The free-to-play genre gets a bad rap, and rightfully so. In its early years, free-to-play games were littered with paywalls, allowing only those with the deepest pockets to win the day. However, games like Warframe and Destiny 2 prove that it's possible to sustain a free-to-play game without an endless onslaught of microtransactions.
The best free games offer players dozens of hours of playtime 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.
Further reading
Action
Warframe
Warframe also includes a remarkable number of customization options, which allow you to modify your weapons and "Warframe" exo-armor, thus letting you better cater your gear toward your specific playstyle. You even have access to your own personal spaceship, which you'll use as your base when between missions. Once you touch down on foot, however, your mobility won't be limited; seven different parkour moves allow you to navigate hard-to-reach areas and get the drop on enemies.
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World of Tanks
It has spawned spin-off games focusing on ferocious naval and air battles, but nothing can top the intense warfare offered in the original World of Tanks. Featuring armored destroyers from America, England, Germany, China, France, and the Soviet Union (among other nations), World of Tanks ' multiplayer matches are absolutely massive, with teams constantly vying to gain tactical positions over one another as they fire long-range shots, flank enemies, and protect their allies. Tanks have roughly a dozen different armored plates, too, each with their own level of protection against incoming fire.
For those willing to risk their skin a little bit more, the "self-propelled gun" class will allow you to take out a large number of enemies, provided they don't immediately spot you and blow you to oblivion. A detailed guide - available on the game's official website - will get you started with your first tank from any of the available classes, and it offers some additional tips to keep your tank in one piece during your first few matches. Once you're feeling comfortable with the game's combat, you can join a clan and attempt to take control of the "global map," which not only earns you bragging rights but also special vehicles and in-game currency.
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World of Warships
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War Thunder
Set during World War II, this combat-oriented flight simulator lets players enter the cockpit of planes hailing from five world powers. If you want a serious simulation, where controlling a plane is a complicated endeavor, you can do that in War Thunder. But if you want to play it more as an arcade game, you can do that, too. Once you're confident with your skills, you can jump online and compete in epic 16v16 dogfights or objective-based missions. While planes are the focal point here, War Thunder also has anti-aircraft vehicles and tanks. As a free-to-play game, many of the planes and perks are locked behind paywalls. You can, however, unlock new content without dropping a dime, though it will take you longer.
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Let It Die
From Grasshopper Manufacture, Let It Die is one of the most hardcore games on this list. It's a grueling hack-and-slash game with a premise as weird as you'd expect from the development studio behind the No More Heroes series. It's 2026 and Tokyo has split in half. A tower has ascended from the depths of the ocean. Uncle Death, a version of the grim reaper with a penchant for skateboarding, compels you to head to the tower to find out what's at the very top. What follows is an addicting but challenging tower run that sees you fighting through floor after floor of nefarious creatures and enemies. When you die - and you will - your play data is shared with other players, adding yourself into their games as enemies (and vice versa). Free-to-play action games like Let It Die are somewhat rare, so if you have a PS4 or PC, you should definitely give it a go.
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Battle Royale
Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone evolves the battle royale formula, too. The biggest change is the Gulag. If you die, you're sent to the Gulag once for a one-on-one showdown. If you win, you redeploy for free, and if you lose, your teammates will have to buy you back. This mechanic removes any feel-bad moments from Warzone where you happen to fall into an area with no loot and someone kills you before you can get your bearings.
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PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile isn't a hastily-built cash-in, either. The game has been optimized for mobile devices, running at a framerate that can often put the Xbox One version to shame. Depending on your device - iPhone 6s is the oldest supported phone - the game will automatically pick graphical settings, but you can change them at any time in order to maximize detail or improve performance.
Android iOS
Fortnite: Battle Royale
Following in the footsteps of PlayerUnknown's Battlegroundscomes Fortnite: Battle Royale, a free player-versus-player chunk of Epic Games' zombie defense shooter. Like PUBG, the goal in Fortnite: Battle Royale is to take down all the other players in the game and be the last one standing. But Fortnite's cartoonish take on shooting mechanics means you get an alternative to PUBG 's more militaristic (and somewhat more realistic) shooter.
