Best Building games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated building games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free building games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation
A massive-scale real-time strategy game where you command entire armies on a dynamic battlefield. Conquer multiple worlds across several single-player campaigns; or play with your friends in multiplayer combat.
Transport Fever
Transport Fever is a railroad-focused tycoon game. Players start in 1850 and build up a thriving transport company. As an emerging transport tycoon, the player constructs stations, airports, harbors and makes money by connecting areas requiring transport services. Build up your own Empire!
Planet Explorers
Planet Explorers is an open world sandbox adventure RPG game set on a distant planet. The game uses a new OpenCL calculated voxel system to allow players to change the terrain in any way, create new objects such as weapons, vehicles, objects, and do it anywhere.
Subsistence
Subsistence is a sandbox, first person, solo or co-op, PvE open-world survival game. Struggle through changing seasons to build a base, develop technology and gear-up in the hostile environment. Defend yourself from wildlife, the elements and AI hunters (who also build bases in the world).
Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI
Expand your empire, advance your culture and go head-to-head against history’s greatest leaders. Will your civilization stand the test of time?
Crazy Machines 3
Crazy Machines 3 is the latest, greatest, most amazing and craziest part of the series and fascinates once more with physic-based puzzles. Build your own crazy machines and share your awesomeness across the world thanks to the Steam® Workshop.
Demolish & Build 2017
Become a boss of Demolition & Build company. Destroy small wooden huts and huge concrete buildings. Manage your workers. Invest earned cash in your own land properties and rent them for profit in open sandbox world. Use various hand tools, buy new machines and customize their parts.
Predynastic Egypt
Do you know how did Ancient Egypt looked like before the Great Pyramids? Lead the future Egyptian citizens all the way through the historical hardships to the Unification of Lower and Upper Egypt, and you will find out!
Giant Machines 2017
Take control over seven of the biggest industrial machines in the world. During the 14 mission campaign you will punch through the snows of Greenland, plow the steppes of Wyoming and travel all the way to sunny Florida. Your hard work will be completed by launching a space shuttle into space.
Sorcerer King: Rivals
Explore a rich fantasy world, go on quests for powerful weapons, and forge a new civilization in Sorcerer King: Rivals. Can you build a civilization to topple the malevolent Sorcerer King and become a god yourself?
Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition
Catapult werewolves over castle walls, incinerate troops with dragon fire and command the Knights of the Round Table! This remaster of the mythical ‘castle sim’ features Steam multiplayer, Workshop support, new maps, achievements and DLC campaigns.
Mad Games Tycoon
Form your own game studio set in the early 1980s in a small garage. Develop your own game ideas, create a team and develop megahit video games. Research new technologies, train your staff and upgrade your office space, going from a lowly garage to a huge building. Expand your business and dominate the world market for video games!
Project Highrise
Project Highrise is a skyscraper construction and management sim...
The Hive
The Hive is a strategy game with RPG elements where you assume command as the insectoid hivemind. Build and expand your underground colony, harvest resources, and evolve your swarm using DNA. Will you survive in this hostile yet beautiful underworld?
8-Bit Hordes
From the team that brought you 8-Bit Armies comes a new fantasy RTS as fast-paced and friendly as the original! 8-BIT HORDES is a colorful strategy-arcade game that is easy to learn for players of all skill levels. Collect resources, build up and defend your base, amass your army of orcs or humans and ultimately crush your opponents!
Kingdom: New Lands
Kingdom: New Lands builds upon the award-winning gameplay and mystery of Kingdom by introducing an abundance of new content to the IGF-nominated title while maintaining the simplicity and depth that legions of monarchs have come to experience and enjoy.
Street Legal Racing: Redline v2.3.1
The most popular vehicle mechanic simulator in the world got a second life in the new Steam version! Build cars, tune them, crash, repair and race against other racers!
Voodoo Garden
Welcome to the Voodoo Garden! You're owner of a little hut in a bustling swamp. With the help of little spirits you can earn powers and gold by producing various voodoo supplies.
Tricky Towers
With your brilliant robe and magic powers, it’s time to build some Tricky Towers! Stack your bricks in this land of fable, whose marvelous tower will be the most stable? Battle your friends and rise to fame, in this frantic physics game.
Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense
Command your troops through an epic (mis)adventure as you defend exotic lands from dragons, man-eating plants, and ghastly denizens of the underworld -all with flashy new towers, levels, heroes, and more goodies to help you crush your foes in this Fantasy Action Tower Defense game!
Poly Bridge
Unleash your engineering creativity with an engaging and fresh bridge-building simulator with all the bells and whistles. Enjoy hours of physics-based puzzle solving in the Campaign and then jump in the Sandbox to create your own bridge designs and puzzles!
Polandball: Can into Space!
Crazy fun rocket simulator game with countryballs theme. Can Polandball into Space? Try to find out!
