Great games are a dime-a-dozen, but ones that are also free-to-play are something special. Most free PC games don’t have much content and can be very underwhelming, while a few promising titles are held back by a dwindling player base or their in-game economy.

That said, there are some great free games out there, including a few like Brawlhalla that have attracted dedicated fanbases despite not having enough reviews to earn a rating on Metacritic. So, for players looking for something to jump into that won't require opening their wallets, they should take a look at these great free-to-play PC games.

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Updated July 6, 2023 by Mark Sammut: June 2023 did not produce much in the way of notable free-to-play games, although Home Sweet Home: Online gained some traction on Steam and XDefiant enjoyed an encouraging beta session. While there are not all that many upcoming free titles with fixed release dates, games like The Finals, Arc Raiders, Blue Protocol, Wayfinder, and Warhaven should not be all that far away from their debuts. Disney Speedstorm is also slated to make its full release in September 2023. In the meantime, players can check out the dozens of fantastic free PC games.

Honkai: Star Rail

After creating one of the most popular action RPGs in the free-to-play scene, HoYoVerse has turned its sights to the turn-based sphere. Although not the first entry in its series, Honkai: Star Rail serves as something of a soft reset, in the sense that newcomers can jump in without needing to be familiar with previous projects like Honkai Impact 3rd (which is a decent freebie in its own right). Unlike Genshin Impact's fantasy setting, Star Rail is drenched in sci-fi goodness, with its campaign following a space crew as they visit different planets. Serving as the game's biomes, planets tell relatively self-contained stories and allow HoYoVerse to originally introduce new cultures, world designs, and enemies. Star Rail launched with two planets, although this number should increase as the months and years roll by.

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Honkai: Star Rail's turn-based combat shares similarities with Genshin Impact's real-time battles since both systems revolve around 4-member teams and emphasize party synergy. Even though it is not real-time, Star Rail's combat is still dynamic and fast-paced when compares with other turn-based RPGs. Along with story-given characters, players unlock new party members through a gacha mechanic, and the game already has a robust roster of fighters.

Super Animal Royale

For a while, battle royales were the biggest fad to hit free-to-play gaming. There were many different battle royale-style releases that popped up, with many of them seeing at least moderate success thanks to the prominence of the genre. Unfortunately, many of these experiences were pretty cookie-cutter and felt very similar to massively popular releases like PUBG, Fortnite, or Warzone.

This is one reason that Super Animal Royale is so engaging. With a pretty dedicated community and developers that are regularly pushing out new content, Super Animal Royale is a free-to-play top-down shooter that operates much like other traditional battle royale releases. There is still a zone that is constantly shrinking inward, and players must scavenge around the map to find weapons. What separates SAR from the rest of the pack is its overly-cute aesthetic which has players choosing from a variety of animals and dressing them up in costumes before taking to the battlefield. It's a different, refreshing, and rather fun experience overall.

Overwatch 2

Debuting in 2016, Overwatch changed the online shooter scene by emphasizing hero characters with larger-than-life personalities (along with unique abilities). Blizzard's project was an immediate hit, and the game largely maintained that momentum throughout its entire run. On October 4, 2022, Blizzard released Overwatch 2, a free-to-play sequel that primarily sticks close to its predecessor's blueprint.

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The game uses a seasons model, with new content dropping every nine weeks. For instance, season 2 commences on December 6, 2022, and heralds the arrival of a new tank hero, map, and plenty of skins. Each season also has a dedicated battle pass that players can opt to purchase; however, new heroes can be unlocked in the free version.

The Sims 4

After roughly 8 years on the market, The Sims 4 went free-to-play, granting everyone access to the vanilla version. Now, the social sim's expansion packs have continued to require a monetary investment, and they do add quite a bit to the base experience. Nevertheless, The Sims 4's free iteration is ideal for newcomers who just want to dip their toes into this popular franchise; if they like what they see, they can always check out the expansions to decide if there is anything that suits their fancy.

