What are the best free PC games? Whether you're broke or just frugal, free is a price point that appeals to everybody's purse. No matter your genre of choice, it turns out that zero can buy you quite a lot in the F2P game world, and even beloved classics are available at the steepest possible discount.
We've collated the top free games on PC that are guaranteed to deliver a near-endless stream of complementary entertainment. All you need to spend is your time. From cultural landmarks like Fortnite to all-time greats like Team Fortress 2, some entries on this list can easily make our list of the best PC games of all time. In no particular order, here are the best free games on PC.
The best free PC games in 2025 are:
Enlisted
This Battlefield-esque tactical shooter prides itself on its historical accuracy, providing you with era-appropriate weapons and equipment as you lead your squad of AI soldiers through some of the most famous campaigns of WWII.
As in War Thunder (developer Gaijin's F2P hit), you'll also have access to a range of aircraft, tanks, and vehicles to help you on your way to victory, which are unlocked through the distinct skill sets of each of your squad members.
As squad leader, it's up to you to command the actions of your troops throughout each battle, but should the worst happen and a stray bullet takes you out, you'll switch to the POV of a different member of your division. Surely, a welcome solution to those of us who've spent far too many hours face down in the mud, waiting to be revived by a teammate with different priorities.
Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact has drawn many comparisons to Breath of the Wild, and it's not hard to see why. The open-world game is massive and jaw-droppingly pretty. Still, there are also abundant resources to collect, craft, and cook with, not to mention puzzles and minibosses that can be bested by using elemental powers with the environment rather than starting a brawl. That said, there are plenty of Genshin Impact weapons and artifacts to get your hands on if character customization is your jam.
The main story will keep you battling through the first 30 hours, but that's mainly because the massive open world of Teyvat will keep pulling you in every direction with camps to clear out, puzzles to solve, and the promise of shiny new loot to craft the best builds. There are some parts of the world you won't be able to engage with without accessing some of the Genshin Impact characters hidden behind gacha mechanics, but you can enjoy the whole main story and the majority of the open world relatively uninterrupted by paid mechanics. If you're itching to get started, our list of active Genshin Impact codes can give you a head start.
Merge Gardens
When people think of Plarium, Raid: Shadow Legends is the game that is most likely to come to mind – or potentially (but less likely) Mech Arena. Merge Gardens is a game that is completely different to the two of them – no violence, no edginess, just happy, peaceful gardening. The story is about a woman who finds herself looking after an old family home and then has to tend to the property and its garden. It's the kind of plot you see a lot of in this kind of game, but it's not about the story here.
In Merge Gardens, there are two main types of gameplay. The first is based in the garden itself, where, as the title implies, you'll be merging items and resources together so that you can create bigger, fancier things. Then, when you're not cultivating your garden, you're playing a sliding puzzle game where you have to match up different colored fruits and items – doing this successfully unlocks resources, which you then use to add more to your garden. It's a cozy, comfortable gameplay loop and an easy thing to lose time in.
World of Tanks
One of the mightiest tank games there has ever been, World of Tanks is an accessible and exciting tank simulator built on a foundation of complex game mechanics. It pits two teams of tankers against each other in a classic deathmatch scenario.
There are hundreds of vehicles to unlock across ten different tiers, from speedy scouts to hulking heavies. You will be surprised at how many tanks Wargaming has managed to cram in. If you're curious, here's how not to play World of Tanks, and why millions of people still play to this day. There's even a mobile version of the game in World of Tanks: Blitz, which is a separate, but very faithful recreation of the experience.
Steel Hunters
There's nothing quite like a great mech game, and Steel Hunters delivers a fantastic PvPvE experience. Hunt: Showdown meets Titanfall's larger-than-life battles in this free-to-play game, as you use a range of lethal robots to battle it out with other players and enemy drones alike, slowly upgrading your robot throughout each battle to unlock your mech's abilities.
