Citadel
| Platform | Desktop browser |
|---|---|
| Format | Session-based sandbox MMO |
| Conflict | PvP and PvE |
| Squads | Solo or up to 3 captains |
| Status | Early access |
| Website | thecitadel.com |
This page is about the game. For the megastructure it is set in, see The Citadel.
Citadel is a high-stakes gunship sandbox MMO built around focused extraction sessions. You fit a ship, enter a dangerous Breach, fight and recover resources, then try to extract with your ship and cargo intact.
The loop
- Prepare. Fit a ship from what you own. See Ship fitting and Hangar.
- Commit. Take a faction contract. See Contracts.
- Breach. Fight, mine, and recover. See Breach.
- Return. Secure the result or lose it. See Ship loss.
- Invest. Build, research, and trade. See Open economy.
- Repeat. See what the world needs next.
Where to play
Citadel runs in a desktop web browser with no installation. The playable early-access build is available through the Play Now link on thecitadel.com. A desktop or laptop is required; mobile browsers are not a supported play surface.
Sessions and persistence
No. Citadel is designed around focused sessions rather than continuous attendance. Complete a contract or spend time in the hubs, then step away. Your ships, inventory, fittings, resources, and progression will be waiting when you return.
Ships, inventory, fittings, resources, and progression persist between runs. Citadel's larger faction-war and player-driven world are the direction the game is building toward; not every part of that broader vision is live in the current early-access build.
State of the game
No. Citadel is in active early-access development. Systems, balance, content, access requirements, and presentation can change. The Discord is the best place for current playtest information and direct updates from the team.
The world
Citadel is set inside the Citadel, an ancient, self-expanding megastructure, in the inhabited region called Mainframe. Players are Breachers. Factions lists the powers fighting over it.