The Sims 4 has attracted its share of criticism over the last decade, with many believing the entry failed to reach the heights seen by its predecessors. That said, messing around with the Sims is still entertaining.

The Murder Of Sonic The Hedgehog

Coming out of nowhere, The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog might be the blue blur's best official game in a long while, at least in the sense that it accomplishes everything it sets out to do. As the title suggests, the story revolves around Sonic's murder, and players are put in a position to investigate the case. This operation largely consists of visual novel passages and point-and-click sections, although there are short gameplay sections that are more in line with a traditional Sonic the Hedgehog experience.

Released just prior to April Fools' Day, The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog obviously does not take itself too seriously; however, that does not extend to the actual quality of the game. It is clearly a passion project that celebrates the legendary mascot's history while offerings die-hard fans an opportunity to experience something very different from the typical entries in the franchise. People who are not into Sonic but love murder mysteries might still get a kick out of this title since it is a fairly decent representative of the latter concept. If this spin-off is anything to go by, Sega should consider genre-swapping Sonic more frequently.

Warframe

Metacritic scores reflect a game's launch state, which makes sense since studios should be analyzed on whether they provide a solid experience out of the gate. However, for a service title like Warframe, its critic score of "69" doesn't reflect its current level of quality. Digital Extremes' action RPG has come far since its debut, adding more open worlds to explore along with expanding its lore beautifully.

Warframe's fast-paced gameplay has always been great, and it only got better as the game incorporated new suits, weapons, and ways for players to interact with the world and each other. At this point, Warframe contains so much content that new players could dedicate six months to the game and still not come close to witnessing everything it has to offer.

Shatterline

Available in early access, Shatterline is a fun roguelike shooter that offers both PvP and PvE. Due to its current status, this project is a work in progress, but the game is shaping up nicely. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has fallen prey to an alien virus, players can either team up to take on waves of enemies or face off against other people.

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Shatterline takes inspiration from hero shooters as it features a roster of eight operatives, each of which comes with unique abilities and roles. Building a balanced team is important in PvE and certain PvP modes such as Team Deathmatch. PvE's progression also impacts the multiplayer scene, so the modes are connected.

Summoners War: Chronicles

Com2uS has released a couple of Summoners War games on mobile devices, but Chronicles is the first to make the jump to PC. The game comes with the standard trappings of most mobile titles, so anyone who cannot stand these practices should probably look elsewhere. For everyone else, Summoners War: Chronicles is a solid action RPG with a cute anime visual style, a decent gameplay loop, and serviceable combat.

Players can select from three Summoners, aka classes, who all come with their own strengths, weaknesses, and skills. As their name suggests, Summoners have the ability to summon monsters to fight alongside them, and Chronicles has well over 300 creatures in its roster.

Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap made an instant splash when it entered early access in October 2022. A card-builder featuring Marvel's iconic characters, this could have easily been a throwaway licensed game that offers little more than a way to kill a few hours; however, Marvel Snap is far more impressive than just that. The game uses a fast-paced battle system built on a risk-reward set-up that allows players to double a match's stakes or retreat to try and limit their negative fallout.

Marvel Snap's decks consist of 12 cards, which are randomly pulled from during each of a match's 6 rounds. As both parties play their hands simultaneously, victories come down to who can most effectively predict their opponent's behavior. Unlocking cards is somewhat of a slow process, particularly after a few hours, but the gameplay is good enough to keep things interesting.

Guild Wars 2

Debuting in 2012, Guild Wars 2 has been free-to-play since August 2015. Except for a handful of restrictions, free players have access to the core experience, although they will have to pay if they wish to try the three expansions. While the latter are great in their own right, Guild Wars 2's vanilla campaign is the reason the game is considered one of the best MMORPGs of all time. Unlike some other entries in the genre, ArenaNet's project is quite story-driven, and the primary campaign should keep someone engaged for close to 100 hours.

