A town that feels alive
Townspeople hurry through the streets, ships come into the harbour and smoke rises from the chimneys. The seasons turn, night falls and snow settles on the roofs, just as in the real world.
Your town grows, even while you sleep
You start with a town hall on the coast. Merchant prince, warlord or master builder: what you build next decides the ruler you become.
- Build and upgrade more than twenty buildings, from the academy and the market to the castle and the temple.
- Keep your people happy: put citizens to work in the forest, the quarry or the library, and watch the town fill up.
- Found new towns on other islands with settlers, and run them all from one realm treasury.
One island, fifteen towns, one wonder
Every island hides an ancient wonder. Raise it together with your neighbours, and every town on the island can call on its power.
Altar of Iron
All your units fight harder in every battle.
Lighthouse of the Winds
Every fleet you send, war or merchant, sails faster.
Shroud of Mists
Hostile fleets bound for your towns lose their way and arrive later.
Sanctuary
More of your goods stay hidden from plunderers.
Tidal Gardens
Your towns grow faster and their people are happier.
Observatory
Your researchers work faster in all your towns.
Trade with real players
Each island yields a single luxury, and your town needs all four. Strike deals with players across the sea, and your merchant ships sail out to bring the goods home.
Stone
Iron
Spices
Amber
Command fleets and armies
Battles are fought round by round on a real battlefield. Your front line holds, archers shoot over it, riders strike the flanks and catapults break the walls. Send reinforcements, or sound the retreat before it is too late.
Make allies. Make enemies.
Found an alliance or join one, sign treaties and plan your wars together. Your scholars unlock new ships, stronger walls and richer trade.
Stewardkeeps your towns
Marshalleads your army
Scholarruns your research
Envoyspeaks for you abroad
How it plays
Pick a world
Create one account, then choose a world to play on. Each world is its own map with its own players.
Found your town
Name it. You land on an island with room for neighbours, and a short tutorial shows you around.
Build while you are away
Constructions and research run on real time. Check in a few times a day and set the next orders.
Trade, raid or ally
Once you meet your neighbours, decide who to trade with, who to protect and who to plunder.
Questions, answered
Is Cities of the Tide free?
Yes. Cities of the Tide is free to play: create an account and start right away, with nothing to download or install.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. It runs in the browser on a computer, a tablet or a phone, and you find the same town on all of them.
How much time does it take?
As much as you like. Buildings, research and voyages run on real time, so a few short visits a day are enough. In between, your town keeps working.
What happens to my town while I am away?
It keeps producing and building. Other players can attack it, though: raise a wall, keep a warehouse to hide your goods, and find allies.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Choose the same world, found an alliance together and stand by each other in trade and in war.
Which languages can I play in?
The game itself is in English and Romanian for now. More languages will follow.
The tide is in, the harbour is open
Your island is waiting. Create an account and found your first town in under a minute.
Play now, freeThe harbour opens soon
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