Highlights

  • Voxel Turf is a dedicated game for building in an open world with elements of crime for added fun.
  • In Rimworld, you manage a full community instead of just building a place to stay.
  • Raft offers a unique twist on house-building with a focus on expanding a raft in the open ocean.

Life-simulation video games tend to cross the line between fun and work, which has definitely divided gamers. However, more RPGs over the years have been implementing simulation-style elements to further immerse players into the game, while also not alienating players who aren’t quite into the slow-burn satisfaction and fun of something like Animal Crossing.

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These elements have expanded over the years, and one of the most popular implementations of life management in video games has boiled down to building a shelter for your character. Many games allow you to choose a house, but some take it a few steps further and include tools for you to manually build walls, a roof, accessories, and manage the size of it all. Building your own house in a video game is like having a second vacation home that you can disappear to at any time.

Updated on February 22, 2024 by Jouanna Bondakji: Open-world games have vast potential, but exploring them can become overwhelming. Sometimes focusing on one thing at a time makes things easier to take in, and what's better to build than your own house? We've cleaned up this list alongside adding new entries for you to try out.

Voxel Turf

Be A Criminal And An Architect

A blonde character shooting a bazooka and a brunette one shooting a machine gun and holding a suitcase while police cars chase behind them in Voxel Turf

Release Date

September 13, 2017

Platforms

Microsoft Windows

Voxel Turf isn't just an open-world game that happens to have city-building in it; it's a game specifically dedicated to building things in an open world. You get a plethora of different structures and decorations to make your own buildings. The game also has some crime elements baked into it, so you can rob establishments, beat up cops, and blow stuff up, just to name a few.

But you're not alone in your building. There are others whom you can either negotiate with or straight-up destroy for more power and expanded territory. To top it off, Voxel Turf supports multiplayer, so you can play with (or against) your friends. Help each other build stuff and commit crimes, or compete to see who can build the best stuff.

Rimworld

Build Your Own Community

A tidy grouping of homes built around a recreational area with benches and greenery.
RimWorld

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One
Released
October 17, 2018
Developer(s)
Ludeon Studios
Publisher(s)
Ludeon Studios

If you don't mind seeing things from a top-down perspective, the popular open-world colony simulator Rimworld won't leave you to build a place to live on your own; you'll have an army of colonists to help you.

Aside from having to worry about little things like feeding your colonists, caring for your pets, defending against raiders, and having the resources necessary for construction, the world is your oyster. You can carve into a mountain and make a gloomy fortress, build in open grasslands, or wherever else your heart desires.

Raft

Raft To Riches

A well-lit, multistory communal building surrounded by grass and potted plants.
Raft

Platform(s)
PC
Released
June 20, 2022
Developer(s)
Redbeet Interactive
Publisher(s)
Axolot Games

If you want to break from the norm of building houses on land and instead feel the gentle ocean breeze on your skin from the comfort of your own home, Raft is the game for you. As you gather scrap wood, plastics, and other materials, you'll be able to slowly expand your humble raft into a proper houseboat.

Just, do mind the sharks, will you? Somewhat similar to a teething toddler, sharks like to test out their chompers on whatever they can get their teeth on, including you and the outer wooden platforms of your lovely, floating home.

Satisfactory

A Sci-Fi Twist On House-building

A tall, looming tower lies just ahead, constructed of mostly grey, industrious materials and glass.
Satisfactory

Platform(s)
PC
Released
March 19, 2019
Developer(s)
Coffee Stain Studios
Publisher(s)
Coffee Stain Publishing

It's the Industrial Revolution all over again, except this time, it's in space on a recently discovered planet. Sure, you've got resources to extract for your corporate overlords and a planet to explore, but in your free time, why not make a place to call home?

There might be conveyor belts twisting and turning all around or even in your home, but that's just an extra bit of character and charm, right? Satisfactory also has multiplayer co-op, so your friends can help out with the building process if you like.

7 Days To Die

Don't Worry About The Zombies

7 Days to Die first person POV pointing a rifle at two people in the distance
7 Days to Die

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One
Released
December 13, 2013
Developer(s)
The Fun Pimps
Publisher(s)
Telltale Games

Contrary to its title, 7 Days To Die is all about survival. Starvation, thirst, illness, the weather, and the zombie horde are all things that are threatening to kill you. And one of the best ways to keep the zombies and the elements at bay is to build a house.

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You get complete freedom to build any structure you want from the resources you find. Most of these buildings end up looking like a mix between a base and a house. 7 Days To Die's freedom to build whatever you want allows you to get immersed in the experience.

My Time At Portia

Cozy Houseflipping

My Time in Portia character standing in front of an upgraded house
My Time at Portia

Released
January 15, 2019
Developer(s)
Pathea Games
Publisher(s)
Focus Entertainment

My Time At Portia is a wholesome simulation RPG. The basic premise is you're a builder who has reopened your father's old workshop in Portia. You spend the game building all sorts of contraptions and making money from them.

