Earlier this week, we shared our picks of the 28 best single-player games to play while we all stay at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. If you prefer a bit of friendly competition, though, we’ve got you covered.
From the best Battle Royale games in 2020, to the top sports simulations, and everything in between, here are 33 of our favorite multiplayer video games to dive into while you’re stuck at home, with picks for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Many of these games are free to play, so if you’ve got any one of those consoles or a PC, there’s going to be something for you!
Some other lists to check out:
There are also romantic games for two. Play against (or with) strangers online, or seek out your friends on the site. Some games you can even play with 2 players or more in the same room, against each other or in collaboration. Never play alone again and enjoy the free multiplayer games online!
- Dec 22, 2020 While the Xbox One version of the game supports split-screen play for both the campaign and the multiplayer mode, the PC version of Gears of War 4 only offers split-screen support for the campaign. Which means that while you’ll be able to enjoy the entire campaign along with a friend, you won’t be able to enjoy the online multiplayer mode.
- We collected 1039 of the best free online multiplayer games. These games include browser games for both your computer and mobile devices, as well as apps for your Android and iOS phones and tablets. They include new multiplayer games such as Warfare Classic and top multiplayer games such as Bullet Force, Shell Shockers, and Madalin Stunt Cars 2.
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Call of Duty's second attempt at the Battle Royale genre has turned into a smash hit, as the game is a much more enjoyable blend of classic COD multiplayer action and BR mechanics. Best of all? It's free.2. Fortnite
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Fortnite has, for now, been supplanted at the top of the Battle Royale heap, but if you prefer a more cartoony look or you just enjoy frantically building structures, Fortnite is for you.3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Platforms: Switch
The biggest and best Smash Bros. entry yet, with great online or local multiplayer play.4. Rocket League
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Turbo-charged car soccer. If that doesn't sound awesome already, I'm not sure what to tell you.5. Teamfight Tactics
Platforms: PC, Mobile
A League of Legends themed auto-battler that is accessible, deep, addiciting and free. Side note: League of Legends is also great on its own, but only if you're prepared to spend a LOT of hours learning the game.6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Platforms: Switch
The best Mario Kart yet plays very well online with others.7. Apex Legends
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Another excellent free-to-play Battle Royale option.8. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
If you're looking for a slower-paced and slightly more relistic Battle Royale option, PUBG is for you.9. FIFA 20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
FIFA 20 has a wealth of multiplayer options, from various friendly options, to co-op seasons, to grindy Ultimate Team modes.10. NBA 2K20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
The best (and only) basketball sim around, with plenty of options for regular online games, seasons, or park play.11. Madden NFL 20
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
It may be a while before we see actual on-field action, but you could always create or download the current draft class to get a head-start on Madden 21.12. Overwatch
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
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A beloved hero-based shooter, but brace for the potential online toxicity.13. Animal Crossing: New HorizonsPlatforms: Switch
Animal Crossing is primarily a single-player game, but it's made much more enjoyable by interacting with your friends online. Visit their island, hang out together, send each other presents and live the good life.14. Overcooked 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
A brilliant cooking simulator that demands multiple players work in harmony to produce various dishes on a deadline. Great for in-home team building, or potentially for starting fights.15. Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A unique shooter MMO with plenty of normal arena multiplayer modes on offer, Destiny 2 is at its best when you're playing with friends. If you can get three or four to start with you, you'll have a blast.16. Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six Siege
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A deep, tactics-focused FPS where teamwork is paramount.17. World of Warcraft
Platforms: PC
It's one of the better times to revisit WoW if you're an old player, or start the journey for the first time if you've never played it. The newest expansion for modern WoW is set to release sometime in 2020, but a subscription also grants you access to WoW Classic if you prefer the OG MMO experience.18. Mario Party
Platforms: Switch
A great couch party game for up to four players, but sadly with no online play.19. Sea of Thieves
Platforms: Xbox One, PC
Role play as a pirate! Definitely best expeirenced with a few friends you know.20. A Way Out
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A brilliant two-person co-op experience where you work together with another player to break out of prison.21. Minecraft
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, phones and tablets
Mine and craft to your heart's content alone or with pals.22. Grand Theft Auto V
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PCRockstar is still adding new things to do in GTAV Online, which now has heists, a casino, and most recently, open-wheel racing.23. Red Dead Redemption 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Or if you prefer your GTA-style game in a jaw-dropping western setting, Red Dead Online has made some major strides since launch.24. Borderlands 3
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Borderlands 3 offers some of the best campaign co-op you can find in 2020.25. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Platforms: PC
On the PC side, there's no better FPS than CS:GO.26. iRacing
Platforms: PC
You'll need to invest in a wheel and pedals, but if you love racing games, there's no better or more realistic online experience.27. Any Jackbox Party Pack
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Phones/Tablets
The GOAT party games, which allow for long-distance multiplayer with your friends using smart devices as controllers. Each party pack offers a different lineup of games, but you really can't go wrong with any of them.28. Mortal Kombat 11
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
All the gloriously over-the-top violent fighting action you could want.29. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
… Or, if you want to avoid all the ridiculous gore of Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter30. Final Fantasy XIV
Platforms: PS4, PC
If you're a Final Fantasy fan who has never ventured into an MMO, FFXIV is a very accessible and highly polished entry that can be enjoyed solo or along with other people.31. Magic: The Gathering Arena
Platforms: PC
There are countless free-to-play card games vying for your attention, but my favorite of the bunch is Magic: Arena, which successfully made arguably the greatest collectible card game created more accessible than ever. Also consider: Legends of Runeterra.32. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Platforms: Xbox One, PC
This game had a troubled launch, but has since been fixed and is being revamped for PC. If you want to re-live the Halo 2 and 3 glory days, or play though all the campaigns with a friend, it's all here.33. The Division 2
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
An online shooter RPG set in a beautifully imaged post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Playing online with friends is essential to your enjoyment.
