Choose Black Desert
Choose Black Desert if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 72.5% positive across 35,523 reviews.
Black Desert vs Lost Ark
Black Desert and Lost Ark both land in Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Black Desert (2017) is 5 years older than Lost Ark (2022). Black Desert scores higher on Steam reviews (72.5% positive) than Lost Ark (67.2% 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 Lost Ark
Choose Lost Ark if you want a Free To Play game with Adjustable Text Size, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 105,014 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Black Desert and Lost Ark sit in Action, Adventure, and Massively Multiplayer 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
 Black Desert |  Lost Ark | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 72.5% positive (35,523 reviews) | 67.2% positive (105,014 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Pearl Abyss | Smilegate RPG |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Black Desert (2017) is 5 years older than Lost Ark (2022).
- Black Desert scores higher on Steam reviews (72.5% positive) than Lost Ark (67.2% positive).
- Lost Ark is free; Black Desert is paid (9.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Black Desert is Deck Unsupported, Lost Ark is Deck Playable.
Black Desert vs Lost Ark — FAQ
- Which is better, Black Desert or Lost Ark?
- On Steam reviews Black Desert scores higher (72.5% positive) than Lost Ark (67.2% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Black Desert is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Black Desert or Lost Ark first?
- If you want chronology, Black Desert (2017) came out before Lost Ark (2022). 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 Black Desert and Lost Ark similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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 Black Desert and Lost Ark have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Black Desert ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Lost Ark ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Lost Ark free?
- Yes — Lost Ark is a free-to-play Steam title. Black Desert is paid (9.99 USD).