Most played building games on Steam
Take a look at the top building games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 19th 2025.
1. The Sims™ 4
Play with life and discover the possibilities. Unleash your imagination and create a world of Sims that’s wholly unique. Explore and customize every detail from Sims to homes–and much more. The Sims™ 4 is a life sim, character customization and free to play game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Released on June 18th 2020 has received 167,109 reviews of which 145,918 were positive and 21,191 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played building game, thanks to its 32,520 peak concurrent players over the last day.
8.6
145,918
21,191
32,520
players
2. Garry's Mod
Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play. Garry's Mod is a sandbox, moddable and multiplayer game developed by Facepunch Studios and published by Valve. Released on November 29th 2006 has received 1,150,066 reviews of which 1,113,171 were positive and 36,895 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.6 out of 10. While seeing 21,543 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among building games based on player count.
9.6
1,113,171
36,895
21,543
players
3. Conan Exiles
An online multiplayer survival game, now with sorcery, set in the lands of Conan the Barbarian. Survive in a vast open world sandbox, build your home into a kingdom, and dominate your enemies in single or multiplayer. Conan Exiles is a survival and open world game developed and published by Funcom. Released on May 08th 2018 has received 106,495 reviews of which 83,765 were positive and 22,730 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. While seeing 10,537 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #3 among building games based on player count.
7.8
83,765
22,730
10,537
players
4. Cities: Skylines
Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game introduces new game play elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience. Cities: Skylines is a city builder, simulation and building game developed by Colossal Order Ltd. and published by Paradox Interactive. Released on March 10th 2015 has received 273,857 reviews of which 254,575 were positive and 19,282 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. With 7,553 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played building games.
9.2
254,575
19,282
7,553
players
5. Oxygen Not Included
Oxygen Not Included is a space-colony simulation game. Deep inside an alien space rock your industrious crew will need to master science, overcome strange new lifeforms, and harness incredible space tech to survive, and possibly, thrive. Oxygen Not Included is a colony sim, base-building and survival game developed and published by Klei Entertainment. Released on July 30th 2019 has received 127,145 reviews of which 123,019 were positive and 4,126 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. With 5,652 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played building games.
9.5
123,019
4,126
5,652
players
6. Planet Zoo
Build a world for wildlife in Planet Zoo. From the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon comes the ultimate zoo sim. Construct detailed habitats, manage your zoo, and meet authentic living animals who think, feel and explore the world you create around them. Planet Zoo is a management, simulation and building game developed and published by Frontier Developments. Released on November 05th 2019 has received 86,491 reviews of which 78,784 were positive and 7,707 were negative resulting in a rating of 9.0 out of 10. With 4,094 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played building games.
9.0
78,784
7,707
4,094
players
7. Myth of Empires
Myth of Empires is a multiplayer war sandbox game featuring a high degree of freedom and multiple civilizations. Players must survive, craft, create, and lead troops in their quest to conquer PVE or PVP territory and build their own empire. Xizhou Civilization Pack is now officially released! Myth of Empires is a building, open world survival craft and sandbox game developed by Angela Game and published by Imperium Interactive Entertainment . Released on February 21st 2024 has received 16,771 reviews of which 11,471 were positive and 5,300 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. With 4,048 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played building games.
6.7
11,471
5,300
4,048
players
8. Space Engineers
Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction, exploration and survival in space and on planets. Players build space ships, space stations, planetary outposts of various sizes and uses, pilot ships and travel through space to explore planets and gather resources to survive. Space Engineers is a space, sandbox and building game developed and published by Keen Software House. Released on February 28th 2019 has received 131,727 reviews of which 116,631 were positive and 15,096 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. With 4,017 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played building games.
8.7
116,631
15,096
4,017
players
9. Dyson Sphere Program
Build the most efficient intergalactic factory in space simulation strategy game Dyson Sphere Program! Harness the power of stars, collect resources, plan and design production lines and develop your interstellar factory from a small space workshop to a galaxy-wide industrial empire. Dyson Sphere Program is a automation, space and base-building game developed by Youthcat Studio and published by Gamera Games. Released on January 20th 2021 has received 84,564 reviews of which 82,585 were positive and 1,979 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.6 out of 10. With 2,422 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played building games.
9.6
82,585
1,979
2,422
players
10. Aviassembly
Build and fly your own airplane! Complete missions to earn money, upgrade your plane, and discover new locations in an open world. Aviassembly is a early access, flight and building game developed and published by Jelle Booij. Released on April 11th 2025 has received 646 reviews of which 629 were positive and 17 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. With 2,366 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played building games.
9.1
629
17
2,366
players
Best deals on building games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of building games available on Steam right now, updated on April 19th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted building games.
