Choose Hearts of Iron IV
Choose Hearts of Iron IV if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 120,833 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Espiocracy
Hearts of Iron IV and Espiocracy 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. Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 10 years older than Espiocracy (2026). Both support cooperative play. 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 Espiocracy
Choose Espiocracy if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Espiocracy launched in 2026.
Both Hearts of Iron IV and Espiocracy sit in Strategy and Simulation 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 IV |  Espiocracy | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Ex Vivo Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 10 years older than Espiocracy (2026).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Hearts of Iron IV is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Espiocracy has no Deck rating yet.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Espiocracy — FAQ
- Should I play Hearts of Iron IV or Espiocracy first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron IV (2016) came out before Espiocracy (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 Hearts of Iron IV and Espiocracy 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.
- Do both Hearts of Iron IV and Espiocracy have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Hearts of Iron IV ships Co-op; Espiocracy ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Hearts of Iron IV run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hearts of Iron IV is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Espiocracy doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.