Best Free Multiplayer Games
We often recommend products we like. If you buy anything via links on our site, we may earn a small commission.
We have the ten best free to play multiplayer games on PC. The free-to-play field is dominated by battle royale style games, namely Fortnite, but there are many others of various types. Apr 10, 2020 We’ve rounded up our 20 favorites on the following list of the best online multiplayer games for coronavirus self-isolation. For reference: many of these titles are available for multiple platforms at different price points — including numerous that are FTP (free-to-play), but come with paid upgrade options. The most modern social activity With the emergence of free-to-play games and popular multiplayer games on platforms like Steam, it’s easier than ever for gamers to play with their real-life friends or meet new ones through the games they play. Many multiplayer games out there, especially.
In the world of video games, the PC is a bit like the wild west. While Microsoft and Sony try to govern what is released onto their platforms, just about anyone can release a game and make it available.
As such, there are a lot of free PVP games available on the PC. New games come out so fast that it’s basically impossible to play them all. Just when you think you’ve found a bunch of free-to-play games that you like, ten more pop up to replace it.
Don’t worry, because we’ve invested an absurd amount of time into compiling the ten best F2P PVP multiplayer games available for PC. If you want something to play and you want to keep your wallet firmly shut, these are the must-play games for you.
Related: The best digital card games worth playing
10. Dota Underlords
Dota 2 started off as a mod, and Dota Underlords came from the same beginning. The “auto chess” style of game has taken the gaming world by storm, and Dota Underlords has been a game at the forefront of all the excitement.
If you like your PVP gameplay a little slower and more tactical, Underlords is the perfect game for you.
Related: Common online gaming terms and acronyms, explained
9. Teamfight Tactics
The other game that’s making waves in the auto chess scene is Teamfight Tactics. While Dota Underlords is a spinoff of Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics is built off League of Legends.
Really, choosing between the two is just a matter of preference between some of the nuanced mechanical differences and whether you prefer the LOL or Dota 2 universe.
8. Destiny 2
After multiple years and iterations as a game that costs money, Bungie finally decided to switch things up and make Destiny 2 F2P. Well, at least some of it.
You won’t get the latest expansion packs as part of Destiny 2: New Light, but you’ll still get hundreds of hours of gameplay and near-infinite replay value from Destiny 2‘s deep multiplayer mode called The Crucible.
Related: The best loot shooter games that aren’t Destiny 2
7. Paladins
The easiest way to describe Paladins is to say that it’s a lot like Overwatch, but it’s free-to-play. It features a very similar style of fast-paced shooting with a huge variety of characters that each play differently from the others.
There are tons of customization options available that’ll let players tweak the game to suit their playstyle, so you’ll have a hard time getting bored with this Paladins.
6. Starcraft 2
Starcraft 2 is easily one of the best RTS games ever created, and the fact that Blizzard has made the bulk of the game free-to-play is truly exciting.
You won’t get all of the content in the game, but there’s more than enough PVP content available to keep you busy for a long time.
Obviously, there are tons of savage players out there since Starcraft 2 is a fairly old game, but don’t let that detur you! There’s still plenty of fun to be had.
Related: The best real-time strategy games on PC
5. Fortnite
It’s hard to find a bigger game than Fortnite right now. Everyone from children playing their very first video game to competitive esports athletes fly down to shoot and build their way to a “Victory Royale” in the beloved game.
Love it or hate it, there’s a reason Fortnite is so massive, and you have to respect what Epic Games managed to accomplish.
Related: Why do people love battle royale games?
4. Apex Legends
In the battle of F2P battle royale games, Apex Legends and Fortnite are the two big dogs in the fight, and personally, I find the gameplay, setting, and feel of Apex Legends to be a little better than Fortnite.
Respawn managed to harness much of the same incredible feel as Titanfall, but it did with huge groups of players all trying to be the last one standing.
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
When it comes to competitive, old-school first-person shooters, it’s almost impossible to find one better than Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
It’s as hardcore as it gets in terms of skilled players battling it out, and getting into the game is no easy task. But once you learn the mechanics and get a feel for the aiming, you’ll be hooked.
2. League of Legends
League of Legends has remained one of the most popular video games across all platforms for a long time, and this isn’t a coincidence. Riot Games is constantly iterating and balancing its MOBA masterpiece to create an experience that’s hard to rival.
1. Dota 2
Choosing between Dota 2 and League of Legends is like deciding whether you want to support one of two rival sports teams.
League players and Dota 2 players both think they’re playing the superior game, and it’s hard to pick one. Personally, I give a slight edge to Dota 2 just because I enjoy the pace of the game a bit more, but it’s really close to being a tie.
If you’re interested in trying a MOBA for the first time, play them both (one-at-a-time to avoid confusing yourself) and see which one tickles your fancy.
Read next: Is Humble Store legit? Why I buy my games there now
Best multiplayer games on Steam, that’s what you are looking for, right?
This gaming genre is an exciting way to have a great time with your friends or to compete with other people.
The problem is that there are too many multiplayer games on Steam right now and it is kind of hard to choose the right one. You may waste a lot of your precious time while making the research.
