Choose StarMade
Choose StarMade if you want an Early Access game with Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,712 Steam reviews back the pick.
StarMade vs GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop
StarMade and GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop 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 4 years older than GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (2018). StarMade scores higher on Steam reviews (66.9% positive) than GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (25.5% 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 GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop
Choose GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop launched in 2018.
Both StarMade and GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie 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 |  GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (1,712 reviews) | 25.5% positive (51 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Schine GmbH | Game Master LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- StarMade (2014) is 4 years older than GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (2018).
- StarMade scores higher on Steam reviews (66.9% positive) than GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (25.5% positive).
- StarMade is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (14.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- StarMade has co-op; GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop does not.
StarMade vs GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop — FAQ
- Should I play StarMade or GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop first?
- If you want chronology, StarMade (2014) came out before GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop (2018). 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 GM Forge - Virtual Tabletop 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.