Free City Builder Games on Steam
Steam currently has 2,463 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 8/26/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best city builder games on Steam
- Best city builder Steam Deck games
- Best city builder Steam games for Mac OS
- Best city builder Linux games on Steam
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
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 84. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 49,834 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 42,303 positive reviews and 7,531 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 62, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,731 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,097 positive reviews and 634 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. 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 #3 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,632 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,602 positive reviews and 1,030 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 |
4. 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 #4 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 14,909 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 14,346 positive reviews and 563 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).
5. 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 #5 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,396 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,003 positive reviews and 3,393 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 |
6. Battle Nations
Battle Nations is back! Build your empire and lead your armies to victory! Choose from traditional troops and vehicles or unleash exotic forces like mammoths, velociraptors, sandworms, and futuristic plasma units!
Battle Nations has achieved a Player Score of 69, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,610 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,142 positive reviews and 468 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
| Release Date | 9/18/2014 |
| Developer | Madrona Games Inc |
| Publisher | Madrona Games Inc |
| Steam App Id | 251670 |
7. 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 #7 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,113 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,424 positive reviews and 689 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux 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 |
8. 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 72, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 694 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 524 positive reviews and 170 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, 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 |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Fish Pond Studio |
| Steam App Id | 2181940 |
9. Bloons Monkey City
Create, upgrade, and customize your very own Bloons Monkey City in this groundbreaking blend of city building and tower defense awesomeness!
Bloons Monkey City has achieved a Player Score of 88, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,356 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,793 positive reviews and 563 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Bloons Monkey City on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 4/10/2020 |
| Franchise | Ninja Kiwi Games |
| Developer | Ninja Kiwi |
| Publisher | Ninja Kiwi |
| Steam App Id | 1252780 |
10. Shelter 69
Expand your shelter in a unique take on the post-apocalypse genre, thrown straight into a wild world where women reign supreme across the wastelands. You are the last male, and all is for your taking.
Shelter 69 has achieved a Player Score of 61, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,857 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,161 positive reviews and 696 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Shelter 69 on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
More Free City Builder Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best free City Builder games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,020 | 10/15/2020 | 84 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 568 | 12/11/2017 | 62 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 370 | 11/14/2019 | 60 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 353 | 4/1/2021 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 298 | 2/28/2012 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 270 | 9/18/2014 | 69 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 267 | 8/31/2022 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 252 | 2/16/2024 | 72 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 227 | 4/10/2020 | 88 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 163 | 5/16/2022 | 61 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 161 | 8/2/2023 | 55 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 142 | 11/30/2021 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 112 | 11/15/2023 | 80 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 108 | 8/10/2021 | 67 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 106 | 8/24/2020 | 75 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 95 | 9/4/2024 | 70 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 83 | 8/23/2022 | 70 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 80 | 12/12/2023 | 43 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 77 | 6/6/2025 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 67 | 2/27/2018 | 54 | 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, August 26). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, August 26). Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 4). March of Empires on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 9). Game of Thrones Winter is Coming on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 10). OpenTTD on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 5). Stronghold Kingdoms on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 7). Battle Nations on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 14). Galaxy Life on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, August 28). Cividle on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, August 19). Bloons Monkey City on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, September 9). Shelter 69 on Steam. Steam Store.