Choose StarMade
Choose StarMade if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Simulation experience. 1,712 Steam reviews back the pick.
StarMade vs PIRATECRAFT
StarMade and PIRATECRAFT both land in Action, Adventure 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 Action, Adventure on Steam. StarMade (2014) is 7 years older than PIRATECRAFT (2021). StarMade scores higher on Steam reviews (66.9% positive) than PIRATECRAFT (40% 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 PIRATECRAFT
Choose PIRATECRAFT if you want a Massively Multiplayer and Casual game with Shared/Split Screen, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 93% cheaper on the Steam Store. PIRATECRAFT launched in 2021.
Both StarMade and PIRATECRAFT sit in Action and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Shared/Split Screen 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
 StarMade |  PIRATECRAFT | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (1,712 reviews) | 40% positive (15 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Schine GmbH | Game for games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- StarMade (2014) is 7 years older than PIRATECRAFT (2021).
- StarMade scores higher on Steam reviews (66.9% positive) than PIRATECRAFT (40% positive).
- PIRATECRAFT is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than StarMade (0.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
StarMade vs PIRATECRAFT — FAQ
- Should I play StarMade or PIRATECRAFT first?
- If you want chronology, StarMade (2014) came out before PIRATECRAFT (2021). 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 StarMade and PIRATECRAFT similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure 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 StarMade and PIRATECRAFT have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: StarMade ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; PIRATECRAFT ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.