For some, playing with LEGO bricks was the ultimate pastime to flex those creative muscles. Then Minecraft changed all that for kids and adults when it soft-launched in 2009, and now, tons of games that act as creative outlets. Minecraft certainly wasn’t the first game with building mechanics, and it certainly won’t be the last, but it did make the genre boom.
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Are there any more games left in 2025 that will allow players to be creative? Will there be a game in 2026 that will outdo Minecraft on some level? Let’s dive into some upcoming games and select a few that really push player creativity and are worth previewing to start up the hype train.
Octopath Traveler 0
A Customizable Turn-Based RPG
Octopath Traveler 0
- Released
- December 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- DOKIDOKI GROOVE WORKS, Square Enix
- Planned Release Date: 12/4/25
- Planned Systems: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S
The series that started the HD-2D trend is returning with a revitalized prequel called Octopath Traveler 0, which began life as a mobile game. This time, players will begin their journey by customizing their character, instead of choosing one of eight playable characters like in the previous games.
The combat is still turn-based, but here players can fight with two different parties in battle for a total of eight characters at once, which is massive. Also, the main crux of the game is establishing a new village, which gives players a lot of leeway in how they want to shape it. 2025 may not have a lot of creative games left on the schedule, but Octopath Traveler 0 is certainly one to pay attention to.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
New Enough
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- Planned Release Date: 1/15/26
- Planned Systems: Nintendo Switch 2
Animal Crossing: New Horizons may not be a new game, but the mouthful of a port name, Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, is something for Switch 2 fans to get excited about in lieu of getting a new Animal Crossing game anytime soon. For Switch 2 players, they can now enjoy the game with better graphics and performance, which is obvious, along with planning out their home decor with mouse controls, which could be helpful for those precise furniture placements.
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Players can also use GameChat to talk to their friends, have their video screens appear, and the number of co-op players is increasing from eight to twelve. Those are the Switch 2 exclusive features, but a free update will also change things for the game on both systems. This includes adding a hotel feature that will allow players to creatively decorate rooms, official LEGO-based furniture to add to homes, a dream world with endless possibilities, and more.
Pokemon Pokopia
Living Your Best Ditto Life
Pokémon Pokopia
- Released
- March 5, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo, Game Freak
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Simulation
- Planned Release Date: 2026
- Planned Systems: Nintendo Switch 2
Pokemon Pokopia could either be the next best Pokemon spinoff alongside Pokemon Snap, or it could be disastrous like Pokemon Dash. It certainly looks weird enough to be fun. Playing as a Ditto that transforms into a human to serve as the player character is something straight from the anime.
Players can absorb various powers from fellow Pokemon to cultivate their island, from chopping down trees to watering grass. They can build a house, garden, pave paths, and so much more. The one thing that is a mystery for now is whether players can escape their homestead and battle Pokemon or other Trainers, or whether this is a game purely about being creative.
Voidling Bound
Make Your Own Creatures
- Developer: Hatchery Games
- Publisher: Hatchery Games
- Planned Release Date: Q1 2026
- Planned Systems: PC
Voidling Bound is another monster-catching game, but this one has a twist. Players can go out, collect resources, and catch critters to bring back to their lab. Once there, they can create their own monsters to use in battle and then control them in the world to compete in action-based combat.
Imagine playing a Pokemon game by fusing monsters like Pikachu and Charmander together to create something like Charmanchu or Pikamander. That’s something Game Freak should look into, but for now, fans of monster-catching games should definitely Wishlist Voidling Bound, especially if they have been daydreaming about having more customization options with their little pals.
Palworld: Palfarm
You’ve Got A Pal In Me
Palworld: Palfarm
- Developer(s)
- Pocketpair Inc.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, Adventure, Farming
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC
Pokemon Pokopia is not the only monster-based creative game that could be coming out in 2026 or beyond. Palworld: Palfarm is a spinoff of Palworld, even though the main game is still in Early Access and is already a creative endeavor for all to enjoy. Palworld: Palfarm looks more focused on the sim aspect, though, instead of giving players an open-world to explore, and the perspective has changed from 3D to top-down.
Players can build up their town, improve the lives of citizens, and even marry other NPCs. There are shops to peruse, trees to chop down, fish to catch, and so on. Unlike Pokemon Pokopia, Palworld: Palfarm will have combat, which could help it stand out.
Animula Nook
Bite-Sized Creativity
- Developer: LilliLandia Games
- Publisher: LilliLandia Games
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC, PlayStation, and Switch 2
Animula Nook looks absolutely delightful and very different from most upcoming creative games. First, the visual style looks to be inspired by stop-motion animation or clay-based figures, and the aesthetic is out of this world. Beyond that, players will live out their days in a tiny fantasy world wherein they can build up their villages in kitchens and other homes, similar to another creative 2025 game, Grounded 2.
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Does Animula Nook take place in the post-apocalypse? It could explain why no giant humans are sweeping away the miniature villages in their bigger homes. Speculation aside, players can expect the usual suite of options for building up their tiny lives in Animula Nook, but the unique perspective and animation style are sure to be a big draw.
Tomo: Endless Blue
Look Out For One Piece
- Developer: Onibi
- Publisher: Onibi
- Planned Release Date: TBA
- Planned Systems: PC
Tomo: Endless Blue is one of the more ambitious monster-catching games that's set to release in the near future. As expected from the genre, players can follow the usual routine of finding creatures, catching them, and then fighting in battles beside them.
What makes this game special is that it has more in common with Palworld than a Pokemon game. It takes place in a massive open-world, complete with base-building and crafting components. Players can create their character and ship and then sail around looking for new islands to explore. It looks like a whimsical adventure that crosses Palworld with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and that sounds like an incredible mashup worth experiencing.
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