Medieval city-builder games like *Anno* and *Settlers* show settlement growth as a smooth, linear process. Players start with a village center and expand through resource management and production chains. This gameplay loop rewards planning and patience, but it misrepresents actual medieval settlement patterns and economic realities.

Historical accuracy falters because medieval villages rarely grew organically. They faced subsistence living, feudal taxes, and constant threats from disease or warfare. Most settlements remained stable for centuries, not expanding. Games like *Banished* try to model this by adding high mortality, yet still push players toward growth as the ultimate goal.

Real medieval settlements were planned by monasteries or free men with lordly permission. They cleared land using specific methods like *rode* or *brant*, then surveyed plots for efficient ploughing. Locations depended on water access and flood risks. These planned layouts—street settlements, circular manors—contrast sharply with the freeform building in games.