Sandbox games are the definition of freedom. Though it's a pretty wide genre with very different titles peppered throughout it, they all share the same core idea of player agency. You're plopped into a world that you can shape and affect with your actions, either by customizing, building, exploring, and/or interacting with its characters and creatures. For highly creative gamers, the genre's a candy shop of excellent games, ranging from Minecraft to RimWorld, Project Zomboid, and Factorio, and beyond.
8 Best Survival Games That Let You Play Your Own Way
Survival games come in all shapes and sizes, but the best examples of the genre are often the ones that offer players the most freedom of choice.
So, what's next on the sandbox menu? 2026 has a few very interesting releases to keep an eye out for. We'll feature a nice mix of different kinds of sandboxes here, from open-world survival crafts to life sims, and everything in between. These aren't the only ones set to come out this year, but they are, without a doubt, the most exciting and promising ones. Unfortunately, not all will have set release dates, but they are currently estimated to release sometime around 2026 at the very least.
Outbound
From A Camper Van To Something More
Starting off with a super cozy sandbox experience, we have Outbound. Fans of the open-world survival craft genre are in for a treat with this game that adds a slightly unique twist to the usual formula. Instead of you building your home from scratch in the wilderness, you start off with a camper van that can also be moved from one location to another, making exploration a little more interesting and dynamic. With a couple of different biomes in the game, you'll definitely want to move around before setting up camp.
The game lets you customize your cute little retro van and build up its insides with the resources you gather in typical survival craft fashion. You can start gardens, get into cooking, go crazy with the decoration, and more. Best part? Bring your friends along. Outbound supports up to four-player co-op, so if venturing out alone into this vibrant sandbox sounds boring, you can always get your gamer friends to join you and help you unlock all the tech in the game for building and powering up your van as soon as possible. For now, it's expected to be released sometime around Q2 of 2026.
Witchbrook
Magically Witchy Life Sim Sandbox
Are you a big fan of Stardew Valley? Then, just like me, you're probably super excited for this absolutely stunning new life sim and sandbox game, Witchbrook. It's the upcoming game from Chucklefish, who also created games like Starbound and Eastward. In this game, though, you're studying at the local college for witches and are part of a coven. Like with Stardew Valley, you're surrounded by a charming, quirky town with a cast of characters you'll get to know and eventually even romance, if you so please.
30 Great Multitasking Games Similar To Overcooked
Overcooked blends a charming arcade sensibility with simple mechanics & frantic gameplay, but it's not one of a kind.
From what we know so far, you'll be able to customize not just your character from scratch, but also a cute cottage that comes with its very own garden. At the core of it, though, are your studies as a witch that range from spellcasting to rituals and even alchemy. All in all, it sounds like a super cozy game, and the pixel art graphics are to die for. It may not be a traditional sandbox game in the truest sense, but with how much customization has been promised so far, I think this one will be quite popular when it eventually comes out, especially since you have co-op available for up to four players. No set release date is out yet, but hopefully it will see a 2026 release.
Solarpunk
Skyblock Just Got Real
Does anyone remember Skyblock in Minecraft? If you've ever dreamed of something that plays into that idea of a floating island world or biome even more, Solarpunk is a sandbox game to definitely keep your eye on this year. It's another open-world survival craft where you can build freely wherever you like. Travel between a bunch of beautiful floating islands and just pick the cutest spot that appeals to you. The color palette and vibrancy give it that same cozy feeling that Outbound has, and like that game, you can also play this in co-op with your friends.
The unique twist in Solarpunk is evident in its name: solar tech. You'll be able to build a bunch of cool tech and machinery to help you keep your base running, simply with the use of solar power. There's, in fact, a good dose of technical, automation gameplay, so you can get fairly creative with the types of farms you build. And yes, you also have animals, a nice throwback to a farming sim like Stardew Valley. But before you settle down, keep that airship close by, as traveling further away to new islands will give you access to more advanced resources and let you build even more complex systems. With no set release date yet, you can try the demo on Steam for now and just cross your fingers that it makes its estimated 2026 release.
Paralives
A New Player Appears In The Life Sim Genre
Easily one of the most anticipated indie games of this year, Paralives is a charming life-sim game from Alex Massé and team. The game's Early Access was recently pushed back, which was unfortunate, but with limited resources and a small team, it's understandable that the game needed some extra time to cook in the oven. So far, a lot looks promising. If you're familiar with life sim games like The Sims and inZOI, you'll find a lot of familiar features here, from a character creator to live mode and build mode. Whether you prefer making unique characters or just enjoy spending hours upon hours creating the perfect house ever, there's something for every kind of life sim player here, and the sandbox is impressive considering this is all from an indie studio.
7 Best Open-World RPGs With Base-Building, Ranked
Settle down into your new home in these open-world RPGs that come packaged with their own base-building system.
Builders will have access to plenty of decor, furniture, and building options, and since all of it is in gridless format, it's going to be a breath of fresh air to anyone who's used to Build Mode in games like The Sims. And of course, if you're just here to see what kind of shenanigans your Paras will get up to in the open-world environment, that's a thing, too. Characters will experience love and loss, struggles and victories, and you get to have a say in their lives. There are even a few cool features that haven't been explored in other life sims, like height adjustments to Paras. What more could you hope for in a life-sim sandbox?
Subnautica 2
Time To Dive Back Into These Depths
The future of the Subnautica franchise is a bit of a question mark right now with all the recent controversies KRAFTON has been tangled up with, but I like to stay optimistic and keep my fingers and toes crossed that the series' second installment will deliver. The game was meant to initially come out in 2025, but a delay pushed the game's Early Access release to an unknown date in 2026. So far, Subnautica 2's premise appears to be roughly the same as its predecessor's, where you're stranded on an alien water planet and must explore its underwater world to discover more—perhaps a way out, like in the first one.
The real fun with games like these, though, is just surviving and thriving for as long as possible without rushing the end. You'll be able to build yourself a fancy underwater base once again, craft gear, and advance from one tech to another while getting acquainted with the lifeform swimming around you using the iconic, trusty scanner. Yes, even the terrifying ones, as the Leviathans have been confirmed to make a return. Gamers with thalassophobia, you have been warned.
Best PC Games With Low Specs (Low-End & Old PCs)
You don't need a monstrous PC to see some of the best the platform has to offer. Today, let's cover the best low-end PC games.