Choose Arma 3
Choose Arma 3 if you want a Strategy and Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards, Online Co-op, and LAN PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.6% positive across 110,281 reviews.
Arma 3 vs PlanetSide 2
Arma 3 and PlanetSide 2 both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. PlanetSide 2 (2012) is 1 year older than Arma 3 (2013). Arma 3 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.6% positive) than PlanetSide 2 (81.6% positive). 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 PlanetSide 2
Choose PlanetSide 2 if you want a Massively Multiplayer and Free To Play game with MMO. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 47,301 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Arma 3 and PlanetSide 2 sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Arma 3 |  PlanetSide 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2012 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Simulation | Action, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 29.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 91.6% positive (110,281 reviews) | 81.6% positive (47,301 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Bohemia Interactive | Rogue Planet Games |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- PlanetSide 2 (2012) is 1 year older than Arma 3 (2013).
- Arma 3 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.6% positive) than PlanetSide 2 (81.6% positive).
- PlanetSide 2 is free; Arma 3 is paid (29.99 USD).
- Arma 3 has co-op; PlanetSide 2 does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Arma 3 vs PlanetSide 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Arma 3 or PlanetSide 2?
- On Steam reviews Arma 3 scores higher (91.6% positive) than PlanetSide 2 (81.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Arma 3 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Arma 3 or PlanetSide 2 first?
- If you want chronology, PlanetSide 2 (2012) came out before Arma 3 (2013). 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 Arma 3 and PlanetSide 2 similar?
- They overlap on Action 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.
- Is PlanetSide 2 free?
- Yes — PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play Steam title. Arma 3 is paid (29.99 USD).