Free-to-play games have grown in popularity in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. They’re great time sinks, and they’ve gotten so good that you’ll never feel shackled for not spending actual money on them.
You can’t go wrong with a free game if you have some spare time, especially if you’re playing on a PC, which has a plethora of free-to-play options. Even yet, with so many games to try, finding a game worth downloading might be difficult. You could stick to free Steam games, but there’s a lot of nice stuff outside of Valve’s online video game store if you don’t mind traveling outside of the comfort of Valve’s online video game store.
Our list includes some obvious choices, such as the enormously popular battle royale game Fortnite, which blends third-person shooting, resource gathering, and building into a highly addictive multiplayer experience. Without Riot Games’ extremely popular MOBA League of Legends, no free-to-play PC list would be complete. However, there are a slew of other free-to-play games available for PC, many of which may have slipped past your notice.
If you’re a PC player, you’re probably using a Windows-based machine. Simply download and install these free titles in that instance. Check out Valve’s game compatibility list if you wish to play these games on Steam Deck. It displays PC games that are compatible with SteamOS. According to information taken from SteamDB, there are several Steam Deck-verified titles available right now. What you need to know is as follows: A green checkmark means that the game has been thoroughly tested to run smoothly on Steam Deck, but a yellow checkmark indicates that the game is playable on Steam Deck “but requires additional steps or manual work from the user.” Of course, you could always use your Steam Deck to install Windows.
Keep in mind that games that require an online connection may not be suitable for Steam Deck play on the move unless you have access to a Wi-Fi signal.
Some of these free games are available on Steam, while others are exclusively available on the Epic Games Store or from the game’s own website. All of them are definitely worth your time, so grab a keyboard, mouse, battle stick, or gamepad and start playing.
Blade & Soul is an action-adventure game.
There are several MMORPGs to choose from, each with its own aesthetics, combat, and lore. Blade & Soul transports you to a fantasy realm inspired by martial arts and Wuxia tales. There are plenty of dungeons and raids to conquer, as well as robust player-versus-player systems to push you to improve your skills.
If dungeon exploring isn’t your thing, Blade & Soul’s arena has plenty of competitive PVP action to satisfy your bloodlust. Leveling is also quite simple, so getting to peak level, where the game’s content truly opens up, doesn’t take long.
Blade & Soul is, of course, free to play, but you can pay to unlock new warrior attire, character slots, and other stuff.
Brawlhalla
Although Brawlhalla is based on Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series, it has a few cool twists that give it its own flavor. This fighting game allows you to knuckle down in four-player competitive fights with the goal of knocking your opponent off the platform in order to collect points.
Brawlhalla, like Samurai Shodown, is a weapons-based game, with each of the 40 fighters having their own arsenal of weapons to utilize throughout a match. These weapons will appear on stages at random and will enhance your move set. There is a weekly rotation of playable characters in Brawlhalla, but you can buy your favorites with in-game currency. Even better, Brawlhalla supports PC and console play, ensuring that you’ll always be able to find a match.
Dauntless
Monster Hunter World has had a huge critical and economic impact, so it’s no surprise to see titles based on Capcom’s franchise. One such title is Dauntless. In a post-apocalyptic fantasy environment, Dauntless puts you against ferocious behemoths. It can be played solo or with up to four people hacking at a beast’s shins in multiplayer mode. The action is kept interesting by the presence of multiple combat classes.
You won’t have to pay anything to play Dauntless because it’s a free-to-play game. Unless you want to give your characters or weapons a cool skin.
Destiny 2
You and your friends play as Guardians in Destiny 2, immortal warriors who wander the solar system slaying cosmic threats. Since its premiere in 2017, this sci-fi shooter has seen numerous changes, including a free-to-play model, the addition of the Destiny Content Vault, and an increase in the number of planets. Destiny 2 is one of the most action-packed MMOs available on PC, so if you enjoy Call of Duty, it could be just up your alley.
Dota 2
“Easy to learn, hard to master” is a classic gaming adage, but few games better illustrate the concept than Defense of the Ancients 2. (Dota 2).
This free-to-play MOBA game requires you to choose one of over 100 playable Heroes to take to the battlefield (with the option to purchase them), and then use the character’s unique skills, play style, and traits to help your team win.
Eggnogg+
The Nidhogg games are a lot of fun, but if you don’t want to spend money on them, Eggnog+ is a great free-to-play alternative.
Eggnog+, like Nidhogg, pits you against an opponent in sword duels while you race to the other side of the map. You can use your weapon as both a projectile and a melee weapon. In addition, Eggnog+ includes retro-style graphics that enhance to the game’s appeal as you parry and strike.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online is the lone MMO in the popular Elder Scrolls brand, developed by Zenimax Online. Elder Scrolls Online, set a thousand years before the events of Skyrim, allows you to explore numerous familiar series places and participate in epic events.
In Elder Scrolls Online, you can explore the wetlands and exotic ecosystems of Morrowind, the sun-drenched isle of Summerset, and the snow-capped peaks of Skyrim. Elder Scrolls Online is one of the better MMOs in terms of storytelling, with a great plot and characters.
Eve Online
There are famous games like Eve Online, and then there are games like Eve Online. The sandbox MMO provides you a ship and throws you into cosmic adventures with guilds, pirates, and player-created corporations.