The matches are snappy, yet intense, giving you a variety of sudden firefights where the use of your weapon and abilities means the difference between life and destruction, as well as your preparation before each battle. Despite being free-to-play, Steel Hunters doesn't have any pay-to-win elements, meaning you're on an even playing field with other hunters like you.
Star Trek Fleet Command
If you've ever wanted to try your hand at running a space station, Star Trek Fleet Command is the perfect game for you. Not only can you kit your home base out as you see fit, but you get to construct a fleet of spaceships from a host of fan-favorite Star Trek factions. Not only can you command your own armada of starships, but you can staff them with famous officers from throughout Star Trek history; you could go old-school with Kirk and Spock, or if you're more of a Next Gen fan, you can have Picard and Riker at the helm.
Play Star Trek Fleet Command for free today.
Tibia
Tibia is an MMORPG that's been knocking around since 1997. You have to do something right for a game like this to survive for such vast lengths of time – without it, Runescape, World of Warcraft, and the other classics from its genre may never have come to pass.
Like many games of its era, it can be played directly in your browser, which is good news for anybody worried about storage space. But don't be fooled into thinking that that means the game is therefore a basic one. You choose a job for your character (each of which gives you a different way to approach challenges), and then explore and find your own adventures. There are mysterious forests, tropical beaches, lava-filled dungeons, and loads of other locales filled with quests to complete and monsters to fight. It's a great slice of history that's still worth playing.
War Thunder
You don't have to find a group of like-minded aviation enthusiasts on a message board and join their virtual squadron to enjoy War Thunder. You don't have to choose between realism or accessibility, either. You just download it, and then you're flying, driving, shooting, or perhaps even both simultaneously.
This massively multiplayer WW2 combat game effortlessly encompasses all of the explosions and excitement that planes and tanks are capable of. Not sure where to start? Our War Thunder tips will help point your tank's cannon in the right direction. If you're looking for war games that put you in the thick of it, then War Thunder is for you.
Raid: Shadow Legends
Raid: Shadow Legends has now been around for six years, and playable on PC for five. At this point, many people are going to have already heard of it, or even played it – but if you checked it out on launch or even a couple of years ago, there's quite a lot that you're missing out on and it's well worth another look. The Raid of 2025 is not the Raid of 2019, though, at its heart, it still provides an addictive turn-based RPG experience with plenty of PvP and PvE options available. Gain some valuable in-game goodies for free with our Raid codes guide.
The most exciting recent additions to this RPG are some of its latest playable champions. Not only do you get crossovers with big IPs like Masters of the Universe (centered on a He-Man event that ran at the end of 2024), but you've also got cool and edgy new designs for historic characters. Every champion is unique, and cultivating your own hand-picked team and utilizing their abilities to dominate in online arenas is very rewarding. Take a look at our Raid tier list to see which champions you should be picking for PvP and PvE.
Play Raid: Shadow Legends for free.
DC Dark Legion
The greatest free-to-play games give you an abundance of content without having to spend anything on them, and fortunately, DC: Dark Legion is one of those. An original story sees you form your own Justice League in order to save Earth Prime from The Batman Who Laughs and his Dark Knights, growing your small, rundown Batcave to a budding and useful secret base.
A fully voice-acted storyline sees you explore an apocalyptic world, while the gameplay offers a mix of Fallout Shelter and AFK Journey – part resource-management and base upgrades, part squad-based RPG with idle elements. Though it does depend on gacha mechanics, without spending any money you can unlock Mythic superheroes, which will certainly power up your team in both PvE and PvP parts of the game.
If you need help, you can join a League (basically a Clan) and receive help and support from other members. There's also plenty of side content to enjoy, from Meta Battles and Combat Cycles to gaining resources in the Anti-Crime Network mode. We recommend starting a team with Batman, Green Arrow, Mera, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman for the best beginning squad.
Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero is the latest offering from gacha titan HoYoverse, and it's one for fighting game fans. This cyberpunk adventure follows hacker siblings Belle and Wise in the cyberpunk city of New Eridu. As alter ego Phaethon, they take on Inter-Knot commissions that send them into dangerous Hollows to fend off hostile Ethereals. This hazardous line of work puts them in the path of weird and wonderful characters from various city factions as they become embroiled in this cozy dystopia's political machinations.
Our Zenless Zone Zero review praises it for its "slick combat and tile exploration" but is still subject to the gacha game grind. All the systems you'd expect from a HoYoverse experience are here. You can pull the best characters from ZZZ banners, which are all but required to build the best ZZZ team comps. However, there are also plenty of ZZZ events to take part in for free characters, items, and ZZZ Polychrome, so you don't have to rely entirely on luck to ace ZZZ's various combat challenges and alternate game modes. If you're ready to make New Eridu your home away from home, check out our Zenless Zone Zero tier list to discover which characters are worth your time and level-up materials, along with the current ZZZ codes for some easy freebies.
Play Zenless Zone Zero for free.
World of Warships
If you like the idea of an ocean-based military simulation game, you need World of Warships. Introducing the navy to the concept of deathmatch, the controls are simple and welcoming but allow for interesting tactics in the submarine game.
World of Warships is more fun than Total War's pondering naval engagements, more approachable than Silent Hunter, and far deeper than the Pirates games. Surprisingly deep, if you'll excuse the submariner humor. The World of Warships esports scene is also far more exciting than it has any right to be.
Play World of Warships for free.
Rise of Kingdoms
We love a strategy game at PCGamesN, but we love a free one even more. Rise of Kingdoms is a strategy city-building game combining bright cartoon graphics, realistic civilizations, engaging combat, and classic city-building mechanics in one relaxing-yet-challenging bundle.
If you're new to these genres, Rise of Kingdoms gives you a helping hand with a simple and helpful tutorial stage to ease you in. If you've played a strategy or city-building game before, meanwhile, you'll know what you're getting yourself into here, but Rise of Kingdom's unique character collection mechanic gives the genre a new spin. As you build up your city and engage in combat with those threatening your residents and neighbors, unlock historical characters from your chosen civilization to help out, each with their own unique abilities.
Play Rise of Kingdoms for free.
War Robots
Those looking for free thrills may want to check out War Robots, especially if they're fans of mech-on-mech 6v6 skirmishes. There's a good chance that as you blast your way through the competition, you'll find something appealing that you'll stick around for many matches to come.
Pick from one of 50+ robots and choose from a huge arsenal of guns, rockets, and more to make your mech the very best it can be. Your choices are almost limitless, and you can customize it for all sorts of different play styles. Once you're ready, head into one of the 14 maps on offer and blast away the competition.
Crossout
Crossout is a vehicular combat MMO where you craft outlandish cars and drive them into battle alongside other players. Set to a Mad Max-style backdrop of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, there's an emphasis on deep customization, skillful driving, and aiming.
Crossout contains a variety of co-op and competitive game modes, as well as a marketplace full of tradable goods. The sheer number of Crossout factions, different body types, guns, cannons, and armor ensures that there are many ways to play… although they are all pretty deadly.
Naraka Bladepoint
As battle royale games go, there are many free options out there. However, Naraka Bladepoint is more focused on melee combat and spectacular movement than the vast majority of its competitors, giving it more of a unique edge.
Since going free-to-play, the game has exploded in popularity and is constantly one of the most-played games on Steam, so you'll rarely have issues getting into a competitive match. You can always check our Naraka Bladepoint beginners guide to get started with the basics, but soon, you'll be slashing your way to victory.
Play Naraka Bladepoint for free.
Mech Arena
Mech Arena was brought into the world by Plarium, the developer behind Raid: Shadow Legends. However, there's very little that these two games have in common. Mech Arena is all about hopping into a mech suit and then doing battle against other players in their own mech suits. It's a simple premise, but one that can be an awful lot of fun.
