Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Black Friday
    • Gaming
      • Black Friday PS5 Deals
      • Black Friday Switch Deals
      • Black Friday Xbox Deals
      • Black Friday Retro Deals
    • PC
      • Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals
      • Black Friday Gaming Monitor Deals
      • Black Friday Graphics Card Deals
      • Black Friday Alienware Deals
    • Tabletop & Merch
      • Black Friday Lego Deals
      • Black Friday Board Game Deals
      • Black Friday Pokémon Card Deals
      • Black Friday Warhammer Deals
      • Gift Guides
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • 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
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi 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
    • Quizzes
    • Newsletters
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
  • home
  • Black Friday
    • View Black Friday
      • Black Friday PS5 Deals
      • Black Friday Switch Deals
      • Black Friday Xbox Deals
      • Black Friday Retro Deals
      • Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals
      • Black Friday Gaming Monitor Deals
      • Black Friday Graphics Card Deals
      • Black Friday Alienware Deals
      • Black Friday Lego Deals
      • Black Friday Board Game Deals
      • Black Friday Pokémon Card Deals
      • Black Friday Warhammer Deals
      • Gift Guides
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • 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
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi 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
    • Quizzes
    • Newsletters
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
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
Don't miss these
The Qianye boss in Where Winds Meet
Open World Games New MMO on the block Where Winds Meet promises to never become pay-to-win, greeting players with the message "your legend is written by skill and choice, never by wallet size"
Olden Era
Strategy Games I've been playing Heroes of Might and Magic since I was 6, and after putting 10 hours into Olden Era's huge Steam demo, the strategy series has never felt better
Throne and Liberty coupons
MMO Games All Throne and Liberty coupons (November 2025) and how to redeem them
Key art for Anno 177: Pax Romana showing a robed ruler in front of a temple, with a montage of civilisation imagery on either side
Strategy Games Anno 117: Pax Romana review: "Whether dealing with rivals through warfare or diplomacy, there's a great deal to like in this engrossing city builder"
The Big Preview art of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era showing warring armies with a town and a dragon in the background - showing the Cover Story tag
Strategy Games Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a "great pleasure" and a "great responsibility" for its superfan CEO, and he's governed by one guiding principle: "Heroes is for everyone"
A Schism unit calls down magic on a snowy battlefield in Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, with the GamesRadar+ The Big Preview frame
Strategy Games Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era fans have already spent over 200 hours in the free Steam demo because there's an "unlimited amount of replayability"
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
Heroes of Might and Magic
Strategy Games Studio lead reviving legendary turn-based strategy RPG after 10 years borrows Civ creator Sid Meier’s advice, says perfect sequel is “one-third old stuff, one-third improvements, and one-third something new”
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
Strategy Games 30 years of strategy games later, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era flies to 1 million wishlists on Steam thanks to a killer demo: "A truly incredible achievement"
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
HOMM olden era demo
Strategy Games Don't underestimate Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era's arena mode – it taught me how to win a campaign after 5 failed attempts
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
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
A green map with plenty of fog of war in Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, with the GR+ Big Preview frame
Strategy Games Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era's huge demo feels like Early-Early Access because its strategy champion devs are constantly working off your feedback: "The philosophy here is transparency"
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"
Trending
  • Black Friday gaming deals
  • Fallout Season 2
  • New Games for 2025
  • Gift Guides
  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
  • The Qianye boss in Where Winds Meet New MMO on the block Where Winds Meet promises to never become pay-to-win, greeting players with the message "your legend is written by skill and choice, never by wallet size"
  • Olden Era I've been playing Heroes of Might and Magic since I was 6, and after putting 10 hours into Olden Era's huge Steam demo, the strategy series has never felt better
  • Throne and Liberty coupons All Throne and Liberty coupons (November 2025) and how to redeem them

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

Read more
The Qianye boss in Where Winds Meet
New MMO on the block Where Winds Meet promises to never become pay-to-win, greeting players with the message "your legend is written by skill and choice, never by wallet size"
 
 
Olden Era
I've been playing Heroes of Might and Magic since I was 6, and after putting 10 hours into Olden Era's huge Steam demo, the strategy series has never felt better
 
