Which is better, The Elder Scrolls® Online or STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™?

On Steam reviews STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ scores higher (90.1% positive) than The Elder Scrolls® Online (81.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.

Should I play The Elder Scrolls® Online or STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ first?

If you want chronology, The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) came out before STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ (2020). 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.

Is STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ free?

Yes — STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ is a free-to-play Steam title. The Elder Scrolls® Online is paid (19.99 USD).

The Elder Scrolls® Online vs STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™

The Elder Scrolls® Online and STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ both land in Massively Multiplayer, 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 Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam. The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) is 3 years older than STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ (2020). STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ scores higher on Steam reviews (90.1% positive) than The Elder Scrolls® Online (81.6% positive). 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 Adventure game with Online PvP, Online Co-op, and HDR available. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 73,647 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™

Choose STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.1% positive across 51,311 reviews.

Both The Elder Scrolls® Online and STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ sit in Massively Multiplayer and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and PvP, 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 STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ — Steam metadata comparison
	The Elder Scrolls® Online	STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™
Released	2017	2020
Genres	Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG	Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Verified	Deck Playable
Price	19.99 USD	Free to play
Steam reviews	81.6% positive (73,647 reviews)	90.1% positive (51,311 reviews)
Multiplayer	Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op	Multi-player, Co-op
Developers	ZeniMax Online Studios	Broadsword

Side by side

Both share Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam.
The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017) is 3 years older than STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ (2020).
STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ scores higher on Steam reviews (90.1% positive) than The Elder Scrolls® Online (81.6% positive).
STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ is free; The Elder Scrolls® Online is paid (19.99 USD).
Both support cooperative play.
Steam Deck: The Elder Scrolls® Online is Deck Verified, STAR WARS™: The Old Republic™ is Deck Playable.