The 12 Best Building Games To Play on PC (2024)

Imagine building a thriving empire filled to the brim with different architecture or carefully constructing an intricate structure piece by piece. Building games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years because of their opportunities for engaging gameplay, innovation, and unlimited creativity, with new games released often. Whether designing cities or focusing on functional buildings for survival, the best building games offer endless creativity and strategy for every type of gamer. 
Below, discover 12 of the best building games fit for every gameplay style, from challenging PvP survival to strategic resource management. 

The 12 Best Building Games

1. Valheim

• Genre: Survival, sandbox
• Release date: February 2, 2021
• Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Xbox 
• Gameplay features: Skill trees, open-world exploration, combat, boss battles, realistic building
• Developer: Iron Gate Studio, Fishlabs
• Payment model: $19.99
• Rating: 9/10 on Steam
• Best for: Players looking for a story-driven survival building game

In Valheim, players dive headfirst into an open world filled with biomes that create a rich, engaging game setting in which to explore, build, and survive. In this survival game, you play as a fallen Viking who needs to craft tools, build shelters, and combat different enemies as you fight to survive. This game uses realistic building physics, requiring players to be strategic about how they build their base, from its shape to its support.

One of the best games to play online, Valheim pairs traditional builder game mechanics with a skill system. This allows players to hone and master everything from combat to athleticism, changing the way they interact with the world in this Norse-inspired game. 

2. Satisfactory

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: September 10, 2024 (full release)
• Platforms: Windows
• Gameplay features: Open-world gameplay, technological unlocks to expand and grow the player’s factory and resource transportation 
• Developer: Coffee Stain Studios
• Payment model: $39.99
• Rating: 90/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for a building game with open-world exploration but no survival system

Building games don’t always have to revolve around survival and large bases. Instead, Satisfactory is an open-world build game where players must effectively extract resources from a strange alien planet by building a successful factory system.

The game begins in one of four locations on an unexplored map, where players can play alone or cooperatively with friends. As the game progresses, players explore the planet on foot, filling out the map and locating the resources they need to mine. Successful extraction unlocks new technology, leading to more advanced and complex factory builds. Running a factory isn’t so simple, though. Players also need to spend time constructing a power grid to help run their factory.

3. Rust

• Genre: Survival 
• Release date: February 8, 2018
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: PvE and PvP survival, raiding, crafting, skin customization, modded server support
• Developer: Facepunch Studios, Double Eleven
• Payment model: $39.99 (PC), $49.99 (Xbox, PlayStation)
• Rating: 69/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for a challenging building game focused on survival against the elements and other players

Rust is one of the best base-building games, allowing both solo and cooperative gameplay as you build and upgrade your base however you like. In Rust, players are faced with an unforgiving world focused on survival against both the elements and other players. Players need to work quickly in harvesting wood and stone to build their first base, expanding later in the game as they gather rarer resources and better defenses.

There are a variety of different servers on Rust. Some are focused solely on PvE gameplay, with players building their bases as they survive against wild animals, hunger, and thirst. More commonly, however, players are immersed in a PvP and PvE world, where they need to find armor, weapons, and resources to survive without being killed or having their base raided. Because combat isn’t turn-based, players can develop real-time combat skills and have the opportunity to build.

4. Ark: Survival Evolved

• Genre: Action, adventure, survival
• Release date: August 29, 2017
• Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: PvE and PvP survival, tameable dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, mythological creatures
• Developer: Studio Wildcard, Instinct Games, Efecto Studios, Virtual Basement LLC
• Payment model: $14.99 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), $19.99 (Switch)
• Rating: 70/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of prehistoric animals, players looking to build in PvE and PvP game modes

Like Rust, Ark: Survival Evolved is another popular game in the builder games genre that focuses on survival and PvE and PvP options. This game also runs on a server system, allowing players to choose the solo or multiplayer server that fits their needs and wants. Some servers offer peaceful PvE focused on teamwork and building, while others include an element of PvP combat.

What sets Ark: Survival Evolved apart from most other building games is its use of prehistoric and even mythological creatures. In this game, players are able to gather resources and build while living among dinosaurs, Megalodons, Phoenixes, and more. 