Therefore, in this article, I have gathered only the best multiplayer games on Steam including fun and the best FREE multiplayer games on Steam.
1. PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
The best multiplayer game on Steam right now is PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
You might have already heard of this game as it had started the battle royale era in the gaming industry.
But if you have not, the rules of this game are simple.
A hundred players fight against each other on a big map and the last man who stays alive wins.
In order to survive you have to be lucky enough finding useful equipment and to choose the right strategy to outplay your opponents.
Also, I have great news for those looking to play multiplayer games with their friends. In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, you can play not only solo mode but cooperative as well gathering a small squad and fighting with other teams.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
The second best multiplayer game on Steam is Grand Theft Auto V.
Basically, GTA V is an open world action-adventure game where you play as a criminal who wants to succeed in life by doing dangerous heists.
In its online mode, players can gather in teams to accomplish missions, compete in racing activities, skirmish in a deathmatch, or participate in a heist working as a part of a team.
Besides that, Grand Theft Auto Online features a PVE system which means you can develop your character and buy property, weapons, vehicles, etc by earning experience and money after successfully finished missions.
3. Insurgency: Sandstorm
The next best multiplayer game on Steam is Insurgency: Sandstorm.
It is a realistic first person shooter where you can either fight against other players in up to 16 vs. 16 game mode or against AI with a squad of up to 8 team members.
Usually, the party with better teamwork and strategy wins the game.
Insurgency: Sandstorm also has a ranking system which will help you to play with the gamers of the same skill based on your results from competitive matchmaking.
4. Rocket League
The fourth best multiplayer game on Steam I have found is Rocket League.
Rocket League is a combination of driving and soccer where you have to work as a part of a team to score more goals in order to win.
In the game, you can play not only typical 4 vs. 4 online matches but split screen mode as well which is also can be played online against another team of split-screen players.
5. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
The next position in my best multiplayer games on Steam list is taken by Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.
This is a tactical first-person shooter where you have to develop powerful strategies to outplay your enemies.
Essentially, there are two sides on the battleground: attack and defense.
And while the defense has to do anything to not let the enemy capture the building, the attack has to stick to a great strategy in order to breach the enemy.
6. Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is the best multiplayer game on Steam of the horror genre.
Its unique and fantastic multiplayer gameplay features four survivors who are trying to escape from the killer.
Another good point of the game is that all levels are generated automatically which means that nobody knows what to expect.
7. XCOM 2
XCOM 2 is the best multiplayer strategy game on Steam.
It is turn-based, so if you are willing to develop tactical skills, it is definitely for you.
The main goal of the game is to defeat the Earth from the invasion of aliens.
Although XCOM 2 is essentially for single player, you also can play its fascinating multiplayer mode taking the side of either aliens or humans on automatically-generated maps.
For me, it is like a game of the chess of XXI century.
8. Rust
Another best multiplayer game on Steam I can recommend you is Rust.
It is a fun and engaging project where you have to hunt, look for resources, craft, build, and fight against the other players to survive.
The best part is that you can cooperate with your friends which will increase your chances to stay alive and even build a big town.
9. MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD
In MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD, you will play as a hunter who slays the monsters.
This best multiplayer game on Steam is based on quests which you can accomplish either in solo or in a team.
At the end of each level, there is a huge monster whom you have to kill in order to succeed.
From the materials you get by killing monsters, you can craft stronger equipment to fight bigger beasts.
The game is not just a usual MMORPG and has really diverse gameplay.
10. Empyrion – Galactic Survival
The next best multiplayer game on Steam I want to feature is Empyrion – Galactic Survival.
It is an open world sandbox survival game in the space.
I think the previous line was enough to get your interest to this game.
There are no limits at all.
You can build stations, create multi-planetary vehicles, explore other planets, fight against other species, and conquer their planets.
11. Dota 2
Although Valve makes everything possible to kill the game, Dota 2 still is among the best free multiplayer games on Steam.
It is a game of the MOBA genre, so basically you will be joined to a 5-player team to fight against another one.
Best Free Multiplayer Games Online
Rules of the game are simple: the first one who destroys enemy’s base wins.
12. Warframe
The second game on the list of the best free multiplayer games on Steam is Warframe.
Warframe is a third-person shooter where you can gather with a squad of your friends to complete various missions or fight against real players in PvP mode.
13. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
You might have expected to see this game in the first list of the best multiplayer games on Steam, but I have added it here because recently Valve had transitioned this game to the free-to-play model.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a first-person shooter where you can take the side of either the Terrorists team or the Counter-Terrorists to eliminate all members of the enemy squad or complete a special mission (such as planting or defusing the bomb or defending or rescuing the hostages).
The key ingredient of a victory is great teamwork and your personal skill.
14. Path of Exile
Path of Exile is another best free multiplayer game on Steam.
In this multiplayer RPG game from an overhead perspective, you will get a chance to complete quests exploring dungeons and fighting monsters in order to upgrade a character and equipment.
Also, Path of Exile features PvP mode of different types such as dueling, capture the flag, Sarn Arena, cut-throat, and tournaments.
