Choose Space Merchants: Arena
Choose Space Merchants: Arena if you want a Massively Multiplayer, RPG, and Casual game with Tracked Controller Support and VR Supported. Space Merchants: Arena launched in 2016.
Space Merchants: Arena vs Cosmonade
Space Merchants: Arena and Cosmonade both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Space Merchants: Arena (2016) is 10 years older than Cosmonade (2026). Cosmonade is free; Space Merchants: Arena is paid (6.99 USD). 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 Cosmonade
Choose Cosmonade if you want a Strategy and Free To Play game with Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Save Anytime. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Cosmonade launched in 2026.
Both Space Merchants: Arena and Cosmonade sit in Action, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 Space Merchants: Arena |  Cosmonade | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Casual | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 6.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 58.8% positive (17 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Playito.com | FullFreeGameplay |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Space Merchants: Arena (2016) is 10 years older than Cosmonade (2026).
- Cosmonade is free; Space Merchants: Arena is paid (6.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
Space Merchants: Arena vs Cosmonade — FAQ
- Should I play Space Merchants: Arena or Cosmonade first?
- If you want chronology, Space Merchants: Arena (2016) came out before Cosmonade (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 Space Merchants: Arena and Cosmonade similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both Space Merchants: Arena and Cosmonade have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Space Merchants: Arena ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Cosmonade ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Cosmonade free?
- Yes — Cosmonade is a free-to-play Steam title. Space Merchants: Arena is paid (6.99 USD).