The survival genre has grown massively over the past few years, and one of the most interesting sub-categories comes in the form of factory-building. There is something extremely satisfying about slowly constructing a gigantic branching structure full of interconnecting production lines and wires, all in the name of progress and survival. Recently, big names like Satisfactory have revolutionized how players can engage with large-scale open worlds, whilst still having enough mechanical depth to keep them invested for dozens of hours. Another big breakout hit is StarRupture, which pushes things even further with a slightly more combat-focused gameplay loop that revolves around constructing gigantic industrial systems and defending them against hordes of alien creatures that seemingly have no end.
StarRupture Beginner Tips Guide
Master StarRupture with these essential beginner tips! From choosing your character to unlocking key technologies, we've got you covered.
Despite only being in early access, the game has already managed to garner a huge player base, with many praising the exploration and more defensive-oriented gameplay loop that sets it apart from other games in the space. With that said, there are a few new games on the horizon that are looking to push even further into new territory, experimenting with space travel and roguelike loops, while still maintaining the core automation gameplay that so many have come to love. A lot of these games are also coming to early access, meaning that they are still very much in the development process and will take quite some time to fully launch in a 1.0 state. But this actually makes them all the more exciting, as it allows players to go on a journey with the creators themselves, all learning and refining the smallest details until it finally reaches perfection, mirroring the construction of the bases in-game.
Pax Autocratica
Shaping An Entire Colony In An Alien World
Details:
- Roguelike loop alongside large-scale base building
- Tyrannical rule over a whole civilisation
Pax Autocratica is one of the most exciting base-building games of 2026, combining fast-paced roguelike action with longer-term base simulation to give players an experience unlike any other in the genre. At its core, it challenges players to build and optimize vast production networks, extract increasingly rare resources, and expand past the early stages to create a megacolony where they have all the power to rule and control the entire population. Starting with just a humble few machines, the bases can quickly expand into megastructures that require a huge amount of thought in order to fully benefit from and automate every process needed to progress further.
Unlike traditional factory builders that lean heavily on the logistical side of things, the game introduces a unique FPS roguelike element that allows players to set out on expeditions in search of resources, choosing between roguelike-style buffs that change how they fight and engage with the enemies on the battlefield. Once they have successfully defeated the alien lifeforms and mechanical monstrosities, they are free to return to base, unlocking more structures and technologies to further their reign of supremacy. Overall, the game is looking to execute a lot of the same principles as StarRupture, but with a slightly more unique focus on integrating replayable shooter combat into the progression of the base itself.
Horizon Journey
Braving The Harshness Of Mars
Details:
- Building a colony from the ground up
- Interconnected systems within the modular building system
Horizon Journey looks very much like a snapshot of what humanity could be up to in the next 100 years. Colonizing Mars is the objective, and players are free to begin constructing their bases wherever they choose, gathering resources and slowly terraforming the surface into a livable landscape. The construction process is incredibly modular, giving players a lot of control over how their base functions as well as how it looks, and as they begin to unlock new technologies and structures, they will need more elaborate production sources to accommodate the growing size of the colony.
8 Best Space Games With Ship Boarding, Ranked
Though sci-fi games often show ship-to-ship combat in the expanse of space games, these titles let players board ships and fight up close.
But the world isn't just an empty wasteland, as players will soon stumble upon old mining outposts and other decaying structures, filled to the brim with valuable minerals and resources that could be their only way to progress forward. Also, the planet isn't exactly a friendly place to live, and players will need to figure out new and innovative ways to brave the elements and survive through the treacherous weather conditions that can range from radiation zones to sandstorms, each presenting a new challenge that needs to be overcome. No matter how comfortable they become, there is always danger waiting for the player right outside the walls of their base, and even seemingly safe locations can quickly become perilous in a matter of seconds.
AETHUS
Uncovering A Corporate Conspiracy
Details:
- Story-driven survival gameplay
- Dynamic mining output is full of automation options
AETHUS is a narrative-driven mining game where players are tasked with transforming a barren alien world into a mining outpost, but what starts as a seemingly mundane mission soon turns into a much bigger conspiracy. There is a huge range of minerals for players to find, each with a distinct use and purpose, and as they refine and construct more powerful items, the world begins to open up in virtually every single direction. Thanks to the modular nature of the structure building, players can easily create aesthetically pleasing and functional bases wherever they choose, whilst also setting up large networks of resources that can be automated to give players more time to delve deeper into the mysteries of the corporation.
Where most other open-world survival games focus on over-the-top mechanics or intense combat, the game instead looks to bring a narrative element to the gameplay, giving players a reason to continue searching and uncovering the true nature of their place in the world. In line with this, there are several modifiers that players can use to tailor the experience to their tastes. Health and air supplies can be shifted higher to create a more laid-back feel, or flipped the other way to give hardcore players a real challenge. In a sea of player-guided survival games, AETHUS is hoping to bring a genuinely interesting story to the plate that should hopefully shake up the entire genre.
SpaceCraft
Planetary Exploration Meets Factory Automation
Details:
- Seamless exploration from planet to space
- Cooperative trading and building
SpaceCraft looks to be a cross between Satisfactory and No Man's Sky, removing all limits by letting players explore a vast galaxy of planets to mine and build bases on, rather than forcing them to remain in a single location. The game has the basic DNA of a factory simulator, as players can build large-scale production lines and expand their mining networks across huge distances, but the really interesting aspects come from the space combat and exploration. One planet isn't enough to satisfy the endless desire for resources, and so players need to head to the skies and set up cargo networks between other worlds, first charting out a route and establishing a destination, and then watching as the automation takes over.
8 Most Fun Base Building Games, Ranked
The base-building subgenre has grown a lot in recent years, but nothing beats the fun factor in these base builders in particular.
However, space isn't exactly devoid of life, and players will have to contend with Space Pirates that patrol the galaxy in search of any lone ships that could potentially be their next source of loot. The combat is incredibly sophisticated, beginning with the early detection phase and moving on to the engagement later on, where they can finally unleash a barrage of weapons in the hopes of defending their precious supplies. Even more than just enemies is the concept of a living universe, where players can interact with one another, trading resources and offering services to help everyone grow their bases back home. The long-term goals sound pretty incredible, so for players who love the idea of a space exploration game combined with a factory builder, SpaceCraft just might be their next big obsession.
Cosminers
Forcing Back The Local Wildlife
Details:
- Day/night gameplay cycle
- Multiple gameplay styles from automation to full combat focus
Cosminers is a cooperative sci-fi mining game centered around constructing bases on procedurally generated planets, then defending them against swarms of alien creatures the moment the daytime ends. Choice is the game's strongest selling point, as players aren't forced into one specific playstyle, and instead, they are free to automate production lines as much as they want or focus on building an enormous line of defenses, with no approach being better than another.
As players accept more challenging contracts, their bases will start to look more and more dystopian, having sprawling robotic networks and turrets that turn an otherwise simple colony into a technological monstrosity. On the shooter side of things, players have access to a range of different tools and weapons that can quickly change the outcome of a fight in their favor, but as larger and more fearsome enemies arrive, they will have to use every trick in the book to make it through the night.
Upcoming Games with Deep Crafting and Base Building Systems
For players who love crafting and base-building, keep an eye out for these upcoming games.