So, you will definitely have fun playing it, especially if you are a fan of Diablo.
15. War Thunder
Interested in driving combat vehicles more than controlling a character?
Then, War Thunder is the best free multiplayer game on Steam for you.
Here you can choose an airplane, helicopter, tank, or ship to participate in large-scale battles between all the mentioned vehicles at once.
16. Team Fortress 2
Although this game is pretty much old, it still holds the sixth position in the top of the best free multiplayer games on Steam.
Team Fortress 2 is a game of FPS genre where you will join one of two teams consisting from nine character classes to fight with another one in different gaming modes (e.g. capture the flag, control the points, attack/defend etc.).
17. SMITE
We have already seen a MOBA game in our best free multiplayer games on Steam, but this one is a little bit different.
Instead of playing from an overhead perspective as in Dota 2, SMITE’s gameplay offers to play from the third person.
18. Ring of Elysium
Ring of Elysium is another battle royale game.
Unlike the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, it is a free multiplayer game on Steam. Another difference is that it features only 60 players per game instead of a usual hundred for battle royale games.
And while it has a great advantage as free access, there are lots of disadvantages.
The game is on the early development stage, so you are likely to experience some bugs.
Moreover, Ring of Elysium has only one map which can bore you over time.
On the other hand, I totally understand the creators and think they have made an awesome most valuable product to evaluate if the game worth continuation of development.
So, let’s wish good luck to the guys and move to the ninth best free multiplayer game on Steam.
19. Paladins
Best Free Multiplayer Games On Xbox Live
Paladins is a team-based first-person shooter game.
At the beginning of a skirmish, you will be able to pick one of forty heroes to fight in one of the featured modes such as siege, team deathmatch, or onslaught.
20. Trove
The last best free multiplayer game on Steam is Trove.
It is a cubed open-ended MMORPG with a lot of quests, monsters, bosses, and equipment.
As well as in almost any cubed game, there is a building and crafting mode.
Besides that, Trove also has an exciting PvP mode.
21. Human: Fall Flat
Human: Fall Flat is the most popular fun game on Steam right now.
It is a physics puzzle platformer where you need to find an exit in order to move to the next level.
The game has very amusing riddles, so you will definitely have fun solving them.
22. Tabletop Simulator
It is the second best fun multiplayer game on Steam which is a physics sandbox simulator where you can play board games with your friends.
The fun part of it is that you can do with game objects anything you want.
There are no rules at all. You can even mix them up to create your own game.
23. Overcooked! 2
The next best fun multiplayer game is Overcooked! 2.
It is a cooperative cooking simulator where you need to collaborate with the team of up to four players to make orders in ridiculous restaurants.
Beside usual cooking like chopping, combining, cooking, and serving ingredients, some levels include different obstacles to make the game fun (i.e. moving floors or impassable fires).
24. Gang Beasts
This game is pretty much similar to the first best fun multiplayer game on Steam.
But instead of solving exciting puzzles, you can fight with your opponents using unlimited physical abilities.
In order to win, you have to throw your enemy out of the stage.
25. Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a 2D fighting platformer which supports up to 8 players on the arena.
It has a lot of different game modes but mainly you have to knock the opponents off the stage.
On the arena, there are lots of different weapons that spawn randomly from the sky to help the one who gets them first to win.
You definitely should try playing this best fun multiplayer game on Steam with your friends, though it will bore you over time.
26. Garry’s Mod
Garry’s Mod is a physics sandbox game which means there are no predefined objectives to win the game.
You just have a lot of tools and unlimited capabilities in order to have fun.
27. Golf With Your Friends
The next best fun multiplayer game on Steam is Golf With Your Friends.
As you might have already guessed, it is all about golf, to be more precise – mini-golf.
The game itself supports up to 12 players and has a lot of entertaining levels which will never bore you.
Besides that, the game also has modifiers like low gravity, different game modes (i.e. hockey), and a level editor which makes it extremely fun.
28. Cuphead
Cuphead is a typical run and gun game where you need to fight different bosses in order to win.
After a successfully completed mission, you can upgrade your character’s skills and weapons.
In this best fun multiplayer game on Steam, you will not be able to play online, but there is an option to play the absorbing campaign locally with a friend.
Cuphead also has a visual design and soundtracks from the cartoons of the 1930s which makes it even more humorous.
29. Pummel Party
Pummel Party is a collection of mini-games where you can destroy your friends using an array of insane weapons and objects.
30. Don’t Starve Together
The last best fun multiplayer game on Steam is Don’t Starve Together.
It is the second part of Don’t Starve which is actually the same but includes long expected feature to play with friends.
In this game, you turn out to wake up on an uninhabited island full of surprises and dangers.
In order to survive, you need to gather important resources and use them wisely.
The best part of the game is in its crafting system which allows inventing of different devices to ease your survival.
That is all the best multiplayer games on Steam I wanted to share with you.
I hope you have found this list useful and it helped you choose the game to have a great time with your friends.
If you have any good game suggestions with multiplayer mode on Steam, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
Thanks for reading and have fun!