Choose Valheim
Choose Valheim if you want the DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Camera Comfort side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 93.6% positive across 558,366 reviews.
Valheim vs Pirates
Valheim and Pirates both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. Pirates (2021) is 5 years older than Valheim (2026). Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Pirates (73.5% 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 Pirates
Choose Pirates if you want a Free To Play and Casual game with Online PvP and PvP. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Pirates launched in 2021.
Both Valheim and Pirates sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and 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
 Valheim |  Pirates | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 26.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 93.6% positive (558,366 reviews) | 73.5% positive (389 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Iron Gate AB | F.P. Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Pirates (2021) is 5 years older than Valheim (2026).
- Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Pirates (73.5% positive).
- Pirates is free; Valheim is paid (26.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Valheim is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Pirates has no Deck rating yet.
Valheim vs Pirates — FAQ
- Which is better, Valheim or Pirates?
- On Steam reviews Valheim scores higher (93.6% positive) than Pirates (73.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Valheim is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Valheim or Pirates first?
- If you want chronology, Pirates (2021) came out before Valheim (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 Valheim and Pirates similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Valheim and Pirates have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Pirates ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Pirates free?
- Yes — Pirates is a free-to-play Steam title. Valheim is paid (26.99 USD).
- Does Valheim run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Valheim is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Pirates doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.