Choose Arma 3
Choose Arma 3 if you want a Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. 110,281 Steam reviews back the pick.
Arma 3 vs CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit
Arma 3 and CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit both land in Action, Strategy 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 Action, Strategy on Steam. Arma 3 (2013) is 3 years older than CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit (2016). Arma 3 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.6% positive) than CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit (33.3% 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 CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit
Choose CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit if it's currently about 83% cheaper on the Steam Store. CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit launched in 2016.
Both Arma 3 and CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit sit in Action and Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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 |  CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Simulation | Action, Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.6% positive (110,281 reviews) | 33.3% positive (18 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Bohemia Interactive | Odin Game Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy on Steam.
- Arma 3 (2013) is 3 years older than CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit (2016).
- Arma 3 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.6% positive) than CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit (33.3% positive).
- CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Arma 3 (4.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Arma 3 is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit has no Deck rating yet.
Arma 3 vs CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit — FAQ
- Should I play Arma 3 or CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit first?
- If you want chronology, Arma 3 (2013) came out before CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit (2016). 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 CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy 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.
- Do both Arma 3 and CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Arma 3 ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; CTU: Counter Terrorism Unit ships Co-op.