Free City Builder Games on Steam
Steam currently has 2,196 City Builder games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best free games ranked by popularity and ratings. Data for this list is calculated from reviews and player counts reported directly by Steam and will be updated in real-time. Free City Builder game rankings were last updated on 3/20/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best city builder games on Steam
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1. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition offers players a trial of this historical single & multiplayer RTS experience. *Note: To unlock all features of the game please see the “Base Game” product.
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition holds the #1 spot for "best free City Builder game on Steam" with a Player Score of 83. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 47,301 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 39,977 positive reviews and 7,324 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 10/15/2020 |
| Franchise | Age of Empires Franchise |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Steam App Id | 933110 |
2. March of Empires
Claim your title as Shogun, Highland King, Northern Tsar or Desert Sultan and join this genre-redefining strategy game where you will wage constant war for real territorial conquest! Fortify your castle, fuel a massive army, and enter the ultimate fight for realm domination!
March of Empires has achieved a Player Score of 63, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,658 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,071 positive reviews and 587 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play March of Empires on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
3. Realm Grinder
Grow your realm, build alliances, and explore one of the deepest idle RPGs ever!
Realm Grinder has achieved a Player Score of 85, placing it in the #3 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,001 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,098 positive reviews and 903 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Release Date | 6/15/2017 |
| Franchise | Kongregate |
| Developer | Divine Games |
| Publisher | Kongregate |
| Steam App Id | 610080 |
4. Game of Thrones Winter is Coming
Game of Thrones Winter is Coming is a PC strategy game based on the HBO drama television series, officially licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under HBO, and developed and published by YOOZOO Games. Interactive Entertainment and HBO.
Game of Thrones Winter is Coming has achieved a Player Score of 60, placing it in the #4 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,552 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,551 positive reviews and 1,001 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Game of Thrones Winter is Coming on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 11/14/2019 |
| Developer | YOUZU (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD. |
| Publisher | YOUZU (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD. |
| Steam App Id | 1105420 |
5. OpenTTD
OpenTTD is a business simulation game in which players earn money by transporting passengers and cargo via road, rail, water, and air. It is an open-source remake and expansion of the 1995 Chris Sawyer video game Transport Tycoon Deluxe.
OpenTTD has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 14,047 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 13,506 positive reviews and 541 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play OpenTTD on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
6. Galaxy Life
The universe is full of Starlings, tiny orange aliens that want to take over the galaxy. Create your own space colony, fight epic battles and discover new planets. Train your soldiers, develop your technology and create unimaginable gadgets. Enjoy this huge social game with friends!
Galaxy Life has achieved a Player Score of 89, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,928 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,257 positive reviews and 671 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Galaxy Life on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 8/31/2022 |
| Developer | Phoenix Network |
| Publisher | Phoenix Network |
| Steam App Id | 1927780 |
7. Stronghold Kingdoms
A massively multiplayer grand strategy game, Stronghold Kingdoms is about forging alliances, political mind games, city-building and castle sieges with thousands of other players!
Stronghold Kingdoms has achieved a Player Score of 63, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,289 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,945 positive reviews and 3,344 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Stronghold Kingdoms on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 2/28/2012 |
| Franchise | Firefly Studios |
| Developer | FireFly Studios |
| Publisher | FireFly Studios |
| Steam App Id | 47410 |
8. Global City
Become the mayor and build the city of your dreams! In this game, anything is possible. Whatever you can imagine in a city-building and development simulator, you can do. Start from the very beginning and unlock new possibilities for developing your city in Global City!
Global City has achieved a Player Score of 68, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,142 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 803 positive reviews and 339 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Global City on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 11/30/2021 |
| Franchise | MY.GAMES |
| Developer | Red Brix Wall |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1731270 |
9. Cividle
CivIdle is an idle/incremental game that allows you to lead your own civilization through thousands of years from ancient times to the modern era. Expand your territory, explore a vast tech tree, build various wonders, and trade with global players: empire must grow and numbers must go up!
Cividle has achieved a Player Score of 71, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 597 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 448 positive reviews and 149 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Cividle on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 2/16/2024 |
| Franchise | Fish Pond Studio |
| Developer | Fish Pond Studio |
| Publisher | Fish Pond Studio |
| Steam App Id | 2181940 |
10. Zoo 2: Animal Park
Zoo 2: Animal Park – Take care of wild and tame zoo animals in this animal game!
Zoo 2: Animal Park has achieved a Player Score of 75, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,424 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,120 positive reviews and 304 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
More Free City Builder Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best free City Builder games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,037 | 10/15/2020 | 83 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 865 | 12/11/2017 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 738 | 6/15/2017 | 85 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 560 | 11/14/2019 | 60 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 432 | 4/1/2021 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 288 | 8/31/2022 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 242 | 2/28/2012 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 233 | 11/30/2021 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 207 | 2/16/2024 | 71 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 204 | 8/24/2020 | 75 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 197 | 4/10/2020 | 88 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 168 | 11/15/2023 | 80 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 155 | 3/28/2025 | 84 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 134 | 8/2/2023 | 55 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 130 | 2/27/2018 | 55 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 126 | 9/4/2024 | 84 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 123 | 8/10/2021 | 67 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 119 | 5/16/2022 | 62 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 90 | 6/26/2024 | 87 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 87 | 8/23/2022 | 70 | Free | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Player counts and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 20). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 20). Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 27). March of Empires on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 26). Realm Grinder on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 27). Game of Thrones Winter is Coming on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 28). OpenTTD on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 23). Galaxy Life on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 26). Stronghold Kingdoms on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 13). Global City on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 26). Cividle on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 27). Zoo 2: Animal Park on Steam. Steam Store.