Choose Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition
Choose Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition if you want the Online Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 27,761 Steam reviews back the pick.
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition vs Pixel Wars
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition and Pixel Wars both land in 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (2021) is 2 years older than Pixel Wars (2023). Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (86.4% positive) than Pixel Wars (81.8% 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 Pixel Wars
Choose Pixel Wars if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Pixel Wars launched in 2023.
Both Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition and Pixel Wars sit in Strategy 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
 Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition |  Pixel Wars | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 39.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 86.4% positive (27,761 reviews) | 81.8% positive (11 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | World's Edge, Relic Entertainment, Forgotten Empires, Climax Studios | Atomic Lollypop |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (2021) is 2 years older than Pixel Wars (2023).
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (86.4% positive) than Pixel Wars (81.8% positive).
- Pixel Wars is free; Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is paid (39.99 USD).
- Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition has co-op; Pixel Wars does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition vs Pixel Wars — FAQ
- Should I play Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition or Pixel Wars first?
- If you want chronology, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (2021) came out before Pixel Wars (2023). 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 Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition and Pixel Wars similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Is Pixel Wars free?
- Yes — Pixel Wars is a free-to-play Steam title. Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is paid (39.99 USD).