Choose Project Zomboid
Choose Project Zomboid if you want an Early Access game with Shared/Split Screen and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. 147,516 Steam reviews back the pick.
Project Zomboid vs Don't Starve Together
Project Zomboid and Don't Starve Together both land in Indie, Simulation, RPG 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 Indie, Simulation, RPG on Steam. Project Zomboid (2013) is 3 years older than Don't Starve Together (2016). Don't Starve Together scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Project Zomboid (94% 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 Don't Starve Together
Choose Don't Starve Together if you want an Action, Strategy, and Adventure game with LAN PvP, LAN Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size. On Steam, it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 80,691 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Project Zomboid and Don't Starve Together sit in Indie, Simulation, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (94% vs 95.6% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Project Zomboid |  Don't Starve Together | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94% positive (147,516 reviews) | 95.6% positive (80,691 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | The Indie Stone | Klei Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation, RPG on Steam.
- Project Zomboid (2013) is 3 years older than Don't Starve Together (2016).
- Don't Starve Together scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Project Zomboid (94% positive).
- Don't Starve Together is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Project Zomboid (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Project Zomboid vs Don't Starve Together — FAQ
- Which is better, Project Zomboid or Don't Starve Together?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Project Zomboid sits at 94% positive (147,516 reviews), Don't Starve Together at 95.6% (80,691). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Project Zomboid or Don't Starve Together first?
- If you want chronology, Project Zomboid (2013) came out before Don't Starve Together (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 Project Zomboid and Don't Starve Together similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation, RPG 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 Project Zomboid and Don't Starve Together have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Project Zomboid ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Don't Starve Together ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Do Project Zomboid and Don't Starve Together both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.