Choose Hockey Manager 20|20
Choose Hockey Manager 20|20 if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. Hockey Manager 20|20 launched in 2020.
Hockey Manager 20|20 vs The Gaffer
Hockey Manager 20|20 and The Gaffer both land in Sports, Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Sports, Strategy, Indie on Steam. Hockey Manager 20|20 (2020) is 6 years older than The Gaffer (2026). Hockey Manager 20|20 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Gaffer has no Deck rating yet. No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose The Gaffer
Choose The Gaffer if it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Gaffer launched in 2026.
Both Hockey Manager 20|20 and The Gaffer sit in Sports, Strategy, and Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Hockey Manager 20|20 |  The Gaffer | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Genres | Sports, Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Sports, Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 5 reviews | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | netmin games | Pitchwork Studios Ltd |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Hockey Manager 20|20 (2020) is 6 years older than The Gaffer (2026).
- Hockey Manager 20|20 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Gaffer has no Deck rating yet.
Hockey Manager 20|20 vs The Gaffer — FAQ
- Should I play Hockey Manager 20|20 or The Gaffer first?
- If you want chronology, Hockey Manager 20|20 (2020) came out before The Gaffer (2026). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Hockey Manager 20|20 and The Gaffer similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Hockey Manager 20|20 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hockey Manager 20|20 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Gaffer doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.