Choose RIFT
Choose RIFT if you want an Action and Adventure game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and PvP. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 7,463 Steam reviews back the pick.
RIFT vs WildStar
RIFT and WildStar both land in Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play 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, Free To Play on Steam. RIFT (2011) is 5 years older than WildStar (2016). Both sit near 73% positive on Steam (RIFT: 7,463 reviews, WildStar: 78). 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 WildStar
Choose WildStar if it's the newer release (2016) and ships with the modern feature baseline. WildStar launched in 2016.
Both RIFT and WildStar sit in Massively Multiplayer, RPG, and Free To Play on Steam and both list MMO and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (73.6% vs 73.1% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 RIFT |  WildStar | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play | Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 73.6% positive (7,463 reviews) | 73.1% positive (78 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | gamigo US Inc. | Carbine Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play on Steam.
- RIFT (2011) is 5 years older than WildStar (2016).
- Both sit near 73% positive on Steam (RIFT: 7,463 reviews, WildStar: 78).
- RIFT is free; WildStar is paid (Price unknown).
- RIFT has co-op; WildStar does not.
- RIFT is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; WildStar has no Deck rating yet.
RIFT vs WildStar — FAQ
- Should I play RIFT or WildStar first?
- If you want chronology, RIFT (2011) came out before WildStar (2016). 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 RIFT and WildStar similar?
- They overlap on Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play 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 WildStar have multiplayer like RIFT?
- No. RIFT supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while WildStar is listed as without multiplayer support.
- Is RIFT free?
- Yes — RIFT is a free-to-play Steam title. WildStar is paid (Price unknown).