Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Future Games Show
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • PS5 State of Play
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Battlefield 6
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era artwork showing a beautiful fantasy city
Strategy Games Playing Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has turned me into a Dungeon devotee, and I can't help but feel like I'm already seeing a strategy classic in the making
Throne and Liberty coupons
MMO Games All Throne and Liberty coupons (September 2025) and how to redeem them
Rusty's Retirement main character Rusty on a bench
Simulation Games Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight, and a strange strategy game from 2023: the now wildly successful dev behind idle farming sim hit Rusty's Retirement says he learned from the greats, and literally called his latest game "Idle Valley" internally
Screenshot of Magic Inn, showing a schoolgirl brewing potions on a dimly-lit counter top.
Simulation Games As the wait for Haunted Chocolatier continues, this magical new shop sim with Dreamlight Valley and Hogwarts Legacy vibes is here to tide us over in a post-Stardew Valley world
The countryside with churches and small houses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
RPGs With "over one million" customization combos, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's second story DLC will turn the RPG into a city builder that looks like the Sims Medieval remake I'll never get
Old School RuneScape Smite collab
MMO Games An anti-FOMO approach would be unthinkable for most MMOs and live service games, but it's the secret to Old School RuneScape's new peak of 240,000 players: "Everything you earn matters forever"
Old School RuneScape character models
MMO Games 10 years later, Old School RuneScape is still the best MMO I've ever played – and seeing over 200,000 people jumping on reminds me why I fell in love with it in the first place
Sunkissed City
Simulation Games Former Stardew Valley dev's new farming sim boasts animals that "produce multiple types of items," like sheep milk usable for pecorino cheese – and the carbonara lover within me is thrilled
Fellowship
RPGs Fellowship is "all dungeons, all the time" – and you can play the RPG when it launches in Early Access in October
Two players work together on a farm in Stardew Valley
Simulation Games Stardew Valley cheats for unlimited money and all the free items you need to make farming a breeze
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar
Simulation Games 2025 really is the year of the cozy game as the latest farm sim from the series that inspired Stardew Valley teams up with life JRPG mashup Rune Factory for a "special" collab DLC
Super Fantasy Kingdom
Action Games Manor Lords publisher sets October release date for its next game, a retro roguelite city builder with Vampire Survivors-style bullet hell action
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC showing Henry and two allies standing looking down
Action RPGs I built a home and ran a business in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's next DLC, and the added role-playing guarantees I'll spend another 70 hours in my current game of the year
Duet Night Abyss characters with white hair
Action RPGs A gacha RPG is cutting all the gacha garbage so it can just be a better game: "We're completely removing all character and weapon banners"
Idle Pixel Fantasy screenshot of pixel art warrior opening chest
Games Solo dev spends 6 weeks making a short free game, accidentally wins the Steam algorithm and makes $4,200 in 5 days, then rushes to prepare a big update: "Seems the people liked my honesty and that I don't have any hidden costs"
  1. Games
  2. Strategy

The Settlers Online: Castle Empire item giveaway

Features
By Greg Henninger published 9 May 2013

Free-to-play all the way

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Q&A with The Settlers Online: Castle Empire

Q&A with The Settlers Online: Castle Empire

The free-to-play model can be a tricky beast, so we sat down with the creators of The Settlers Online: Castle Empire to see how they are handling it. Once you are done reading the Q&A make sure you check out the awesome free gift we are giving away at the bottom of this page.

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Could you tell us why The Settlers Online is worth checking out?

Could you tell us why The Settlers Online is worth checking out?

First of all The Settlers Online is a F2P browser game using Flash. Therefore it is super easy to sign-up and play the game directly in your browser and see for yourself if you enjoy the game. Also, The Settlers Online combines the beloved gameplay elements of the franchise and brings it online into a world with thousands of players at the same time. If you are a The Settlers veteran you will easily notice that this is no casual, watered down experience. It is a complex city-building simulation where you need to take care of the production chains, you need to battle enemies and you need to master the structure of a mediaeval town. If you are a more casual player dont worry! Thanks to the tutorial you will get easily used to all mechanics in the game. Unlike other browser games featuring a battle system in The Settlers Online you cannot lose your home island which will always be protected.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
How does your F2P model work?

How does your F2P model work?

In The Settlers Online you can achieve everything in the game without the need of spending money. This is one of the main pillars whenever we are developing a F2P game. The two main parts in TSO where you can spend money on are time-saving options and decorative items. For example: From time to time your mines will run out of resources. In order to refill them you would need to search again for deposits and build a new mine. This requires time and other resources to build the new mine. Instead of this you can also buy a refill for real money. You need to use the refill before the mine is empty.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
With so many F2P browser games out there, how do you try to grab peoples attention?

With so many F2P browser games out there, how do you try to grab peoples attention?

We believe that The Settlers Online is one of the most advanced browser games on the market in any perspective: The graphics are extremely detailed and charming, the gameplay mechanics are easy to learn but hard to master and of course the brand value is important. We stick to the Settlers formula!

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
 What audience are you targeting with The Settlers Online?

What audience are you targeting with The Settlers Online?

From the experience weve already gathered we know that The Settlers Online is played by a quiet mixed audience. We have core strategy players who have played a The Settlers game before. We have typical casual players who look for a more deep gaming experience that feels new and does not require penetrating your friends on social networks. Nonetheless, players who want to are able to buff friends, chat with them or team up in guilds.

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Greg Henninger
Greg Henninger
Community Manager for Gamesradar

Here is everything that is included with your free gift!