There are several arenas to battle in, which keeps things feeling fresh, but most interestingly, there are countless options available for customization. Eventually, you'll be able to customize your mech to the extent that it perfectly complements your preferred playstyle, giving you a chance to cultivate and develop your battle tactics.
Star Trek Online
Who wouldn't want to take control of a starship, explore the fringes of the galaxy, battle dangerous aliens, and train an elite crew of pangalactic professionals?
Star Trek Online is your chance to show the internet that you'd make a much better Picard than Picard. Each quest in this MMO is like an episode of the show, and each mission series is an arc, complete with the occasional filler episode. Packed full of the best pieces from Roddenberry's universe, this is the only MMO for a true Trekkie.
Play Star Trek Online for free.
Neverwinter
Neverwinter comes from a long line of ambitious, multiplayer Dungeons & Dragons PC games – including both the original Neverwinter Nights – the first-ever MMOs with graphics – and the BioWare game of the same name. Neverwinter, however, is the cheapest yet at a tempting zero bucks and benefits from the massively multiplayer expertise of City of Heroes studio Cryptic.
Packed with action-focused combat, challenging dungeons, and amazing locations to explore, this is one of the best RPGs on this list. A good, free D&D fix if you don't want to pay for Baldur's Gate 3. It is also fantastic for Forgotten Realms fan service: a place where you can meet both RA Salvatore's Drizzt and Minsc from Baldur's Gate.
Star Conflict
A shiny, colorful space sim that places you in a massively multiplayer universe, Star Conflict drops you right in the middle of an interplanetary skirmish that encompasses both PvE and PvP. Its void is as roomy as any other sector of space you might name, while its busy, man-made surface environments recall the twisty tunnels of the Descent series.
CRSED: F.O.A.D.
So many great things have started out as jokes: bacon-flavored cola, sincere Spinal Tap fans, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and now CRSED. Formally known as Cuisine Royale, this free-to-play battle royale game where you strap pots and pans to yourself in place of plate armor started as a spinoff for squad-based MMO shooter Enlisted but quickly garnered its player base. And it's easy to see why, as the freedom of being a 'joke' game has allowed developer Darkflow Software to experiment with mechanics PUBG wouldn't dare consider, like demonic powers, Champions, and even jetpacks.
Wizard101
Launched in 2008, Wizard101 is a fantasy MMORPG that has been able to remain popular among gamers ever since. In it, you step into the shoes of a student at the Ravenwood School for Magical Arts. You choose whether you want to enroll in the school of Fire, Ice, Storm, Myth, Life, Death, or Balance, with each of these fields giving you access to a unique selection of magical abilities that will significantly affect the way that you approach enemies in battle. Teaming up with other players in battle will allow you to experiment with different strategies as you consider how different types of magic pair together.
Meanwhile, the game has a fantastic story that initially sees you coming up against Ravenwood's former Necromancy teacher, Malistaire. What at first appears to be a typical story about an evil wizard, soon turns out to be something much more nuanced. During the course of your adventure, you'll have the opportunity to visit a range of exciting fantastical locations, from enchanted forests to ancient desert communities and even a city under the sea. It's a charming experience.
Friday Night Funkin'
Since its release in 2020, Friday Night Funkin' is a game that has won a place in the hearts of gamers everywhere. For those who haven't encountered it before, this simple rhythm game is enormously addictive and packed with endless charm. You play as an innocuous backwards cap-wearing kid named Boyfriend who engages in sing-offs and rap battles against several opponents to impress your girlfriend.
The gameplay is quite similar to Dance Dance Revolution, but you use your arrow keys instead of a dance mat. Meanwhile, the songs are slapping, and the character's electronic voices are pretty cute. It's really easy to get into it, and one of those games where you want to play for a minute but end up spending hours with it.
