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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.

Related Game Group

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

Title (Year ) 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
8.3
box cover thumbnail 1869 (1992) DOS, Amiga Simulation, Strategy
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
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, 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 (+1 more) Action, Simulation
7.0
box cover thumbnail Dawn of Discovery (2009) Nintendo DS, Wii Simulation, Strategy
8.0
box cover thumbnail Die Fugger II (1996) DOS Simulation
7.3
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... (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
6.9
box cover thumbnail East India Company (2009) Windows Simulation, Strategy / tactics
7.1
box cover thumbnail Elite (1984) DOS, Amiga (+11 more) Action, Simulation
7.5
box cover thumbnail Elite Plus (1991) DOS, PC-98 Action, Simulation
7.6
box cover thumbnail Escape Velocity (1996) Macintosh Action, Strategy, 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) Windows, Macintosh (+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
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
7.2
box cover thumbnail Hammurabi (1988) ZX Spectrum Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Handel Zagraniczny (1987) ZX Spectrum Strategy
n/a
box cover thumbnail Hanse (1986) DOS, Amiga (+3 more) Strategy
6.2

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