To be honest, Eve Online is more of a social experiment than a game, as it encourages you to interact with a large universe of possibly ruthless current people just to stay alive. If you decide to give Eve Online a try, you’ll find it to be one of the most rewarding and unique games ever created.
Fortnite
Fornite, the wildly popular battle royale game, sets 100 people against one other in an ever-shrinking map until only one player or group remains. In addition to gunplay, Fortnite includes resource collection and building, so you’ll need to run about the field with your handy pickax collecting fort-worthy components.
If you’re looking for some crazy shooting action, matches are easy to come by and incredibly addictive, so give it a shot. Fortunately, whether you’re playing on a PC, console, or mobile device, you won’t have to pay a dime to get in on the fun. You can buy new clothes, emotes, and pickaxes with in-app purchases.
Genshin Impact
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Mihoyo’s game is as complimentary as games get. Genshin Impact made an impression in the video game world in 2019 when they announced a massive open-world action-RPG based on Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
But that’s not to suggest it’s a cheap knockoff. Genshin Impact is a gacha game that stands out from Zelda and other open-world RPGs because to its multiple innovative gaming elements and charming story beats. To unlock high-powered warriors in the free-to-play PC game, however, some serious grinding (or some serious cash) is required. However, you do not need to spend any money to have a nice time.
Hearthstone
There are a lot of great card-based games out there, and Hearthstone is certainly one of them. Hearthstone’s cards are inspired by Warcraft lore and include relics and characters from the game.
Card fights pit two players against each other in a turn-based conflict in which each player utilizes a 30-card deck and a special hero to strategically reduce their opponent’s health to zero. You can gain gold by completing tasks and defeating opponents, which you can then spend on new cards to build your deck.
League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most popular and widely played MOBAs on PC. In League, you take on the role of a champion, a warrior with special abilities and mobility who must work together with teammates to demolish the opposing team’s base. Naturally, when you face tougher opponents, matches become more difficult and can run up to an hour.
League operates on a freemium concept, with free champions rotating weekly unless you pay cash to keep a character permanently. You can also play on a regular basis to gain in-game currency that you can spend to buy champions.
Lost Ark
Lost Ark is a free-to-play action-RPG that recently made its much anticipated U.S. premiere after enthralling audiences worldwide for quite some time. The Smilegate RPG-developed game (distributed in the United States by Amazon Games) contains 15 character classes of thrilling ranged and melee combatants.
It’s a stunning game with excellent singleplayer and multiplayer combat, particularly in the game’s rich conclusion. Although Lost Ark’s controller compatibility should be improved, the MMO is a great way to pass the time.
Runescape
Runescape is a fantasy-themed MMO that has been active for nearly two decades and is still going strong. Despite its two-decade existence, Runescape is still a popular game with regular improvements to keep veteran users satisfied.
Because the game was developed before the MMO character archetype trinity (tank, DPS, and healer) became popular, it used a rock-paper-scissors system in which melee defeats range, range defeats magic, and magic defeats melee. The gameplay is mostly point-and-click, although there are some battle scenarios, social interactions, missions, and mini-games thrown in for good measure. Runescape is simple to learn, and its laid-back atmosphere and old-school aesthetic may entice you to stay forever.
Smite
Smite is a third-person MOBA whose champions are drawn from ancient mythologies and pantheons. Matches are 5-on-5 team battles in which you must demolish your opponent’s base and towers.
When compared to League of Legends’ top-down camera, the third-person perspective makes battle considerably more dynamic, and the diverse range of playable characters adds to the aesthetic. Smite includes a constantly changing roster of free gods to play with, which may be permanently purchased with in-game gold or purchased in packs for real money.
Spellbreak
Download Spellbreak if you’re tired of the conventional battle royale game where you carry guns. In this fantasy-themed game, you take on the role of a Battlemage, a wizard who has no need for common guns.
Spellbreak replaces your dominant hand’s weaponry with various elemental gauntlets. Do you want to unleash strong fireballs, long-range ice missiles, or toxic goo waves that slowly poison your opponents? That’s something you can do. On the battlefield, you’ll also find extra gauntlets to equip on your off hand, giving you access to two components at once as you fight for victory.
War Thunder
War Thunder is a vehicle-based MMO that shares some similarities with Wargaming’s World of Tanks games and offers a variety of game types to fit your gaming preferences.
If you’re looking for some lighthearted action, War Thunder has an arcade-style mode that makes it simple to jump in and wreck havoc. If you prefer simulations, War Thunder features some advanced physics, ammo, and damage algorithms beneath the hood that help to bring the sim components to life and make your conflicts as realistic as possible. War Thunder now enables cross-platform play, allowing you to take your business to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users.
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Zareen Khan, a writer who is dedicated to creating innovative and thought-provoking work that pushes the boundaries of the written word. I believe that writing is not just about expressing oneself, but about challenging the status quo and pushing the limits of what's possible. I strive to create stories that are both unique and meaningful, that challenge readers to think differently and to question their assumptions. I believe that writing has the power to change the world, and I am honored to be a part of that tradition.
Eirlys here. I'm a writer with a keen eye for detail and a talent for weaving words together to create something truly special. From a young age, I've been fascinated by the way words can be used to paint a picture, to tell a story, to convey an emotion. I've always been drawn to the beauty and complexity of language, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to make a career out of it. My goal as a writer is to create work that is both accessible and profound, that speaks to the human experience in a way that is both relatable and illuminating.
