A different kind of conquest awaits those in video games who prefer to win not through violence, but through economic superiority. After all, why kill one's enemies when one can just buy them instead? Money makes the world go round, and there's nothing more satisfying than seeing the numbers rise, instead of the pile of bodies, which is bad for business.
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For that matter, some players might want to take the chill pill and engage themselves in the art of commerce. It just so happens that certain games allow players to flex their economic know-how in ways that make trade and mercantilism more interesting than saving the world through violence. Whether as a traveling merchant or a business magnate, these games allow players to become the invisible hand of the market.
Updated September 15, 2024, by Hamza Haq: Games that let players take up trading as a side gig are far more common than those that bring mercantile activities to the forefront. When players are looking for a deep role to play as merchants, their itch is only tickled, not scratched, by these sorts of games. Luckily, a select few titles are built entirely around the buying and selling of goods, with the economy being very much their main focus. The list has been updated with two games that do just that.
17 Elona+
An Open-Ended Game With Limitless Potential Where Players Can Do Almost Anything Imaginable
- Platforms: PC, Android, iOS
- Release Date: August 31, 2007
- Developer: Noa
A roguelike sandbox RPG with an incredible gameplay loop, the open-ended nature of Elona+ is easily one of its strongest aspects. The sheer number of things that players can accomplish in the base game was already quite extensive, and this enhanced edition has so many things players can do that it can feel downright overwhelming at times.
Being a merchant is just one of the many things players can accomplish in this game, with the mechanics here being just satisfying enough for players to get invested in. Of course, given how broad the mechanics of Elona+ are, it won't take long for players to either start a new playthrough or change the setup of their character to focus on something else instead.
16 Elite Dangerous
A Legendary Space Sim Where Players Can Become A Successful Intergalactic Trader
Elite Dangerous
- Released
- December 16, 2014
- Developer(s)
- Frontier Developments
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Flight Simulator
Elite Dangerous is a game with a massive learning curve, to the point where a lot of players will give up on the experience after a few hours. This is a shame, since Elite Dangerous has the potential to be something incredible if players spend the time required to understand what makes this game tick.
There are many acts that players can perform while flying around in their spaceship, and one of the simpler ways to earn a living in Elite Dangerous is to become an intergalactic trader. This may seem simple, but players must go through their fair share of hurdles and the like before they can really start raking in the credits.
15 Black Desert Online
Most MMORPGs Let Players Trade Efficiently, And This One Is No Exception
Black Desert Online
Black Desert Online is a handful of a game and some players even consider it a second job due to how much time and attention it demands from players. One of its many busy activities is being a literal trader. Players get to buy and sell goods to and from faraway places with their own horse-drawn wagons.
That's just one of the many ways to earn a decent amount of in-game currency in Black Desert Online. If players also have a ship, they can opt to barter in the many distant ports in the game; with the size of the game's map, it might as well be a merchant's playground.
14 Starsector
A Complex Space Sim Where Trading Is Just One Of The Many Things Players Can Do
Starsector
- Released
- April 26, 2013
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Developer
- Fractal Softworks
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
Starsector is a space-faring game with simple graphics but don't be deceived by the apparent comfort that it brings; this title is one of the most complex space sims ever made. But to cut to the chase, yes, players can indeed roleplay as a wandering space merchant here.
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They can even manipulate and corner the black market depending on the amount and rarity of the goods they sell. The in-game economy is alive and organic, meaning players with a decent grasp of economics can make a profit and even commit to just being an in-game merchant.
13 EVE Online
A Legendary MMO Set In Space With Many In-Depth Systems, Including Trading Goods For Profit
EVE Online
While it's well-known for its epic space battles consisting of thousands of players, EVE Online's underrated aspect is its player-driven economy. It's what fuels the players in their endeavors be it amassing an armada or running a space business. Players can certainly be roving traders here in their very own space vessels.
The simplest way to do this is by buying low in one region and selling high in another region. If players want something higher risk and higher reward then they can also enlist in some 0.0 Space Trading where they can get robbed by other players while carrying some valuable cargo. Pretty intense as far as merchant life goes.
12 Kenshi
A Freeform RPG Where Players Can Do Everything Imaginable, Which Includes Becoming A Merchant
Kenshi
- Released
- December 6, 2018
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Developer
- Lo-Fi Games
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Open-World, Survival
Kenshi isn't unlike EVE Online or Black Desert Online. The setting is merely different and a bit more bizarre. It's a free-roaming squad-based RPG in a setting that can only be best described as Australia, complete with acid rains and giant spiders.
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Sure enough, players can be traders by also buying low and selling high in different regions. The danger here is ten-fold since players and their poor caravan can get attacked and even enslaved by other players who are having too much fun with banditry and godlessness.
11 Trader Life Simulator 2
As The Name Suggests, Players Step Into The Shoes Of A Trader And Try To Enjoy A Successful Career
Trader Life Simulator 2
- Released
- December 8, 2022
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Developer
- DNA ARMY GAMING
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation
A sequel to the popular indie game, Trader Life Simulator 2 is an upgrade of its underrated predecessor. There's not much role-playing involved here as players merely run a shop that they must turn into a supermarket by, of course, buying and selling.
There's a huge variety of things to buy and sell in this game and they're usually the stuff that one can find in supermarkets. If players are looking for a Walmart manager simulator except with a prettier store than Walmart, then this game might scratch that itch.
10 Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
A Medieval Action RPG With Open-Ended Gameplay Where Being A Merchant Is Quite Viable
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Released
- October 25, 2022
- Developer(s)
- TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Strategy
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is the belated sequel to the legendary and one-of-a-kind medieval sim RPG, Mount & Blade. It's about as expansive and complex as the previous games but with the added benefit of upgraded graphics and more refined systems.
Among these systems is a gameplay mode or mechanic that lets players avoid the ridiculous feudal power struggle and just focus on being a roaming merchant caravan or trader instead. It still lets players win and conquer the whole game world if they get rich enough to buy territory or cities. The game is also highly-moddable, further adding to its intricate systems and mechanics.
9 Caravan
Become The Leader Of A Merchant Caravan In The Arabian Peninsula
Caravan
For those who fancy the trader lifestyle but with a fairy tale background similar to some vocations in the Arabian Nights, Caravan will sate the players' need for a roving merchant lifestyle. It's also a story-driven game with some solid trade simulator mechanics.
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As part of a merchant caravan seeking to make riches, players will have to traverse deserts and many other perils in uncharted territories to bring goods to their customers. The game is heavily based on the Arabian Peninsula while also borrowing some themes and esthetics from the countries spanned by the Silk Road.
8 Dawn Of Discovery/Anno 1404
Commerce Is The Name Of The Game, And Naval Trade Is Imperative To Helping A City's Economy Boom
Anno 1404
- Released
- June 23, 2009
- Developer(s)
- Related Designs, Ubisoft Blue Byte
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy, City Builder
Also known as Anno 1404, Dawn of Discovery is one of the series' most impressive entries. Like most other Anno titles, this game is first and foremost, a city builder where players set up production buildings and keep their population happy to produce goods.
Players can then trade these goods to other civilizations or factions in a rather expansive network of naval trade and commerce. So in a sense, Dawn of Discovery is also partly a naval commerce simulator on top of being a city-builder. The best part is that it's set during the infancy of the Renaissance period when trade and naval technology were booming fast.