With nine professions, two character slots, and two Living World seasons, players have a ton of content to work through. Guild Wars 2 also adapts the narrative to fit the user's actions, ensuring that no two playthroughs are exactly alike. Even a decade after its release, this game still has very few peers in the MMORPG scene, making it comfortably one of the best free PC games.

Smite

Smite allows players to choose from over 100 different gods across 16 separate pantheons. The playable characters in Smite are the gods of ancient polytheistic religions like Zeus and Odin. The title comes with several game modes, with Conquest being the most popular.

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This mode pits two teams of five players against each other, a titan, and the hostile monsters hiding in the “jungle”. Smite’s reviews, from critics and users, praise the game’s ease of play, numerous options, and hassle-free camera. The few repeated complaints seem to reference the balance of matches; players state they either win very easily or “get smashed”.

War Thunder

War Thunder was a quaint title when it debuted in the early 2010s. It had an OK selection of planes and focused more on its simulation component; jump forward nearly a decade and things have exploded spectacularly. Nowadays, War Thunder is one of the biggest free-to-play games on the market, offering more than a thousand vehicles split across multiple types and nations. Players can specialize in aerial, sea, or ground vehicles, and the game can be enjoyed with friends or even solo.

War Thunder has proven its staying power after all these years. While unlocking new vehicles is certainly made easier through premium payments, War Thunder can be enjoyed without spending a cent.

The Lord Of The Rings Online

The Lord of the Rings Online has been around since 2007, and while it adopted a free-to-play model in 2010, the MMORPG really ramped up its free material in April 2022. At this point, Standing Stone made all the content up to the sixth expansion, 2013's Helm's Deep, available to everyone. Free players can take on quests up to level 95, which is potentially 100+ hours worth of gameplay.

LOTRO's free version does limit things like character slots and inventory size, along with removing some mechanics that speed up progression. However, the experience is not too punishing, particularly if someone is not too worried about reaching the endgame. LOTRO is a loving tribute to Tolkien's world, and fans of the novels will find a lot to appreciate in this project.

Omega Strikers

Developed by former Riot Games members, Omega Strikers is a refreshingly accessible multiplayer game. That's not to say it is overly simplistic, only that its core concept is immediately understandable. Players compete in 3v3 soccer matches where the objective is to knock a puck into the opposing team's goal. The latter also increases in size as matches progress, adding an element of urgency to gameplay.

Omega Strikers might look like a sports game, but it plays closer to a brawler. Players pick a Striker from a roster of anime-style characters that have unique abilities and play styles; some figures specialize in defensive positions, while others are pure attackers. Omega Strikers is a charming free-to-play PC game that is perfect for quick sessions.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a team-based first-person shooter set in the real world. The realism of Global Offensive is refreshing as most games in this genre use a fantasy or sci-fi setting. The game pits two teams against each other; a group of terrorists and a counter-terrorist strike force.

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive compared favorably to similar games like Call of Duty, which can cost around $40 when newly released. Many users love the ability to host their own servers and to be able to set the conditions of their games. The graphics and control are also highly praised by critics and users alike.

Old School RuneScape

Except for World of Warcraft, RuneScape is arguably the most famous MMORPG of all time, and the game lives on in two forms. The standard RuneScape comes with (relatively) modern visuals and improvements, although it retains most of the core ideas that defined the 2001 version. However, people who want to play the classic version should download Old School RuneScape, a version that removes most of the changes introduced post-RuneScape 3.

Considering its reason for existing, this project is purposefully dated, and newcomers who are only familiar with fairly modern MMOs might struggle to embrace the game's retro aesthetic, gameplay, and pacing. That said, Old School RuneScape is still incredibly charming and popular, with the game boasting an active and helpful community.

Magic: The Gathering Arena

Magic: The Gathering is one of the most beloved card games on the market. It also happens to be quite difficult for newcomers to approach due to its costly nature and complex mechanics. Magic: The Gathering Arena provides a means to experience Wizards of the Coast's iconic game in digital form without an initial investment.

