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Solano at night, painted: lamplit streets stepping down to the river, a train curving past the bandstand toward the bridge

PUBLIC BETA

Build a life in Solano.

Public Lives is an 18+ browser game about one resident in a persistent city. Find a home, work or run a business, form relationships, vote, and stand for office. One real day is one game month.

Join betaRead the Field Guide

18+ · free · passwordless email sign-in

1 real dayis one city month
Browser-baseddesktop, tablet or phone; no mic
Free to playno pay-to-win
Public beta18+ only
Townsfolkcomputer-controlled and clearly labelled

The city beyond the game

Follow Public Lives Game.

Development updates, city moments and community news all live under one handle: @PublicLivesGame.

X@PublicLivesGameCity notes and build threadsInstagram@PublicLivesGameThe people and places of SolanoTikTok@PublicLivesGameShort scenes from a living cityDiscordJoin the official serverMeet the first residents

Your home, work and vote share one city.

Your resident, home, work, relationships and money remain between visits. Other players use the same shops, stand in the same elections and write scenes in the same places. Clearly labelled townsfolk fill the gaps when players are offline.

A painted Riverside kitchen: three generations of one family around the table, photographs spread out, the city through the window

Build a household.

Rent or buy a home, meet people and decide what matters to your resident. Your address, relationships and choices remain between visits.

The painted Exchange House trading floor: stocked stalls, an auctioneer at the rostrum and residents browsing

Make a living.

Take a job or open a business. Buy stock, set prices, hire staff and sell to residents. Music is playable now: release records and move on the live city chart.

Solano City Hall painted in the civic style, wide steps and columns on a tree-lined street

Change the rules.

Vote in elections, stand for office and propose laws. A decision about rent, tax or public services changes costs for households and businesses across Solano.

A painted corner cafe in Riverside where residents meet to talk
Write scenes with other residents.
Start a scene at a home, shop or public place. Write in character with another player and reply when you have time. Clearly labelled townsfolk can also appear, but they are never shown as human players. You never need a microphone.

See Solano.

Nineteen seconds of the painted place art the game is built from: the city at night, Vance Street, the Exchange House floor, a Riverside kitchen, the university courtyard and matchday at Juniper Grounds.

Solano at night, painted: lamplit streets stepping down to the river and the bridge
Postcards from Solano · 19 sec · muted
Painted place art from the game: Solano at night, Vance Street, the Exchange House, a Riverside kitchen, the university courtyard and Juniper Grounds. This is the art you play among, not interface footage.Read the transcript

Painted place art from the game is shown. Video is never loaded automatically.

Solano montage transcript
  1. Solano at night: one shared city that keeps living between visits.
  2. Vance Street: civic services on a painted city block.
  3. The Exchange House: stock a stall, set prices, sell to residents.
  4. A household in Riverside: family, home and history persist.
  5. The University of Solano courtyard at 38 College Walk.
  6. Matchday at Juniper Grounds.
  7. Public Lives Game: one resident in a persistent city.

The montage has no sound. English captions name each place.

Come back later. Read what happened.

  • LettersRead replies that arrived while you were away.
  • WorkCheck wages, shop sales and stock changes.
  • CitySee ballot results and new public decisions.

You do not need to stay online all day.

Solano painted from above: streets, civic domes and warehouses meeting the river and its bridges

Five districts, one city.

Riverside is live. Marina and Central Exchange are growing. Foundry Ward and Juniper Heights are planned. Every district shares the same economy, council and public record.

Riversidelive
Marinagrowing
Central Exchangegrowing
Foundry Wardplanned
Juniper Heightsplanned
Public beta · 18+

What beta means.

Play what is live

Create one adult resident. Choose a home, find work or run a supported business, build relationships, write scenes, vote and use the live music career.

Expect unfinished work

Expect bugs, balance changes, missing art, downtime, gated systems and possible resets. Film, television and theatre are not part of this beta.

Check the Field Guide

The public guide explains what is live, what is limited and where each action lives in the current Life Compass.

Before you join.

What do I actually do?

Create one adult resident in Solano. Find a home, take a job or run a business, build relationships, write roleplay scenes and vote. Your resident and the city persist between visits.

Do I have to log in at a set time?

No. Most play is asynchronous. One real day moves the game forward by one month. When you return, an away digest shows the letters, sales and public decisions that matter to you.

Do I need a gaming PC or voice chat?

No. Public Lives Game runs in a modern browser on desktop, tablet and phone. Scenes are written. You do not need a microphone, camera or download.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to play. Real money will never buy a stronger resident, a better job or more political power.

Is every resident a human player?

No. Other players share the city with clearly labelled townsfolk. Townsfolk keep shops, services and stories moving when few players are online. They are never presented as human players.

How do I join?

Enter your email on the Join beta page. Public Lives Game uses a passwordless sign-in link, so there is no password to create or remember.

Ready to enter Solano?

Join the public beta with your email. Public Lives Game is free, passwordless and for adults aged 18 or over.

Join beta