IMHO.

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online vs The Elder Scrolls® Online

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and The Elder Scrolls® Online 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. FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (2014) is 3 years older than The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017). FINAL FANTASY XIV Online scores higher on Steam reviews (86.8% 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 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online

Choose FINAL FANTASY XIV Online if you want the Adjustable Text Size, Keyboard Only Option, and Save Anytime side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 86.8% positive across 60,003 reviews.

Choose The Elder Scrolls® Online

Choose The Elder Scrolls® Online if you want an Action and Adventure game with HDR available, Camera Comfort, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 73,647 Steam reviews back the pick.

Both FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and The Elder Scrolls® Online sit in Massively Multiplayer and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online 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

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online vs The Elder Scrolls® Online — Steam metadata comparison
FINAL FANTASY XIV Online — Steam game coverFINAL FANTASY XIV OnlineThe Elder Scrolls® Online — Steam game coverThe Elder Scrolls® Online
Released20142017
GenresMassively Multiplayer, RPGAction, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS
Steam DeckDeck PlayableDeck Playable
Price19.99 USD19.99 USD
Steam reviews86.8% positive (60,003 reviews)81.6% positive (73,647 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-opMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersSquare EnixZeniMax Online Studios

Side by side

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online vs The Elder Scrolls® Online — FAQ

Which is better, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online or The Elder Scrolls® Online?
On Steam reviews FINAL FANTASY XIV Online scores higher (86.8% positive) than The Elder Scrolls® Online (81.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play FINAL FANTASY XIV Online or The Elder Scrolls® Online first?
If you want chronology, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (2014) came out before The Elder Scrolls® Online (2017). 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 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and The Elder Scrolls® Online similar?
They overlap on 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.
Do both FINAL FANTASY XIV Online and The Elder Scrolls® Online have co-op?
Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: FINAL FANTASY XIV Online ships Online Co-op, Co-op; The Elder Scrolls® Online ships Online Co-op, Co-op.