Choose Gratuitous Space Battles
Choose Gratuitous Space Battles if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 74.2% positive across 484 reviews.
Gratuitous Space Battles vs Gratuitous Space Battles 2
Gratuitous Space Battles and Gratuitous Space Battles 2 both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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 Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Gratuitous Space Battles (2009) is 6 years older than Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (2015). Gratuitous Space Battles scores higher on Steam reviews (74.2% positive) than Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (37.4% 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 Gratuitous Space Battles 2
Choose Gratuitous Space Battles 2 if you want the Multi-player side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. Gratuitous Space Battles 2 launched in 2015.
Both Gratuitous Space Battles and Gratuitous Space Battles 2 sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam, 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
 Gratuitous Space Battles |  Gratuitous Space Battles 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2015 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 74.2% positive (484 reviews) | 37.4% positive (206 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player |
| Developers | Positech Games | Positech Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Gratuitous Space Battles (2009) is 6 years older than Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (2015).
- Gratuitous Space Battles scores higher on Steam reviews (74.2% positive) than Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (37.4% positive).
- Gratuitous Space Battles 2 is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Gratuitous Space Battles (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
Gratuitous Space Battles vs Gratuitous Space Battles 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Gratuitous Space Battles or Gratuitous Space Battles 2?
- On Steam reviews Gratuitous Space Battles scores higher (74.2% positive) than Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (37.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Gratuitous Space Battles is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Gratuitous Space Battles or Gratuitous Space Battles 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Gratuitous Space Battles (2009) came out before Gratuitous Space Battles 2 (2015). 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 Gratuitous Space Battles and Gratuitous Space Battles 2 similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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 Gratuitous Space Battles have multiplayer like Gratuitous Space Battles 2?
- No. Gratuitous Space Battles 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Gratuitous Space Battles is listed as single-player only.