H3: 5. Factorio

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: August 14, 2020
• Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Combat, main storyline with option for post-game play, multiplayer options including versus mode
• Developer: Wube Software
• Payment model: $35.00
• Rating: 90/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for a building game that combines traditional construction and management simulation elements with combat

Factorio is a construction and management simulation (CMS), a popular video game genre focused on building and managing structures with simulation game elements. In Factorio, players are tasked with a daunting challenge: creating an effective factory capable of producing a rocket after crash-landing on a different planet.

This game blends sandbox elements with a quest-driven storyline. Although the goal is to gather resources, build an assembly line and factory, and find a way to leave the planet, players can continue to enjoy this building game after the main story. Factorio differs from many other types of CMS games because it includes a combat system. While attempting to build their rocket, players need to fight various local creatures, which grow more aggressive as the player’s factory expands.

6. Oxygen Not Included

• Genre: Survival, simulation
• Release date: July 30, 2019
• Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS
• Gameplay features: Survival system, citizen management, physics-based mechanics such as diffusion
• Developer: Klei Entertainment
• Payment model: $24.99
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for a game that blends survival with city building and resource management, fans of space and physics

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to start a successful colony in space from scratch? In Oxygen Not Included, players do just that after waking up in an asteroid. Players mine for resources, craft, farm, and grow their technology while instructing their colonists, known as duplicants, to complete tasks.

But surviving in space isn’t easy. Players cannot directly control duplicants, but they need to monitor their food, hunger, and oxygen levels. The game also includes other hazards, such as diseases.

7. Planet Zoo

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: November 5, 2019
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Zoo building, animal care and management, guest management, different game modes
• Developer: Frontier Developments
• Payment model: $44.99
• Rating: 81/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of wildlife and conservation

In Planet Zoo, you’ll be able to build and manage your very own zoo. This building game goes beyond construction and resource management to include realistic details about animals, from their portrayals to conservation. There are 76 different animals players can add to their zoo in the base game, with over a hundred more available through downloadable content.

This game requires players to be strategic with their building while still having creative freedom. Players must keep their animals and visitors happy by investing in state-of-the-art facilities, but they can sculpt and lay out their zoo mostly how they please. Certain locations, such as restrooms and food, need to be placed in particular areas to keep guests satisfied. 

8. Planet Coaster

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: November 17, 2016
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Different game modes, theme park construction and management
• Developer: Frontier Developments, Aspyr
• Payment model: $44.99 (PC), $49.99 (Xbox, PlayStation)
• Rating: 84/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of amusement parks, players looking for multiple modes to try

Made by the same developers as Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster offers a similar gameplay experience of resource and guest management. But instead of tending to dozens of species of animals, players are tasked with building a thriving amusement park complete with epic roller coasters and smaller attractions.

There are several different modes to explore in Planet Coaster. Career mode walks players through the main storyline where they’re the manager of a theme park. This mode includes various other tasks essential to successful management, such as hiring staff. There is also a sandbox mode that allows for free play, a challenge mode that requires players to be strategic with their funds while building, and a scenario mode.

9. Minecraft

• Genre: Sandbox, survival
• Release date: November 18, 2011
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android, PlayStation, Fire OS, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Block-based crafting and building, PvE and PvP survival, peaceful and creative modes
• Developer: Mojang Studios
• Payment model: $29.99 (PC, Switch), $19.99 (Xbox, PlayStation), $6.99 (Android, Fire OS), $7.99 (iOS, iPadOS)
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for single and multiplayer gaming with a variety of game modes ranging in difficulty with open-world gameplay

Minecraft is one of the best team building games. Although players can enjoy this game alone, Minecraft allows players to come together and build cities, landscapes, and more with little to no limitations. In this game, players can enjoy PvE gameplay or peaceful mode, which prevents hunger and hostile NPCs from spawning. There are weapons available, including bows and swords, for players who choose to engage in combat.

However, the main focus of Minecraft is harvesting blocks of different materials and building. From floating islands to sunken cities, Minecraft’s low-realism physics allows players to create the impossible, providing an engaging gameplay experience centered around imagination and creativity. Thanks to its Pocket Edition, Minecraft is also one of the best building mobile games.

10. RimWorld

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: October 17, 2018
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: AI storytelling, space survival, goal-driven story progression
• Developer: Ludeon Studios, Double Eleven
• Payment model: $27.99 (PC), $39.99 (Xbox, PlayStation)
• Rating: 87/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for high replayability, fans of sci-fi

RimWorld pushes players to the brink of survival as they fight for a way home. In this game, players start from one of many different starting scenarios, though the rest of the narrative and gameplay are mainly the same. Stranded on a planet in the space frontier, you need to ensure the survival of your colony while fighting hostile enemies and searching for a way to leave the planet.

