Choose DayZ
Choose DayZ if you want an Adventure game with Online Co-op, Valve Anti-Cheat enabled, and Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 74.2% positive across 175,514 reviews.
DayZ vs Infestation: The New Beginning
DayZ and Infestation: The New Beginning both land in Action, Massively Multiplayer 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, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Infestation: The New Beginning (2012) is 6 years older than DayZ (2018). DayZ scores higher on Steam reviews (74.2% positive) than Infestation: The New Beginning (31.9% 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 Infestation: The New Beginning
Choose Infestation: The New Beginning if you want an Indie, RPG, and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 11,027 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both DayZ and Infestation: The New Beginning sit in Action and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online 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
 DayZ |  Infestation: The New Beginning | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2012 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer | Action, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 49.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 74.2% positive (175,514 reviews) | 31.9% positive (11,027 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Bohemia Interactive | Fredaikis AB |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Infestation: The New Beginning (2012) is 6 years older than DayZ (2018).
- DayZ scores higher on Steam reviews (74.2% positive) than Infestation: The New Beginning (31.9% positive).
- Infestation: The New Beginning is free; DayZ is paid (49.99 USD).
- DayZ has co-op; Infestation: The New Beginning does not.
- DayZ is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Infestation: The New Beginning has no Deck rating yet.
DayZ vs Infestation: The New Beginning — FAQ
- Which is better, DayZ or Infestation: The New Beginning?
- On Steam reviews DayZ scores higher (74.2% positive) than Infestation: The New Beginning (31.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, DayZ is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play DayZ or Infestation: The New Beginning first?
- If you want chronology, Infestation: The New Beginning (2012) came out before DayZ (2018). 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 DayZ and Infestation: The New Beginning similar?
- They overlap on Action, Massively Multiplayer 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 Infestation: The New Beginning free?
- Yes — Infestation: The New Beginning is a free-to-play Steam title. DayZ is paid (49.99 USD).