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Trolley Problem, Inc. vs A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish

Trolley Problem, Inc. and A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish both land in Indie, Simulation, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Trolley Problem, Inc. (2022) is 4 years older than A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish (2026). Trolley Problem, Inc. has co-op; A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish does not. 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 Trolley Problem, Inc.

Choose Trolley Problem, Inc. if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Trolley Problem, Inc. launched in 2022.

Choose A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish

Choose A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish launched in 2026.

Both Trolley Problem, Inc. and A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish sit in Indie, Simulation, and Casual 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

Trolley Problem, Inc. vs A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish — Steam metadata comparison
Trolley Problem, Inc. — Steam game coverTrolley Problem, Inc.A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish — Steam game coverA PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish
Released20222026
GenresIndie, Simulation, CasualIndie, Simulation, RPG, Casual
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price10.99 USDPrice unknown
Steam reviews71.2% positive (758 reviews)—
MultiplayerMulti-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersReadGravesJiri Koubek, Chih Ting Koubkova Yu

Side by side

Trolley Problem, Inc. vs A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish — FAQ

Should I play Trolley Problem, Inc. or A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish first?
If you want chronology, Trolley Problem, Inc. (2022) came out before A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish (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 Trolley Problem, Inc. and A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish similar?
They overlap on Indie, Simulation, Casual 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 A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish have multiplayer like Trolley Problem, Inc.?
No. Trolley Problem, Inc. supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish is listed as single-player only.
Does Trolley Problem, Inc. run on Steam Deck?
Yes — Trolley Problem, Inc. is rated Deck Playable by Valve. A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
Trolley Problem, Inc. vs A PhD Simulator - Publish & Perish · imho.run