There's another aspect to Fortnite that sets it apart from PUBG - building. You can construct walls, structures, and objects that can give you a leg-up in a fight, or leave you vulnerable to ambush. Either way, the addition of creating your own battleground and fortifications can alter the last players standing rules significantly.
Android iOS Windows
Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a polished experience with excellent gunplay, a great map, and a fun roster of characters. It's one of the best free-to-play shooters around and is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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Related The history of Battle Royale: From mod to worldwide phenomenon
Darwin Project
In the increasingly crowded battle royale genre, Darwin Project stands out. Ten players drop in the snowcapped Canadian Rockies at the dawn of the next Ice Age. The name of the game is survival. You have to keep warm by setting fires, scavenging for resources, and crafting. Of course, the elements aren't all you have to worry about. You want to outlive your fellow competitors, and in order to do so, you must track them, set traps, and become adept at bow combat.
The big twist is that an eleventh player, dubbed the Show Director, sees all that is happening. They choose when and where to send supply drops, along with shutting down zones across the map. This role can be solely filled by one person or the director can crowdsource the direction to viewers on Twitch and Mixer. Darwin Project is a strategic battle royale experience that feels like the next evolution of multiplayer survival games. It's available on PC and Xbox One.
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Collectible card game (CCG)
Hearthstone
Blizzard is the master of polish, and this was never more apparent than when the developer released Hearthstone in 2014. Taking fan-favorite characters from the Warcraft series (Thrall, Jaina Proudmoore, and many more) players battle in a Magic: The Gathering-style card duel to the virtual death, using a variety of spells and minions - including Murlocs - in an effort to lower their opponent's health to zero.
It's a deceptively simple premise. Aside from "mana crystals," which determine how many cards - and which cards - you can play in any one turn, there aren't many unique game mechanics to Hearthstone. Yet the game's brisk matches and wide range of strategies will keep you itching to play one more game.
New cards, which can be purchased using gold earned through normal play, help you develop your own custom decks. You can also get cards more quickly by spending real money, though gold is given out at such a liberal rate that you can stick with playing free if you hone in on a single competitive deck.
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Magic: The Gathering Arena
Hearthstone is like Magic: The Gathering, but Arena is Magic: The Gathering. Known for popularizing, if not straight up creating, the collectible card game genre, Magic has a storied history. Although more involved than the other card games listed here, the core premise of Magic is simple. Lands produce mana, which you can use to cast spells, and you can play one land per turn. It's identical to Hearthstone in that regard, with the only difference being resource management.
You actually have to have a land in hand in order to get mana for that turn, whereas most other digital card games handle the mana scaling automatically. Although that may seem like a downside, it really isn't. The variance in Magic is one of its core tenets, allowing players with a very weak deck to win against very powerful decks if they have the right draw.
Like other digital CCGs, Arena is free-to-play, though you'll have to spend some money to get a proper deck. The best course of action is to choose which format you want to play most. If you're interested in drafting, you'll slowly build a collection to put together a competitive deck or two. If you only want to play constructed, where you build a deck from whatever cards you want, it's best just to buy some packs. Thankfully, Arena dishes out free packs left and right, and with the wildcard system, you can craft whatever extra cards you need. Although buying a competitive deck can get expensive, it's much cheaper than buying that deck physically, where cards can cost $60 or more a piece.
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Gwent
Each card that is played can lead to earning points. The player with the most points at the end of a round wins. It's a different style of card game than traditional CCGs like Hearthstone, but that's not a bad thing.
Gwent is available on PC, iOS, and Android. It was on Xbox One and PS4, but CD Projekt Red stopped supporting the game late last year. Gwent's stand-alone single-player Thronebreaker mode turns the game into a lengthy, 30-hour RPG.
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Fighting
Killer Instinct
Nearly two decades after the release of the original game, Microsoft and Double Helix relaunched Killer Instinct as a tough-as-nails fighter with enough style to give Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter a run for their money. Classic characters such as Jago, TJ Combo, and Sabrewulf make their return, and the game has remained a staple in the competitive fighting scene since it launched in 2013. Developer Iron Galaxy has improved upon the formula in the last few years, too, and the addition of awesome combatants like Spinal and Battletoads ' Rash add variety and a healthy dose of nostalgia.
