Similar games

Games like Elite

1984

The classic space trading game: you fly a small ship between star systems, trade goods, fight pirates and work your way up to the legendary 'Elite' rank. Its groundbreaking 3D vector graphics and open-ended design shaped an entire genre.

Sandbox with your own goals
Open world
Sci-fi setting
Lots to discover

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The closest matches for Elite are X3: Terran Conflict, X: Beyond the Frontier and Starsector. Each of these 10 games shares something of what makes Elite special – the reasons are listed right on each game.

Best match

X3: Terran Conflict

96 %Match

2008PCSteam Deck playable85 % positive−80 % ~~15.99 €~~ 3.19 €

A vast space sandbox where you fly ships, build trading empires and factory complexes, and get drawn into conflicts between rival races. Freedom is huge, but the learning curve is steep.

Similar games →

X: Beyond the Frontier

Sandbox with your own goals

A classic space sandbox where you play a stranded pilot who trades, fights and grows a personal empire of ships and stations. Freedom and a living economy matter far more than the story.

Starsector

Sandbox with your own goals

A space sandbox where you pilot a ship and build a fleet, trading, exploring and fighting in tactical real-time battles. You choose freely whether to become a trader, mercenary, pirate or warlord.

Parkan: The Imperial Chronicles

Sandbox with your own goals

A cult Russian genre blend of space sim, first-person shooter, strategy and RPG: you fly through space, explore planets and robot bases, and decide whether to be a trader, mercenary or pirate.

X4: Foundations

Sandbox with your own goals

A deeply complex space sandbox where you pilot ships yourself, run trade routes, build stations and grow an entire economic empire inside a living, simulated universe.

X3: Reunion

Sandbox with your own goals

A vast space sandbox where you fly ships, trade, build factories and stations, and carve your own path within a living simulated economy.

Elite: Dangerous

Sandbox with your own goals

A space sim recreating the entire Milky Way at 1:1 scale, letting you pilot your own ship as a trader, bounty hunter, miner or explorer across billions of star systems. Demanding flight controls and sheer vastness create an unmatched sense of scale and solitude.

Starpoint Gemini 2

Sandbox with your own goals

You captain your own spaceship in an open galaxy, mixing real-time space combat with trading, missions and RPG-style progression through ship upgrades and skills.

Freelancer

Lots to discover

A classic space action game where you fly as a mercenary through the Sirius sector, trading, taking missions and upgrading your ship while a conspiracy unfolds. Accessible dogfighting and a strong sense of freedom between stations and factions define it.

X3: Albion Prelude

Sandbox with your own goals

A vast, freely explorable space sandbox where you fly ships, trade, fight and build your own economic and fleet empire. The focus is on freedom and simulation rather than a tightly told story.