1. Founders' Fortune
A fantasy village builder focusing on creative building, colonist psychology and base defense. Handle resources, farming, production, tools, diplomacy, families, trading, defense, and research, as well as the wishes, expectations, thoughts, and equipment of every villager. Founders' Fortune is a colony sim, base-building and city builder game developed and published by Dionic Software. Released on December 18th 2020 has received 2,097 reviews of which 1,688 were positive and 409 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.7 out of 10. Featuring a massive 95% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for building category.
7.7
1,688
409
-95%
20.00€
1.00€
2. Snowtopia: Ski Resort Builder
Build your ideal ski resort. Keep skiers smiling with fresh pistes and fine facilities. Ski, build and chill in the wintry world of Snowtopia where everyone is welcome! Snowtopia: Ski Resort Builder is a simulation, building and management game developed by TeaForTwo and published by Goblinz Publishing and Maple Whispering Limited. Released on December 14th 2022 has received 1,165 reviews of which 714 were positive and 451 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.0 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 94% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in building games.
6.0
714
451
-94%
19.83€
1.19€
3. Juno: New Origins
Bring to life anything you can imagine from rockets and airplanes to cars and more. Automate them with a visual programming language. Explore 3D planets and make your own. Share your creations online. Complete contracts, conquer milestones, and unlock technology in the newly added Career Mode. Juno: New Origins is a building, science and space sim game developed and published by Jundroo and LLC. Released on January 26th 2023 has received 3,070 reviews of which 2,766 were positive and 304 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 93% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in building games.
8.7
2,766
304
-93%
18.43€
1.29€
4. When Ski Lifts Go Wrong
Ride into a hilarious construction puzzler; packed with over 100 creative physics-based challenges, sports and bloody disasters! Build contraptions to help every passenger reach their destination. Enjoy the sports by controlling your riders away from (or towards if you feel like it) peril! When Ski Lifts Go Wrong is a simulation, building and indie game developed by Hugecalf Studios and published by Curve Games. Released on January 23rd 2019 has received 842 reviews of which 731 were positive and 111 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 93% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for building games.
8.2
731
111
-93%
14.29€
1.00€
5. TerraTech
TerraTech is an open-world, sandbox adventure game, where you design and build your own creations through a mix of crafting, combat and discovery. Design vehicles from a huge library of blocks. Scavenge, craft and buy new parts to survive and become the ultimate planetary prospector. TerraTech is a building, sandbox and open world game developed and published by Payload Studios. Released on August 10th 2018 has received 23,221 reviews of which 21,196 were positive and 2,025 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 92% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for building games.
8.9
21,196
2,025
-92%
25.75€
2.06€
6. Portal Knights
The world of Elysia needs YOU! Join this cooperative, 3D sandbox action RPG to level up your character, craft epic weapons, conquer enemies in real-time, and build almost anything! Craft your adventure. Forge your hero. Become the ultimate Portal Knight! Portal Knights is a adventure, multiplayer and sandbox game developed by Keen Games GmbH and published by 505 Games. Released on May 18th 2017 has received 21,604 reviews of which 18,022 were positive and 3,582 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 92% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for building games.
8.2
18,022
3,582
-92%
20.75€
1.66€
7. Car Mechanic Simulator 2015
New cars, new tools, new options, more parts and much more fun in the next version of Car Mechanic Simulator! Take your wrench! Create and expand your auto repairs service empire. Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 will take you behind the scenes of daily routine in car workshop. Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 is a automobile sim, simulation and singleplayer game developed by Red Dot Games and published by PlayWay S.A.. Released on April 23rd 2015 has received 14,564 reviews of which 13,461 were positive and 1,103 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.0 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for building games.
9.0
13,461
1,103
-91%
20.56€
1.85€
8. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Build and expand your repair service empire in this incredibly detailed and highly realistic simulation game, where attention to car detail is astonishing. Find classic, unique cars in the new Barn Find module and Junkyard module. You can even add your self-made car in the Car Editor. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is a simulation, automobile sim and driving game developed by Red Dot Games and published by PlayWay S.A.. Released on July 28th 2017 has received 51,274 reviews of which 46,828 were positive and 4,446 were negative resulting in a rating of 9.0 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for building games.
9.0
46,828
4,446
-91%
19.67€
1.77€
9. Conan Exiles
An online multiplayer survival game, now with sorcery, set in the lands of Conan the Barbarian. Survive in a vast open world sandbox, build your home into a kingdom, and dominate your enemies in single or multiplayer. Conan Exiles is a survival and open world game developed and published by Funcom. Released on May 08th 2018 has received 106,495 reviews of which 83,765 were positive and 22,730 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for building games.
