Choose The Derailed
Choose The Derailed if you want the HDR available side of the pairing. The Derailed launched in 2025.
The Derailed vs Case of 1980
The Derailed and Case of 1980 both land in Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. The Derailed (2025) is 1 year older than Case of 1980 (2026). Case of 1980 is currently ~45% cheaper on Steam than The Derailed (3.49 USD vs. 6.29 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 Case of 1980
Choose Case of 1980 if you want the Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 45% cheaper on the Steam Store. Case of 1980 launched in 2026.
Both The Derailed and Case of 1980 sit in Indie and Adventure 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
 The Derailed |  Case of 1980 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 6.29 USD | 3.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.7% positive (52 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Deformed Dreams Studio | DeseretBoy Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Derailed (2025) is 1 year older than Case of 1980 (2026).
- Case of 1980 is currently ~45% cheaper on Steam than The Derailed (3.49 USD vs. 6.29 USD).
- The Derailed is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Case of 1980 has no Deck rating yet.
The Derailed vs Case of 1980 — FAQ
- Should I play The Derailed or Case of 1980 first?
- If you want chronology, The Derailed (2025) came out before Case of 1980 (2026). 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 The Derailed and Case of 1980 similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure 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 The Derailed run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Derailed is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Case of 1980 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.