The City Must Grow

Turn-based city-building puzzle where stalled growth can end your run

Tunaic Games · Released Dec 8, 2021 · Early Access

As of Oct 28, 2026: Early Access, no updates for over a year

Reviews: Very Positive; 83% of 65
Recent reviews: Not enough recent
Players: 0; daily peak, Oct 28, 2026
Steam Deck: Playable
Last update on Steam: 4 years ago; Feb 13, 2022
Minimum PC: 256 MB OpenGl 3.3 compati…; 1 GB RAM · 0.1 GB disk; Full requirements

What is The City Must Grow?

You manage a new settlement on a flat plain in this single-player city-building puzzle. Each turn gives you a random zone type to place, requiring you to balance residential, agricultural, commercial, office, and industrial areas through spacing and density. Completing objectives unlocks advanced buildings and map tools as you work toward a higher population.

For you if...

+you prefer untimed turns and a minimalist presentation

Not for you if...

−you want a story-driven campaign
−you expect traffic simulation and extensive animation

What players say

83% of 65 reviews are positive

Players praise the planning challenge and the incentive to restart and improve. Recent reviewers repeatedly describe development as abandoned while the game remains in Early Access.

Screenshots and trailer

The City Must Grow system requirements

Minimum: 256 MB OpenGl 3.3 compati…, 1 GB RAM, 0.1 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

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Minimum

OS: Windows 7/8/8.1/10 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5
Graphics: 256 MB OpenGl 3.3 compatible graphic card
Memory: 1 GB RAM
Storage: 60 MB available space

Does The City Must Grow have co-op or multiplayer?

No: single-player only, no multiplayer modes declared.

Single-player

Does The City Must Grow run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

Default controller config not fully functional
Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck
External controllers are not supported for the primary player

PC version details

DRM: None declared on Steam
Controller: Keyboard and mouse
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Achievements: 16
Steam features: Cloud saves, Family Sharing
Languages: Text only: English, Turkish.

Does The City Must Grow use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Oct 28, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam