IMHO.

theHunter Classic vs Open Hunting XL

theHunter Classic and Open Hunting XL both land in Sports, 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 share Sports, Simulation on Steam. theHunter Classic (2014) is 10 years older than Open Hunting XL (2024). theHunter Classic is free; Open Hunting XL is paid (8.99 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 theHunter Classic

Choose theHunter Classic if you want an Action, Adventure, and Free To Play game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 18,676 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Open Hunting XL

Choose Open Hunting XL if it's the newer release (2024) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Open Hunting XL launched in 2024.

Both theHunter Classic and Open Hunting XL sit in Sports and Simulation on Steam, 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

theHunter Classic vs Open Hunting XL — Steam metadata comparison
theHunter Classic — Steam game covertheHunter ClassicOpen Hunting XL — Steam game coverOpen Hunting XL
Released20142024
GenresAction, Sports, Adventure, Simulation, Free To PlaySports, Simulation
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
PriceFree to play8.99 USD
Steam reviews55% positive (18,676 reviews)4 reviews
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersExpansive Worlds, Avalanche StudiosKunstaat

Side by side

theHunter Classic vs Open Hunting XL — FAQ

Should I play theHunter Classic or Open Hunting XL first?
If you want chronology, theHunter Classic (2014) came out before Open Hunting XL (2024). 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 theHunter Classic and Open Hunting XL similar?
They overlap on Sports, 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.
Does Open Hunting XL have multiplayer like theHunter Classic?
No. theHunter Classic supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Open Hunting XL is listed as single-player only.
Is theHunter Classic free?
Yes — theHunter Classic is a free-to-play Steam title. Open Hunting XL is paid (8.99 USD).
Does theHunter Classic run on Steam Deck?
Yes — theHunter Classic is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Open Hunting XL doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
theHunter Classic vs Open Hunting XL — Verdict (2026) · imho.run