Magic: The Gathering Arena has detailed tutorials that do a great job of teaching the game's basics, and this release is slightly more accessible than the physical version. Arena also hands out quite a few decks and booster packs in its opening hours, allowing players to get going quickly and for a decently long time.

Planetside 2

Planetside 2 is a huge open-world shooter that takes place within a futuristic setting. Each continent in Planetside 2 can have as many as 2000 players fighting to ensure their faction seizes control. The action is fast-paced and intense, and the game includes player-controlled vehicles as well as on-foot combatants. Players gain experience and can choose to improve their skills in numerous activities such as repairing vehicles or healing the wounded.

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The immense open-world, superb graphics, and balance of gameplay have all worked to make Planetside 2 one of the most enduring and best free-to-play games on the market.

Genshin Impact

In 2020, MiHoYo's action RPG took the world by storm. Initially viewed as a clone of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Genshin Impact quickly established its own voice through its anime aesthetic, progression system, and team-based combat. Set in the gorgeous Teyvat, players step into the role of the Traveler, a being who jumps across worlds.

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As they explore the game's massive open-world, players unlock more of Genshin Impact's effective lore while building a party of playable characters. Genshin Impact is frequently updated with new heroes, locations, story beats, and unlockable items.

Goose Goose Duck

One might be tempted to dismiss Goose Goose Duck as an Among Us clone, and while the former certainly takes inspiration from the latter, the game has more than enough positives to stand on its own webbed feet. As the title suggests, this is a social deduction game that challenges players to decipher who is the fake among their gaggle of geese.

While it might be a free PC game, Goose Goose Duck does not hold back on content. The game offers an impressive selection of maps that are quite different from each other. Alongside a classic mode, the package also has four other options, plus an area where users can mingle. Players can also customize their geese using cosmetics, adding a personal touch to their birds.

Brawlhalla

Once upon a time, Super Smash Bros. seemed to be the only real platform fighter on the market. Nowadays, that is no longer the case, and some of the niche genre's standout releases are free. MultiVersus has hogged most of the limelight in the last year, but Brawlhalla also deserves to be spotlighted. While it has had its share of ups and downs, the game has been around for more than half a decade and is still going strong.

Along with relatively standard PvP options, the title has a refreshing range of game modes, including stuff like Horde and Capture the Flag. In terms of characters, Brawlhalla has over 50 legends, which consist of originals and crossover fighters such as Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Path Of Exile

When Path of Exile was released it was immediately compared to Diablo 3. While the graphics aren’t quite as polished as that premium title, Path of Exile might be a better option in some ways. This game truly delivers a near-AAA game experience at no cost to the player.

One of the best aspects of Path of Exile is the game is completely free of pay-to-win influences – all content in the game is accessible. Path of Exile has more content and replay value than most other free games.

Fall Guys

Originally debuting at a premium price, Fall Guys went free-to-play in 2022 as it expanded to a wider range of consoles. The physics-based multiplayer game pits people against each other in a variety of modes, most of which are decided by whoever can outlast their opponents. While some skill is involved, Fall Guys' matches always have a certain chaotic energy to them that ensures each bout feels different from the last and could be won by just about anybody.

Along with jumping online to compete against dozens of strangers from across the world, Fall Guys is a blast to throw on in local co-op settings. Get a few friends together, order a pizza, and spend a couple of hours trying to fling each other off skyscrapers and moving vehicles. That is friendship.

Hearthstone

Hearthstone is an online collectible card game from Blizzard. While the game is free-to-play, to be able to build a deck of any worth generally requires in-game purchases. On the positive end of the spectrum, Hearthstone is easy to learn but challenging to master.

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Low system requirements and well-balanced card types are also strengths in the game's favor. The game has drawn comparisons to Magic: The Gathering, with Hearthstone serving as a solid alternative.

