The best free multiplayer PC games

While there may be plenty of great games to play alone on your computer, you might be looking for some games to play with a friend (or a few). Luckily, there are so many great co-op games that you and your friends can play without paying a cent (unless you really, really want to).

Most free-to-play games these days are massive MMORPGs that allow you to make in-game purchases, but the good thing is that there's a surprising amount of variety to be found among these games. If you know where to look, you'll find that there are plenty of great co-op games on PC.

Updated on October 8, 2024 by Sanyam Jain: Playing games with a group of your friends, whether on the same couch or online, is always awesome. Understanding this, many companies have focused their resources on co-op games, and Once Human is a great product of that.

14 The path of exile

Metacritic Score: 86

The dungeon crawling formula pioneered and perfected by the Diablo series has permeated many different genres these days. If you want a free-to-play option to play with friends, then look no further than Path of Exile. The game has Diablo influence on its sleeve, especially the more complex elements taken from Diablo 2.

It was a saving grace for many fans who were unhappy with the direction Diablo 3 was going, which no doubt led to the rise in popularity of Path of Exile upon release. It may be free, but it can be hard to get into because of the surprisingly high skill cap. This can be a plus or a minus, depending on what type of player you are.

13 Trove

Metacritic Score: 65

Trove isn't as complex as other MMOs, but that's part of its appeal. You don't have to spend a lot of time tinkering with systems. The attack is simple and there are only three abilities you can use in battle for that class. The art style is also a little friendlier with a voxel-based approach.

Although the game is free to play, there are ways to spend more money using microtransactions. It's true that ignoring all of these elements makes some elements of the game a big problem, but if you're with friends, it's just the mindless fun you might need to play with them.

12 Once a Man

Metacritic Score: 71

While there are already plenty of co-op zombie shooter games out there, Once Human occupies a pretty special place among them all. This game skyrocketed upon its release with a huge open world waiting for you to explore. Each area has something unique and there are plenty of puzzles to piece together.

You'll also be fighting a lot of zombies as you try to get the various chests, some of which have their own unique skills. However, if you're someone who likes to avoid conflict, you can also focus on building a home for your co-op buddies while they go out and get loot.

11 No more room in hell

Metacritic User Score: 7.5

• Release date: October 31, 2013
• Developer: Matt “Maxx” Kazan
• Platforms: pc

Left 4 Dead is Valve's big zombie game, but No More Room In Hell was an independently developed mod for Half-Life 2 that takes a more solid approach to first-person gameplay in the zombie apocalypse.

The game focuses on realism, forcing you to allocate resources and make tough decisions about when to fight and when to run. The standalone title is also free, much like the mod, allowing eight players to join in and try to survive together.

No critic ratings were available for No More Room in Hell, so we used user scores instead.

10 Intrepid

Metacritic Score: 78

There seems to be a trend among free-to-play games to offer a free-to-play version of a popular video game that costs money. Dauntless, for example, feels a lot like Monster Hunter.

It's built around a monster-slaying loop, the loot of which will help you build stronger gear to take on even stronger monsters. Going on these hunts with friends is a great way to spend some time playing. The main difference between it and Monster Hunter World is the more cartoonish graphics.

9 Alien swarm

Metacritic Score: 77

• Release date: July 19, 2010
• Developer: Valve
• Platforms: pc

Alien Swarm is for those who love hectic top-down shooters. In this you can go through the campaign with three other friends. Team composition is important for survival, so choose the right class and use the right gear to complement the other players in your party.

The game began life as a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004 before the developers were hired by Valve, and a standalone version was released in 2010. The standalone version is still free and runs on the source engine as opposed to the Unreal Engine.

8 Team Strength 2

Metacritic Score: 92

It's impossible to talk about this topic without mentioning one of the most famous free-to-play games of all time, Team Fortress 2. A staple of Steam since the day it was available on the store, Team Fortress 2 is a great choice to play with or against friends .

It primarily serves as a first-person shooter with a number of objective-based modes where you and some friends can work in the same team and decimate your enemies. PVP may be over a decade old at this point, but the fact that it's still relevant speaks volumes for how much fun it is.

7 With you

Metacritic score not available

• Release date: March 7, 2022
• Developer: Carol Mertz
• Platforms: pc

With You is a surprisingly charming little game to play with a close friend. Communication is key in this game as you will need to work together with your friend to overcome the various challenges that await you.

It's far from the most complicated game, but it's a fun way to spend time with a friend or even a loved one who may not be as into gaming as you are. It's worth checking out, especially if you like unique puzzle games that don't overdo it with difficulty.

6 War frame

Metacritic Score: 64

A free-to-play game that lets you play as ancient yet still futuristic warriors with your friends is always a great choice, and that's what you get with Warframe. Rather than a relatively simple experience, Warframe gives you plenty of choices and gameplay options to explore.

The best part is that the game is not a massive event worth winning. Instead, if you and your friends find that you enjoy the game, you can just try to earn most of the things you want. It has an RPG and third-person combat mechanics that make every play session fresh.

5 We were here

Metacritic Score: 63

If you and a friend are looking for a fun challenge that asks the two of you to test your communication skills, We Were Here is just waiting to be played. You and a friend are stuck in a castle and it's up to the two of you to figure out how to get out.

Don't think that the game will be easy, because even many experienced puzzle game players get stuck at times. The key is to be able to communicate effectively. Otherwise, you may have a serious problem to overcome even the simplest tasks.

4 Apex Legends

Metacritic Score: 89

If you like hero-based games, Apex Legends is probably already on your radar. Fortunately, you can start the hero shooter for free on Steam and make a habit of playing with your friends as often as possible in this fun little battle royale game.

It can be a challenge for you and a few friends to succeed once you dive into the game thanks to all the very experienced players, but don't let that put you off. Simple controls and easy-to-grasp hero abilities make things fair for everyone who plays.

3 Fate 2

Metacritic Score: 85

While it was a pay-to-play game at one point, Destiny 2 has since become a free-to-play experience that you and a few friends can choose to play. There is so much to experience in this game that you should be prepared for the entire time you are immersed in it.

It is a first-person shooter that offers different modes to keep the game interesting. Fortunately, it's a seriously fun co-op experience, especially when you and your friends are constantly comparing gear and finding new ways to improve.

2 Goose Goose Duck

Metacritic User Score: 7.5

If you like the concept of Between Us, but don't want to pay for the game (or can't talk your friends into buying it), you might want to consider Goose Goose Duck. It's basically the same experience, but with ducks to replace the crew members.

The game has gained a lot of notoriety thanks to big celebrities trying it out, which means the game is incredibly accessible to casual players. It's a fast-paced experience, easy to pick up, and will result in lots of laughs no matter who's playing.

There is no critic score available, so we used the user score

1 Halo Infinite

Metacritic Score: 87

Even though Halo Infinite has seen a lot of changes, it's still a fun experience to try out, especially since it's free to play. If you've played a Halo game, you know what you're in for, though the game does its best to keep things fresh whenever possible.

If you find yourself enjoying the game with your friends and want some lore, you might be interested in trying out the campaign, although unfortunately it will cost you quite a bit. If you want to stick with a fun and easy multiplayer experience, it's hard to go wrong with Halo Infinite.

Although the co-op campaign costs extra money or at least a Game Pass subscription, the skirmish mode is a solid alternative for those who want some PVE action.