A ring unlock (on Square Town) is the moment the live, claimable area of the wall grows. Only the central 16×16 is live at launch; each time the live area reaches 75 % full, it expands by 4 cells in every direction — 16×16 → 24×24 → 32×32 and so on — up to the full 1024×1024 = 1,048,576 squares. Locked area is never shown, so Square Town (square.pov.town) never looks empty, and every unlock is announced in the live feed.
TL;DR: supply is released in rings, gated by demand. Sixty-three unlocks separate the launch grid from the full million.
How it works on Square Town
The server keeps one number: the unlocked half-width, 8 at launch. After every completed claim it counts taken squares against the live box's area; when the ratio is 0.75 or higher the half-width grows by 4, the wall broadcasts "🔓 RING UNLOCKED! The wall just grew to 24x24" over WebSockets, and the new ring of empty cells appears in every open browser at once. The thresholds are concrete: about 192 of the first 256 cells, then 432 of 576, then 768 of 1,024. The Throne and its 20-cell aura sit at the centre of ring one, so early claimants cluster around them. The current grid size and unlocked half-width are in the public API at GET /api/state (see Square Town API — read the wall, claim a square).
Cells outside the live box cannot be claimed, picked or seen — the view fits the unlocked wall and zooming is anchored on the centre. Rules: How Square Town works — the complete rulebook.
Where else it appears
Growing canvases exist, but as of August 2026 nobody else gates growth on fill percentage. The Forever Canvas expands outward infinitely so the centre becomes scarce; Frontier grew at its boundary (now dead); Own the Void is 1,000,000 × 1,000,000 cells from day one, which is the opposite approach — infinite supply, no scarcity. Several walls raise price as they fill instead (InternetTiles, The SaaS Wall, 1milllionpixels use tiers by fill). Square Town keeps squares free and rations space instead. Background: What is internet real estate?.
Example
Launch day: 256 cells, 20 of them aura, one 4×4 Throne. You claim a square on the edge of the 16×16 — as far from the centre as anyone can get. When the box hits 75 %, the wall becomes 32×32 and your "edge" square is now eight cells inside the boundary, surrounded by fresh empty cells. Repeat sixty-two more times and your square is deep in the old town of a million-square city. Picking well: How to pick a good square in town (location strategy).
FAQ
How big is Square Town's wall?
1024×1024 cells, 1,048,576 squares in total. Only the central 16×16 is live at launch; the rest unlocks in rings of 4 cells per side as the wall fills.
When does the next ring unlock?
When claimed squares reach 75 % of the current live area. It happens automatically on the claim that crosses the line and is announced in the feed.
Can I claim a square in the locked area?
No. Locked cells are not shown and not claimable until their ring unlocks.
Does the price change when a ring unlocks?
No. Every ordinary square is free in every ring. Only evictions put a price on a specific square ($1 minimum, doubling).