RimWorld strays away from typical construction and management simulators by including AI technology for its interactive storytelling. This introduces players to different bits of narrative and gameplay that the player chooses as they progress. As a result, this game boasts high replayability, with each experience slightly different.

11. Timberborn

• Genre: City builder
• Release date: September 15, 2021
• Platforms: Windows, macOS
• Gameplay features: City building, resource management, different rain and drought seasons
• Developer: Mechanistry 
• Payment model: $19.99
• Rating: 10/10 on Steam
• Best for: Players looking for a unique city-builder experience not focused on human habitats

One of the best city-building games, Timberborn allows players to control not humans, who have gone extinct, but beavers. Players must build dams to salvage the post-apocalyptic world before building grand cities.

However, there are other aspects of survival and building to consider — most notably the drought seasons that occur periodically. This makes it difficult for crops to thrive and for players to access enough resources to build. It can also impact water levels, which may leave water wheels used for power ineffective.

12. Surviving Mars

• Genre: City builder
• Release date: March 15, 2018
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox
• Gameplay features: Strategic resource generation, resource management, city building 
• Developer: Haemimont Games, Abstraction
• Payment model: $29.99
• Rating: 76/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for a strategic space-themed city builder

Surviving Mars utilizes real data from Mars in its aesthetics and gameplay set on the Red Planet. Players choose between a different nation and commander, each offering different benefits. From there, they need to build a successful city to host a thriving population.

However, resource management is tricky on Mars, and players need to be strategic. Food, fuel, oxygen — these are all resources players can’t get on Mars, although they do have access to different metals and ores. Because of this, players need to extract resources from the planet while manufacturing and importing others.

The Best Building Games at a Glance

There are several building games that PC, mobile, and console players can enjoy. However, no two games are the same, and one building experience can be vastly different from another. Some games may be more enjoyable for certain people based on themes and platform availability.

How To Choose a Building Game

Each game has its own unique features, from resource management to creative building and survival aspects to peaceful mode. When it comes to choosing the right building game for you, it’s important to consider your preferences in terms of playstyle, building abilities, and PvE or PvP elements.

Here are some key criteria to keep in mind:

• Creative freedom in design and construction: Do you want to build freely without restraints? Or do you like the pressure of strategic architecture? Different games have different levels of creative freedom, ranging from building physics to resource availability. 
• Resource management: Consider how much time you want to spend gathering resources. Some games offer creative modes and servers with unlimited building, while others require more time and dedication to resource farming.
• Collaborative gameplay: Building with friends can be fun, and it can unlock the potential for even more extravagant builds. Consider how many, if any, friends you want to play with when choosing the best building games for you.
• Strategic planning for efficient layouts: In games like Rust and Valheim, strategy can be essential in your builds. If this is something you enjoy, look for games that focus on building functionality.
• Exploration and expansion of new territories: For many games, building is only one part of the story. If you’re interested in an added factor of adventure, take note of games like Ark: Survival Evolved and Minecraft that allow you to explore.

Build and Thrive in Dynamic Environments

Video games offer a variety of benefits, and building games are a great way to experience the relaxation and mental boost they provide. Whether you’re looking for a quick game to play on your own or an immersive multiplayer experience, there are endless games to build thriving empires, cities, and more in while you play, including titles like Total Domination.

FAQ

What Is the Best Building Simulator?

“Best” is subjective, and determining the best building simulator involves considering your preferences in terms of playstyle and what you wish to build.

Overall, Minecraft is a popular choice because of the freedom and flexibility that come with its variety of materials, optional creative mode, and low-realism physics that allow for supersized builds. However, Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster are also popular choices because of their focus on simulator themes.

What Is the Best Survival Builder Game?

Like the best building simulators, the best survival builder game will vary based on your preferences. However, popular games include Rust and Ark: Survival Evolved. These games pair survival in an open-world game with elaborate base building and upgrading, PvE and PvP game modes, and rich lore that entices players to explore as much as they build. 

Which Building Game Is Best for Beginners?

One of the best parts of building games is that they have a low barrier to entry. While some feature combat and survival systems that may not be best for beginners, other games, like Planet Coaster, have lower stakes for failure and more in-depth introductions that allow players to learn the ropes.