Choose The Colonists
Choose The Colonists if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. The Colonists launched in 2018.
The Colonists vs Factory Town
The Colonists and Factory Town both land in Strategy, Indie 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 on Steam. The Colonists (2018) is 3 years older than Factory Town (2021). Factory Town scores higher on Steam reviews (91.3% positive) than The Colonists (85.7% 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 Factory Town
Choose Factory Town if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.3% positive across 2,390 reviews.
Both The Colonists and Factory Town sit in Strategy and Indie 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
 The Colonists |  Factory Town | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.7% positive (679 reviews) | 91.3% positive (2,390 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Codebyfire | Erik Asmussen |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- The Colonists (2018) is 3 years older than Factory Town (2021).
- Factory Town scores higher on Steam reviews (91.3% positive) than The Colonists (85.7% positive).
- Factory Town is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than The Colonists (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- The Colonists has co-op; Factory Town does not.
- Steam Deck: The Colonists is Deck Playable, Factory Town is Deck Verified.
The Colonists vs Factory Town — FAQ
- Which is better, The Colonists or Factory Town?
- On Steam reviews Factory Town scores higher (91.3% positive) than The Colonists (85.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Factory Town is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Colonists or Factory Town first?
- If you want chronology, The Colonists (2018) came out before Factory Town (2021). 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 The Colonists and Factory Town similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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 Town have multiplayer like The Colonists?
- No. The Colonists supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Factory Town is listed as single-player only.