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 has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 73,647 Steam reviews back the pick.
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 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.
Side-by-side 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 Playable | 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 Playable on Steam Deck; Phoenix Tales has no Deck rating yet.
The Elder Scrolls® Online vs Phoenix Tales — FAQ
- 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 Playable by Valve. Phoenix Tales doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.