Summary
Exclusivity is a frequent annoyance for gamers that doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon. In fact, exclusive titles may be even more common during the ninth generation of home consoles than ever before, withMicrosoft acquiring Bethesdaand being in the process of acquiring Activision, while Sony announced that they had acquiredHalo-creators Bungieearlier this year.
One popular game that is eluding PlayStation owners at the moment is Rare’sSea of Thieves, which has only been released on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S thus far. The game offers an online open world where players can set sail on adventures and battle other players online. While there aren’t many carbon copies ofSea of Thieveson PlayStation, there are a handful of great games that let players sail the seas or explore its depths.
Updated June 18, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Sea of Thievesis one of the most unique and engaging pirate sandboxes that fans can get lost in. The game took a while to get going, but is now one of the best live-service games available to players. There aren’t many games that scratch this particular itch, but players can diversify. If they wish to enjoy more gameplay loops similar to that present inSea of Thieves,or simply enjoy a nautical setting, these titles are worth a try.
11Absolver
Seamless Multiplayer Where Players Can Be Friends Or Enemies
One of the best action-focused live-service games currently available isAbsolver. The combat in this title is engaging and tough to master, but players who spend a lot of time perfecting their game will be more than pleased by their growth.
Just likeSea of Thieves, players can drop into the game and encounter other fighters who can either join them or fight against them. These memorable online encounters are what makesAbsolversuch a great title, even if its updates may not be coming as fast as some players would like.
There was a time when Sean Murray and Hello Games were among the biggest punching bags in the gaming landscape, after the botched launch ofNo Man’s Sky. Although it promised to be one of the greatest space exploration games of all time, the title ended up being a colossal disappointment.
However, over time, a steady stream of updates and new content helpedNo Man’s Skybecome popular again. It’s one of the better titles players can check out to enjoy a robust sense of space exploration. And multiplayer makes it a great time to explore planets with friends.
9King Of Seas
A Seafaring Action-RPG
King of Seasis the game that most closely resemblesSea of Thieveson this list. The action RPG’s gameplay centers around completing quests, fighting other players and enormous monsters, and customizing ships. The game also forces players to think on their feet with hazardous weather conditions frequently occurring andtasks them with being business savvyby buying low and selling high between settlements.
King of Seasstruggled to impress critics, exemplified by its63 Metascore on PlayStation 4, but it’s still the best option available on PlayStation consoles for those wanting an experience that is as close toSea of Thievesas possible.
8World Of Warships
Tactical Naval Combat
World of Warshipswas originally released in September 2015 on PC and has since come to a wide range of systems, including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and iOS. The game was published by Wargaming, who are also responsible forWorld of Warplanesand the immensely popularWorld of Tanks.
World of Warshipsdifferentiates itself fromSea of Thieveswith its modern warships and slow,tactical combat. The game also differentiates itself by beingfree-to-play, so it’s certainly worth giving the game a try.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagoriginally released in October 2013 and took the iconic series in a new direction with itspirate theme, open seas, and naval combat. The shift in focus was initially divisive, though complaints were soon silenced when players got their hands on the game, and it was soon regarded as one ofthe franchise’s best entries.
Black Flagdoes a great job of engrossing players in its pirate world, with meticulously designed ports, sea shanties to pass the time, and plenty of treasure to find. In traditional Ubisoft fashion, the game’s map is filled with icons indicating quests and collectibles. This style of open-world gameplay has been a hot topic recently, particularly since the release ofElden Ring,which offers a vastly different approach to the genre.
Still,Black Flagis ready to offer many hours of entertainment for those who just want to sink their teeth into a world that can be casually explored and completed.
Subnauticahas significant differences fromSea of Thieves, but it’s one of the best ocean-themed games ever released, so it’s hard to look past it. Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s survival title wastes little time in getting started, as the game kicks off with the player crash landing on an alien planet. Players must then explore the alien ocean to find ways of surviving, with the ultimate aim being to return home.Subnautica’s ocean is wonderfully well-designed, and there is plenty to do withbases to build, vehicles to construct, and ocean creatures to study. However, as players delve deeper into Planet 4546B’s ocean, they will soon realize thatsome creatures are better left alone.
Subnauticawas a hit with fans and critics, exemplified by its87 critic score and 8.6 user score on Metacritic. The game also collected a handful of awards, includingPC Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards 2018.Subnauticaoriginally suffered from awful levels of texture pop-in that made the game completely unplayable for some, though this technical issue, among others, was fixed in May 2021 when the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch versions were released.
IfSubnauticasounds too scary, thenAbzumay be a better bet.Abzuwas developed by the aptly named Giant Squid Studios and lets players freely explore a visually stunning ocean. The game also features a mesmerizing soundtrack by Austin Wintory, who is best known to gamers for his work on the modern classicJourney.
Abzuwas a hit with critics and received Metascores that ranged from78 on PlayStation 4to83 on PC.
When sharks appear in a video game, chances are that they will be a dangerous enemy that needs to be avoided at all costs.Maneaterflips the script, however, by putting players in control of a terrifying shark and letting them attack humans, fish, and much, much more.
Tripwire Interactive’s action RPG doesn’t take itself too seriously and can begenuinely hilarious at times. The game takes place in an open world that is great fun to just swim around and explore.
5 Lives Studios’Windboundisa survival gamethat, like many games from the survival genre, kicks off with the players crashing on an island. It is then up to the players to explore the island and its surrounding sea, craft weapons and tools, and hunt the island’s dangerous wildlife. The gameplay is intertwined with an intriguing story that is full of mystery and encourages the players to search for answers.
Windboundonly managed to reach a64 score on Metacritic, but it has plenty of heart and is worth a try at a sale price.
Stranded Deephas a similar premise toSubantucia, as the game also begins with players crash landing into an ocean. However,Stranded Deepdrops players into Earth’s Pacific Ocean, giving players a better sense of what dangers they may come up against. The game also differentiates itself fromSubnauticawith its procedurally generated world, which encourages repeat playthroughs and ensures that players won’t know the ocean layout prior to exploring it.
The player’s goal is initially the same asSubnautica; they must findways to ensure their immediate survivalwhile ultimately working towards an escape plan.
