Choose X3: Terran Conflict
Choose X3: Terran Conflict if you want an Action experience. 1,089 Steam reviews back the pick.
X3: Terran Conflict vs Starport Merchants
X3: Terran Conflict and Starport Merchants both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. X3: Terran Conflict (2008) is 18 years older than Starport Merchants (2026). X3: Terran Conflict is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Starport Merchants has no Deck rating yet. 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 Starport Merchants
Choose Starport Merchants if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Mouse Only Option side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Starport Merchants launched in 2026.
Both X3: Terran Conflict and Starport Merchants sit in Strategy 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
 X3: Terran Conflict |  Starport Merchants | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2008 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 3.19 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 83.7% positive (1,089 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Egosoft | Peanut Panda |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- X3: Terran Conflict (2008) is 18 years older than Starport Merchants (2026).
- X3: Terran Conflict is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Starport Merchants has no Deck rating yet.
X3: Terran Conflict vs Starport Merchants — FAQ
- Should I play X3: Terran Conflict or Starport Merchants first?
- If you want chronology, X3: Terran Conflict (2008) came out before Starport Merchants (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 X3: Terran Conflict and Starport Merchants similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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 X3: Terran Conflict run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — X3: Terran Conflict is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Starport Merchants doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.