Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing is an action-strategy game where players compete in a winner-takes-all reality show to become Champion. You command an airship, piloting its cannons and managing your crew, who can be assigned to stations like shields, turrets, drone control, engines, and sensors to boost ship capabilities. Power can be routed between systems for critical abilities or overcharged for short-term gains, and players can engage in close-quarters combat to repel boarders.

Rival AI captains possess individual motivations, allowing for the forging of alliances or the plotting of betrayals. These relationships influence end-of-season votes, where players can be eliminated. Randomized encounters and a rotating cast of opponents ensure unique playthroughs with new environments and challenges. Sponsorships can be earned to upgrade ship capabilities, and completed challenges yield rewards. The game supports optional VR.