Professional Ship Simulator Sets Steam Early Access for September 16
The project comes from SWE Systems, a company that moved from embedded electronics and custom software into PC simulation in 2024, giving a niche genre a developer with a hardware engineering background.
Key Facts
- Professional Ship Simulator enters Steam Early Access on September 16, 2026, for PC.
- The Early Access build includes two sea areas based on real geographic data, Rügen Island and the Dover Strait, with more than 40 ports.
- The game uses an advanced fluid dynamics model in which wind, waves, currents, bank effects, and propulsion affect ship behavior.
- The Early Access version includes eight mission types, initial scenarios, and tutorials, with a full release expected around mid-2027.
- SWE Systems, the developer, moved from embedded electronics and custom software into PC simulation software in 2024.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton.
Aerosoft and SWE Systems will bring the marine simulation game Professional Ship Simulator to Steam Early Access on September 16. The game lets players operate a range of vessels, from large cargo ships and cruise ships to small tugboats and rescue boats, with an advanced fluid dynamics model that makes wind, waves, currents, bank effects, and propulsion shape how each ship handles. Onboard systems are reproduced in detail, including radar with AIS/CPA tracking, sonar, navigation instruments, radio communication, and power generation and distribution. The open world covers two sea areas built on real geographic data, Rügen Island and the Dover Strait, with more than 40 ports, navigational markers, navigation lights, weather and day/night changes, wildlife, and AI ship traffic. Players take on tasks such as cargo transport, ferry operations, fishing, offshore logistics, towing support, buoy maintenance, rescue, and firefighting. The Early Access version includes the two sea areas, eight mission types, initial scenarios, and tutorials. Ships, missions, and scenarios will be added later, with mod support planned. A full release is expected around mid-2027.
SWE Systems, the developer behind the title, began as a company focused on embedded electronics and custom software for small-lot production and special-purpose use before moving into PC simulation software in 2024. The studio is applying that engineering background to ship handling, where players must manage speed, position, inertia, and the surrounding environment when navigating open water, entering crowded ports, or carrying out precise towing work.
The Early Access build ships with two sea areas, eight mission types, initial scenarios, and a staged tutorial. The planned ship roster spans tugboats, trawlers, rescue boats, offshore vessels, yachts, container ships, bulk carriers, LNG tankers, and cruise ships, each with a fully operable bridge and detailed onboard systems including radar, AIS/CPA tracking, sonar, navigation instruments, radio communication, and power generation and distribution. Aerosoft, the publisher, expects the full release around mid-2027, with additional ships, missions, scenarios, and mod support to arrive through updates during Early Access.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.