10 Best Sandbox Games on Xbox Game Pass (October 2026)

Racing games used to be so restrictive, confining you to a circuit or marked track. Not anymore as Forza Horizon 6 ventures into the open world, and lets you freely drive around its gorgeous depiction of Japan’s urban streets and relaxing countryside. 

But the sandbox games on Xbox Game Pass have seeped into other genres, too, integrating exploration with gameplay. Take Minecraft, whose blocky world conforms to your will. Alternatively, you can try No Man’s Sky, which procedurally generates new planets to take over in whatever way you like.

What is a Sandbox Game?

A sandbox game gives you the tools and space you need to make your own rules and play the game however you want. It doesn’t give you any objectives to complete, but rather lets you have the keys to the kingdom that opens any doors and worlds you can lay claim to and make your own.

Best Sandbox Games on Xbox Game Pass

Browsing through the catalog, I narrowed down the list of the best sandbox games on Xbox Game Pass to the polished and rewarding experiences below.

10. ARK: Survival Evolved

Want a dinosaur as your pet? Heck, over 50 dinosaurs under your car? Check out ARK: Survival Evolved and begin curating your collection. It all starts with hunting dinosaurs in the wild. There’s a cool dinosaur-catching system that weakens the dinosaur and allows you to tame it to become your new pet. 

You have to master taming and training skills to be able to send your dinosaur out on errands, like gathering resources and protecting your growing Jurassic Park. You’ll level up your skills, too, along with the dinosaurs, creating a sensible progression path up the predator and prey hierarchy.

9. No Man’s Sky

I personally prefer to conquer entire planets, transforming them into my own paradise. Whatever dream I’ve had for Earth, I can actualize in No Man’s Sky, with every new planet I discover, essentially, a blank canvas on which to design my own civilization and make my own rules.

Because the planets procedurally generate, you’ll practically never run out of new planets to explore. And there are no loading screens, ensuring the transition from planet to planet is a smooth take-off and landing at your destination.

8. Grounded 2

Being shrunk to the size of an ant can make your backyard way bigger than it is. Now imagine heading out to a public park on your twiddly ant legs. The open world in Grounded 2 is certainly more expansive, in size, and in the objects and creatures you run into. 

You’re going to need all the help you can get from your friends in co-op mode, as you round up forces against a giant bug. There’s a pond, too, which introduces some fun aquatic battles that you’ll need diving gear to wade through.

7. Astroneer

I’m one of those space junkies who believe there’s life beyond Earth. So, playing games like Astroneer always has me curious about the alien species I might find. Heck, even the odd plants and minerals are exciting to harvest and excavate, potentially leading to cool discoveries and technological advancements.

There’s no specific path to follow, only an uncharted alien planet that stretches out before you. What discoveries will you make? What adventures will you and your team create?

6. Minecraft

It’s amazing how a concept as simple as a world made of blocks can turn into a massive open world where gamers can easily spend their hours in it. Doing what exactly? Well, Minecraft is a building game, first and foremost, for equipment, weapons, and buildings that stand tall above the skies. 

But it’s an adventure game, too, traveling through portals to cross swords with mobs and bosses. As relaxing as mining and crafting can be, you can also make enemies with hostile creatures and other players.

5. Palworld

On the one hand, Palworld has a calming effect, going about your day petting your new Pals. They are your new home, and help you farm resources. Some are mountable across the seas and skies. 

Soon, you can have a community that relies on automated factories. But danger can strike at any moment. Other Pals may risk poaching. So, building an army also becomes a priority if you’re to survive in Palworld.

4. DayZ

The end of the world is nigh. Zombies have overrun the Earth, infecting people across a massive 230km2 map. You’re not the only player in DayZ. Joining you on the fight for survival are 59 other players. 

This deserves a spot on the list of the best sandbox games on Xbox Game Pass because of the free will it gives players. And free will in the sense of kill or be killed, for whatever reason you deem worthy, yes, even a can of beans is an excuse to pull the trigger.

3. Terraria

Even though sandbox games don’t give you objectives, they still have a progression system. Terraria is impressive by far, with a tangible roadmap that you can look back on to see how far you have come. 

At the start, all you have are meager mining tools. The more ores you dig up, though, the more equipment you can craft. Depending on the needs of your growing community, you’ll mine resources to sustain them, be it constructing defense posts, adding decorations, and so on.

2. Trailmakers

Trailmakers are creative and daring folks. They come up with the craziest designs for vehicles or aircraft, and test them out on land, sea, and air. Mind you, the game lets you attach weapons to your creations, which is pretty fun in PvP racing and fighting modes against other players.

1. Forza Horizon 6

Who knew a racing game could also rank at the top of the best sandbox games on Xbox Game Pass? Well, here we are, with Forza Horizon 6, the king of open-world racing. But it isn’t just the freedom to drive around Japan’s neon-lit streets and idyllic countryside. 

It’s that the world is also packed with so many side quests and activities, whether it’s impromptu racing, collectathons, buying garages, visiting auction houses, meeting up with other drivers in social spaces, and more.