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In the world of video games, the PC is a bit like the wild west. While Microsoft and Sony try to govern what is released onto their platforms, just about anyone can release a game and make it available.
As such, there are a lot of free PVP games available on the PC. New games come out so fast that it’s basically impossible to play them all. Just when you think you’ve found a bunch of free-to-play games that you like, ten more pop up to replace it.
Don’t worry, because we’ve invested an absurd amount of time into compiling the ten best F2P PVP multiplayer games available for PC. If you want something to play and you want to keep your wallet firmly shut, these are the must-play games for you.
Related: The best digital card games worth playing
10. Dota Underlords
Dota 2 started off as a mod, and Dota Underlords came from the same beginning. The “auto chess” style of game has taken the gaming world by storm, and Dota Underlords has been a game at the forefront of all the excitement.
If you like your PVP gameplay a little slower and more tactical, Underlords is the perfect game for you.
Related: Common online gaming terms and acronyms, explained
9. Teamfight Tactics
The other game that’s making waves in the auto chess scene is Teamfight Tactics. While Dota Underlords is a spinoff of Dota 2, Teamfight Tactics is built off League of Legends.
Really, choosing between the two is just a matter of preference between some of the nuanced mechanical differences and whether you prefer the LOL or Dota 2 universe.
8. Destiny 2
After multiple years and iterations as a game that costs money, Bungie finally decided to switch things up and make Destiny 2 F2P. Well, at least some of it.
You won’t get the latest expansion packs as part of Destiny 2: New Light, but you’ll still get hundreds of hours of gameplay and near-infinite replay value from Destiny 2‘s deep multiplayer mode called The Crucible.
Related: The best loot shooter games that aren’t Destiny 2
7. Paladins
The easiest way to describe Paladins is to say that it’s a lot like Overwatch, but it’s free-to-play. It features a very similar style of fast-paced shooting with a huge variety of characters that each play differently from the others.
There are tons of customization options available that’ll let players tweak the game to suit their playstyle, so you’ll have a hard time getting bored with this Paladins.
Fun Online Multiplayer Games Pc
6. Starcraft 2
Starcraft 2 is easily one of the best RTS games ever created, and the fact that Blizzard has made the bulk of the game free-to-play is truly exciting.
You won’t get all of the content in the game, but there’s more than enough PVP content available to keep you busy for a long time.
Obviously, there are tons of savage players out there since Starcraft 2 is a fairly old game, but don’t let that detur you! There’s still plenty of fun to be had.
Related: The best real-time strategy games on PC
5. Fortnite
It’s hard to find a bigger game than Fortnite right now. Everyone from children playing their very first video game to competitive esports athletes fly down to shoot and build their way to a “Victory Royale” in the beloved game.
Love it or hate it, there’s a reason Fortnite is so massive, and you have to respect what Epic Games managed to accomplish.
Free To Play Multiplayer Pc
Related: Why do people love battle royale games?
4. Apex Legends
In the battle of F2P battle royale games, Apex Legends and Fortnite are the two big dogs in the fight, and personally, I find the gameplay, setting, and feel of Apex Legends to be a little better than Fortnite.
Respawn managed to harness much of the same incredible feel as Titanfall, but it did with huge groups of players all trying to be the last one standing.
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
When it comes to competitive, old-school first-person shooters, it’s almost impossible to find one better than Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
It’s as hardcore as it gets in terms of skilled players battling it out, and getting into the game is no easy task. But once you learn the mechanics and get a feel for the aiming, you’ll be hooked.
2. League of Legends
League of Legends has remained one of the most popular video games across all platforms for a long time, and this isn’t a coincidence. Riot Games is constantly iterating and balancing its MOBA masterpiece to create an experience that’s hard to rival.
1. Dota 2
Choosing between Dota 2 and League of Legends is like deciding whether you want to support one of two rival sports teams.
League players and Dota 2 players both think they’re playing the superior game, and it’s hard to pick one. Personally, I give a slight edge to Dota 2 just because I enjoy the pace of the game a bit more, but it’s really close to being a tie.
Online Multiplayer Games Pc And Ps4
If you’re interested in trying a MOBA for the first time, play them both (one-at-a-time to avoid confusing yourself) and see which one tickles your fancy.
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