Top Free PC Games

The First Descendant

The First Descendant is Nexon’s third-person looter shooter that follows in the footsteps of landmark titles Destiny 2 and Warframe for a co-op sci-fi experience that positions familiar mechanics against an original new story. The First Descendant characters steal the show, from lightning-fast mascot Bunny to frosty ex-smuggler Viessa. You can invest in your favorites to unlock powerful variants known as The First Descendant Ultimate Descendants to enhance their innate abilities and defeat the toughest bosses with ease.

Dedicated players can look forward to The First Descendant endless endgame, which features dungeon infiltration, boss challenges, and combat objectives at a higher difficulty than story progression, so you can hone your skills as the seasons roll on. If you’re ready to protect Ingris and stand up to the hostile invaders, redeem The First Descendant codes and Twitch Drops for some early freebies, and check out The First Descendant maintenance schedule for all the latest server plans.

League of Legends

Inspired by the original Dota, League of Legends takes the same 5v5 base attack concept but introduces an entirely different roster of playable characters constantly being expanded. Many players find League of Legends is easier and more accessible than Dota, but it is still incredibly nuanced; it has one of the highest skill ceilings in gaming, and the best players are considered tactical geniuses.

Fallout Shelter

Following the Fallout resurgence that occurred with the release of the TV adaptation of the apocalyptic game series, there’s no better time to try a Fallout game or two. While it might not be at the top of our list of the best Fallout games, there’s only one Fallout game to try if ‘free-to-play’ is one of your requirements, and that’s Fallout Shelter.

Just because Fallout Shelter is free, though, doesn’t mean it’s not a great little time sink and a lot of fun. Again, sure, it’s not the best of the Fallout games, but that’s just because it’s so different to the gorgeous, vast, single-player adventures of Fallout 4 and New Vegas, but it’s still a great way to get a glimpse of the franchise in an entirely different genre.

Fallout Shelter is, instead, a cute, 2D base-building game, in which you oversee the day-to-day running of your vault. Start with a few new vault-dwellers, and expand as you get them to craft, build, and reproduce.  Keep your Dwellers happy by ensuring they have enough food, water, and rest time, and encourage them to build romantic relationships, all while occasionally fending off various enemies. Eventually, you can send residents out into the post-apocalyptic hellscape to retrieve more materials and even new Dwellers to move in – if they make it back alive.

Lost Ark

Warframe

Everything’s better in space, and Warframe proves precisely that by taking ninjas and putting them in space. It is a co-op third-person game where teams of ninjas suit up in powerful ‘Warframe’ armor and head out to slice up bad guys – or hang out at the dojo. It blends some MMO elements with the sensibilities of a more straightforward action game, creating something slick, exciting, and very sociable.

It’s also not without depth; you can easily pour hundreds of hours into perfecting Warframe builds. The game is often compared to Destiny, and Warframe players will even tell you it’s far better than Bungie’s triple-A shooter. Though Tencent bought out the original developers, Warframe remains “creatively independent.”

Trove

Trove may look a lot like Minecraft, but in reality, it’s a thoroughbred MMO replete with classes inspired by sword and sorcery classics. Just like those MMO greats, Trove is also all about grinding for more and more gear, making it a great hobby game, especially as it regularly receives hefty updates that add everything from new dungeons to PvP game modes for you to try out.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is one of the best MMOs available. Even better: you can play a huge chunk of it for free. There’s a lot to do, from traditional questing for NPCs to zone events where everyone can suddenly get involved and work as a massive team to bring down a boss or help a burning village. The free-to-play base game is huge, and the devs continue to produce huge expansions like Secrets of the Obscure which launched in August 2023.

Eve Online

No MMO can claim to be as player-driven as Eve Online, with the space game boasting mega-corporations run by legions of players and, very occasionally, gigantic space battles with upwards of 5,000 participating pilots.

Eve Online’s free-to-play model lets players experience all that space madness (bar access to some end-game ships and skills) without paying a subscription fee. Its steep learning curve can be pretty daunting, so we highly recommend reading our Eve Online beginner’s guide if you’re just getting started.

Albion Online

Albion Online’s classless sandbox MMO is a refreshing journey into a medieval world where you’re not bound to a certain playstyle. Albion is less about character builds and more about strategy and tactics in a PvP-driven environment that focuses on building a guild with fellow players.

It’s a high-stakes venture and creates battles that quickly turn on their head. Although Albion Online’s environment leaves much to be imagined, the player-controlled economy and unforgiving loot system make for hours lost battling foes, delving into dungeons, and riding through lush green fields on your loyal steed.

