After the great earthquake of 1755 that destroyed Lisbon and most of the southern coast of Portugal, it became necessary to rebuild the entire country. The demand for window glass increased so much that William Stephens, a British entrepreneur, saw the opportunity to expand his business in Portugal by investing in the glass industry.

In the game Stephens, players compete against each other as master glassmakers working at the famous "Stephens" factory to become the most recognizable figure in the city... after Stephens, of course. Through clever and skillful planning, all players will develop their projects, invest in new businesses, and promote job creation.

Through a unique action selection mechanism, on their turn players choose from a variety of options, either activating the Stephens factory or activating one of their personal investments.

The game ends when the Napoleonic forces reach the city, at which point the player with the most prestige wins.