Should I play Bootstrap Island or Art Metaverse first?

If you want chronology, Art Metaverse (2023) came out before Bootstrap Island (2026). 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 Bootstrap Island and Art Metaverse similar?

They overlap on Simulation 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.

Is Art Metaverse free?

Yes — Art Metaverse is a free-to-play Steam title. Bootstrap Island is paid (24.99 USD).

Bootstrap Island vs Art Metaverse

Bootstrap Island and Art Metaverse both land in Simulation 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 are Simulation games on Steam. Art Metaverse (2023) is 3 years older than Bootstrap Island (2026). Bootstrap Island scores higher on Steam reviews (81.5% positive) than Art Metaverse (72.2% positive). 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 Bootstrap Island

Choose Bootstrap Island if you want an Action, Strategy, and Indie game with Steam Leaderboards, Tracked Controller Support, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Bootstrap Island launched in 2026.

Choose Art Metaverse

Choose Art Metaverse if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Art Metaverse launched in 2023.

Both Bootstrap Island and Art Metaverse sit in Simulation on Steam and both list VR Only, 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.

Bootstrap Island vs Art Metaverse — Steam metadata comparison
	Bootstrap Island	Art Metaverse
Released	2026	2023
Genres	Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation	Simulation, Free To Play
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Unsupported	Unrated
Price	24.99 USD	Free to play
Steam reviews	81.5% positive (901 reviews)	72.2% positive (18 reviews)
Multiplayer	Single-player only	Single-player only
Developers	Maru VR	United 3D Labs

Side by side

Both are Simulation games on Steam.
Art Metaverse (2023) is 3 years older than Bootstrap Island (2026).
Bootstrap Island scores higher on Steam reviews (81.5% positive) than Art Metaverse (72.2% positive).
Art Metaverse is free; Bootstrap Island is paid (24.99 USD).
Bootstrap Island is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Art Metaverse has no Deck rating yet.