fantasy.

Also think about who you will play with. Space Engineers, Terraria, Valheim and the Ark games all list co-op, and survival sandboxes are usually easier to manage with a group. Terraria is the one to pick if you want a 2D pixel art world with exploration and action RPG elements. Expect a learning curve in the engineering-heavy games, and go for the lighter ones if you want to jump in quickly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best sandbox game on PlayStation for relaxed building?

LEGO Worlds is the most laid-back option on the list, with cozy, relaxing and colorful tags plus co-op support. Terraria is another good choice if you prefer a pixel art world to explore.

Which PlayStation sandbox games can I play with friends?

Space Engineers, Terraria, Valheim, 7 Days to Die and Conan Exiles all list co-op. Ark: Survival Evolved and Ark: Survival Ascended do too, along with multiplayer.

Are there sandbox games on PlayStation that are not about survival?

Yes. Satisfactory focuses on building and strategy, Kerbal Space Program on spaceflight puzzles, and Besiege on designing machines. LEGO Worlds is also a calmer, creative pick.

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