The best free games offer players a lot of content without charging anything, with some ethical microtransactions for super-fans. We’ve rounded up the best free-to-play games that hold true to that, including free FPS games and MMORPGs. With everything from genre-bending games like Frog Fractions to open-world JRPGs like Genshin Impact, there’s something for everyone.
Although the free-to-play group gets a bad rap, there are plenty of games that offer dozens (and even hundreds) of hours of gameplay without asking for a dime. There are a few options on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, but most of the titles below are free PC games. Thankfully, quite a few of them are from a few years ago, so you should be able to run them without a full gaming PC.
Cheap isn’t necessarily free, but if you’re looking for steep discounts on consoles and accessories, take a look at the best gaming deals available now.
What are the best free-to-play first-person shooter games?
Splitgate (PC, Xbox, PlayStation)
Splitgate has quickly jumped from indie darling to mainstream mainstay. In fact, the game grew so rapidly that the developer struggled to get enough servers online to handle the influx of players. As for how it plays, imagine the offspring of Portal and Halo — and you’re not far off the mark.
Splitgate is unabashedly old-school, with fans of the original Halo loving its “retro” mentality. The biggest wrinkle to the FPS is the ability to open portals and quickly move about the map. If you’re trying to be sneaky, you can also use them to snipe players in completely different locations before closing your portal and fleeing to safety.
Destiny 2 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)
Destiny 2 is the poster child for the games-as-a-service model, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. Far from it, in fact — Destiny 2 is a sprawling online shooter with ultra-tight gun mechanics and some of the most intense combat encounters in gaming. Although originally released for a full $60, Destiny 2 is now one of the best free-to-play games available. Even better, Bungie overhauled the leveling system once the game’s price fell away, so you don’t need to worry about hundreds of hours of grinding.
Like a lot of games-as-a-service titles, though, Destiny 2 is what you make of it. The visuals are stunning and the mechanics are world-class, but tackling the world alone is a lonely experience — even with the best Destiny 2 weapons. It’s a game best played with friends, where the driving forces of progression are the wild experiences you’ll have during missions. If playing solo is more your speed, you can always grind matches in Destiny 2′s Crucible PvP mode.
Team Fortress 2 (PC)
Originally packaged inside The Orange Box in 2007, Valve’s Team Fortress 2 was an instant success in the multiplayer shooter realm. The class-based shooter with nine differentiated classes featured a slew of competitive game modes upon release, including Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and several other objective-based modes. Although more than a decade old and overshadowed by a hero shooter called Overwatch, Valve has continued to support the PC version of the game in recent years
It went free-to-play in 2011 and now supports both ranked play and casual matches. Team Fortress 2 is not only a great game today, but it’s an important part of video game history. You can enjoy the whole experience for free. If you so choose, though, you can purchase cosmetic items in-game.
Valorant (PC)
