IMHO.

Game Dev Tycoon vs Protect your planet

Game Dev Tycoon and Protect your planet both land in Indie, Simulation, Casual 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 Indie, Simulation, Casual on Steam. Game Dev Tycoon (2013) is 4 years older than Protect your planet (2017). Protect your planet is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Game Dev Tycoon (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 Game Dev Tycoon

Choose Game Dev Tycoon if you want a Strategy experience. 22,051 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Protect your planet

Choose Protect your planet if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Protect your planet launched in 2017.

Both Game Dev Tycoon and Protect your planet sit in Indie, Simulation, and Casual 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

Game Dev Tycoon vs Protect your planet — Steam metadata comparison
Game Dev Tycoon — Steam game coverGame Dev TycoonProtect your planet — Steam game coverProtect your planet
Released20132017
GenresStrategy, Indie, Simulation, CasualIndie, Simulation, Casual
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price9.99 USD4.99 USD
Steam reviews94.5% positive (22,051 reviews)2 reviews
MultiplayerSingle-player onlySingle-player only
DevelopersGreenheart Games 💚Triple Rush Games

Side by side

Game Dev Tycoon vs Protect your planet — FAQ

Should I play Game Dev Tycoon or Protect your planet first?
If you want chronology, Game Dev Tycoon (2013) came out before Protect your planet (2017). 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 Game Dev Tycoon and Protect your planet similar?
They overlap on Indie, Simulation, Casual 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 Game Dev Tycoon run on Steam Deck?
Yes — Game Dev Tycoon is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Protect your planet doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
Game Dev Tycoon vs Protect your planet — Verdict (2026) · imho.run