Best Automation Games on Steam

Steam currently has 888 Automation games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Automation game rankings were last updated on 7/4/2024.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Dyson Sphere Program

Build the most efficient intergalactic factory in space simulation strategy game Dyson Sphere Program! Harness the power of stars, collect resources, plan and design production lines and develop your interstellar factory from a small space workshop to a galaxy-wide industrial empire.

Dyson Sphere Program banner

Dyson Sphere Program holds the #1 spot for "best Automation game on Steam" with a Player Score of 96. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 79,899 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 78,040 positive reviews and 1,859 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $17.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Dyson Sphere Program on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $17.99
Release Date 1/21/2021
Developer Youthcat Studio
Publisher Gamera Games
Steam App Id 1366540

2. Factorio

Factorio is a game about building and creating automated factories to produce items of increasing complexity, within an infinite 2D world. Use your imagination to design your factory, combine simple elements into ingenious structures, and finally protect it from the creatures who don't really like you.

Factorio banner

Factorio has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 181,957 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 176,824 positive reviews and 5,133 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $35.00 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $35.00
Release Date 8/14/2020
Developer Wube Software LTD.
Publisher Wube Software LTD.
Steam App Id 427520

3. Satisfactory

Satisfactory is a first-person open-world factory building game with a dash of exploration and combat. Play alone or with friends, explore an alien planet, create multi-story factories, and enter conveyor belt heaven!

Satisfactory banner

Satisfactory has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 164,690 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 159,678 positive reviews and 5,012 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Satisfactory on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $29.99
Release Date 6/8/2020
Franchise Coffee Stain
Developer Coffee Stain Studios
Publisher Coffee Stain Publishing
Steam App Id 526870

4. The Planet Crafter

A space survival open world terraforming crafting game, designed for 1 to 10 players. Alter the ecosystem of an inhospitable planet to render it habitable for humanity. Survive, gather resources, and build your base. Then, generate oxygen, warmth, and pressure to create a brand new biosphere.

The Planet Crafter banner

The Planet Crafter has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 38,679 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 37,154 positive reviews and 1,525 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $23.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $23.99
Release Date 4/10/2024
Developer Miju Games
Publisher Miju Games
Steam App Id 1284190

5. Opus Magnum

Opus Magnum is the latest open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem, Infinifactory, and SHENZHEN I/O. Design and build machines that assemble potions, poisons, and more using the alchemical engineer’s most advanced tool: the transmutation engine!

Opus Magnum banner

Opus Magnum has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,682 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,539 positive reviews and 143 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Opus Magnum on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $19.99
Release Date 12/7/2017
Franchise Zachtronics
Developer Zachtronics
Publisher Zachtronics
Steam App Id 558990

6. Outpath: First Journey

Outpath: First Journey is a prologue chapter of the main game, Outpath. An experimental clicker base building game. Craft, gather & manage resources, build your base and buy more islands to exploit and expand!

Outpath: First Journey banner

Outpath: First Journey has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,714 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,596 positive reviews and 118 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Outpath: First Journey on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 12/17/2022
Franchise Davii Projects
Developer David Moralejo Sánchez
Publishers
Steam App Id 2237980

7. The Planet Crafter: Prologue

Experience the first stages of terraforming an entire planet in this space survival open world terraforming crafting game prologue. Explore, survive, collect, build your base then create oxygen, heat and pressure to make an hostile planet livable for humanity.

The Planet Crafter: Prologue banner

The Planet Crafter: Prologue has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,353 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,006 positive reviews and 347 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.

Release Date 12/19/2021
Developer Miju Games
Publisher Miju Games
Steam App Id 1830840

8. shapez

shapez is a game about building factories to automate the creation and processing of increasingly complex shapes across an infinitely expanding map.

shapez banner

shapez has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 11,691 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 11,276 positive reviews and 415 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $0.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play shapez on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $0.99
Release Date 6/7/2020
Franchise Doyoyo Games
Developer Tobias Springer
Publishers
Steam App Id 1318690

9. Mindustry

An open-ended factory management game with RTS and tower defense elements.

Mindustry banner

Mindustry has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 19,224 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 18,423 positive reviews and 801 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Mindustry on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 9/26/2019
Developer AnukenDev
Publisher AnukenDev
Steam App Id 1127400

10. Rusty's Retirement

A relaxing idle-farming simulator that sits at the bottom of your screen while you do other things.

Rusty's Retirement banner

Rusty's Retirement has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,165 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 6,928 positive reviews and 237 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $6.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Rusty's Retirement on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $6.99
Release Date 4/26/2024
Developer Mister Morris Games
Publisher Mister Morris Games
Steam App Id 2666510

More Automation Games

Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Automation games available on Steam.

ImageName
Actions
Dyson Sphere Program steam charts
2,430
1/21/2021
96
$17.99
Steam Charts
Factorio steam charts
12,119
8/14/2020
96
$35.00
Steam Charts
Satisfactory steam charts
9,363
6/8/2020
96
$29.99
Steam Charts
The Planet Crafter steam charts
3,228
4/10/2024
94
$23.99
Steam Charts
Opus Magnum steam charts
67
12/7/2017
94
$19.99
Steam Charts
Outpath: First Journey steam charts
7
12/17/2022
94
Free
Steam Charts
The Planet Crafter: Prologue steam charts
14
12/19/2021
94
Free
Steam Charts
shapez steam charts
838
6/7/2020
94
$0.99
Steam Charts
Mindustry steam charts
464
9/26/2019
93
$9.99
Steam Charts
Rusty's Retirement steam charts
814
4/26/2024
93
$6.99
Steam Charts
Dwarf Fortress steam charts
821
12/6/2022
93
$25.49
Steam Charts
Against the Storm steam charts
1,253
12/8/2023
93
$19.49
Steam Charts
Timberborn steam charts
3,556
9/15/2021
93
$19.99
Steam Charts
TIS-100 steam charts
29
7/20/2015
93
$6.99
Steam Charts
Palworld steam charts
26,476
1/19/2024
93
$29.99
Steam Charts
Nova Lands: Emilia's Mission steam charts
1
10/17/2022
93
???
Steam Charts
Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander steam charts
876
10/24/2022
92
$15.99
Steam Charts
Turing Complete steam charts
87
10/2/2021
92
$19.99
Steam Charts
Empires of the Undergrowth steam charts
697
6/7/2024
92
$19.49
Steam Charts
Bitburner steam charts
531
12/10/2021
92
Free
Steam Charts
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Soures & References

Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.

  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 4). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 4). Dyson Sphere Program on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 25). Factorio on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 26). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 25). The Planet Crafter on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Opus Magnum on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). Outpath: First Journey on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 26). The Planet Crafter: Prologue on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 24). shapez on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 17). Mindustry on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, July 19). Rusty's Retirement on Steam. Steam Store.

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