Eve Online

Eve Online is not for the faint of heart. The epic space opera has been around for nearly two decades, and while the game's brilliance and ambition are well documented by this point, the same could be said for its excruciating difficulty and unwelcoming nature.

There is a lot to do in Eve Online, and it takes a long time to get to the parts that are genuinely enjoyable. However, if someone manages to push past the MMORPG's slow opening hours, they could eventually find themselves engaging in epic player-driven battles unlike anything else in the free gaming market.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends has, for the most part, enjoyed a wildly successful run as one of the most prominent free games for PC in the oversaturated battle royale market. Boasting polished first-person shooter gunplay, a robust roster of legends, and teamwork-driven gameplay, Respawn's title ticks most of the right boxes.

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In February 2023, Apex Legends entered Season 16, known as "Revelry." This update has significantly changed core parts of the experience in an effort to make the title more accessible to new players. While some of these alterations have garnered criticism, it remains to be seen whether this move proves to be a net positive in the grand scheme of things.

Lost Ark

More than two years after making its South Korean debut, Lost Ark has finally made its way to Western nations. While its fantasy setting and narrative will probably not hold too many surprises for people versed in MMORPGs, Lost Ark's gameplay loop is incredibly captivating, crafting an experience that can be enjoyed solo or with others. Boasting a diverse roster of classes and subclasses, Lost Ark gives players enough freedom to pursue their preferred style of play, which will then come alive in the form of smooth and stylish combat.

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Following a streamlined introductory few hours that seek to immerse players in Lost Ark's world and story, the game loosens its shackles and opens up so that adventurers can explore to their heart's content, although some limitations persist.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

Originally launching in 2017, PUBG: Battlegrounds helped popularize the battle royale genre, leading to the raise of juggernauts such as Fortnite and Warzone. On January 12, 2022, PUBG opted to go free-to-play, a decision that revitalized the game after a few decent but unspectacular years. PUBG pits a hundred players against each other on a rather large map, as combatants search for weapons and vehicles to give themselves an edge in combat.

There are so many free battle royale games out there that there is precious little incentive to try a new title. That said, PUBG is better than most of its contemporaries, and players will need to take a more tactical approach to the gameplay if they want to survive. Although not the first battle royale release, PUBG put the subgenre on the map, and the free-to-play version illustrates why the game has remained relatively relevant after more than four years.

Unturned

Unturned has enjoyed a ridiculously long shelf life, and while the free game probably peaked in popularity a few years ago, it is still very active on Steam. Do not be thrown off by the visuals, Unturned is less Minecraft and more DayZ. A survival zombie game, Unturned has all the mechanics one would expect from such a release, albeit largely simplified in terms of both presentation and execution. Just to be clear, that is not a criticism.

Once someone spawns into one of the game's maps, they must set out to find shelter, pick up some weapons, and just simply survive. The latter does not just refer to the walking dead but also to other players.

Rocket League

In September 2020, Rocket League went free-to-play, opening the already popular game to an even wider audience than it had already attracted. On the surface, "soccer meets cars" sounds like too bizarre of a concept to be anything but a novelty; yet, Psyonix's project exploded out of the gate and has only gotten better since then, both commercially and critically.

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Rocket League seems to have become the quintessential game that someone throws on when they have 30 minutes to kill and nothing else to play. Accessible but still skill-based, this is not only one of the best free games but simply one of the greatest releases of the last decade.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Debuting in 2011, Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the old guards of the MMORPG genre, and it is safe to assume that most people interested in this game have already checked it out. BioWare Austin has done an admirable job of maintaining the project's relevance, releasing a new expansion roughly every two years that significantly adds to the base game. The most recent addition, Legacy of the Sith, came out on February 15, 2022.

