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Pico-8 vs Steam

Pico-8 logo

Pico-8

Software

A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games

From
$14.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Steam

Software

The ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette; Steam publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pico-8 and Steam actually diverge.

Attributes where Pico-8 and Steam differ
AttributePico-8Steam
Starting price$14.99/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry PiWeb
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Pico-8

  • Pixel art editor
  • Music composer
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in palette
  • Sprite system
  • Map editor
  • Code editor
  • Game cartridges

Only in Steam

Nothing recorded that Pico-8 does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot Steam
  • Educational game programmingnot Steam
  • Game jam participationnot Steam
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot Steam

Steam

No use cases recorded yet. See the Steam review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Pico-8

  • Extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • Cart size capped at 32 kilobytes
  • Only 256 sprites of 8x8 pixels available
  • Map limited to 128x32 tiles
  • Monophonic sound synthesis with 4-channel chip synthesis only
  • Lua programming language exclusively; no other language support

Steam

  • Publishing a game requires developers to pay a non-refundable $100 Steam Direct fee per title, recouped only once the product earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue
  • Core purchases and library are tied to a single Steam account with no vendor-stated official resale or transfer mechanism for owned games

Pricing, plan by plan

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 review.

Steam

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Steam review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Pico-8 if

  • You need pixel art editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want music composer.
Pico-8 review

Choose Steam if

Nothing in the data separates Steam from Pico-8 on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Steam review

Questions people ask

Is Pico-8 or Steam better?
Neither clearly leads. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time and Steam at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pico-8 or Steam?
Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time and Steam at On request.
Does Pico-8 or Steam run on more platforms?
Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi. Steam runs on Web.
What is Pico-8 best used for?
Pico-8 is most often used for retro-style indie game development, educational game programming, game jam participation, pixel art game creation with strict creative constraints. Of those, retro-style indie game development and educational game programming are not what Steam is typically brought in for.
What can Pico-8 do that Steam cannot?
Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette.
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