We all have one life to live—but those of us who play games get to try out quite a few others. Become an interior designer and learn how to lay out a room. Slip into some coveralls and manage a gas station. Settle in a cyberpunk city and start a small business. Or shrink down to the size of a thimble and build out a cozy desktop civilization. These might not be in the cards for your real-life 2026, but luckily, all (or almost all) things are possible in the growing life sim genre.

Whatever life you hope to lead, we’ve got you covered with our list of wishlist-worthy life sims coming to the Epic Games Store later this year. 

Animula Nook 

The debut project from LilliLandia Games, Animula Nook is an adorable free-to-play life simulator that shrinks players down to miniature size and turns them loose in a fuzzy world full of friendly critters, quirky furniture, and endless cutesy outfits—think Animal Crossing meets Infinity Nikki. Within a pocket-sized grove, you’ll dance across flowers and over grassy knolls in search of recycled materials like abandoned milk cartons and lost buttons to build out your makeshift utopia. Animula Nook has already got quite the following, too—at the time of writing, this pint-sized experience has over five million pre-registers. 

 

Nivalis

Life isn’t always sunshine and daisies, or so says ION Lands, the developer behind cyberpunk city simulator Nivalis. Set in a city of the same name, your job is simple: manage a small business, whether it be a snack shop or corner store, and grow it into a nightlife empire that rivals that of Caesar. (Just pray it doesn’t end the same way.) One important catch is that, in addition to regular maintenance, you’ll also have to avoid the wrath of organ-hungry gangs and protect yourself from unstable weather. Thankfully, it’s not all death and disorder, and aside from the obvious dangers, you’ll also be able to take part in some surprisingly cozy activities like managing a veggie garden, making friends with locals, and decorating your dream home with thematic accessories.

 

Among The Wild

If you like your life simulators with a heavy dose of whimsy, look no further than Among the Wild. The farm-centric experience from the developers of RV There Yet? puts you in the muddy boots of a friendly farm owner left to reap, sow, and ferment produce for moral and fiscal success. The animals you rear are complex creatures, and if you pay enough attention to their temperaments and diets, you can usher in divergent lineages of unique evolved creatures, and then…ahem, reap the monetary rewards. Hey, if you love something, sometimes you have to let it go.

 

The Last Gas Station

With a crunchy pixel art style and vaguely sinister undertones, The Last Gas Station is a life simulator that centers on good service and survival. Set in a world where cars are the ultimate form of transport (sound familiar?), you’ll step into the shoes of a plucky station attendant, managing stock, building up relationships with your regulars, and fortifying your little house against the evil hiding in the dark. The clever hook here is that the previous owner of the business went missing after they took a trip post-sunset, creating a sense of unease that coats The Last Gas Station’s otherwise-endearing atmosphere. 

 

House Flipper 2

If your dream life involves picking from paint swatches and embellishing fixer-uppers, House Flipper 2 should definitely be on your radar. This tradesman simulator revolves around managing your finances while completing complicated handyman jobs like painting and plumbing. Originally launched in 2023, this sequel is making its Epic Games Store debut later this year. With finessed features and significant improvements to the visuals, players can immerse themselves in the meditative parts of home renovations, minus the mess. Moreover, the developers have added a new sandbox game on top of the campaign, allowing you to let loose and design a home to your liking without worrying about cash flow.

 

Tropico 7

I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t Tropico more of a dictator simulator than a life simulator? Technically, yes. However, this despotic city-building experience covers all the important features of a typical life simulator, including populace management, city planning, and the careful and targeted elimination of rebels. As El Presidente, your job is to show your subjects love while ruling with an iron fist, expanding your power, your island's infrastructure, and your net worth. Set on a bustling archipelago, there are a plethora of sandbox maps and scenarios to live out if you need a solid starting point. And, if you ever run out of ways to rule the world, you can take advantage of Tropico 7’s new random map generator to expand your nefarious horizons.  

 

The Sims 4 

We couldn’t recap the biggest life simulators of 2026 without mentioning the absolute GOAT, The Sims. On January 9th, EA revealed what players can expect over the next 12 months. After what feels like years of anticipation, it’s been confirmed that Maxis is working on fresh The Sims experiences across all platforms, noting that each will feature its own specific world and “will stand strong on its own.” This means that, despite all the rumors that the series was moving towards exclusively online multiplayer, singleplayer simmers can finally stop holding their breath. So far this year, we’ve already seen a collaboration with luxury fashion brand Coach, as well as a sneak peek at The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy Expansion, which will be coming to the Epic Games Store on February 12th. Set in the stunning coastal location of Ondarion, the expansion introduces gorgeous gilded accessories and furniture so you can recreate your most elaborate Bridgerton fantasies.