Best Automation Games on Steam
Steam currently has 1,214 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 5/4/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Free automation games on Steam
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- Best automation Steam games for Mac OS
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Schedule I
From small-time dope pusher to kingpin - manufacture and distribute a range of drugs throughout the grungy city of Hyland Point. Expand your empire with properties, businesses, employees and more.
Schedule I holds the #1 spot for "best Automation game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 176,003 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 173,336 positive reviews and 2,667 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Schedule I on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
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 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 208,876 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 203,371 positive reviews and 5,505 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. 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 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 84,747 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 82,761 positive reviews and 1,986 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 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 | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 1/20/2021 |
| Developer | Youthcat Studio |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1366540 |
4. 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 has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 229,726 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 223,162 positive reviews and 6,564 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $39.99 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 | $39.99 |
| Release Date | 9/10/2024 |
| Franchise | Coffee Stain |
| Developer | Coffee Stain Studios |
| Publisher | Coffee Stain Publishing |
| Steam App Id | 526870 |
5. shapez 2
Dive into a factory-building game with the focus on just that – building huge space factories! Construct sprawling multi-level factories and satisfying production lines without limits. Tackle increasingly complex automation challenges at your own pace – you won’t have to worry about enemies.
shapez 2 has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,794 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,599 positive reviews and 195 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $24.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play shapez 2 on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $24.99 |
| Release Date | 8/15/2024 |
| Franchise | tobspr Games |
| Developer | tobspr Games |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 2162800 |
6. 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 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 52,273 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 50,225 positive reviews and 2,048 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 |
7. Rusty's Retirement
A relaxing idle-farming simulator that sits at the bottom of your screen while you do other things.
Rusty's Retirement 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 12,538 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 12,162 positive reviews and 376 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 |
8. 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 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 5,951 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,802 positive reviews and 149 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 |
9. 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 has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,536 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,176 positive reviews and 360 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 |
10. Timberborn
Humans are long gone. In a world struck by droughts and toxic waste, will your lumberpunk beavers do any better? A city-building game featuring ingenious animals, vertical architecture, water physics, and terraforming. Contains high amounts of wood.
Timberborn has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Automation games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 30,461 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 29,143 positive reviews and 1,318 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $34.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Timberborn on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $34.99 |
| Release Date | 9/15/2021 |
| Developer | Mechanistry |
| Publisher | Mechanistry |
| Steam App Id | 1062090 |
More Automation Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Automation games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91,422 | 3/24/2025 | 97 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 16,173 | 8/14/2020 | 96 | $35.00 | Steam Charts | |
| 2,769 | 1/20/2021 | 96 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 14,760 | 9/10/2024 | 96 | $39.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 490 | 8/15/2024 | 95 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 2,776 | 4/10/2024 | 94 | $23.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 516 | 4/26/2024 | 94 | $6.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 45 | 12/7/2017 | 94 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 12 | 12/19/2021 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 3,138 | 9/15/2021 | 94 | $34.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 202 | 6/7/2020 | 94 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,037 | 9/26/2019 | 94 | $3.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 12/17/2022 | 93 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 19,434 | 1/19/2024 | 93 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,198 | 12/8/2023 | 93 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,194 | 12/6/2022 | 93 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 15 | 7/20/2015 | 93 | $6.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 150 | 10/2/2021 | 92 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 10/17/2022 | 92 | ??? | Steam Charts | |
 | 590 | 10/24/2022 | 92 | $14.99 | Steam Charts |
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. (2025, May 4). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 4). Schedule I on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 29). Factorio on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 26). Dyson Sphere Program on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 3). Satisfactory on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 1). shapez 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 1). The Planet Crafter on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 1). Rusty's Retirement on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, May 2). Opus Magnum on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, March 21). The Planet Crafter: Prologue on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, April 29). Timberborn on Steam. Steam Store.