Dauntless

Call of Duty: Warzone

Another year, another Warzone integration – this time with Black Ops 6. The Black Ops 6 Season 1 update brought about with it a drastic change to Warzone, introducing a new Warzone map, Black Ops 6 weapons, and the omnimovement system to give players additional movement options on the battlefield.

Warzone breaks away from some of the first big battle royale games like PUBG and Apex Legends by placing an emphasis on finding cash to spend on things like Warzone guns and loadouts. Using money, you’re able to access powerful tools and weapons, giving you a massive advantage when fighting against rival squads.

For returning players, you may be pleased to hear that Verdansk, Warzone’s first map back in 2020, is set to make a return in 2025. Featuring large and small maps, Warzone provides a unique experience that is surprisingly different from the incredibly popular multiplayer mode, and it’s completely free to top it all off.

Apex Legends

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 arrived on Steam with the Shadowkeep expansion in October 2019 and simultaneously opened up the base game, the Leviathan raid, and several PvP modes to everyone for free. Team up with your friends and go on adventures searching for shiny loot like Destiny 2 Exotic weapons, or duke it out against other players in The Crucible. Destiny 2 has something to offer everyone, from casual players looking for somewhere to hang out to hardcore raid fans and collectors. The Destiny 2 classes boast a surprising degree of nuance, though it’ll take some dedication to craft the best builds of the bunch.

The Sims 4

The Sims series has been the quintessential life game ever since the turn of the millennium. After the Sims 5 release date, EA has opted to make The Sims 4 free-to-play, lighting a fire under its thriving community. Using the extensive Sims 4 custom content tools and mods, you’re granted the freedom to design your Sims however you like, from their looks to their sparkling personalities. If you’re partial to construction, you can also build their house from the ground up and fill it with as much kitsch as their budgets will allow – or you can use the extensive Sims 4 cheats to build to your heart’s content. From there, it’s getting to know the neighborhood, establishing your Sim’s career, and eventually starting a family. Life, death, and all the messy bits in between serve as The Sims 4’s playground.

The free-to-play version of The Sims 4 provides a solid foundation to experience the game without spending a single penny. Still, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the enormous variety of Sims 4 expansion packs available to expand your horizons. If you’d like to keep it free, there’s also an avalanche of Sims 4 CC creators and packs available to install.

Overwatch 2

Blizzard’s hero shooter returns in a free-to-play format, and while it’s received some welcome quality-of-life adjustments and a brand-new battle pass, it remains, at its core, the same game that captivated its player base back in 2016. The Overwatch 2 maps take players to various locales to engage in standard match formats, such as escorting a payload or capturing a point. It’s also expanded to include an arcade suite for non-standard game modes like capture the flag and team deathmatch – all staples of the best FPS games.

Gwent

When it comes to mini-games, the card-based collect-a-thon enjoyed across Temeria in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt doesn’t get more detailed or compulsive. The world might be being threatened by menacing, masked bad guys and an all-consuming frost, but it was Gwent to which we lost countless hours.

Fans of Sapkowski’s fantastical world cried out for more tactical goodness, and the much deeper Gwent: The Witcher Card Game duly arrived, sporting prettier graphics and higher production values to match. The increased variety of unit types and abilities leaves the original mini-game in the dust. What’s more, you can do battle with this free-to-play online game in casual and ranked matches, too – make sure you check out our Gwent decks guide before you jump in. This free PC game only receives updates on the mobile and PC platforms, as CD Projekt Red discontinued support for consoles on December 9, 2019.

Fortnite

Counter-Strike 2

Counter Strike: Global Offensive was going strong for over a decade, and while many new free-to-play FPS titles have risen to prominence during that time, Valve decided to release the sequel in the form of Counter-Strike 2. Part of its appeal is its dedication to realism; CS2’s gameplay is grounded in a way that sets it apart from more modern military shooters, which tend to include power-ups and perks that can drastically upset the emerging outcome of a match. The result is an exceptionally balanced FPS game that relies on player skill and strategy over luck, with a deceptively high skill ceiling that keeps its audience locked in for the long haul.

Now that the game has finally launched, give our Counter-Strike 2 review a read to see what we thought about the game. If you’re looking to take your first steps into the world of Counter-Strike, check out our best CS2 crosshairs guide to set yourself up with the perfect aiming reticle. We also have a CS2 ranks and ratings guide to help new players understand the competitive modes on offer.

Paladins

Paladins is a team-based hero shooter that pits teams of colorful, ability-laden heroes against each other. Yes, it is a bit like Overwatch, but it shares many of Blizzard’s titan’s merits as a tactical murder simulator and provides them at a fraction of the cost. You can play as a mecha-goblin or gigantic rolling bomb and work in conjunction with your comrades to knock the numbers out of your opponents before diving into the objective. Bonus: everyone gets their own horse. If you’re unsure where to start, our guide to the best Paladins champions will help you.