All modes are available in Killer Instinct without paying a dime, but you're limited to just one character at a time. However, Xbox Live Gold subscribers have received the "Ultra Edition" of the game's first season for free in the past.
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Brawlhalla
After spending a couple of years in early access, Brawhlhalla, a fighting game that can only really be compared to Super Smash Bros., released as a free-to-play title in 2017. In 2018, Blue Mammoth Games, the studio behind the peculiar brawler, was acquired by Ubisoft. Brawlhalla 's ascent to landing with one of the biggest video game studios in the world means that the game will reach new heights. Currently, it's available on PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC. Ubisoft's spunky mascot Rayman will enter the fight then, too.
From a core gameplay perspective, Brawlhalla mirrors Smash in that the goal is to knock other fighters off the map. It features a simple control scheme that lets new players jump in quickly, which is perfect for a free-to-play game. Additionally, a myriad of interesting game modes, a plethora of maps, and a robust roster of fighters keep the experience fresh. And yes, weapons fall from the sky just like in Smash. In the free-to-play model, Brawlhalla lets players play as six different fighters each week. If you spend $20, you unlock all 41 fighters and all future fighters, including Rayman. It's fast, easy to play, and has an engaging progression system.
Steam PlayStation Store Microsoft Store Nintendo eShop
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)
League of Legends
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Dota 2
Windows Mac
Heroes of the Storm
Although not directly advertised or viewed internally as a MOBA, Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm has all the trappings of a MOBA. It's five-on-five and features a wide array of heroes (currently 89) split into four roles: Specialist, Warrior, Support, and Assassin. Heroes of the Storm hasn't achieved the same level of notoriety as League of Legends or Dota 2, but it's a satisfying and deep experience in its own right. With 15 maps and a slew of game modes, including ranked, unranked, and even CPU battles, Heroes of the Storm has enough content to keep you playing for the long haul. Of course, you have to have an affinity for MOBAs, but we've found that Heroes of the Storm is a bit easier to get into than League and Dota.
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Smite
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Puzzle
Cube Escape: Paradox
Since 2015, Rusty Lake has released a startling number of under-the-radar games in the Cube Escape franchise. Cube Escape: Paradox is the tenth entry in the series already, and it happens to be one of the very best. The series stars detective Dale Vandermeer on his quest to figure out the mysterious death of a woman. You don't need to play the other titles to jump into Paradox, as each one works well as a stand-alone. In Paradox, Vandermeer wakes up without memories in a strange room. Think Saw but less nefarious. Vandermeer must then solve a series of puzzles to escape. Like other Cube Escape games, Paradox combines film and video games to create an enthralling, novel experience. While you can only play the first episode for free, we wholly recommend checking out this great series, especially if you like weird, experimental games.
Steam Android
Tetris 99
Android iOS
Role-playing (RPG)
EVE Online
EVE Online is arguably the most storied massively multiplayer online game in existence. The huge space exploration title sees rising and falling empires and allegiances as players wage war on each other. Players fly around a galaxy in spaceships, mining resources, getting into scuffles, trading with one another, and basically playing whatever role they want. The best rewards require the biggest risks, and you're not always safe when other players want what you have.
Though it's notoriously difficult to get into, EVE Online is a huge, deep game with a big following of dedicated players. It's so involved that it's quickly spawning its own history, and every so often, players turn its inky void into a giant battlefield where whole armadas wage war on one another. And now that the game is free, it's possible to find out what the deal is with EVE Online with minimal investment.
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Star Wars: The Old Republic
Like many MMOs, Star Wars: The Old Republic started as a subscription-based experience before floundering and turning free-to-play. That's not to say The Old Republic is a bad game in the slightest. In fact, from a production value standpoint, BioWare's The Old Republic is one of the most impressive games on this list. With excellent writing and fully voiced dialogue, lots of Star Wars lore, and differentiated storylines based on classes, The Old Republic offers a deep experience that demands to be played and revisited from multiple vantage points. The gameplay, which is real-time combat similar to the other Old Republic games, is serviceable throughout both mainline quests and the PvP mode. You can play as either the Republic or Empire and choose between four classes on each side of the struggle. For fans of Star Wars, The Old Republic offers one of the most narratively ambitious stories in the galaxy far, far away. If you haven't tried it yet, you can play a sizable amount of content for free on PC.
