Choose Eight-Minute Empire
Choose Eight-Minute Empire if it's currently about 39% cheaper on the Steam Store. Eight-Minute Empire launched in 2017.
Eight-Minute Empire vs Istanbul: Digital Edition
Eight-Minute Empire and Istanbul: Digital Edition both land in Strategy, Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Eight-Minute Empire (2017) is 1 year older than Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018). Istanbul: Digital Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Eight-Minute Empire (74.2% 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 Istanbul: Digital Edition
Choose Istanbul: Digital Edition if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Istanbul: Digital Edition launched in 2018.
Both Eight-Minute Empire and Istanbul: Digital Edition sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online 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
 Eight-Minute Empire |  Istanbul: Digital Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 6.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 74.2% positive (62 reviews) | 94.5% positive (165 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Acram Digital | Acram Digital |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Eight-Minute Empire (2017) is 1 year older than Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018).
- Istanbul: Digital Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Eight-Minute Empire (74.2% positive).
- Eight-Minute Empire is currently ~39% cheaper on Steam than Istanbul: Digital Edition (3.99 USD vs. 6.49 USD).
- Steam Deck: Eight-Minute Empire is Deck Playable, Istanbul: Digital Edition is Deck Verified.
Eight-Minute Empire vs Istanbul: Digital Edition — FAQ
- Should I play Eight-Minute Empire or Istanbul: Digital Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Eight-Minute Empire (2017) came out before Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018). 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 Eight-Minute Empire and Istanbul: Digital Edition similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Casual 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.