Choose Elite Dangerous
Choose Elite Dangerous if you want an Action, Strategy, and Adventure game with VR Supported and Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 52,491 Steam reviews back the pick.
Elite Dangerous vs Idle Fleet
Elite Dangerous and Idle Fleet both land in Simulation, 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 Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam. Elite Dangerous (2015) is 11 years older than Idle Fleet (2026). Idle Fleet scores higher on Steam reviews (83.3% positive) than Elite Dangerous (76.7% 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 Idle Fleet
Choose Idle Fleet if you want an Indie and Casual game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. Idle Fleet launched in 2026.
Both Elite Dangerous and Idle Fleet sit in Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player and MMO, 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
 Elite Dangerous |  Idle Fleet | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.7% positive (52,491 reviews) | 83.3% positive (42 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Frontier Developments | Idleforge Games |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam.
- Elite Dangerous (2015) is 11 years older than Idle Fleet (2026).
- Idle Fleet scores higher on Steam reviews (83.3% positive) than Elite Dangerous (76.7% positive).
- Idle Fleet is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Elite Dangerous (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Elite Dangerous has co-op; Idle Fleet does not.
- Elite Dangerous is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Idle Fleet has no Deck rating yet.
Elite Dangerous vs Idle Fleet — FAQ
- Should I play Elite Dangerous or Idle Fleet first?
- If you want chronology, Elite Dangerous (2015) came out before Idle Fleet (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 Elite Dangerous and Idle Fleet similar?
- They overlap on Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, 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 Elite Dangerous run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Elite Dangerous is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Idle Fleet doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.