IMHO.

The Political Machine vs The Political Machine 2020

The Political Machine and The Political Machine 2020 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. The Political Machine (2012) is 8 years older than The Political Machine 2020 (2020). The Political Machine 2020 scores higher on Steam reviews (83.7% positive) than The Political Machine (71.3% 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 The Political Machine

Choose The Political Machine if it matches what drew you to this matchup. The Political Machine launched in 2012.

Choose The Political Machine 2020

Choose The Political Machine 2020 if you want an Indie and Simulation game with Online PvP and PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 83.7% positive across 643 reviews.

Both The Political Machine and The Political Machine 2020 sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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

The Political Machine vs The Political Machine 2020 — Steam metadata comparison
The Political Machine — Steam game coverThe Political MachineThe Political Machine 2020 — Steam game coverThe Political Machine 2020
Released20122020
GenresStrategyStrategy, Indie, Simulation
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS
Steam DeckUnratedDeck Playable
PricePrice unknownPrice unknown
Steam reviews71.3% positive (209 reviews)83.7% positive (643 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-playerMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer
DevelopersStardock EntertainmentStardock Entertainment

Side by side

The Political Machine vs The Political Machine 2020 — FAQ

Which is better, The Political Machine or The Political Machine 2020?
On Steam reviews The Political Machine 2020 scores higher (83.7% positive) than The Political Machine (71.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Political Machine 2020 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play The Political Machine or The Political Machine 2020 first?
If you want chronology, The Political Machine (2012) came out before The Political Machine 2020 (2020). 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 The Political Machine and The Political Machine 2020 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.
The Political Machine vs The Political Machine 2020 · imho.run