The best open world sailing games for discovering islands are Tchia for a hand-made archipelago you can climb, Sail Forth for a huge ocean of island regions to chart, and Sea of Thieves for a shared sea with friends. For real navigation, try Sailwind. For a dark, strange sea, try Sunless Sea. We checked every game on October 29, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tchia | Explorers who want to climb every island they see | About 7.5 hours for the main story, 14 hours with extras (HowLongToBeat) | PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X |
| Sail Forth | Players who want a map that keeps opening up | About 16 hours for the main story, 28.5 hours with extras (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| Summer in Mara | Players who want a home base and short trips out | About 20.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Dredge | Players who like a small map with big secrets | About 9.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile |
| A Short Sail | Players who want little islands to explore by sail, at their own pace | Not shared yet | PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| Sea of Thieves | Groups who want a vast sea to share | Open-ended | PC, Xbox, PS5 |
| Sailwind | Players who want to truly navigate | Open-ended | PC |
| Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag | Solo players who want a classic pirate sea | About 23.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC and most consoles of its era, plus Switch |
| Sunless Sea | Readers who want a strange sea full of stories | About 22 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Windbound | Players who want each voyage to feel new | About 13.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Valheim | A crew of friends who want to sail into the unknown | About 111 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox |
| Raft | Friends who like the feeling of land on the horizon | About 36.5 hours in co-op (HowLongToBeat) | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
Some sailing games are about the boat: the wind, the sails, the feel of a hull in the waves. Others are about the map: what is on the next island, and the one past it. This page is about the second kind. Every pick has a sea you cross under your own control and islands you find by sailing to them.
Our other two sailing lists rank games by type and by mood. The best sailing games on PC sorts them into relaxing, sims, pirates and strategy, and the best cozy sailing games keeps to the gentle ones. Here we sort by the kind of map. Lengths come from HowLongToBeat, and Steam Deck status comes from each Steam page, checked on 29 October 2026.
What makes a good sea to explore
- Islands worth landing on. The best maps reward you for stepping off the boat.
- Something on the horizon. A tower, a light or a strange rock that pulls you on.
- Travel that is fun in itself. If crossing the water is a chore, the map feels empty.
- Freedom to wander. You choose where to go next, not a quest marker.
Our picks
- Best hand-made islands: Tchia
- Biggest sea to chart: Sail Forth
- Best with friends: Sea of Thieves
- Best for real navigation: Sailwind
- Best writing: Sunless Sea
- Best map that changes: Valheim
- Our own game: A Short Sail (in development, little islands to find by boat)
Hand-made archipelagos
These maps were laid out by hand, island by island. Each place has its own look and its own reason to visit.
Tchia
Who it is for: explorers who want to climb every island they see.
The archipelago is inspired by New Caledonia. You sail a small boat between islands, then climb cliffs, glide from treetops and swim the reefs. You can jump into animals and objects, so a bird can take you up a mountain. The map is smaller than others here, but dense.
The downside: there are some light fights in the story, and you spend as much time ashore as at sea.
Developer: Awaceb | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X|S | Length: about 7.5 hours for the main story, 14 hours with extras (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Sail Forth
Who it is for: players who want a map that keeps opening up.
You sail a fleet across a wide ocean made of many island regions, each with its own look. You chart new waters, crack clams, loot wrecks and gather a crew of fishfolk. The wind and tacking feel real but stay friendly.
The downside: islands are mostly seen from the water, not walked. There are cannon fights with pirates, and some players find the story thin.
Developer: Festive Vector | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Length: about 16 hours for the main story, 28.5 hours with extras (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Summer in Mara
Who it is for: players who want a home base and short trips out.
You grow food on your own little island, then sail to the islands around it to trade, take on tasks and meet people. Coming home after a trip is part of the charm.
The downside: the world is smaller than it first looks, and many quests are fetch tasks. Valve marks it Unsupported on Steam Deck.
Developer: Chibig | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 20.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Unsupported | Steam page
Dredge
Who it is for: players who like a small map with big secrets.
You run a fishing boat out of a small town. Around it lie a few very different island areas to reach as your boat improves. Each one has new fish and its own strange story.
The downside: it is a motorboat, not a sailboat, and the nights bring horror and sea monsters. See cozy games like Dredge for gentler picks.
Developer: Black Salt Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile | Length: about 9.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
A Short Sail
Who it is for: players who want little islands to explore by sail, at their own pace.
