IMHO.

Games like Ecosystem

If Ecosystem is your kind of game, the closest matches are Ecosystem Architect, Planetary Life and Halloween Store Simulator — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its atmospheric, challenging and contemplative. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.

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About Ecosystem: Create virtual lifeforms whose development is shaped by a deep simulation of evolution. Guide them as they fight, mate, and adapt to the environment you have built. All the creatures in the trailer evolved on their own in the game!

2024StrategyIndieSimulationCasual19.99 USDDeck PlayableWindowsby Tom Johnson
Ecosystem — Steam game cover
Players highlight
Build and balance custom ecosystemsCreative freedom in species designDesign creatures with neural networksAtmosphericChallengingContemplative

Players who liked Ecosystem also play

Steam players who put hours into Ecosystem also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.

  1. Ecosystem Architect

    WHY THIS

    Top pick for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    In Ecosystem Architect, build the ecosystem of your dreams and let your imagination run wild. With a vast selection of foliage, animals, and prehistoric creatures, mix-and-match to your heart's content and watch your environment come to life as they interact in an in-depth simulation.

    2026StrategyIndieSimulationSteam ↗
  2. Planetary Life

    WHY THIS

    Shares an atmospheric mood with Ecosystem.

    Second-strongest match for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    Manipulate climate, add plants and evolve creatures in this planet and life sandbox simulation game. From cells to civilizations, spread life throughout the whole planet. Or just enjoy watching your creation burn!

    2025StrategyIndieSimulation11.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Halloween Store Simulator

    WHY THIS

    Third-strongest match for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    🎃 Begin your Halloween empire building and managing your first Halloween Store! Manage your staff and products to attract new customers! Grow your Halloween empire by building Halloween restaurants, cafes, and entertainment! Expand and make every day and everything Halloween! 🎃

    2023StrategyIndieSimulation14.99 USDSteam ↗
  4. Idle Aquarium

    WHY THIS

    Ranked #4 for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    A game that let enjoy fish keeping and decorating your aquarium while doing your work

    2025IndieSimulationCasual0.99 USDSteam ↗
  5. Timberborn

    WHY THIS

    Shares a whimsical mood with Ecosystem.

    Ranked #5 for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    Humans are long gone. In a world struck by droughts and toxic waste, will your lumberpunk beavers do any better? A sandbox city-building game featuring ingenious animals, vertical architecture, water physics, and terraforming. Contains high amounts of wood.

    2026StrategyIndieSimulation34.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. ANLIFE: Motion-Learning Life Evolution

    WHY THIS

    Shares a whimsical mood with Ecosystem.

    Ranked #6 for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    A relaxing evolution simulation where AI-driven block creatures move in unexpected ways. There are no complex ecosystems—just pure movement learning through a physics engine. Watch as these creatures scurry, stumble, and evolve in their own unique, unpredictable ways.

    2026IndieSimulation13.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  7. Beetle Uprising

    WHY THIS

    Shares resource management and a whimsical mood with Ecosystem.

    Ranked #7 for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    Collect, raise and breed an army of beetles to rise up and lay claim to the abandoned lot! The game features a complex genetics simulation and real-time tactics missions with a full campaign.

    2020StrategyIndieSimulation9.99 USDSteam ↗
  8. Intelligent Design: An Evolutionary Sandbox

    WHY THIS

    Shares an atmospheric mood with Ecosystem.

    Ranked #8 for Ecosystem fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    A toy ecosystem with fully simulated genetics and evolution. Will you tinker with DNA or sit back, relax, and see if life finds a way?

    2017StrategyIndieSimulation6.99 USDSteam ↗

Cheaper alternatives

Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below Ecosystem at current Steam store prices.

  1. Terraria

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Ecosystem.

    Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!

    2011ActionIndieAdventure9.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. Garry's Mod

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~75% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.

    2006IndieSimulationCasual4.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Lethal Company

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Ecosystem.

    A co-op horror about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.

    2023ActionIndieAdventure9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. People Playground

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    Shoot, stab, burn, poison, tear, vaporise, or crush ragdolls in a large open space.

    2019ActionIndieSimulation9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  5. Undertale

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Ecosystem.

    UNDERTALE! The RPG game where you don't have to destroy anyone.

    2015IndieRPG9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. Vampire Survivors

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~75% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Casual with Ecosystem.

    Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!

    2022ActionIndieRPG4.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  7. PEAK

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~60% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Ecosystem.

    PEAK is a co-op climbing game where the slightest mistake can spell your doom. Either solo or as a group of lost nature scouts, your only hope of rescue from a mysterious island is to scale the mountain at its center. Do you have what it takes to reach the PEAK?

    2025ActionIndieAdventure7.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  8. Sid Meier's Civilization® V

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~63% under Ecosystem on Steam right now. Shares Strategy with Ecosystem.

    Create, discover, and download new player-created maps, scenarios, interfaces, and more!

    2010Strategy7.49 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗

Free alternatives

Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.

  1. Virtual Cottage

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    Virtual Cottage gives you a comfy place to rest and be productive without any distractions. Open the game, set yourself a goal and enjoy the atmosphere.

    2020IndieSimulationFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  2. Steam Engine Simulator

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Simulation with Ecosystem.

    The Steam Engine Simulator shown on AngeTheGreat's YouTube channel.

    2023SimulationFreeDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  3. Magic Archery

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    Train a commoner to become the greatest archer in this short incremental game! Increase your stats, gather wealth from quests, buy upgrades, and infuse your arrows with magic.

    2024IndieSimulationRPGFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. The Lab

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it.

    Welcome to The Lab, a compilation of Valve’s room-scale VR experiments set in a pocket universe within Aperture Science. Fix a robot, defend a castle, adopt a mechanical dog, and more. Still not sold? It’s free!

    2016Free To PlayFreeSteam ↗
  5. Landfall Archives

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Strategy and Indie with Ecosystem.

    Break into the Landfall Archives to steal and play previously unreleased games, demos, interactive slide shows, and even an unreleased version of Totally Accurate Battle Simulator from 2017!

    2023ActionStrategyIndieFreeSteam ↗
  6. SuchArt: Creative Space

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Simulation with Ecosystem.

    Paint on any surfaces with numerous tools in Creative Space — a free sandbox version of SuchArt: Genius Artist Simulator. Create masterpieces, complete commissions, and decorate your studio in the most advanced artist sim!

    2021ActionIndieAdventureFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  7. Samorost 1

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Casual with Ecosystem.

    Explore the beginnings of the Samorost series in the space gnome’s original bite-sized adventure, formerly released in 2003. Now with remastered sounds, enhanced graphics, and new music by Floex.

    2021IndieAdventureCasualFreeSteam ↗
  8. Outpath: First Journey

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Casual with Ecosystem.

    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!

    2022IndieAdventureCasualFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗

Frequently asked about Ecosystem

Does Ecosystem run on Steam Deck?
Ecosystem is rated Playable on Steam Deck — it runs, but expect some manual adjustments (control remapping, text size, or graphics settings) for the best experience.
How much does Ecosystem cost?
Ecosystem is listed on Steam at 19.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
What games are most similar to Ecosystem?
Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Ecosystem are Ecosystem Architect, Planetary Life, Halloween Store Simulator.
Who developed Ecosystem?
Ecosystem was developed by Tom Johnson and published by Slug Disco.

imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on Ecosystem.

For library-aware picks tuned to your specific taste, sign in with Steam on the home page.

24 Games Like Ecosystem — Ranked for 2026 · imho.run