7.8
83,765
22,730
-91%
41.89€
3.77€
10. To The Rescue!
To The Rescue! is a charming dog shelter simulator. Take care of unique dogs and find the right homes for as many of them as you can. Upgrade your shelter, control disease outbreaks, learn each dog's preferences, and make tough decisions, all while helping support real-world animal shelters! To The Rescue! is a dog, management and immersive sim game developed by Little Rock Games and indie.io and published by indie.io. Released on November 02nd 2021 has received 2,041 reviews of which 1,373 were positive and 668 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for building games.
6.6
1,373
668
-91%
19.22€
1.73€
Free building games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play building games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on April 19th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play building games.
1. The Sims™ 4
Play with life and discover the possibilities. Unleash your imagination and create a world of Sims that’s wholly unique. Explore and customize every detail from Sims to homes–and much more. The Sims™ 4 is a life sim, character customization and free to play game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Released on June 18th 2020 has received 167,109 reviews of which 145,918 were positive and 21,191 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. With 32,520 active players enjoying it for free, this strategy game has reached the #1 spot among the top free building games on Steam.
8.6
145,918
21,191
32,520
players
2. Muck
Muck is a survival-roguelike. Collect resources, find items & build a base to survive for as long as you can. Muck is a survival, multiplayer and crafting game developed and published by Dani. Released on June 05th 2021 has received 174,482 reviews of which 163,372 were positive and 11,110 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. Thanks to its free to play tag and a daily player base of 1,190, this building game has secured the #2 spot in the ranking of free building games on Steam.
9.3
163,372
11,110
1,190
players
3. 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 is a simulation, building and free to play game developed and published by OpenTTD. Released on April 01st 2021 has received 14,119 reviews of which 13,577 were positive and 542 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.4 out of 10. Thanks to its free to play tag and a daily player base of 513, this building game has secured the #3 spot in the ranking of free building games on Steam.
9.4
13,577
542
513
players
4. Infinitode 2 - Infinite Tower Defense
Infinitode 2 - a strategy in the Tower Defense genre, in which the player will have to build towers to protect his base from endless waves of enemies. The game features huge maps, lots of towers, resource miners, upgrade tree and map editor. Infinitode 2 - Infinite Tower Defense is a level editor, tower defense and building game developed and published by Prineside. Released on May 06th 2021 has received 3,603 reviews of which 3,287 were positive and 316 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 212 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #4 position in the best free building games on Steam.
8.8
3,287
316
212
players
5. War Planet Online: Global Conquest
Build your army, dominate your region and lead your alliance to conquer the globe! War Planet Online: Global Conquest is a strategy, massively multiplayer and building game developed and published by Gameloft. Released on December 19th 2017 has received 903 reviews of which 576 were positive and 327 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.2 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 187 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #5 position in the best free building games on Steam.
6.2
576
327
187
players
6. 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 is a city builder, strategy and building game developed by Red Brix Wall and published by MY.GAMES. Released on November 30th 2021 has received 1,163 reviews of which 818 were positive and 345 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.8 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 183 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #6 position in the best free building games on Steam.
6.8
818
345
183
players
7. Resonite
Enter a novel digital universe with infinite possibilities. Whether you resonate with people around the world in a casual conversation, playing games and socializing or you riff off each other when creating anything from art to programming complex games, you'll find your place here. Resonite is a early access, casual and sandbox game developed by Yellow Dog Man Studios and Frooxius and published by Yellow Dog Man Studios. Released on October 06th 2023 has received 1,215 reviews of which 994 were positive and 221 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 162 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #7 position in the best free building games on Steam.
7.8
994
221
162
players
8. Zoo 2: Animal Park
Zoo 2: Animal Park – Take care of wild and tame zoo animals in this animal game! Zoo 2: Animal Park is a casual, building and city builder game developed by KING Art and published by upjers. Released on August 24th 2020 has received 1,437 reviews of which 1,131 were positive and 306 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.6 out of 10. Attracting a solid base of 123 players due to its free access, this strategy game has achieved the #8 position in the best free building games on Steam.
7.6
1,131
306
123
players
9. SpellForce 3 Versus Edition
The SpellForce 3: Versus Edition gives you the chance to enter the battlefields of Eo for free, letting you test your RTS skills against AI opponents or even other human players. SpellForce 3 Versus Edition is a strategy, rpg and building game developed by Grimlore Games and published by THQ Nordic. Released on November 03rd 2020 has received 1,501 reviews of which 1,133 were positive and 368 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.3 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played free building games on Steam.
7.3
1,133
368
98
players
10. My Free Zoo
A small zoo needs your help! As the new manager, it's your job to boost business. Design the zoo of your dreams. From wolves and polar bears all the way to prehistoric beasts – the further you progress in the game, the more exotic the animals you'll be able to keep in your zoo. Play now and save the zoo! My Free Zoo is a free to play, casual and simulation game developed and published by upjers. Released on November 28th 2017 has received 658 reviews of which 410 were positive and 248 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played free building games on Steam.
6.1
410
248
44
players