Play Friday Night Funkin' for free in Opera GX.
Fragpunk
There's nothing like a bombastic shooter to get your PC working, and Fragpunk is a brilliant choice. At first glance, it may seem similar to other hero shooters like Valorant or Overwatch, but Fragpunk's 5v5 action offers a distinctive mechanic in the form of Shard Cards – unique abilities like giving you life-sapping bullets or making your allies' limbs bulletproof, that can change how you play the game.
A gimmick isn't the only thing Fragpunk players can expect to enjoy. Solid gun play rivals that of games like Apex Legends, while the various modes give you plenty of different ways to play. Want a competitive Valorant-style game mode? Go right ahead. How about a casual Team Deathmatch option? Be my guest. Don't forget to add free in-game rewards to your inventory by using our Fragpunk codes guide.
The environments are just as impressive, with Fragpunk's arenas offering plenty of verticality and ways to surprise your enemies. A temple-style map will give you Indiana Jones vibes, while an underground cavern offers debris as cover and a central point that will see you pop up to the top and shoot at your enemies from above. Gain an advantage over the competition using our comprehensive Fragpunk tier list.
Honkai Star Rail
All aboard! Honkai Star Rail is the latest installment of HoYoverse's interstellar sci-fi adventure series, and as our Honkai Star Rail review attests, it's a journey you won't want to miss. Like Genshin Impact, the turn-based RPG includes an ever-growing roster of eclectic and colorful characters to pull from Honkai Star Rail banners. Take your favorites into battle against the monstrous armies of the Antimatter Legion, confront the mysterious Stellaron Hunters, and interact with every Honkai Star Rail trash can – we promise, it's worth it.
Check out the characters to watch out for on our Honkai Star Rail tier list, then kit them out with the best light cones and relics to create the best Honkai Star Rail builds. Need a head start on building out your team? The latest Honkai Star Rail codes can give you the extra free stellar jade required to pull the next five-star character.
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.
More than 100 million people play it every month, so you won't struggle to find a game, and you're guaranteed to find a few League of Legends champions that you can't stop playing.
Play League of Legends for free.
Tower of Fantasy
Since it came to the West in mid-2022, Tower of Fantasy has quickly become one of the most popular free PC games. Following a similar formula to Genshin Impact, this game is an open-world, action RPG where you play as humans living on the planet Aida hundreds of years in the future. After a cataclysmic event, the settlement's population was greatly diminished, and Aida's landscape was filled with strange monsters.
In a shared world with other players, you're left to explore the mysterious Aida landscape while coming up against the Heirs of Aida, who are opposed to using the energy source omnium (which was the cause of the historic catastrophe). Whether you want to mess around fighting monsters with friends, gather resources to make all the game's recipes, or try to unlock all the Tower of Fantasy characters through the gacha mechanics, there's no shortage of things to do. Our Tower of Fantasy tier list will kit you out with the best simulacra weapons ideal for leveling, while our Tower of Fantasy map primer can keep you on the straight and narrow.
Play Tower of Fantasy for free.
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."
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.
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.
Apex Legends
Swooshing onto the scene from a well-placed zipline, Apex Legends has more than earned its place among the best battle royale games. From the developers behind Titanfall, Apex Legends takes the BR formula and adds a roster of intriguing Apex Legends characters that infuse each round with new tactical possibilities depending on your team composition. They've also stirred up the genre by adding intuitive contextual pings – making communication with your team a piece of cake – and introducing the ability to respawn your downed teammates, ensuring you can blame your squad for your demise at least twice a game.
As we discuss in our Apex Legends review, the game has particularly satisfying movement – you'll be skidding down slopes, clambering through buildings, and launching yourself into the sky to reposition – and character abilities that make you feel like you've got the chance to steal the edge in combat, even against the champion squad. If you're ready to get started, be sure to check out our Apex Legends tier list, as well as the best guns, to pair with the best character.
