Choose Pacer
Choose Pacer if you want a Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Pacer launched in 2020.
Pacer vs Ascent: Rivals
Pacer and Ascent: Rivals both land in Action, Sports, Indie 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 Action, Sports, Indie on Steam. Pacer (2020) is 6 years older than Ascent: Rivals (2026). Pacer is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Ascent: Rivals 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 Ascent: Rivals
Choose Ascent: Rivals if you want the DualShock Controller Support side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Ascent: Rivals launched in 2026.
Both Pacer and Ascent: Rivals sit in Action, Sports, and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, 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.
Side-by-side comparison
 Pacer |  Ascent: Rivals | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Sports, Indie, Simulation, Racing | Action, Sports, Indie, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 72.4% positive (428 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | R8 Games Ltd | GENUN Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Sports, Indie on Steam.
- Pacer (2020) is 6 years older than Ascent: Rivals (2026).
- Pacer is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Ascent: Rivals has no Deck rating yet.
Pacer vs Ascent: Rivals — FAQ
- Should I play Pacer or Ascent: Rivals first?
- If you want chronology, Pacer (2020) came out before Ascent: Rivals (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 Pacer and Ascent: Rivals similar?
- They overlap on Action, Sports, Indie 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 Pacer run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Pacer is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Ascent: Rivals doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.