Choose Europa Universalis IV
Choose Europa Universalis IV if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 47,407 Steam reviews back the pick.
Europa Universalis IV vs Carpe Deal 'Em
Europa Universalis IV and Carpe Deal 'Em 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 Carpe Deal 'Em (2016). Carpe Deal 'Em is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Europa Universalis IV (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Carpe Deal 'Em
Choose Carpe Deal 'Em if it's the newer release (2016) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Carpe Deal 'Em launched in 2016.
Both Europa Universalis IV and Carpe Deal 'Em sit in Strategy and Simulation 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 |  Carpe Deal 'Em | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.4% positive (47,407 reviews) | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio, Paradox Tinto | DDD Wares |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Europa Universalis IV (2013) is 3 years older than Carpe Deal 'Em (2016).
- Carpe Deal 'Em is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Europa Universalis IV (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Europa Universalis IV has co-op; Carpe Deal 'Em does not.
- Europa Universalis IV is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Carpe Deal 'Em has no Deck rating yet.
Europa Universalis IV vs Carpe Deal 'Em — FAQ
- Should I play Europa Universalis IV or Carpe Deal 'Em first?
- If you want chronology, Europa Universalis IV (2013) came out before Carpe Deal 'Em (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 Carpe Deal 'Em 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.
- Does Carpe Deal 'Em have multiplayer like Europa Universalis IV?
- No. Europa Universalis IV supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Carpe Deal 'Em is listed as single-player only.