Choose Galaxicus
Choose Galaxicus if you want an Indie and Early Access experience. Galaxicus launched in 2019.
Galaxicus vs Instant War
Galaxicus and Instant War both land in Strategy, Massively Multiplayer 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, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Galaxicus (2019) is 3 years older than Instant War (2022). Instant War is free; Galaxicus is paid (19.99 USD). 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 Instant War
Choose Instant War if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Instant War launched in 2022.
Both Galaxicus and Instant War sit in Strategy and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP, 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
 Galaxicus |  Instant War | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Early Access | Strategy, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 8 reviews | 71.4% positive (49 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Crimson Leaf LLC | Playwing LTD |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Galaxicus (2019) is 3 years older than Instant War (2022).
- Instant War is free; Galaxicus is paid (19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Instant War is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Galaxicus has no Deck rating yet.
Galaxicus vs Instant War — FAQ
- Should I play Galaxicus or Instant War first?
- If you want chronology, Galaxicus (2019) came out before Instant War (2022). 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 Galaxicus and Instant War similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Massively Multiplayer 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.
- Do both Galaxicus and Instant War have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Galaxicus ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Instant War ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Instant War free?
- Yes — Instant War is a free-to-play Steam title. Galaxicus is paid (19.99 USD).