Best Free-to-Play Games

Based on critic scores and popularity, the top free-to-play games right now are Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Destiny 2. The list updates every day, so new free games show up here as soon as they launch.

Yes - you can download and play the base game without paying anything. What you get for free differs from game to game: in shooters like Marvel Rivals or PUBG: Battlegrounds you can play every mode for free and pay only for cosmetics and battle passes, while many online RPGs give you a big chunk of the game for free and sell newer story expansions separately. A quick look at the game page shows which DLCs and editions exist and what they cost.

Mostly optional extras: cosmetic skins, battle passes, in-game currency, and starter or founder packs that bundle a few items with a bonus. Some games also sell bigger expansions or premium editions with extra characters and content. Before you spend money inside the game, check the game page here - bundles and DLC keys from trusted stores can be cheaper than the in-game price.

Most free-to-play games are made for playing together, and since nobody has to buy anything, getting the whole group in is easy. Squad up in The Finals, fight through missions together in Warframe or Path of Exile, or explore huge online worlds in Guild Wars 2 or Star Trek Online. For paid games that are worth buying as a group, check out our Co-op Games list.

Not always. Many free-to-play games are built to run on a wide range of PCs, so more players can join in, but newer shooters can still ask for a decent graphics card. Every game page here shows the system requirements, so you can check before you download.

The games themselves are free, but their bundles, DLCs and editions go on sale just like any other game - and the same pack can cost a different amount in different stores. Every game page lists the current offers side by side. Add the games you play to your wishlist, so they are easy to find when the next sale starts.