Games like Stellaris
If Stellaris is your kind of game, the closest matches are Europa Universalis IV, Hearts of Iron IV and Falling Frontier — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its anomaly and discovery system, first contact events and incredible empire freedom. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Get personalized picks →Stellaris is a grand strategy simulation released in 2016 by Paradox Development Studio, in which players construct and govern a spacefaring empire across a procedurally generated galaxy. The core systems include detailed empire customization, pop management, diplomacy, and fleet combat, alongside an anomaly-discovery mechanic that presents opportunities for exploration and unexpected events. Players describe the experience as grand and immersive, with the procedural generation ensuring each playthrough presents different encounters and first-contact scenarios. The game supports both singleplayer and multiplayer modes, with extensive mod support for expanded content. The title holds an 87% positive rating from over 75,000 Steam reviews, is currently priced at $9.99 USD, and runs in a playable state on Steam Deck.
About Stellaris: Explore a galaxy full of wonders in this sci-fi grand strategy game from Paradox Development Studios. Interact with diverse alien races, discover strange new worlds with unexpected events and expand the reach of your empire. Each new adventure holds almost limitless possibilities.
Players who liked Stellaris also play
Steam players who put hours into Stellaris also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.
Europa Universalis IV
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Top pick for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.
Hearts of Iron IV
WHY THIS
Shares a grand mood with Stellaris.
Second-strongest match for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Victory is at your fingertips! Your ability to lead your nation is your supreme weapon, the strategy game Hearts of Iron IV lets you take command of any nation in World War II; the most engaging conflict in world history.
Falling Frontier
WHY THIS
Third-strongest match for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Conquer a vast procedurally generated star system in Falling Frontier, a sci-fi RTS where intel and logistics are decisive factors. Design ships and raid enemy supply lines, lay minefields and construct recon stations, and ambush enemy forces within asteroid fields and nebulae.
Fragile Existence
WHY THIS
Ranked #4 for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Save humanity from the brink of extinction in this sci-fi strategy game of survival. Travel among the stars to seek out resources, establish and develop colonies to sustain civilization, and grow your military might to push back against an overwhelming threat.
NEBULOUS: Fleet Command
WHY THIS
Shares mod support and an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Ranked #5 for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Take command of your hand-tailored fleet of space warships and use realistic radar, electronic warfare, advanced movement controls in 3D space, and precision targeting to outmaneuver and outwit your opponents in a simulation-heavy tactical space game like no other.
Terra Invicta
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Ranked #6 for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
An alien invasion has fractured humanity into seven ideological factions each with a unique vision for the future. Lead your chosen faction to take control of Earth’s nations, expand across the Solar System, and battle enemy fleets in tactical combat.
Sins of a Solar Empire®: Rebellion
WHY THIS
Shares a grand mood with Stellaris.
Ranked #7 for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Command a space-faring empire in Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, the new stand-alone expansion that combines 4X depth with real-time strategy gameplay.
Lord of Rigel
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Ranked #8 for Stellaris fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Lord of Rigel is a turn-based 4X space strategy game inspired by the classics. In a galaxy divided by two elder races, will you unite with other species or forge your own path? Navigate galactic politics and defeat threats using espionage, research, and military force. How will you shape the galaxy?
Reviewers mention these as similar to Stellaris
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
Age of Wonders 4
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Rule a fantasy realm of your own design! Explore new magical realms in Age of Wonders’ signature blend of 4X strategy and turn-based tactical combat. Control a faction that grows and changes as you expand your empire with each turn!
ENDLESS™ Legend
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
ENDLESS™ Legend is a 4X turn-based fantasy strategy game by the creators of ENDLESS™ Space and Dungeon of the ENDLESS™. Control every aspect of your civilization as you struggle to save your homeworld Auriga. Create your own Legend!
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
WHY THIS
Shares mod support and an epic mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV®: Beyond the Sword is the second expansion pack for Civilization IV - the 2005 PC Game of the Year that has become a worldwide hit.
RimWorld
WHY THIS
Shares mod support, procedural generation and an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.
Victoria II
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Carefully guide your nation from the era of absolute monarchies in the early 19th century, through expansion and colonization, to finally become a truly great power by the dawn of the 20th century. Victoria II is a grand strategy game played during the colonial era of the 19th century, where the player takes control of a country, guiding...
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play.
The year is 1962 and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear. A top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating a series of mysterious attacks by an enemy more powerful than communism.
Total War: WARHAMMER II
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Strategy gaming perfected. A breath-taking campaign of exploration, expansion and conquest across a fantasy world. Turn-based civilisation management and real-time epic strategy battles with thousands of troops and monsters at your command.
Crusader Kings III
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Reviewers of Stellaris cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Love, fight, scheme, and claim greatness. Determine your noble house’s legacy in the sprawling grand strategy of Crusader Kings III. Death is only the beginning as you guide your dynasty’s bloodline in the rich and larger-than-life simulation of the Middle Ages.
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below Stellaris at current Steam store prices.
Garry's Mod
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.
Cookie Clicker
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
An idle game about making cookies! Originally released in 2013 on the web, and actively developed since then. This is the official version for Steam.
Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Armed with an alien nursery-worth of zombie-zapping plants like peashooters and cherry bombs, you'll need to think fast and plant faster to stop dozens of types of zombies dead in their tracks.