Hearthstone

Dota 2

Two teams of five choose their Dota 2 heroes from a selection of hundreds before taking to the battlefield to destroy their opponent’s base. It is no mean feat, as both teams’ bases spawn waves of creatures and are protected by powerful towers. Each player will need to make the best of their hero’s abilities in what is not only a game but a sport.

It is tough, complex and inspires fanaticism in its fans. It is one of the most played games on Steam and draws in hundreds of thousands of players every day. If you’re feeling a bit daunted, our Dota 2 beginner’s guide goes into the building blocks of how to play and hopefully win your first match.

Team Fortress 2

Smite

Following the same formula as League of Legends and Dota 2, Smite has teams of five players trying to fight their way into their opponent’s base. Rather than giving players a top-down view of the battlefield, however, it chooses a third-person perspective, switching the game’s focus from tactics to action. Plus, instead of a roster of colorful fantasy characters, each player takes on the role of almighty Smite gods inspired by real religions, from Norse to Celtic to Chinese. Check our guide to the Smite 2 launch.

Planetside 2

Brawlhalla

Brawlhalla is another platform fighter that takes its inspiration from Super Smash Bros. While Brawlhalla’s core roster consists of a selection of original characters – otherwise known as legends – that wield a variety of weapons, from pistols to rocket lances, the main draw is the selection of crossover characters available from various established IP. Depending on the weekly rotation schedule, you can play as Street Fighter’s Chun Li, Assassin’s Creed’s Ezio, Rayman, or even Shovel Knight. This eclectic mix of fighters is compelling in its own right, but Brawlhalla uses a range of arcade modes, online competitive ranked, and casual free-for-all formats.

D&D Online

Do you want a chance to adventure in some of the most famous fantasy worlds there ever were? With D&D Online, you can set foot in the Forgotten Realms and the land of Eberron, stepping into the well-worn boots of a thief or a spellcaster as you fight dragons and demons. It’s not often you get high fantasy for free.

Runescape

Valorant

Valorant is a 5v5 hero shooter that’s a little more tactical than the likes of Overwatch or Apex Legends. Like in CS:GO, all Valorant characters begin a match with a baseline weapon, with the opportunity to purchase heavier firepower using the points you’ve accrued from completing objectives and defeating opposing players. However, Valorant agents also have signature powers that reinforce their designated role in their team and provide a bit of added flavor that you expect from a more traditional hero shooter.

Rocket League

Many games on this list exploded in popularity, but Rocket League may be the most surprising of them all. What is essentially soccer with rocket-powered cars, Rocket League had several factors going for it which made it a smash hit: it launched at a quiet time in terms of game releases, Psyonix partnered up with Sony to release the game on PS Plus to give it an instant audience, and the game itself was excellent.

As a free-to-play game with full crossplay compatibility across every game platform out there, the Rocket League audience continues to grow as more people learn about the game’s spectacular esports scene. Give our Rocket League tips guide a read to learn how to control your car to a high-level standard. If you want to learn more about the game’s development, check out our interview with Psyonix, which goes into the making of Rocket League.

Fall Guys

If you’ve ever wanted to play a version of Takeshi’s Castle as a cute little bean, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout lets you live the dream as 60 players fight across a range of minigames. From platforming challenges to memorization puzzles, Fall Guys features a range of unique hurdles to test each player’s skills in short bursts. Once the initial group of players gets whittled down to the final ten, things start to heat up as every challenger vies for the crown.

A lot has changed for Mediatonic, the indie developers behind Fall Guys. Shortly after the game’s launch, Mediatonic Games was acquired by Epic Games. This brought about some huge changes to Fall Guys, including cross-platform play, the switch to the free-to-play model, and plenty of crossover events with other video game IPs. Read our Fall Guys review to see what we thought about the game when it launched. If you’re wondering what mini-games are in the current rotation, check out our Fall Guys team rounds guide.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

One hundred players drop onto the battlefield, but there can be only one winner. PUBG: Battlegrounds, formerly known as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, is arguably the first battle royale game to kickstart the entire genre truly. At its peak as a premium title, PUBG had over three million concurrent players in 2017, obliterating the previous record set by DOTA 2. PUBG isn’t as popular as it used to be these days, but it has since moved to the free-to-play model in 2022 and still maintains a healthy player base on Steam.

PUBG has a strong audience of new and returning players, making it easy to get into for the first time. You’ll want to check out our PUBG tips guide before dropping into the arena, as there’s a lot to learn right away. We also have a guide on the best PUBG guns to clue you into which weapons you need to keep an eye out for.

