Choose Stronghold 2: Steam Edition
Choose Stronghold 2: Steam Edition if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90% positive across 2,106 reviews.
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition vs Stronghold Kingdoms
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition and Stronghold Kingdoms 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. Stronghold Kingdoms (2012) is 5 years older than Stronghold 2: Steam Edition (2017). Stronghold 2: Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Stronghold Kingdoms (56.7% 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 Stronghold Kingdoms
Choose Stronghold Kingdoms if you want a Massively Multiplayer and Free To Play game with MMO, Online Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 4,303 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Stronghold 2: Steam Edition and Stronghold Kingdoms sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Stronghold 2: Steam Edition |  Stronghold Kingdoms | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2012 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 90% positive (2,106 reviews) | 56.7% positive (4,303 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Firefly Studios | Firefly Studios |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Stronghold Kingdoms (2012) is 5 years older than Stronghold 2: Steam Edition (2017).
- Stronghold 2: Steam Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Stronghold Kingdoms (56.7% positive).
- Stronghold Kingdoms is free; Stronghold 2: Steam Edition is paid (14.99 USD).
- Stronghold Kingdoms has co-op; Stronghold 2: Steam Edition does not.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition vs Stronghold Kingdoms — FAQ
- Which is better, Stronghold 2: Steam Edition or Stronghold Kingdoms?
- On Steam reviews Stronghold 2: Steam Edition scores higher (90% positive) than Stronghold Kingdoms (56.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Stronghold 2: Steam Edition is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Stronghold 2: Steam Edition or Stronghold Kingdoms first?
- If you want chronology, Stronghold Kingdoms (2012) came out before Stronghold 2: Steam Edition (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 Stronghold 2: Steam Edition and Stronghold Kingdoms 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.
- Is Stronghold Kingdoms free?
- Yes — Stronghold Kingdoms is a free-to-play Steam title. Stronghold 2: Steam Edition is paid (14.99 USD).