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.
Legends of Runeterra
One of the newer card games on the block, Legends of Runeterra arrived in early 2020 and has proven to be a big hit. From the minds behind one of the best MOBAs, League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra promises to shake up the stagnant card game scene with a back-and-forth approach.
Unlike some of its card game rivals, Legends of Runeterra lets you earn card packs through gameplay instead of asking you to fork over real paper for digital cards. Get to grips with the rules with our guides on how to play Legends of Runeterra and the Legends of Runeterra cards.
Play Legends of Runeterra for free.
Shadowverse
Shortly after Shadowverse's mobile release in Japan in 2016, it became the biggest strategic card game in the country, and with good reason. This charmingly designed CCG eases you gently with its tutorial and single-player story mode and keeps you coming back with complex gameplay and new card packs every three months.
You have seven different leader classes to choose from, each allowing significant strategic depth. Whether you are an aggressive, cautious, or sneaky player, Shadowverse will cater to your playstyle.
Fortnite
Do we need to tell you what Fortnite is? You probably already played it since Fortnite's player count is well over 250 million. Among them are the biggest Twitch streamers, sports stars, and celebrities. Epic's battle royale really needs no introduction: it's the most significant cultural shift in gaming since League of Legends.
Aside from being free to play, there are several reasons why Fortnite has wiped the floor with the competition. Despite being thrown together in a couple of months and bolted onto the side of the original Fortnite: Save the World game, this cartoony last-man-standing is the ever-evolving foundation for weekly updates, seasonal changes, and genre-defining new ideas.
However often you log in, there's always a new challenge to complete, and the Fortnite Battle Pass system rewards the most devout players with heaps of rewards. Casual players need not fear, though; simple shooting and rules keep it accessible, and the building mechanics offers depth to chase. Not sure where to start? Our Fortnite tips will guide you to a Victory Royale.
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.
Smite 2
Smite 2, just like the original game, draws quite heavily from League of Legends and Dota 2, but the fact that it provides a diverse range of gods to play as, gives it a distinctively unique flavour. Not only will you find figures from ancient folklore and mythology as playable characters in this game (like Merlin or Thanatos), but the developers also threw Cthulhu in for good measure.
If you've already played the original, the first thing you'll realise is that this game has had a huge visual upgrade over its predecessor. Meanwhile, in addition to a boatload Smite gods from the first game (with more carrying over all the time), there are new characters helping to make the game more and more varied. The gameplay has also been tweaked to make it a little more accessible for new players, and while this might be a little controversial for old fans, it does nonetheless make it a great jumping-in point.
Teamfight Tactics
This free Autobattler game by Riot takes the most beloved characters from League of Legends and places them on a chess-like board to duke it out until only one player's team is left standing. Playing against several opponents, you can pick a hero from a shared pool and slowly build a team by earning coins and trading heroes.
There's plenty of strategy in this fast-paced Autobattler, whether that's ensuring your heroes compliment each other, factoring in a counter for every enemy type, or combining items to buff character stats. You'll grow a strong team by aligning attributes and earning perks from synergies and class bonuses. Like League of Legends, TFT undergoes regular updates and balance changes, such as rotating the hero pool or adding new items. Whether you want to jump into a casual game or take on ranked mode, it's always kept fresh.
Play Teamfight Tactics for free.
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.
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.
Magic: The Gathering Arena
Thanks to CCG titan Hearthstone, there are many more card gaming experts around than there used to be. Recent card-gaming converts can move onto games like Gwent or The Elder Scrolls: Legends for themed twists that boast a few new mechanics, but if you want a real challenge, you can't beat Magic: The Gathering Arena.
Wizards of the Coast's latest digital port of the revered paper card game is certainly not for the faint-hearted – it's based on the trading card game that's been going since 1993, so you can only imagine how many cards and keywords are at play. Magic: The Gathering Arena does an excellent job of shedding some of that historic baggage while retaining most of the complexity that makes Magic so unique, and it comes complete with all of the board animations and sensory delights that we've come to expect of modern CCGs.