400 Pinewood planks
Essential for the ambitious builder - these are used to build basic structures

400 stones
A necessity for a new player - these are used to build basic structures

You may like
  • Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era artwork showing a beautiful fantasy city Playing Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has turned me into a Dungeon devotee, and I can't help but feel like I'm already seeing a strategy classic in the making
  • Throne and Liberty coupons All Throne and Liberty coupons (September 2025) and how to redeem them
  • Rusty's Retirement main character Rusty on a bench Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight, and a strange strategy game from 2023: the now wildly successful dev behind idle farming sim hit Rusty's Retirement says he learned from the greats, and literally called his latest game "Idle Valley" internally

100 tools
Tools are required for nearly all structures; a new player can never have enough

20 Settlers
You can’t build an empire without people to live and work there! These settlers will build structures, dig mines, and complete the production chains required for a successful empire

100 gems
You can use these in the game to speed up the time required to build a structure or complete a task, or buy fun decorative items for your city

All you have to do is click the link under the image and it can all be yours!

The Settlers Online: Castle Empire Item Giveaway

See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era artwork showing a beautiful fantasy city
Playing Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has turned me into a Dungeon devotee, and I can't help but feel like I'm already seeing a strategy classic in the making
 
 
Throne and Liberty coupons
All Throne and Liberty coupons (September 2025) and how to redeem them
 
 
Rusty's Retirement main character Rusty on a bench
Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight, and a strange strategy game from 2023: the now wildly successful dev behind idle farming sim hit Rusty's Retirement says he learned from the greats, and literally called his latest game "Idle Valley" internally
 
 
Screenshot of Magic Inn, showing a schoolgirl brewing potions on a dimly-lit counter top.
As the wait for Haunted Chocolatier continues, this magical new shop sim with Dreamlight Valley and Hogwarts Legacy vibes is here to tide us over in a post-Stardew Valley world
 
 
The countryside with churches and small houses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
With "over one million" customization combos, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's second story DLC will turn the RPG into a city builder that looks like the Sims Medieval remake I'll never get
 
 
Old School RuneScape Smite collab
An anti-FOMO approach would be unthinkable for most MMOs and live service games, but it's the secret to Old School RuneScape's new peak of 240,000 players: "Everything you earn matters forever"
 
 
Latest in Strategy
A screenshot from a cinematic in Fire Emblem Shadows, showing two characters preparing to attack.
New Fire Emblem spin-off drops out of nowhere, mixing Among Us with evil furries, and I see why Nintendo made zero noise about it: "This is a contender for the worst game I've ever played"
 
 
Anime Vanguards codes
Anime Vanguards codes (October 2025) for rerolls and more
 
 
Weeks after BioShock layoffs, 2K axes employees at Civilization and XCOM developer Firaxis for "adaptability, collaboration, and creativity," which is a pretty cold way of acknowledging the reported dozens of job losses
 
 
A mech firing a machine gun in the desert in Menace
Menace is an XCOM-Warhammer hybrid that makes turn-based strategy feel like an immersive sim, and for the first time in my life I'm playing a game that seems made for me
 
 
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era artwork showing a beautiful fantasy city
Playing Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has turned me into a Dungeon devotee, and I can't help but feel like I'm already seeing a strategy classic in the making
 
 
Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainoids alien and machine factory designs
31 years later, XCOM creator Julian Gollop says strategy games are still "where my heart lies" and he wants to make them "more accessible and immersive" – his latest attempt is out today with co-op and Pikmin vibes
 
 
Latest in Features
Hades 2
I'm begging you not to sleep on the Hades 2 boon that single-handedly carried me all the way to the top of Mount Olympus
 
 
The protagonist from Fallout 76 speaking to Walton Goggins character The Ghoul in a bar, while a stack of bounty posters sits on the table
"Not much has been done in that region in Fallout lore… So why not?": Fallout 76 is heading to Ohio for its biggest expansion in 5 years, and it's bringing Walton Goggins' The Ghoul along
 
 
A character holds a tiny pig with goggles in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
Capcom's committed to returning to JRPGs in a big way with Monster Hunter Stories 3: "As Capcom developers, we're able to add our interpretation of what a JRPG is today"
 
 
Two military characters stand back to back in a Call of Duty Black Ops 7 map firing on approaching squads of enemies, with the GamesRadar+ Big Preview orange frame
I played Black Ops 7 multiplayer for 4 hours, and here's my 10 takeaways you need to know
 
 
Marvel Zombies
I've seen enough: Marvel Zombies proves the MCU should follow DC's lead on animation
 
 
Four characters in military gear stand next to one another with guns at the ready as they move through a maze of cargo containers and overgrown plants in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - with the GamesRadar+ Big Preview orange frame
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's new Endgame mode "is the final proving ground" that could be so challenging you need other co-op teams to help you out
 
 
  1. Playing Ghost of Yotei and riding through an autumnal forest with red leaves
    1
    Ghost of Yotei review: "One of the first PS5 games to feel truly boundary-pushing, this hyper violent samurai revenge quest truly hooked me"
  2. 2
    Hades 2 review: "Impeccable combat and flawless characterization across a huge roster make for a follow-up that surpasses even its excellent roguelike predecessor"
  3. 3
    EA FC 26 review: "Ultimate Team's huge, divisive changes have me torn – FIFA's successor has moved away from serving football purists"
  4. 4
    Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles review: "Fantastic tweaks elevate a classic while leaving its spirit intact – this seminal tactical RPG has never been better"
  5. 5
    Baby Steps review: "If you craved a tougher hiking challenge than Death Stranding, this is for you – though prepare to get dropped from many great heights"
  1. Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob in One Battle After Another
    1
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  2. 2
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  3. 3
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  4. 4
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  5. 5
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  1. Yelena Belova, Kamala Khan and Blade Knight in Marvel Zombies
    1
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  2. 2
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  4. 4
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  5. 5
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...