Choose Protonwar
Choose Protonwar if you want the LAN PvP, Tracked Controller Support, and VR Supported side of the pairing. Protonwar launched in 2018.
Protonwar vs Cold Space
Protonwar and Cold Space both land in Action, 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, Indie on Steam. Cold Space (2017) is 1 year older than Protonwar (2018). Protonwar scores higher on Steam reviews (84.6% positive) than Cold Space (69.1% 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 Cold Space
Choose Cold Space if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Cold Space launched in 2017.
Both Protonwar and Cold Space sit in Action 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
 Protonwar |  Cold Space | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 84.6% positive (91 reviews) | 69.1% positive (97 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Outer Planet Studios | IdeaX |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Cold Space (2017) is 1 year older than Protonwar (2018).
- Protonwar scores higher on Steam reviews (84.6% positive) than Cold Space (69.1% positive).
- Both are free to play.
- Cold Space is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Protonwar has no Deck rating yet.
Protonwar vs Cold Space — FAQ
- Should I play Protonwar or Cold Space first?
- If you want chronology, Cold Space (2017) came out before Protonwar (2018). 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 Protonwar and Cold Space similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.