8 Best Open-World Games That Let You Build Ships

The best open-world games put a lot of time and energy into their traversal systems, making sure that the simple act of getting from one location to another is fun. That process sometimes provides vehicle customization, but most titles stick to the ground. However, there are exceptions, and some Open-world Masterpieces lets players build their own ships or spaceships. Sail the seas or visit unknown places in style.

Ship customization comes in many forms and depths. Some open-world games opt for relatively simple systems that give players moderate control. Meanwhile, other games go the modular route, enabling captains to truly fly the ship of their dreams. Let's go through both examples.

8

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

A classic in the franchise and pirate games

Dedicated open-world pirate games are few and far between, but one of the most popular has emerged from an unlikely place. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag The colonial era brought the franchise to the height of piracy, and is one of the most popular titles in the series to date. This is partly because the title remains refreshingly free of the live action and looter shooter elements that would come to define later titles, but also because of its highly detailed shipbuilding.

Players don't build a ship from scratch in this title, but their key ship is highly modular and has many customizable elements that bring both aesthetic changes and utility to help facilitate piracy. Seeing these ship upgrades realized in a fully explorable ship at sea is incredibly satisfying.

7

Skull and bones

Players can put all their resources into building ships

Despite the warm welcome, players looking to engage in an immersive shipbuilding experience could do a lot worse. Skull and bones. Unlike other titles in this vein, this game lets players actively customize their ships in a modular way. Starfield With the implementation of blueprints that can give them defensive bonuses, new ship styles, or even whole new compartments to use on their ships.

By combining wood and bronze, players can turn their ships into fearsome ramming devices that can shatter enemy ships, or they can build the fastest ship on the seas to defeat any enemy. It really comes down to what style of traversal players are most interested in.

Skull and bones It's not a great game to be honest, but it has one of the deepest ship customization systems. Thus, we must include it. I wouldn't recommend playing it just for this aspect though.

6

Man has no sky

Build a ship that meets your needs

During a decade V. Man has no sky Growing from a surprise flop to one of the best open-world titles on the shelves, updates are still redefining the game today. In addition to helping set the precedent of big games being released partially unfinished and then touched up with updates, this success story has given players access to a spacefaring game like no other.

Recent updates have greatly expanded what's possible with shipbuilding, and now players can build their ship with a myriad of parts and features, dedicated exploration ships, swift warships, massive cargo haulers, or anything else they can imagine.

5

Starfield

Taking Bethesda Game Design to the Stars

Bethesda's spacefaring RPG was more divisive than expected, however Starfield It's not completely gone yet, and its April 2026 PS5 debut could help spur renewed interest. Players will love the rare, exhilarating moments of exploration this game provides as they explore space in a dedicated vessel of their choice. Ship building is intuitive and easy to understand, while still giving players an incredible amount of freedom in terms of how they design and build their ships.

Players with high piloting skills have virtually no restrictions on building a large freighter or possibly a needle piercing space at the highest speed possible. It's one of those ship-building mechanics where players will get as much as they put into it.

A small open world title with a lot to offer

Tile-based shipbuilding Starcom: Place Unknown is incredibly unique, and potentially more modular than any other title on this list. If you want to build a dedicated, immersive craft — or see what kind of giant behemoth you can create to destroy enemies — this is the game for you.

The main story of this game can often be placed on the side of exploration, taking on jobs, trading between systems, and building a reputation with one of the many factions that inhabit each procedurally generated universe.

3

soul transmitter

A wistful and highly entertaining game

In this fantastic, relaxing open-world title, players build a ship to help bring souls slowly on their final journey before resting. Helping lost souls in this game find their own peace and come to terms with death is a poignant, yet incredibly cathartic experience.

The interesting element of shipbuilding in this title is simply the verticality that players can achieve with their shipbuilding. Their vessels are rarely spacious, but it's very easy to build up and turn this small dinghy into a giant barge in which distraught souls finally find their inner peace.

2

the raft

In most games, players build ships to help them on their journey, allowing them to get to places faster and safer than before. The Shipbuilding Can still be the main selling point, but it's usually a means to an end. the raft is different While technically creating a raft to travel the ocean, the ship is treated as a home base rather than a traditional transportation system.

Players start with plastic and wood, which they need to use cleverly to build their first basic raft. After that, they organically gather resources that allow them to expand their range, floating multi-story houses. In the beginning, players have almost no control over their raft, but as they reach new milestones there are changes that allow them to evolve their propulsion systems. the raftThe genius of is in its blend of depth and reach, as the concepts are easy to pick up but have plenty of room to grow.

1

Space Engineers

The ultimate space voxel sandbox

It will sound derivative, but Space Engineers is basically Minecraft in space. Not visually, but mechanically. Based on two grid sizes that target small and large creations separately, Kin Software's beloved game forces players to build the spaceship of their dreams block-by-block. Like MinecraftIf you can imagine it, you can probably create it. Want an agile fighter? Create it. Want a giant frigate? Create it. Do you want to create a planet-sized motherhood? It will take some time, but it can be done.

Space Engineers The exterior goes beyond aesthetics, as each block serves a real purpose. The combination of players writes the ship's nervous system, and everything needs to make sense. For example, a Gatling gun needs to connect the ammunition cargo through a conveyor system to work; It can't just be attached to the hall, and that's it.

Space Engineers Challenging and overwhelming, but it can be truly rewarding for anyone willing to invest their time.