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Neverwinter
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Path of Exile
Heavily inspired by the Diablo series, Path of Exile is an excellent online action RPG with a great loop and tons of fun (and free!) content. Designed by Grinding Gear Games, Path of Exile released in 2013 to positive critical reception, but it has only improved since with new expansions, adding new items, skills, and story content.
Players pick between one of seven classes - Witch, Shadow, Ranger, Marauder, Duelist, Templar, and Scion - each of which has their own movesets, strengths, and weaknesses.
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DC Universe Online
Since 2011, DC Universe Online has offered users the ability to play as their favorite DC superheroes or even create their own. An MMORPG that quickly dropped its subscription model to go free-to-play, DC Universe Online features a series of quests across Metropolis and Gotham City.
Fast-paced combat, interesting end-game raids, and surprisingly fun PvP matches make for a diverse experience across dozens of hours. Besides daily quests and new storylines, DC Universe Online still receives regular updates. If you're into superheroes, DC Universe Online is certainly worth trying out on PS4, Xbox One, or PC.
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Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 is one of the largest and most successful MMOs of the modern era. So successful in fact that it was able to drop its subscription model three years after release and go free-to-play. With a fast-paced, action-oriented combat system, it's a blast in moment-to-moment action, and you don't necessarily need friends alongside you to be successful, provided that you're skilled.
An in-game gem store keeps the money coming in while ArenaNet consistently adds new content to the experience through seasonal events and new story quests. An unnamed third expansion, following Path of Fire, was announced earlier this year.
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Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go wasnothing short of a phenomenon when it launched in 2016. Unlike the other games on our list, it actively encourages you to get out of your house and go explore your neighborhood, city, and even other countries in order to catch Pokémon. The allure of capturing a rare monster so that you can show it off to your friends has kept us playing for months, as has the Instinct, Valor, and Mystic teams's ongoing battle for world supremacy. Given there are so many Pokémon masters in the wild now, it will be a little bit of a struggle for a newcomer to make a name for themselves, but with a little luck and a whole lot of walking, you can be the very best.
Android iOS
Sports
Trials Frontier
Android iOS
Rec Room
The only virtual reality game on this list, Rec Room demonstrates what makes the technology so cool. It's a social experience that lets users relax, chat, and play mini-games with each other on PSVR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift. As it stands, you can play soccer, paddleball, disc golf, dodgeball, charades, paintball, and less traditional games like a MOBA version of Laser Tag, a battle royale variant, and narrative quests with friends. While the visuals are rudimentary and blocky, the mini-games themselves are a lot of fun. Rec Room offers a great way to relax and unwind with its casual games.
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Strategy
Crusader Kings II
It earns the "grand" in grand strategy, too. A single game takes upwards of 50 hours to complete, and it's easy to see why. Mechanics like religion are deeper than most other strategy games, with each religious group having multiple subdivisions (Orthodox and Messalian in the Christian category, for example). This kind of depth is echoed throughout all of Crusader Kings II. Now is the perfect time to get familiar, too, with the release of Crusader Kings III on the horizon.
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StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
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Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter is such an addictive, charming take on Bethesda's post-apocalyptic series that it nearly overshadowed the launch of Fallout 4 in 2015. The premise is simple - attract survivors to your vault, then protect them against invading forces, and the ever-present threat of starvation and thirst. At the same time, you must keep them happy enough to reproduce and rebuild humanity.
It's a game that only requires a few minutes of your time, but often encourages you to send survivors on various missions, defend against raids, and build new rooms in your vault. The game also opts for a cartoonish art style that translates the signature Vault Boy into a charming - and borderline creepy - family of diligent vault-dwellers. The game is now available on PC, consoles, and mobile devices, and given it has no links to the aforementioned Fallout 4, you're left with nothing to worry about other than the survival of your people. Well, that and radroaches.