You can also spend time building up your house - which is also the workshop. It starts as a pretty rundown place with holes in the walls and floor. Plus, all it contains on day one is a bed. Over time, you can decorate the interior as well as upgrade the size of the building.

Kenshi

Start From Zero, Get To 100

A tower with barricades along it in Kenshi

Release Date

March 20, 2013

Platforms

Microsoft Windows

Kenshi, developed by Lo-Fi Games, is an open-world squad RPG with some RTS elements. Perhaps the main selling point of the game is the amount of freedom you're given to do what you want.

One of the things to do is acquire buildings of all kinds, including houses. In many cases, you'll buy an establishment and maybe make some alterations. But you can also purchase a ruined building and erect it from the ground up. Eventually, you can expand this house into a town as you recruit more allies.

The Sims 4

Play The Game For Build-And-Buy

Sims 4 cottage henford on bagley village
The Sims 4

Released
September 2, 2014
Developer(s)
Maxis
Publisher(s)
Electronic Arts
Franchise
The Sims
Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One

Gaming's most renowned life-sim allows you to build a house to incredible levels of detail. In The Sims, every wall, color, and piece of furniture is your own choice.

And with newer expansions and items being added frequently, it makes sense to have it as a game you can turn to when you just want to build. Whether it be a modern apartment, cottagecore, or a simple suburban home, you can get lost for hours in creating numerous living spaces. There's even a Dream Home Decorator expansion that gives you even more room for customization.

Skyrim

Expand Your Land

Two cottage-like houses available in the Skyrim Hearthfire DLC
Skyrim

Released
November 11, 2011
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Franchise
The Elder Scrolls
Platform(s)
PC , PS3 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox One X , Xbox Series S , PS4 , PS5 , Switch

Few open-world games have made as much impact in the last decade as Skyrim. There are dungeons, there are dragons, and there's some good old-fashioned house planning.

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Introduced with the Hearthfire DLC back in 2012, and since included with the Legendary Edition and Special Editions of Skyrim, this pack will let you build away. In the main game, you could buy a house, sure, but in Hearthfire you can purchase land - with three different options - and then begin to build your house, bit by bit.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance - From The Ashes

Worthwhile DLC

Kingdom Come Deliverance Looking Over Villager in Forest
Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Released
February 13, 2018
Developer(s)
Warhorse Studios
Publisher(s)
Deep Silver
Platform(s)
PS4 , Xbox One , PC

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a fantastic game created by Warhorse Studios in which you play a simple peasant man named Henry. Along his journey, he will need to adapt to the harsh conditions of medieval life in a war-torn land. Now, with the From The Ashes DLC, he can add building a settlement to his responsibilities.

In this expansion, which integrates itself into the main story, Henry is given lordship and the task of restoring an old settlement in a forest. This will be no easy feat, as you must gather resources, money, and take on varying tasks in order to make progress - but what satisfying progress it is.

Conan Exiles

Build, Defend, Survive

A character riding a horse and aiming a spear at a bandit on the ground
Conan Exiles

Released
May 8, 2018
Developer(s)
Funcom
Publisher(s)
Funcom
Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

The game that lets modern players take control of the legendary hero Conan the Barbarian didn’t have the highest of expectations upon release, but players (and fans of Conan) were pleasantly surprised to see that Conan Exiles is an enjoyable and functional survival game that stepped away from mindless combat.

Instead, the game focused more on item management and creating your very own houses to survive the nights and the harsh conditions. As an MMO, you'll also need to worry about defending your new home from other players.

Fallout 4

A Healthy House-building Challenge

Fallout 4 The Slog Aerial View
Fallout 4

Released
November 10, 2015
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Platform(s)
PS4 , Xbox One , PC

It was a shock that a series that focused on survival in a post-apocalyptic setting took so long to implement house creation as an integral feature, but Fallout 4 was the one to finally make the jump.

Not only can you put your entire house together, but you have the ability to create an entire town to defend from hostiles and have a thriving economy, despite the circumstances. It’s a lot of fun to manage a town alongside your normal missions, but it’s a nightmare when you lose your home to attackers.

Subnautica

Take Shelter From The Horrors

An underwater base in Subnautica
Subnautica

Released
January 23, 2018
Developer(s)
Unknown Worlds Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Gearbox Publishing
Platform(s)
Xbox One , PS4

Taking things below the sea, Subnautica has you trying to survive on an alien, ocean planet after your ship went down in a tragic event. By exploring this planet, you'll gain new technology and resources to help you survive.

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The completely underwater setting is unique for a survival game, and exploring the dark depths with your craft is enthralling. You can create your very own submerged home under the water (as long as there is sufficient access to oxygen) and can branch it out into a fully-fledged water base to figure out the next move.

