Choose Runes of Magic
Choose Runes of Magic if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Runes of Magic launched in 2018.
Runes of Magic vs The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
Runes of Magic and The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom 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. Runes of Magic (2018) is 5 years older than The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom (2023). The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom scores higher on Steam reviews (71.8% positive) than Runes of Magic (63.7% 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 The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
Choose The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 71.8% positive across 181 reviews.
Both Runes of Magic and The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom 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
 Runes of Magic |  The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 63.7% positive (617 reviews) | 71.8% positive (181 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Runewaker Entertainment | ZeniMax Online Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Runes of Magic (2018) is 5 years older than The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom (2023).
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom scores higher on Steam reviews (71.8% positive) than Runes of Magic (63.7% positive).
- Runes of Magic is free; The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is paid (Price unknown).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Runes of Magic is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom has no Deck rating yet.
Runes of Magic vs The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom — FAQ
- Which is better, Runes of Magic or The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom?
- On Steam reviews The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom scores higher (71.8% positive) than Runes of Magic (63.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Runes of Magic or The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom first?
- If you want chronology, Runes of Magic (2018) came out before The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom (2023). 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 Runes of Magic and The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom 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 Runes of Magic and The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Runes of Magic ships Online Co-op, Co-op; The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Runes of Magic free?
- Yes — Runes of Magic is a free-to-play Steam title. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is paid (Price unknown).
- Does Runes of Magic run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Runes of Magic is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.