Love the idea of running your own business empire but lack the real-world resources to do so? You’re not alone. Tycoon games are amongst some of the most popular and engaging titles in the gaming industry. They reward creativity and strategic thinking. Plus, there’s just something incredibly comforting about becoming the owner and proprietor of your very own fictional digital economy. So, if you’re keen to get your own virtual empire off the ground, you might want to try out one of the 10 best PlayStation 5 tycoon games listed here.
#11 Megaquarium
Platforms: NS, PS4, PS5, XBO
Have you ever wanted to run your own aquarium? What about having one that is basically its own city? If so, then Megaquarium is for you. You’ll be put in charge of taking a small but good aquarium and turning it into basically a metropolis with hundreds of people coming in to see it all the time.
You’ll have access to over 100 different species of marine line, and you’ll definitely want to keep things diverse so you can attract more and more customers
But it’s not just about the animals, you need to have the right staff to keep things afloat (pun intended) and make sure you’re not bleeding money. If you can handle that? Then you’re destined to have the best aquarium around.
#10 Kerbal Space Program
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
A space-based tycoon game, Kerbal Space Program sees players in charge of the space program of an alien race called the Kerbals. In a bid to help the Kerbals conquer the vast expanse of space, players will need to construct a variety of spacecraft and other vehicles and pilot them to new, unknown destinations. The game’s Career Mode will put players at the helm of the entire program, making them responsible for the venture’s success or failure. This includes construction, research, upgrades, strategy and funding. This is a fun space-themed management game that should really appeal to those who enjoy flight and vehicle simulation titles too.
#9 Farming Simulator Series
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC
The Farming Simulator games have been a mainstay of the tycoon game genre for over fourteen years. With the basic concept of owning and running your own farm at the heart of each game, developments in technology over the past decade or so have seen the franchise go from strength to strength. Farming Simulator is another example of a tycoon game that thrives on realism. Players can drive real-world tractors and other farming equipment, as well as grow and sell crops, and raise and breed livestock, amongst other endeavours. These games put a real-world focus on the peaks and troughs of agricultural enterprise and are highly enjoyable if you’re keen to get a taste of life in the countryside.
#8 Prison Architect
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Prison Architect gives players the power to penalise as the warden of their very own jail. Tasked with the job of keeping the world’s most vicious criminals incarcerated, players will need to design and construct an incredibly secure compound. Prison Architect isn’t just about containment though, as the prison you’re in charge of turns out to be a for-profit enclosure. So, players will need to factor in ways to run the jail in a lucrative way and ensure that both inmates and staff are monitored in terms of behaviour and payroll. Prisoner welfare also forms part of this tycoon game, as it’s important to keep their criminal and violent urges under control in an ethical (if you wish) and productive manner.
#7 Stardew Valley
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
In Stardew Valley, players will find themselves suddenly left with the responsibility of renovating and restoring their deceased grandfather’s farm. Bringing the farm back to its former glory isn’t an easy task, especially given that you start out with practically nothing and need to build a brand new life from scratch. As a result, players will need to consider their economics and resource management in order to turn the farm into a profitable enterprise. Stardew Valley comes in at the intersection of tycoon games and chilled games, making this a colourful title to pick up and put down without worrying about keeping on top of your virtual empire’s development too much.
#6 Jurassic World Evolution 2
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Jurassic World Evolution 2 is another tycoon game that focuses on building and managing your own empire. It just so happens that this empire is a prehistoric theme park that you’ll eventually pack out with dinosaurs. As the director of the business, it’ll be down to players to oversee the construction of the dinosaur park, as well as ensure that the attractions on show are both safe and profitable. If not, advancing the development of the park-based dinosaur project will become much more difficult. As well as constructing tourist attractions, players will need to manage the building and day-to-day running of a number of different research facilities in order to incubate and hatch new dinosaurs. This is a great tycoon game with a unique theme.
#5 Planet Coaster
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
Planet Coaster is a theme park simulation game that tasks players with building their own rollercoaster park empire. A game that will appeal to those who enjoy theme park design but also business management, Planet Coaster has three different modes for players to try out. Sandbox mode allows you to construct unlimited rides and rollercoasters on an empty plot of land. Career mode is objective-based, making the business aspects of running the theme parks a focal point on top of the construction elements. Finally, Challenge mode tasks players with constructing a theme park amidst a set of difficulty and financially-based constraints. This is a tycoon game with lots to do and think about and should provide plenty of hours of entertainment.
#4 Cities: Skylines
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC
In Cities: Skylines, players will be able to dip their toes into the world of urban planning by overseeing the construction of their own city. This is another of the tycoon games with a highly realistic vibe, combining a multitude of real-world structures, vehicles and systems to help players design, build and maintain their dream city. Cities: Skylines also features a number of simulation elements that mimic real-world events, such as traffic, weather, dynamic day and night cycles and more. As mayor of your own metropolis, it’ll be down to you to make and monitor policy, law and the economy on an ongoing basis. A great game for those looking to keep it real.
#3 Two Point Hospital
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
In Two Point Hospital, players are given the chance to design, build and run their own hospitals from the ground up. With an overall aim of creating a hospital-based empire, the area of Two Point County is yours for the taking. Players will need to design and construct hospitals that are equipped to meet all the needs of both patients and staff members, before ultimately expanding their network of healthcare providers across the region. Economy and resource management plays a strong role in Two Point Hospital, as each hospital needs to be able to run at a profit. This game provides a lighthearted view of hospital management and should be great fun for those who enjoy their business simulation to be a bit tongue-in-cheek.
#2 Surviving Mars
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, PC
A sci-fi-inspired city-building game that’s all about building functional homes for humanity on the Red Planet, Surviving Mars combines survival with colonisation. Players will need to discover ways to create their own sustainable livable environments on the notoriously harsh new world of Mars. Mining, farming and other forms of resource gathering are a key part of many tycoon games but trying to do it on the surface of Mars provides players with a brand new set of challenges. This is a fun and engaging tycoon game where your strategy could mean the difference between life and death for your colonists. Surviving Mars also incorporates storylines into the game, via different events that will take place during your colony-building adventures.
#1 Tropico 6
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Tropico 6 allows players to take on the role of El Presidente, the head honcho of a tropical island in the Caribbean known as “Tropico”. As a tycoon game that lets players construct and manage an entire nation, this is a game that puts a lot of power into players’ hands. How you use it will define whether or not you’re viewed as a statesmanlike leader or an all-encompassing dictator, thanks to the political simulation aspects of the game. The story of the island spans four eras through time, giving you a set of interesting backdrops against which to build your very own national empire. Heavy on the satire and gorgeous on graphics, this is an ambitious and engaging title to sink your time into.