Play Magic: The Gathering Arena for free.
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.
While only five agents are available to play at the game's outset, Valorant allows you to expand your roster by completing individual agent contracts without opening your wallet. There are also plenty of game modes, from the standard unranked and competitive matches to non-standard formats such as Deathmatch, Escalation, and Replication. Whether you're dead-set on climbing through the Valorant ranks or just playing casually, it's worth brushing up on the best Valorant guns to prioritize during a match.
Wuthering Waves
Hoyoverse isn't the only weeby ARPG maker out there, and Kuro Games has made a play for the studio's crown. Though Wuthering Waves will feel very familiar to Genshin Impact fans, there are plenty of differences between the two that make WuWa a refreshing experience. While Genshin's story may be better established, we much prefer the sophistication of Wuthering Waves's parry and dodge-based combat, and you can even collect monsters called Echoes to use in battle.
Of course, Genshin has other strengths Wuthering Waves doesn't, so you'll have to try both and figure out which you prefer. With these gacha-infused games, the quality of the characters has a big say in which ones stick around, so be sure to check out our Genshin Impact tier list and Wuthering Waves tier list to find your ideal units.
Play Wuthering Waves for free.
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.
Play PUBG: Battlegrounds for free.
Multiversus
Multiversus took the fighting game genre by storm when it launched into a year-long open beta back in 2022. For the first time, you could canonically go Super Saiyan with Shaggy, before proceeding to pummel the stuffing out of Warner Bros. stars like Arya Stark, Batman, and Marvin the Martian.
While it took a year for the game to come back online after developer Player First Games ended the beta, the improvements made by the studio were well worth the wait. Alongside its eclectic mix of iconic WB characters, Multiversus offers up a slick combat loop and a schwifty, rifty PvE mode that'll keep you entertained even when you're not grinding the ranks.
To help you get set up, be sure to check out the current rotation of free Multiversus characters you can immediately jump in with. Of course, you'll need to make sure they're any good. Fortunately, our Multiversus tier list has you covered.
Once Human
Survival horror heads, don't think we haven't forgotten about you. The best survival games need robust base-building mechanics, plenty of cool beasties to avoid, and above all, they need to respect our time. Though it's not a perfect experience by any means, Starry Studio's recent addition to the genre has plenty going for it.
A malicious alien entity called Stardust has infected Earth's inhabitants, rendering them murderous, monstrous creatures. Fortunately, some humans have been able to resist and even harness Stardust, using it to their advantage. So, make sure you leverage the fact that Once Human is a free PC game to your advantage and get hunting. Be sure to keep an eye out on our Once Human server wipe guide to ensure you don't get caught out.
Marvel Rivals
Hero shooters have been in a weird spot. Overwatch 2 seemingly locked the subgenre down, while 2024's biggest disappointment in Concorde seemingly reaffirmed that there really was one to rule them all. That is until NetEase's Marvel Rivals came along at the back end of the year.
Taking everything good and joyous about hero shooters and splicing it with the strongest fighters in the Marvel multiverse, Marvel Rivals has already established itself as a major live service player. Whether you're locking down multiple players as Venom, or beating the snot out of hostiles as Iron Fist, Rivals is incredibly fun.
If you do jump in make sure you get acquainted with the Marvel Rivals characters first. Once you've found your fave, check out how they're performing in our Marvel Rivals tier list – the game's balance isn't bad, but there are notable outliers.
Infinity Nikki
Infinity Nikki is an open-world gacha game that focuses on the beauty of life rather than slaying monsters and evildoers. Across the variety of luscious environments, you'll discover whimsical creatures that you can groom, partake in fishing at nearby ravines, and catch some bugs to learn more about the local wildlife.
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