A Short Sail is a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a sailboat. You catch the wind in your sail and steer from island to island, and each one has its own beaches and secrets to find. You deliver mail, fish, dig up treasure with the maps you find, and take photos of the places you discover. With a snorkel, you can swim over reefs and old ruins under the sea.
Its islands are little ones, not a vast ocean like Sea of Thieves. You sail through sun, night and storms, at your own pace, with no timers. It comes out in Q1 2027, and you can play the free demo in your browser now. Our small open world games post explains why we like a smaller map.
Developer: Yos Riady | Platforms: PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck | Length: not shared yet | Free demo at play.ashortsail.com | Play the demo
Huge seas
These maps are big enough that the crossing is the adventure.
Sea of Thieves
Who it is for: groups who want a vast sea to share.
The map is a large sea of islands, outposts, forts and wrecks, split into regions with their own weather and mood. You read a treasure map, set a course and sail there as a crew.
The downside: other crews can attack you. Safer Seas mode gives you a private world, with some limits on progress. See cozy games like Sea of Thieves.
Developer: Rare | Year: 2018 (Steam 2020) | Platforms: PC, Xbox, PS5 | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Sailwind
Who it is for: players who want to truly navigate.
Sailwind’s world is a vast sea of trade ports. There is no marker telling you where to go. You use navigation tools and the stars, trim your sails, and plan long cargo runs between ports.
The downside: it is slow to learn and still in Early Access. Its islands are ports to trade at, not places to explore on foot.
Developer: Raw Lion Workshop | Year: 2021 (Early Access) | Platforms: PC | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Who it is for: solo players who want a classic pirate sea.
You sail the Caribbean between towns, small islands, coves and wrecks, and dive for treasure. It is an older game, but sailing its open sea is still a joy.
The downside: much of the game is stealth and sword fights on land, and ship combat is a big part of it. Some missions feel dated.
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Year: 2013 | Platforms: PC and most consoles of its era, plus Switch | Length: about 23.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Sunless Sea
Who it is for: readers who want a strange sea full of stories.
You captain a steamship on a dark sea beneath the earth. Each port is a little story, told in sharp, odd writing. Fuel, food and your crew’s nerves run low the farther you go.
The downside: it is grim, often deadly and slow, and you will lose captains. It is the least cozy game here, but no other sea is quite like it.
Developer: Failbetter Games | Year: 2015 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux | Length: about 22 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Seas that change
These maps are made fresh, in part or in full, so no two trips are the same.
Windbound
Who it is for: players who want each voyage to feel new.
You build a boat from grass and wood and sail across a chain of wild islands. The islands are built anew each chapter. Upgrading your boat is the best part.
The downside: it is a survival game, with hunger and fights against animals. Reviews are mixed.
Developer: 5 Lives Studios | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 13.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Valheim
Who it is for: a crew of friends who want to sail into the unknown.
Each world is made from a seed. You start on one land, build a boat and sail across the sea to new lands. With up to 10 players, it becomes a real voyage of discovery.
The downside: it is a combat survival game with tough bosses, and it is very long.
Developer: Iron Gate AB | Year: 2021 (Early Access), full release 2026 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox | Length: about 111 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Raft
Who it is for: friends who like the feeling of land on the horizon.
You start with no land in sight. As your raft grows, you add sails and steer toward islands, reefs and story places. Spotting a new island is a big moment.
The downside: the shark and survival needs never stop, unless you choose Peaceful mode when you make the world.
Developer: Redbeet Interactive | Year: 2022 (full release) | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Length: about 36.5 hours in co-op (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Our own game
We make A Short Sail.
Related guides
- Best sailing games on PC
- Best cozy sailing games
- Cozy island games
- Small open world games
- Cozy open world games
- Games like Sail Forth
Questions
What is the best open world sailing game?
For most players, Sail Forth or Tchia. Sail Forth has the biggest ocean of islands to chart. Tchia has fewer islands, but you can go ashore and climb, glide and swim on every one.
What sailing games let you explore islands?
Tchia, Sail Forth, Sea of Thieves, Summer in Mara, Dredge and Windbound all have islands you reach by boat and explore on foot or from the water.
Is there an open world sailing game with real navigation?
Sailwind. You trim the sails by hand and find your way with navigation tools, not a marker on the screen.
Are there open world sailing games with random maps?
Yes. Valheim makes a new world from a seed, Windbound builds its islands anew each chapter, and Sunless Sea shuffles parts of its map.
What open world sailing game can I play with friends?
Sea of Thieves, Valheim and Raft. Sea of Thieves is the most about sailing; Valheim and Raft are survival games with boats.
