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Game Groups > Merchant / Trade-oriented games

This game group is dedicated to games where its primary (or secondary) gameplay focuses on trading/bartering goods, resources, or items for a profit. The player usually plays the role of an individual travelling trader, or merchant company, or a nation, with the process of trading conducted manually (not computer automated). Depending on the game, profit may be obtained by the player through manually selecting and buying goods in one location and selling them at another location (shops, towns, planets, etc.).

Merchant / trade-oriented games usually have the following characteristics:

  • Obtaining profit through trade is usually explicitly expressed throughout the game or through official sources (e.g. game manual, etc.).
  • Trade must be conducted by the player manually. Thus, gameplay may consist of the player researching goods and price differences for a profitable route.
  • Computer-assisted scripts may be provided optionally to the player (e.g. caravan routes, etc.).
  • Trade goods/items usually have no practical use or additional benefits to the player (e.g. cannot be used or equipped).

Limitations

  • Does not apply to games where although trade may exist as an integral part of the game, it happens automatically (through a computer animated script which may be manually created within the game) and does not require the manual selling of goods or items (i.e. political/war-themed games such as Sid Meier's Civilization or 4X games). The term trading simulation is commonly used in this respect.
  • Does not apply to role-playing games (RPGs) or any other genre where items, including weapons and armor, may be available for buying and selling, but where such transactions aren't done solely for the sake of profit as a main gameplay feature, unless the game optionally and explicitly expresses trade as an integral part of the gameplay.
  • Does not apply to games where the player may buy or sell parts/accessories for the player's car, rubber ducky, spaceship, or other forms of transportation.
  • Does not apply to sport-themed managerial games, where the player can buy or sell players, etc.
  • Not to be confused with managerial games, which although they're focusing on managing resources, usually have the trade aspect handled automatically.

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163 Games [ view in game browser ] [ add game ]

Title Released Platforms Genres Moby Score
box cover thumbnail 1193 Anno Domini: Merchants and Crusader 2001 Windows Simulation
4.5
box cover thumbnail 1701 A.D. 2006 Windows Strategy / tactics
8.2
box cover thumbnail 1869 1992 DOS, Amiga Simulation, Strategy / tactics
7.2
box cover thumbnail A.I.M.: Artificial Intelligence Machine 2004 Windows Action
n/a
box cover thumbnail Abyss 2014 Atari 8-bit Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Alite 2015 Android Action, Simulation
n/a
box cover thumbnail Ancient Trader 2010 Windows, Xbox 360 Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery 2007 Nintendo DS Simulation, Strategy / tactics
7.9
box cover thumbnail Arctic Baron 1993 DOS, Amiga (+2 more) Action, Strategy / tactics
7.2
box cover thumbnail Biznesman 1988 DOS Simulation, Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Business Man 2000 2001 Windows Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Businessman 1986 Atari 8-bit Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Canton 1991 Amiga Action, Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Canton: An Atlas Pathfinder Adventure 1994 DOS Simulation, Strategy / tactics
n/a
box cover thumbnail Caravaneer 2007 Browser, Windows Strategy, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
Daikōkai Jidai III: Costa del Sol 1996 Windows, Macintosh Simulation, Strategy / tactics, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Daikōkai Jidai IV: Porto Estado 1999 Windows, PlayStation Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Daikōkai Jidai IV: Rota Nova 2006 iPad, Android (+4 more) Adventure, Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Daikōkai Jidai V 2014 Browser, iPhone (+2 more) Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Daikōkai Jidai VI 2019 iPhone, Android (+1 more) Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Daikōkai Jidai: Gaiden 1997 PlayStation, Windows (+1 more) Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Darkstar One 2006 Windows, Xbox 360 (+2 more) Action, Simulation
7.2
box cover thumbnail Dawn of Discovery 2009 Nintendo DS, Wii Simulation, Strategy / tactics
8.0
box cover thumbnail Die Fugger II 1996 DOS Simulation
7.4
box cover thumbnail Die Gilde: Gaukler, Gruften & Geschütze 2003 Windows Add-on
7.5
box cover thumbnail Dope Wars 1998 Windows Simulation, Strategy
7.5
box cover thumbnail Dragon Trader 2016 Android Strategy, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Drug Wars: A Game Based on the New York Drug Market 1984 DOS Simulation, Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Druglord 1991 DOS Simulation, Strategy
7.3
box cover thumbnail Dynatech 1992 DOS, Amiga Simulation, Strategy / tactics
6.9
box cover thumbnail East India Company 2009 Windows Simulation, Strategy / tactics
7.0
box cover thumbnail Elite 1984 DOS, Amiga (+11 more) Action, Simulation
7.6
box cover thumbnail Elite Plus 1991 DOS, PC-98 Action, Simulation
7.7
box cover thumbnail Escape Velocity 1996 Macintosh Action, Strategy / tactics, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail Escape Velocity Nova 2002 Macintosh, Windows Action, Simulation
7.8
box cover thumbnail Europa 1400: The Guild 2002 Windows Strategy / tactics
7.3
box cover thumbnail Europe 1400 2009 Browser Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail EVE Online 2003 Windows, Linux (+2 more) Simulation, Role-playing (RPG)
7.5
box cover thumbnail Federation 1989 Amiga, Atari ST Simulation
7.2
box cover thumbnail Flatspace 2003 Windows, iPhone Action, Strategy, Role-playing (RPG)
n/a
box cover thumbnail FreeCol 2003 Linux, Windows (+1 more) Strategy / tactics
n/a
box cover thumbnail Freelancer 2003 Windows Action, Simulation
8.0
box cover thumbnail French Fur Trader 1973 Mainframe, Sol-20 (+1 more) Simulation
n/a
box cover thumbnail Frontier: Elite II 1993 DOS, Amiga (+2 more) Action, Simulation
7.5
box cover thumbnail Frontier: First Encounters 1995 DOS Action, Simulation
7.1
box cover thumbnail Fugger 1988 Amiga, Atari ST (+1 more) Simulation, Strategy / tactics
6.5
box cover thumbnail Galactic Trader 1979 Apple II, Atari 8-bit (+1 more) Strategy / tactics
n/a
box cover thumbnail Gloriana 1996 DOS Strategy / tactics
7.2
box cover thumbnail Hammurabi 1988 ZX Spectrum Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Handel Zagraniczny 1987 ZX Spectrum Strategy
n/a

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