Choose Hearts of Iron III
Choose Hearts of Iron III if it's currently about 83% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,730 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hearts of Iron III vs Hearts of Iron IV
Hearts of Iron III and Hearts of Iron IV 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. Hearts of Iron III (2009) is 7 years older than Hearts of Iron IV (2016). Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% 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 you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.1% positive across 120,833 reviews.
Both Hearts of Iron III and Hearts of Iron IV sit in Strategy 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
 Hearts of Iron III |  Hearts of Iron IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2016 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 2.49 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 77.4% positive (2,730 reviews) | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Paradox Development Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron III (2009) is 7 years older than Hearts of Iron IV (2016).
- Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% positive).
- Hearts of Iron III is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (2.49 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Hearts of Iron III is Deck Unsupported, Hearts of Iron IV is Deck Playable.
Hearts of Iron III vs Hearts of Iron IV — FAQ
- Which is better, Hearts of Iron III or Hearts of Iron IV?
- On Steam reviews Hearts of Iron IV scores higher (91.1% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% 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 Hearts of Iron III or Hearts of Iron IV first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron III (2009) 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 Hearts of Iron III and Hearts of Iron IV 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.
- Do both Hearts of Iron III and Hearts of Iron IV have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Hearts of Iron III ships Co-op; Hearts of Iron IV ships Co-op.