Marvel Snap

If card games and comic books are your twin passions, then you can’t go wrong with Marvel Snap. This fast-paced CCG allows you to construct a deck of twelve heroes and villains, and then send them into battle across notable locations in the Marvel Universe. A match only lasts around three minutes, but don’t mistake its fast pace for simplicity.

Marvel Snap also boasts regular updates introducing new missions, events, and challenges, so there’s plenty to tide you over between matches with friends and rivals alike. It’s ideal for Steam Deck users who like to game on the go, as well as anyone who prefers their deck builders on the short and snappy side (pun intended). Just check out some of the best Marvel Snap decks to get started.

The Finals

Do you like environmental destruction, team-based gameplay, and lots of money? The Finals welcomes teams of three to battle against each other in a fight for cold, hard cash. Using the best The Finals loadouts, your group can easily dominate the battlefield as you take everyone down with the best The Finals weapons at hand.

There are three The Finals classes to pick from, each with its own set of abilities and gadgets for you to experiment with. Destruction is a key element of The Finals, giving you the freedom to bamboozle your opponents by blowing open any building your enemies are holed up inside. If you have two friends to try it with, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good time.

Rocket Racing

If you’ve ever wanted to play Rocket League as a racing game, your dreams have finally come true. Built directly into Fortnite is Rocket Racing, a new game from the developers of Rocker League that lets you drive, boost, and even fly across a growing number of racetracks. Playable with up to 12 people, you can race against random people in casual play, or go the competitive route and take on the game’s best drivers.

It’s fair to say Rocket Racing was released in a bare-bones state back in 2023, but things are improving as the months go by. The latest update added two new advanced tracks to the game, as well as new quests and drift smoke colors to make other racers eat your dust. Considering its attractive price (free) and that the racer is built into one of the most popular games on the planet, there’s no reason not to give Rocket Racing a shot.

Aimlabs

The most difficult part of any FPS game is the aiming aspect – even if you’re exceptional in one game, that doesn’t necessarily mean your skills will translate to other titles. A shooter like Counter-Strike 2 that requires pinpoint precision may help in Valorant, but you’re going to need to brush up on your tracking shots in games like Apex Legends. This is where Aimlabs comes in, a program designed to help you understand what areas you struggle with when it comes to aiming.

Aimlabs takes into consideration your favorite games, as well as the types of weapons you like to use to recreate the aiming experience. From there, you’re given a series of exercises to test your skills on. Once the program analyzes your results, you can work out what side of your game you need to brush up on. Your results are so accurately broken down that you can verify which side you’re dominant on, providing you with the data to fix any of your aiming deficiencies.

Rumble Club

Take on up to 20 players as you battle it out to determine who the best fighter is in Rumble Club, the free-to-play physics-based battle royale game by Lightfox Games. Each player takes control of a Punchie, and your goal is to get your opponents out of the arena by any means necessary. Unfortunately, your abilities are limited to simply punching and throwing, but you can get surprisingly far with these moves once you start to learn the game.

Trackmania

If you want to prove who the best racer is, Trackmania is the perfect arena to show who is the master of the wheel. Pitting 60 players together on the same server, players continuously run through the same track to improve their lap times. Each millisecond added to the timer can be the difference between first place and last, depending on how good your competition is. The best part is that core game is completely free, so you never have to invest any money unless you desperately want access to multiple campaigns and customization options.

XDefiant

Ubisoft’s free-to-play FPS has surprised many people since it launched at the end of May. The XDefiant release date was up in the air for months as the developers wanted to ensure the game was ready for a worldwide launch. As we’ve seen in the past with numerous free games, it’s very difficult to come back from a botched launch.

Fortunately, XDefiant has managed to capture the hearts of FPS game fans, giving players a range of XDefiant factions and unique loadouts to play around with. With plenty to look forward to on the XDefiant roadmap, it doesn’t look like momentum is going to slow down for Ubisoft’s new shooter any time soon.

Multiversus

Throne and Liberty

Take a trip to the vast open world of Solisium, filled with dangerous monsters and, arguably even scarier, threatening human players. That’s right, this MMORPG pits player versus player, but if you work together, you can group up to take down some of the biggest monsters in Solisium.

If you’re thinking about jumping into the fight, don’t forget to read our best Throne and Liberty build guide to help get you started. We also recommend checking out Throne and Liberty server status guide as you never know when the game might not be available to play.

Crab Game

Remember Squid Game? Of course you do! The Netflix series takes hundreds of contestants and puts them through a series of childhood games like Red Light, Green Light, and that dangerous one with the breakable glass panels. Crab Game condenses that experience down to 35 players, pitting you against every player on the server in a silly assortment of mini-games heavily inspired by Squid Game. It’s a noisy, messy experience, but when played with a group of friends, it’s surprisingly fun.