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MachiaVillainVSPrison Architect

Which game gives you more value right now? Every metric, head to head.

MachiaVillain

MachiaVillain

Quality
60Popularity
23Value
71
GAMIVOBetter Deal· GAMIVO
in 1 day
−76% $4.73
Buy Now
VS
Prison Architect

Prison Architect

Quality
87Popularity
39Value
79
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
in 1 day
−79% $6.43
Buy Now

Winner

Prison Architect wins 11 of 15 head-to-head metrics.

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

4
MachiaVillain
4 of 15 metrics
Prison Architect
11 of 15 metrics
11

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric comparison: winner determined by count, no weighting

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$4.73 Wins
$6.43 -
Historical Low Price (USD)
$4.72 Wins
$6.71 -
Best Current Discount
-76% -
-79% Wins
Sales Frequency
44 price changes -
139 price changes Wins
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
65/100 -
83/100 Wins
Steam Review Score
64.4% positive -
89.5% positive Wins
Total Steam Reviews
720 -
59.6K Wins
Positive Steam Reviews
464 -
53.3K Wins
Negative Steam Reviews
256 Wins
6.2K -
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
2 -
860 Wins
Steam Recommendations
715 -
59.6K Wins
Features
Features & Content
Achievements
9 -
18 Wins
Supported Languages
5 languages -
15 languages Wins
Release Date
May 2018 Wins
Oct 2015 -
GameValio Recommendation
Wait for SaleMachiaVillain

Give it more time — this one usually sees deeper discounts, and it's not there yet.

Worth ItPrison Architect

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

Statistics Over Time

Side-by-side historical trends: same time range, same scale

Time Range:
MachiaVillain
Prison Architect

Player Count Trends

· Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

· Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

MachiaVillain

MachiaVillain

3 Stores
GAMIVO
GAMIVO −76% $4.73Buy Now
Kinguin
Kinguin +6% $5.03View
Steam
Steam +323% $19.99View
Prison Architect

Prison Architect

5 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin −79% $6.43Buy Now
GAMIVO
GAMIVO +2% $6.56View
Steam
Steam +16% $7.49View
GamersGate
GamersGate +366% $29.99View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +366% $29.99View

Score Breakdown

How each game scores across quality, popularity, and affordability

MachiaVillain

Quality

Splits opinions — likely to click if you're already a genre fan.

64% positive (720 reviews) — mixed opinions
Metacritic 65/100 — mixed reception from critics
720 reviews — decent but potentially skewed

Value

Acceptable value right now — fair price for the content.

$4.73 — very accessible price
76% off — massive discount

Popularity

Lost much of its active player base — community is quiet.

Player count surging +50%
3 concurrent players — niche audience

Prison Architect

Quality

Overwhelmingly positive reviews — the vast majority of players recommend it.

90% positive (59,569 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 83/100 — high marks from professional reviewers
59,569 reviews — extremely reliable sample

Value

Price is reasonable for what the game offers.

$6.43 — very accessible price
79% off — massive discount
Near historical low ($5.71)

Popularity

Activity a bit low — loyal community but no instant queues.

+8% player growth
806 concurrent players — smaller but active
59,569 total reviews — major title

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsMachiaVillainPrison Architect
Release Date
May 16, 2018
October 6, 2015
Developers
Wild Factor
Double Eleven, Introversion Software
Publishers
Good Shepherd Entertainment
Paradox Interactive
Platforms
Linux, Windows, MacOs
Linux, Windows, MacOs
Achievements
9
18

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: MachiaVillain or Prison Architect?

Prison Architect won the comparison against MachiaVillain based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table. No weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is MachiaVillain worth buying over Prison Architect?

Based on the metrics, Prison Architect won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Prison Architect currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jul 20, 2026, 09:26 PM UTC

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Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

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