Summary
Management games can take on many forms, from complex colony sims to business management games. While many of these games take place in science fiction settings, and some of these take the form of fleet management games, such asNEBULOUS: Fleet Command, few management games have players managing the crew itself.
Outside an array ofFTLclones on the market, there is a distinct lack of game developers breaking the mold when it comes to spaceship and crew management/simulation. The titles here mostly feature core gameplay that revolves around managing both a spaceship and its crew, often with aspects of simulation.
Updated August 02, 2025 by Harry Ted Sprinks:Management games that take place on spaceships are a rare occurrence, especially those that include the option to hire and manage crew members. However, there are a few games - both new and old - that attempt to fill this gap in the market.
Due to the naturally large scope of managing a spaceship and its crew, a handful of games that attempt this are still in Early Access after years of development. Games like Stellar Tactics and Ostranauts may be rough around the edges, but they also provide some of the most in-depth simulations of spaceship management.
9Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?! - Light-Hearted Space Exploration
Steam User Rating: 70%
This space-exploration game features gameplay that centers aroundstrategic turn-based combatand spaceship management. As its name may suggest,Holy Potatoes! We’re In Space?!does little to take itself seriously, but it manages to be a rewarding experience regardless.
The humorous approach toHoly Potatoes’writing may be an acquired taste, as it’s often plagued by tiresome puns, but those who enjoy the game’s silly humor will find themselves in good company. Players will spend a lot of time fighting tactical battles and managing their crew, butHoly Potatoesstands out with its light-hearted tone and humor.
8Ostranauts - A Hardcore Sci-Fi Space-Sim RPG
Steam User Rating: 75%
This game from the developer ofNeo Scavengeris a deep and complex hardcore space-sim with a focus on gathering and interacting with a unique crew.Ostranautstakes place in a dystopian science-fiction universe, and its atmosphere and tone are relatively grim-dark.
Ostranautsfeatures a handful of RPG elements, but it’s mostly focused on its space-sim gameplay. Specifically, players will spend a lot of time manually exploring and salvaging wrecked spaceships, as well as managing and customizing their ship and crew.
From the developers of the revered indie title,Bomber Crew, this game tasks players with defending Earth from aliens and androids alike, depending on the campaign scenario. InSpace Crew, players manage a battleship and its crew, with a heavy emphasis on the crew itself.
Although the crew inSpace Crewis small, every member feels distinct and useful in their own way, and the progression of crew members throughout a playthrough helps keepSpace Crew’schaotic gameplay engaging. Furthermore,Space Crew’s"Away Missions" allow players to board outposts and other ships with up to three crew members, injecting some much-needed variety into the gameplay loop.
6Stellar Tactics - A Tactical Sci-Fi RPG
Steam User Rating: 81%
This open-world, science-fiction RPG tasks players with running a mercenary company in space.Stellar Tacticshas been in Early Access on Steam for many years, but it remains a labor of love and still receives regular updates.
Stellar Tacticsfeatures both space combat and turn-based, tactical ground combat. The gameplay loop mostly revolves around space exploration, trading, salvaging, and mining, butStellar Tacticsalso features a storyline that players can follow. AlthoughStellar Tacticsis focused more on exploration and freedom than anything else, players will spend a lot of time recruiting and hiring various crew members, as well as managing their spaceship.
This combination of base building and large-scale management is currently in Early Access and being developed by Introversion Software, the team behind indie classics such as Darwinia, DEFCON, and the more recentPrison Architect.
The Last Starshipcombines elements ofStar TrekandBattlestar Galacticawith the construction simulation ofgames such asFactorioandKerbal Space Program, though not quite as in-depth. AlthoughThe Last Starshipis in Early Access and focuses a little more on construction than management, it’s already in a strong place, and the high pedigree of the team behind it makesThe Last Starshipone of the most promising Early Access games currently on Steam.
Thisopen-world strategyRPG features in-depth crew simulation and management in which every member of a player’s crew plays an important role with passive and active talents that affect every aspect ofSpace Traders’gameplay.
Every member of a player’s crew inStar Traders: Frontiershas both health and morale that need to be managed effectively, lest they start a mutiny aboard the ship. Losing members of the crew or, even worse, an officer, is especially painful, as each crew member is important. Crew talents and abilities can be useful when traveling, duringSpace Traders’card-based mini-games, and in combat. Fans of questing and other traditional RPG gameplay mechanics combined with in-depth crew management, spaceship customization,and sandbox gameplaywill likely adore exploringStar Traders.
This game plays similarly tocolony simulation gamessuch asRimWorldcombined with more simulation-heavy games such asOxygen Not Includedand offers a unique experience with a distinct visual style.
InSpace Haven, players mustdesign and build a spaceshipwhile keeping several simulated aspects in mind. Life support, the generation of hazardous gas, temperature, power, and crew comfort must all be accounted for to successfully manage a ship. Furthermore, the game’s in-depth characters feature unique traits and systems for mood, conditions, and evenRimWorld-style mental breaks, making crew management an engaging task.
This heavily simulated spaceship management game allows players to design and construct a spaceship with deep and intuitive customization tools, and then take it into the game’s procedurally generated world.
AlthoughCosmoteerfocuses on construction simulation, mastering its in-depth crew management mechanics is integral to a player’s success. A poorly managed crew can turn a well-designed ship into a total disaster in the game’s real-time tactical battles. On top of the game’s sandbox single-player gameplay,Cosmoteeralso features online co-op and PvP, as well as a creative mode.
Developed by Subset Games (the team behind theindie strategy game,Into The Breach),FTL: Faster Than Lightis a modern classic that any fan of science fiction and indie strategy games should play.
FTL’sreal-time-with-pause tactical combat has players managing their crew, assigning them to the ship’s various stations, and fending off enemy boarders.FTL’srogue-like structure, combination of real-time combat, and choose-your-own-adventure events make it a highly replayable and immersive experience that merges management gameplay with fast-paced real-time action.
