Choose Smoke and Steel
Choose Smoke and Steel if you want the Camera Comfort, Surround Sound, and Mouse Only Option side of the pairing. Smoke and Steel launched in 2027.
Smoke and Steel vs The Sons of Earth
Smoke and Steel and The Sons of Earth 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. The Sons of Earth (2026) is 1 year older than Smoke and Steel (2027). 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 The Sons of Earth
Choose The Sons of Earth if it matches what drew you to this matchup. The Sons of Earth launched in 2026.
Both Smoke and Steel and The Sons of Earth sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online 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
 Smoke and Steel |  The Sons of Earth | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2027 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | — | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Grenadier Games | Michael Calloway |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- The Sons of Earth (2026) is 1 year older than Smoke and Steel (2027).
- Both support cooperative play.
Smoke and Steel vs The Sons of Earth — FAQ
- Should I play Smoke and Steel or The Sons of Earth first?
- If you want chronology, The Sons of Earth (2026) came out before Smoke and Steel (2027). 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 Smoke and Steel and The Sons of Earth 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.
- Do both Smoke and Steel and The Sons of Earth have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Smoke and Steel ships Online Co-op, Co-op; The Sons of Earth ships Online Co-op, Co-op.