Choose StarMade
Choose StarMade if you want the Online PvP and Online Co-op side of the pairing. 1,712 Steam reviews back the pick.
StarMade vs GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab
StarMade and GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab both land in Action, Strategy, Indie 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, Strategy, Indie on Steam. StarMade (2014) is 12 years older than GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab (2026). GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than StarMade (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 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 GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab
Choose GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab if you want a Sports, Casual, and Racing game with Shared/Split Screen, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab launched in 2026.
Both StarMade and GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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 |  GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Sports, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Casual, Early Access, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (1,712 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | Schine GmbH | GLITCHED MATRIX |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- StarMade (2014) is 12 years older than GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab (2026).
- GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than StarMade (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
StarMade vs GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab — FAQ
- Should I play StarMade or GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab first?
- If you want chronology, StarMade (2014) came out before GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab (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 StarMade and GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, Indie 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 GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: StarMade ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; GLITCHED MATRIX Prototype Lab ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, LAN Co-op.