Prospera: First-person city builder works surprisingly well

On August 26, 2026, the new city builder Prospera was officially unveiled at Gamescom. Developed by German studio Active Fungus Studios, the game combines the traditional city building and complex production chains of Anno 1800 with the factory automation of Satisfactory. What makes it special is the perspective: Instead of managing their city from a bird's-eye view, players are right in the middle of the action – either in first-person or third-person view.

The game takes place in an open world during the Industrial Revolution, blending Victorian architecture with a touch of Wild West flair. Players start out as simple lumberjacks, gathering resources and constructing their first buildings by hand. Later, workers take over construction, gradually transforming the settlement into a sprawling industrial metropolis. Aside from its unusual perspective, Prospera plays like a traditional city builder – complete with different population needs, increasingly complex production chains and an extensive economic system. One distinctive feature is the physical transportation of goods: Raw materials must actually be moved between production facilities – initially using handcarts and horse-drawn wagons, and later via player-built railway networks.

PC Games: Building from a first-person perspective works surprisingly well

The editors at PC Games have already had the opportunity to play Prospera and shared their first impressions in a YouTube video (in German). Initially, they were skeptical about whether a first-person city builder could work at all. However, the building mechanics in particular left a positive impression. When placing foundations, the camera briefly switches to an elevated view, but the buildings themselves are then constructed by hand. According to PC Games, this works surprisingly well and creates a more personal connection to the city. Since the buildings are relatively compact, the time required for construction is also said to remain manageable.

Later on, however, players no longer have to hammer every beam into place themselves. Workers can take over construction, although they need a little more time to complete the job. The publication also likes the upgrade system: Buildings can be improved through several development stages without taking up significantly more space. This also changes the appearance of the city. While early settlements consist mainly of rustic wooden houses reminiscent of small American towns, industrialization gradually brings continuous rows of buildings with Victorian facades, according to PC Games. Since older buildings don't necessarily have to be modernized, different architectural styles can also be combined.

Below is the video from PC Games, although it's in German:

But one problem still needs to be solved

While the PC Games editors came away with an overall positive impression of Prospera, there is at least one potential problem: How well will city management work once the settlement has grown into a sprawling metropolis? Since Prospera aims to largely do away with traditional menus, players have to visit warehouses and factories in person, for example. What adds immersion in a small settlement could quickly turn into tedious running around in a massive industrial city. According to PC Games, the developers are aware of this issue and have already discussed several possible solutions. Alongside horses and trains, which allow players to travel faster, a teleportation system is apparently also being considered to avoid long journeys on foot. However, no final solution has been decided on yet.

Overall, PC Games sees considerable potential in Prospera. However, the unusual perspective still has to prove itself when cities grow larger. The game has also received a largely positive response in the YouTube comments, with many users finding the genre combination exciting. Criticism mainly focuses on some unrealistic machines and trains. Some users also suspect that AI was used to create the promotional material – something that hasn't gone down well with everyone. Prospera is scheduled to launch on PC in the second quarter of 2027. Players can already request access to a playtest on Steam.