Free City Builder Games on Steam
Steam currently has 2,002 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 12/5/2024.
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- 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 45,454 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 38,582 positive reviews and 6,872 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 1,602 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,036 positive reviews and 566 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 March of Empires on the Steam Deck.
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 2,499 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,515 positive reviews and 984 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. 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 #4 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 6,884 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,001 positive reviews and 883 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 |
5. Sarah's Adventure: Time Travel
This game unearths the essence of adventure by combining elements of exploration and puzzle-solving. The game’s appeal lies in its interactive gameplay mechanics, where your choices dictate the progression of the story.
Sarah's Adventure: Time Travel has achieved a Player Score of 87, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,742 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,589 positive reviews and 153 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 Sarah's Adventure: Time Travel on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
Release Date | 6/26/2024 |
Developer | NUTS POWER ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED |
Publisher | NUTS POWER ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED |
Steam App Id | 2994430 |
6. 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 #6 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 13,396 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 12,881 positive reviews and 515 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).
7. California Escapades
In this simulation and adventure game, explore 19th-century Gold Rush California. Join Jim and Emma to build and manage your farm and city. Plant crops, raise animals, construct buildings, complete missions, uncover secrets, and collect treasures. Start your adventure now!
California Escapades has achieved a Player Score of 82, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 293 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 262 positive reviews and 31 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
Release Date | 9/4/2024 |
Developer | NUTS POWER ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED |
Publisher | NUTS POWER ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED |
Steam App Id | 3103930 |
8. 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 #8 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,188 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,888 positive reviews and 3,300 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 |
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 519 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 385 positive reviews and 134 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. 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 #10 spot for the best free City Builder games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,083 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 768 positive reviews and 315 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
Release Date | 11/30/2021 |
Franchise | MY.GAMES |
Developer | Red Brix Wall |
Publishers | |
Steam App Id | 1731270 |
More Free City Builder Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best free City Builder games available on Steam.
Image | Name | Actions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3,288 | 10/15/2020 | 83 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
887 | 12/11/2017 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
562 | 11/14/2019 | 60 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
520 | 6/15/2017 | 85 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
442 | 6/26/2024 | 87 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
406 | 4/1/2021 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
382 | 9/4/2024 | 82 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
380 | 2/28/2012 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
245 | 2/16/2024 | 71 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
240 | 11/30/2021 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
213 | 8/24/2020 | 75 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
182 | 8/2/2023 | 57 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
176 | 5/16/2022 | 62 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
175 | 4/10/2020 | 88 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
142 | 8/31/2022 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
122 | 11/15/2023 | 81 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
110 | 8/10/2021 | 67 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
99 | 2/27/2018 | 55 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
97 | 12/12/2023 | 44 | Free | Steam Charts | ||
85 | 3/20/2023 | 52 | 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. (2024, December 5). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 5). Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). March of Empires on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 7). Game of Thrones Winter is Coming on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 10). Realm Grinder on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 9). Sarah's Adventure: Time Travel on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 11). OpenTTD on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 8). California Escapades on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 3). Stronghold Kingdoms on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 9). Cividle on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 21). Global City on Steam. Steam Store.