Should I play The Elder Scrolls® Online or Phoenix Tales first?

If you want chronology, The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) came out before Phoenix Tales (2019). 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 The Elder Scrolls® Online and Phoenix Tales similar?

They overlap on Adventure, RPG 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 Phoenix Tales have multiplayer like The Elder Scrolls® Online?

No. The Elder Scrolls® Online supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Phoenix Tales is listed as single-player only.

Does The Elder Scrolls® Online run on Steam Deck?

Yes — The Elder Scrolls® Online is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Phoenix Tales doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.

The Elder Scrolls® Online vs Phoenix Tales

The Elder Scrolls® Online and Phoenix Tales both land in Adventure, RPG 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 Adventure, RPG on Steam. The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) is 2 years older than Phoenix Tales (2019). Phoenix Tales is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than The Elder Scrolls® Online (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 The Elder Scrolls® Online

Choose The Elder Scrolls® Online if you want an Action and Massively Multiplayer game with Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 73,647 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Phoenix Tales

Choose Phoenix Tales if it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. Phoenix Tales launched in 2019.

Both The Elder Scrolls® Online and Phoenix Tales sit in Adventure and RPG 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.

The Elder Scrolls® Online vs Phoenix Tales — Steam metadata comparison
	The Elder Scrolls® Online	Phoenix Tales
Released	2017	2019
Genres	Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG	Adventure, RPG
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Verified	Unrated
Price	19.99 USD	2.99 USD
Steam reviews	81.6% positive (73,647 reviews)	6 reviews
Multiplayer	Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op	Single-player only
Developers	ZeniMax Online Studios	Adventurers Guild Entertainment, Steven DiLeo

Side by side

Both share Adventure, RPG on Steam.
The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) is 2 years older than Phoenix Tales (2019).
Phoenix Tales is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than The Elder Scrolls® Online (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
The Elder Scrolls® Online has co-op; Phoenix Tales does not.
The Elder Scrolls® Online is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Phoenix Tales has no Deck rating yet.