The free-to-play version is more than enough to experience SWTOR's main quest, which is one of the better parts of the package. However, people who would like to fully immerse themselves in the endgame or dive into the expansions will need to consider a subscription.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

Phantasy Star has been around since 1987, but for the longest time it seemed like 2012's Phantasy Star Online 2 would never make its way to Western nations. Then, in 2021, New Genesis dropped, a free-to-play action RPG that updates the vanilla release. Offering eight classes and a lot of customization options, New Genesis is an ambitious game set in an open-world packed with monsters, dungeons, and NPCs. It is all rather straightforward and typical for the MMORPG genre, but Sega's game is polished, fun, and deep.

New Genesis is a grind-heavy experience, even when compared to other JRPGs or MMORPGs. While there are quite a few quests, the game does not hand them out like they are going out of fashion; therefore, if someone wants to level up, they will just have to go out there and fight. Luckily, the combat is pretty great.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is the sequel to Valve’s Defense Of The Ancients and has become one of the most influential games of the modern era. Dota 2 is a team-based online battle arena that has become one of the more popular games used for e-sports. It plays similarly to a top-down view real-time strategy or adventure game, like Warcraft or Diablo.

Matches are against two five-player teams, with the goal being to destroy the opponents’ “Ancient” – which is an icon (usually a structure) of the ancients located within a team’s base. Dota 2 has been around for so long that it can feel absolutely inaccessible to newcomers, and the game has a reputation for being life-consuming. That said, the MOBA's success speaks for itself.

Tower Of Fantasy

It is still too early to definitively declare Tower of Fantasy as one of the best free PC games, but the potential is definitely there. Right out of the gate, the game's miHoYo influence is inescapable, both in terms of its visuals and mechanics. An anime-style open-world game, Tower of Fantasy sprinkles sci-fi elements over a fantastical realm while telling a familiar story about a world under siege by monsters.

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Players looking to immerse themselves in this title will need to jump in for daily sessions to reap the most rewards, especially if they want to increase their chances of unlocking desirable characters through the game's gacha system. Tower of Fantasy's combat is built upon a weapon system that encourages swapping out items in the middle of combos. For the most part, battles are fast-paced and enjoyable, if a bit too repetitive.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 might be the best online team-based shooter ever made. Team Fortress 2 continues the class-based play style that the original Team Fortress made popular. Critics and users alike have almost nothing but praise for this game’s graphics, control, class balance, and low system requirements.

This game is twelve years old, and yet it is still considered the go-to shooter for intense multiplayer action. There are in-game transactions in Team Fortress 2, but they are limited to cosmetic changes. Gamers who haven’t played this game yet should head over to Steam and give it a try.

Valorant

Created by a developer that knows a thing or two about crafting successful free-to-play games, Valorant hit the ground running and quickly found its place in the oversaturated hero shooter genre. Even though Overwatch 2 eventually went the free route, Riot's project is arguably the price point's strongest team-based first-person shooter, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Featuring multiple modes and a good range of maps, Valorant blends tight gunplay with strategic nuance thanks to its wide variety of agents, each one of which fits into a few different class types. As matches are 5v5, team synergy plays a significant part in determining the winner, and players are expected to fulfill certain roles depending on their chosen agent.

Even though it has been around for three years and has been great for most of that period, Valorant still feels like it has room to improve. While longevity can be difficult to predict, Riot's shooter seems destined to be around for the long haul.

Fortnite

Fortnite exploded in 2017 and has refused to go away ever since. Now, not every part of Epic's monster is free-to-play – the Save the World campaign requires an investment, which could be worth it for people looking for a co-op experience. However, the battle royale mode is comfortably the game's most decorated element, and it is free for everyone. Even though there are roughly 10 billion battle royales on the market, none of them compare to Fortnite in terms of mainstream appeal, and most of the genre's releases only exist due to the game's success.

Unsurprisingly due to its inescapable nature, Fortnite has received quite a bit of backlash over the years, to the point that some people might feel discouraged from giving it a go. While it is probably not going to convince anyone who hates battle royales, Fortnite's gameplay, visual style, and building mechanics help set it apart from the crowd.

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