Choose Factorio
Choose Factorio if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 114,794 Steam reviews back the pick.
Factorio vs Factory Engineer
Factorio and Factory Engineer 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. Factory Engineer (2017) is 3 years older than Factorio (2020). Factorio scores higher on Steam reviews (98.3% positive) than Factory Engineer (45.2% 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 Factory Engineer
Choose Factory Engineer if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 71% cheaper on the Steam Store. Factory Engineer launched in 2017.
Both Factorio and Factory Engineer sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation 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
 Factorio |  Factory Engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 35.00 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.3% positive (114,794 reviews) | 45.2% positive (73 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Wube Software LTD. | Mind Leak |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Factory Engineer (2017) is 3 years older than Factorio (2020).
- Factorio scores higher on Steam reviews (98.3% positive) than Factory Engineer (45.2% positive).
- Factory Engineer is currently ~71% cheaper on Steam than Factorio (9.99 USD vs. 35.00 USD).
- Factorio has co-op; Factory Engineer does not.
- Factorio is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Factory Engineer has no Deck rating yet.
Factorio vs Factory Engineer — FAQ
- Should I play Factorio or Factory Engineer first?
- If you want chronology, Factory Engineer (2017) 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 Factorio and Factory Engineer 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 Factory Engineer have multiplayer like Factorio?
- No. Factorio supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Factory Engineer is listed as single-player only.
- Does Factorio run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Factorio is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Factory Engineer doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.