Choose Europa Universalis IV
Choose Europa Universalis IV if you want a Simulation game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. 47,407 Steam reviews back the pick.
Europa Universalis IV vs Planet Colonization
Europa Universalis IV and Planet Colonization 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. Europa Universalis IV (2013) is 7 years older than Planet Colonization (2020). Europa Universalis IV is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Planet Colonization (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD). 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 Planet Colonization
Choose Planet Colonization if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Planet Colonization launched in 2020.
Both Europa Universalis IV and Planet Colonization sit in Strategy 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
 Europa Universalis IV |  Planet Colonization | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.4% positive (47,407 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio, Paradox Tinto | Araknumia Software |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Europa Universalis IV (2013) is 7 years older than Planet Colonization (2020).
- Europa Universalis IV is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Planet Colonization (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Europa Universalis IV has co-op; Planet Colonization does not.
- Europa Universalis IV is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Planet Colonization has no Deck rating yet.
Europa Universalis IV vs Planet Colonization — FAQ
- Should I play Europa Universalis IV or Planet Colonization first?
- If you want chronology, Europa Universalis IV (2013) came out before Planet Colonization (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 Europa Universalis IV and Planet Colonization 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.
- Does Planet Colonization have multiplayer like Europa Universalis IV?
- No. Europa Universalis IV supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Planet Colonization is listed as single-player only.