Android iOS Windows
Shooter
Destiny 2
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. 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.
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Valorant
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Call of Duty: Mobile
We didn't think a Call of Duty game on mobile devices would be worth playing, but after the success of games like PUBG Mobile, we were willing to give Activision and Tencent the benefit of the doubt with Call of Duty: Mobile. We're glad we did, because it's one of the best first-person shooters we've ever played on a phone, and arguably even more addicting than some of the series' console and PC games. Comprised of Zombies, traditional multiplayer, and battle royale, it offers a ton of variety and doesn't feature any pay-to-win mechanics.
Android iOS Windows
Team Fortress 2
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.
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Paladins: Champions of the Realm
Each of the three game modes - Siege, Onslaught, and team deathmatch - work well, the maps are varied and interesting. The best part about Paladins is that it's available on all major platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.
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Planetside 2
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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is, really, the first proper Counter-Strike game. CS 1.6 and Source are both great, but Global Offensive is the game that has stuck, and it's easy to see why. Everything about CS:GO is tight, from the gunplay to the map designs. It's a proper competitive shooter, and although Valve sold it as such for a mere $14.99 for a long time, it's now totally free to play.
"Totally" is the best way to describe it, too. Unlike most other free-to-play games, there is absolutely no advantage to spending money in CS:GO. If you're good enough, you can play ranked matches as often as you want while staying on a level playing field. In the world of free-to-play games, that's a feat.
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Casual
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a completely free-to-play narrative experience from Dontnod, the studio behind Life is Strange. It's set within the same universe and takes place three years after the first game. Chris Eriksen, a boy who recently lost his mother, creates a superhero alter ego, Captain Spirit, to help himself work through the loss. Beware: Captain Spirit is a tearjerker.
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Doki Doki Literature Club
It's hard to write about Doki Doki Literature Club without spoiling anything, but here we go.
A teenage girl invites her male friend to join the school's literature club. At first, it seems that the game is a funny dating simulator. But throughout this visual novel, which sometimes involves player choice, Doki Doki Literature Club takes a sly and dark turn.
The game will mess with your head. It's unnerving, mesmerizing, and wholly engrossing. It's available as free experience on PC and Mac, though you can donate to its creators. A $10 donation gets you concept art and the game's soundtrack.
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Fallen London
For a free browser game, Fallen London has some phenomenally fun and often spooky storytelling. The text-based title takes place in an alternate version of Victorian London, which has fallen into a giant cave beneath the Earth. The place is filled with shady characters and strange sights, literal demons (though they're not all so bad), and plenty of tasteful madness to go around. The entire game is about making choices as you weave your own story in the weird, perpetually dark city.
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Frog Fractions
Frog Fractions is an educational game about being a frog. Presented through browsers for many years, the game is now available for free on Steam, with 4K support to boot. As a frog, you sit on a lily pad and snatch bugs out of the air with your long tongue. These challenges are mixed with lessons about typing, math, and more. Between rounds, you can purchase upgrades, such as lock-on targeting, to make catching bugs easier.
There's a lot more to the game - like, a whole lot more - but that's the beauty of it. Basically, anything outside of the educational bit is a spoiler, so we'll leave you with this: Frog Fractions is not just an educational game, and there are more surprises to discover.
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Pinball FX3
Pinball FX3 tells you everything you need to know in the name. It's virtual pinball, but instead of generic machines, developer Zen Studios has a range of accurately modeled machines. You don't get them for free, though. The free download comes with Fish Tales, which remains one of the most popular real-world machines of all time. Zen Studios has additional machines listed, usually in sets of three, for around $10. In total, there's nearly $300 worth of DLC, so Pinball FX3 can be a costly endeavor. However, frequent sales bring down the price of the most popular packs to only a few dollars.
Pinball FX3 is a proper simulator, though, fit with leagues, one-on-one multiplayer, and community-generated tournaments. If you want to relax and play pinball casually, FX3 has single-player, too. Each table comes with a set of challenges and achievements, giving you plenty of reasons to continue playing.
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