Choose RimWorld
Choose RimWorld if you want the Mouse Only Option side of the pairing. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. 116,236 Steam reviews back the pick.
RimWorld vs Factorio
RimWorld and Factorio both land in Strategy, Indie, 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, Indie, Simulation on Steam. RimWorld (2018) is 2 years older than Factorio (2020). Both sit near 98% positive on Steam (RimWorld: 116,236 reviews, Factorio: 114,794). 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 Factorio
Choose Factorio if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 114,794 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both RimWorld and Factorio sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Adjustable Text Size, Camera Comfort, and Custom Volume Controls, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (97.9% vs 98.3% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 RimWorld |  Factorio | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 34.99 USD | 35.00 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.9% positive (116,236 reviews) | 98.3% positive (114,794 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Ludeon Studios | Wube Software LTD. |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- RimWorld (2018) is 2 years older than Factorio (2020).
- Both sit near 98% positive on Steam (RimWorld: 116,236 reviews, Factorio: 114,794).
- RimWorld is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Factorio (34.99 USD vs. 35.00 USD).
- Factorio has co-op; RimWorld does not.
- Both are Deck Verified.
RimWorld vs Factorio — FAQ
- Which is better, RimWorld or Factorio?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: RimWorld sits at 97.9% positive (116,236 reviews), Factorio at 98.3% (114,794). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play RimWorld or Factorio first?
- If you want chronology, RimWorld (2018) came out before Factorio (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 RimWorld and Factorio similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, 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 RimWorld have multiplayer like Factorio?
- No. Factorio supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while RimWorld is listed as single-player only.
- Do RimWorld and Factorio both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.