Buckshot Roulette
WHY THIS
Priced ~70% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Four enter. One leaves. Roll the dice with your life. Good luck!
Your Only Move Is HUSTLE
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Master your technique, execute flashy combos, and outsmart opponents across the world, frame-by-frame. Slow down the clock to fine-tune your fighting style in this innovative, turn-based combat simulator. Pulverize your friends and choreograph spectacular fight scenes. No training mode required.
STAR WARS™ Empire at War - Gold Pack
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Command or corrupt an entire galaxy in the definitive Star Wars strategy collection. It is a time of galactic civil war. Will you take up the reins of the Rebellion, assume control of the Empire, or rule the Star Wars Underworld?
The Test
WHY THIS
Priced ~80% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
You will answer a series of questions that will reveal truths from deep within. These questions may make you uncomfortable, but with great knowledge comes great sacrifice. Can you make it all the way through The Test, and if you do, are you sure you want the answers you seek?
Nubby's Number Factory
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Stellaris on Steam right now. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
A plinko-style roguelike where you work at a number factory. Launch your spherical friend, Nubby, down a pegboard to make bigger and bigger numbers! But beware, if you fail to meet your number quota, the sun will explode.
Free alternatives
Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.
Ultimate Custom Night
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it.
Welcome to the ultimate FNAF mashup, featuring 50 selectable characters and custom difficulties!
Indigo Park: Chapter 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it.
Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.
missed messages.
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
‘goth gf’s iPhone’ airdrops you - accept or decline? A love/horror story about life, death, & memes.
The Lab
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it.
Welcome to The Lab, a compilation of Valve’s room-scale VR experiments set in a pocket universe within Aperture Science. Fix a robot, defend a castle, adopt a mechanical dog, and more. Still not sold? It’s free!
Cinderella Phenomenon - Otome/Visual Novel
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
The Fairytale Curse was only the beginning...
Cube Escape: Paradox
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it.
The tenth Cube Escape follows the story of detective Dale Vandermeer who finds himself trapped in two different universes and needs to escape. Cube Escape: Paradox will be released together with the accompanying Paradox: A Rusty Lake Film.
DORONKO WANKO
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Simulation with Stellaris.
『DORONKO WANKO』 is a DORONKO Action Game. In this game, You can become a cute, innocent Pomeranian, make your master's home messy and dirty. "Will the master be angry with me?" Don't worry. Because you are a sweet doggie.
Landfall Archives
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Break into the Landfall Archives to steal and play previously unreleased games, demos, interactive slide shows, and even an unreleased version of Totally Accurate Battle Simulator from 2017!
Narrow it down
Head-to-head comparisons
More from Paradox Development Studio
Other recommendable Steam games by Paradox Development Studio, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Hearts of Iron IV
WHY THIS
Shares a grand mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Victory is at your fingertips! Your ability to lead your nation is your supreme weapon, the strategy game Hearts of Iron IV lets you take command of any nation in World War II; the most engaging conflict in world history.
Europa Universalis IV
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.
Crusader Kings III
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Love, fight, scheme, and claim greatness. Determine your noble house’s legacy in the sprawling grand strategy of Crusader Kings III. Death is only the beginning as you guide your dynasty’s bloodline in the rich and larger-than-life simulation of the Middle Ages.
Victoria 3
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Paradox Development Studio invites you to build your ideal society in the tumult of the exciting and transformative 19th century. Balance the competing interests in your society and earn your place in the sun in Victoria 3, one of the most anticipated games in Paradox’s history.
Crusader Kings II
WHY THIS
Shares an immersive mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Explore one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy.
Imperator: Rome
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy and Simulation with Stellaris.
Dominate the classical Mediterranean in Imperator: Rome, a grand strategy game from Paradox Interactive. Navigate the dangerous waters of politics and diplomacy as you build up your provinces and conquer foreign lands. Now available with special content and the digital artbook.
Victoria II
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Carefully guide your nation from the era of absolute monarchies in the early 19th century, through expansion and colonization, to finally become a truly great power by the dawn of the 20th century. Victoria II is a grand strategy game played during the colonial era of the 19th century, where the player takes control of a country, guiding...
Hearts of Iron III
WHY THIS
Shares an epic mood with Stellaris.
Another title from Paradox Development Studio, the studio behind Stellaris. Shares Strategy with Stellaris.
Hearts of Iron III lets you play the most engaging conflict in world history, World War 2, on all fronts as any country and through multiple different scenarios. Guide your nation to glory between 1936 and 1948 and wage war, conduct diplomacy and build your industry in the most detailed World War 2 game ever made.
Frequently asked about Stellaris
- Does Stellaris run on Steam Deck?
- Stellaris is rated Playable on Steam Deck — it runs, but expect some manual adjustments (control remapping, text size, or graphics settings) for the best experience.
- How much does Stellaris cost?
- Stellaris is listed on Steam at 9.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
- Does Stellaris have multiplayer or co-op?
- Yes — Stellaris supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer).
- What games are most similar to Stellaris?
- Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Stellaris are Europa Universalis IV, Hearts of Iron IV, Falling Frontier.
- Who developed Stellaris?
- Stellaris was developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on Stellaris.
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