Choose Europa Universalis IV
Choose Europa Universalis IV if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. 47,407 Steam reviews back the pick.
Europa Universalis IV vs Hearts of Iron IV
Europa Universalis IV and Hearts of Iron IV both land in Strategy, Simulation 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Europa Universalis IV (2013) is 3 years older than Hearts of Iron IV (2016). Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Europa Universalis IV (87.4% 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 Hearts of Iron IV
Choose Hearts of Iron IV if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.1% positive across 120,833 reviews.
Both Europa Universalis IV and Hearts of Iron IV sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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 |  Hearts of Iron IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.4% positive (47,407 reviews) | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio, Paradox Tinto | Paradox Development Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Europa Universalis IV (2013) is 3 years older than Hearts of Iron IV (2016).
- Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Europa Universalis IV (87.4% positive).
- Europa Universalis IV is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Europa Universalis IV is Deck Unsupported, Hearts of Iron IV is Deck Playable.
Europa Universalis IV vs Hearts of Iron IV — FAQ
- Which is better, Europa Universalis IV or Hearts of Iron IV?
- On Steam reviews Hearts of Iron IV scores higher (91.1% positive) than Europa Universalis IV (87.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hearts of Iron IV is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Europa Universalis IV or Hearts of Iron IV first?
- If you want chronology, Europa Universalis IV (2013) came out before Hearts of Iron IV (2016). 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 Hearts of Iron IV similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation 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.
- Do both Europa Universalis IV and Hearts of Iron IV have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Europa Universalis IV ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Hearts of Iron IV ships Co-op.