No Man’s Sky

Customizable Space Bases

A base surrounded by green grass and red trees in No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky

Released
August 9, 2016
Developer(s)
Hello Games
Publisher(s)
Hello Games
Platform(s)
Switch , PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X , PS4 , PS5

While it wasn’t well-received at launch due to overwhelming hype and expectations, No Man’s Sky has vastly improved in the years since its initial release. With the Next update, No Man’s Sky has become the quintessential space exploration game, with endless galaxies to explore.

With as many planets as No Man’s Sky gives you access to, just as many brand new homes can be created on each one. You can place all of the walls and accessories to create your perfect base of operations where you can relax, or just provide shelter from the harsh conditions on foreign planets.

The Forest

Can Shelters Save You?

the character facing off against enemies with a molotov cocktail in the forest
The Forest

Released
April 30, 2018
Developer(s)
Endnight Games

A survival horror game in every sense of the genre, The Forest finds you taking control of a plane crash survivor, as they search for their missing son. You must take shelter and craft weaponry to survive against the elements and potential dangerous cannibals that inhabit the forested area.

You can create the best shelters for your specific needs, but you may not get a chance to get cozy, as you will need to constantly move forward in order to save the lost son. The Forest is a thrilling game, and no amount of comfy forest homes could prepare you for the experience.

Ark: Survival Evolved

Protect Yourself From The Dinosaurs

A shirtless character standing in front of a brick house in Ark: Survival Evolved
ARK: Survival Evolved

Released
August 29, 2017
Developer(s)
Studio Wildcard
Publisher(s)
Studio Wildcard
Platform(s)
Linux , macOS , PC , PS4 , Xbox One , Stadia , Switch , iOS , Android

What feels like a spiritual successor to the Turok series, Ark: Survival Evolved has garnered a bit of a cult following despite its lukewarm reviews. You are tossed onto an island full of dinosaurs (both real dinosaurs and imaginary creatures) and have to make a stable house to brave the terrors.

You can team up in multiplayer and figure out how to survive these hulking beasts, and a well-functioning tribe can easily create a protected house that will be the talk of the prehistoric town.

Don’t Starve

House-building: Humble Version

Don't Starve: A Survivor In A Small Starter Base with a bonfire and tent
Don't Starve

Released
April 23, 2013
Developer(s)
Klei Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Klei Entertainment
Platform(s)
Switch , Android , PS4 , iOS

Don’t Starve is a brilliantly animated adventure that pits you against the elements. The title is quite literal, as you are dropped in randomly generated open-worlds to survive for as many days as possible.

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You can create your very own house if you spend time gathering the proper materials, and makes not starving a little more realistic. The expansion Don’t Starve Together adds a co-op mode and makes it easier and less lonely out in the wilderness. The game can be nasty to any newcomer, but a good home can go a long way.

Terraria

A Lively Little World

Terraria characters in different rooms of a four-room structure containing bookshelves, chandeliers, and stairs
Terraria

Platform(s)
PC , PS3 , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X , Switch , Vita , iOS , Android , macOS , Linux , 3DS , Stadia
Released
May 16, 2011
Developer(s)
Re-Logic
Publisher(s)
505 Games

Terraria is a side-scrolling 2D survival crafting game, with a randomly generated world. Terraria sees you building, crafting, defending yourself, and making the most of this blocky world. A fine little home can be created to house your equipment and crafting tables, and to protect it and yourself from the dangers that lay outside.

You will also see NPCs coming to live in your creations if you complete enough little tasks throughout the world, so you should make sure to create the sweetest homes you can for everyone.

Minecraft

You Can Make Almost Anything

An image from Minecraft of a treehouse with a glass roof for observation.
Goldrobin
Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition

Released
November 18, 2011
Developer(s)
Mojang
Publisher(s)
Mojang

What else can be said about the generation-defining modern classic known as Minecraft? Forget your normal everyday house: players have created full real-life cities (to scale), gigantic kingdoms with huge monuments, and simple summer homes. The options in Minecraft are so limitless and over the years, the quality of the builds has only improved, and the possibilities have only widened.

That is mainly in creative mode, however, as players have struggled to create substantial projects in survival and hardcore modes - struggled, yes, but players have still created special constructs nonetheless. The Minecraft hype still hasn’t died down over a decade later, and players are bound to continue making incredible homes for all.

Valheim

The Devil Is In The Details

A player-built structure in Valheim surrounded by wooden fences
Valheim

Platform(s)
Linux , PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released
February 2, 2021
Developer(s)
Iron Gate AB
Publisher(s)
Coffee Stain Studios

Valheim is an open-world survival crafting game set in a world inspired by Norse mythology. Its deep and intricate building system not only allows you to construct extravagant houses, but towers, castles, and even cities, too. The detail put into what affects your buildings' quality is not something you see in even some dedicated city-building games.

There are several different biomes to explore in Valheim, from dense forests to spooky swamps. However, you'll want to be well-prepared before venturing out into each new area, as the monsters there can be unforgiving.