 
Throne and Liberty coupons
All Throne and Liberty coupons (November 2025) and how to redeem them
 
 
Key art for Anno 177: Pax Romana showing a robed ruler in front of a temple, with a montage of civilisation imagery on either side
Anno 117: Pax Romana review: "Whether dealing with rivals through warfare or diplomacy, there's a great deal to like in this engrossing city builder"
 
 
The Big Preview art of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era showing warring armies with a town and a dragon in the background - showing the Cover Story tag
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is a "great pleasure" and a "great responsibility" for its superfan CEO, and he's governed by one guiding principle: "Heroes is for everyone"
 
 
A Schism unit calls down magic on a snowy battlefield in Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, with the GamesRadar+ The Big Preview frame
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era fans have already spent over 200 hours in the free Steam demo because there's an "unlimited amount of replayability"
 
 
Latest in Strategy
A spooky necromancer's city with a green sky in Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
As Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era soars, Hooded Horse boss Tim Bender says passion-publishing trumps chasing money: "Why would anyone want to work with you if not for total lack of choice?"
 
 
The Big Preview art of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era showing a vampire holding a glowing skull
The Big Preview for Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era – Exclusive dev access and hands-on with the strategy RPG revival
 
 
A knight on horseback leads the charge against another army in classic Heroes of Might and Magic 3 key art, with the GamesRadar+ Big Preview frame
Revisiting Heroes 3 after 20 years has made me realize that Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era may have already surpassed it
 
 
A close up of Laezel in the Baldur's Gate 3 evil ending for the character
Following a subtle Space Marine 2 cameo, Baldur's Gate 3 Lae'zel actor would "absolutely" be down to voice a Sister of Battle in a Warhammer game
 
 
Heroes of Might and Magic
Studio lead reviving legendary turn-based strategy RPG after 10 years borrows Civ creator Sid Meier’s advice, says perfect sequel is “one-third old stuff, one-third improvements, and one-third something new”
 
 
A Schism unit calls down magic on a snowy battlefield in Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, with the GamesRadar+ The Big Preview frame
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era fans have already spent over 200 hours in the free Steam demo because there's an "unlimited amount of replayability"
 
 
Latest in Features
100 Nights of Hero
I'm not a fan of rom-coms or romantic fantasy – but the delightfully queer 100 Nights of Hero made me a believer
 
 
Picard and Ryker in Star Trek Next Generation looking at the GamesRadar+ Quiz icon
How well do you know Star Trek?
 
 
Jotun in Troll 2
Troll 2 director on the kaiju-sized sequel to Netflix's most-watched non-English language movie: "We wanted the troll to feel very different to the first movie"
 
 
Robert rides the elevator to work in Dispatch with his dog Beef, looking out of place surrounded by superheroes
How Dispatch helped me to see my father's death in a new light
 
 
Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Stranger Things season 5 cave explained: what is it, how does it connect to the Upside Down, and why is Vecna scared of it?
 
 
A collection of controllers from 2025 scattered around a desktop, with a Black Friday deals stamp in the middle of them
The best Black Friday controller deals in 2025: PS5, Xbox, PC, and Switch picks from an expert reviewer
 
 
  1. Escape from Tarkov review
    1
    Escape from Tarkov review: "An extraction shooter that will make you truly miserable if you let it, but can offer dizzying highs you won't find elsewhere"
  2. 2
    Fans think this is the best strategy board game ever made, and I have to admit that they've got a point
  3. 3
    Constance review: "If Hollow Knight: Silksong seems too daunting, this wonderful paint powered adventure should do nicely"
  4. 4
    This enthralling team board game is perfect for playing with family this Thanksgiving
  5. 5
    Kirby Air Riders review: "This racer is also equal parts fighting game, minigame collection, and roguelike – and I'm shocked at how well that works"
  1. Josh O'Connor and Daniel Craig in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
    1
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  2. 2
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  3. 3
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  4. 4
    Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
  5. 5
    Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc review "Storytelling just as compelling as the chainsaws, devils, and visually excessive fight scenes"
  1. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
    1
    Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
  2. 2
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
  3. 3
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  4. 4
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  5. 5
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"

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

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • 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...