Fast, crazy or tense. Online games always have a great attraction for all gamers. All of them are based on one principle: the joy of socializing with other players. Whether it’s a jungle carrying the team in League of Legends or an intense battle with terrorists in CS:GO.
Many of the best online games on PC today are free games. Whether you’re looking for a competitive challenge or a fun way to wind down at the end of the day, today’s list of the best online games won’t disappoint.
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Fortnite
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Developer: Epic Games
Fortnite was not the first Battle Royale game on the market, but it has become the most popular game in the genre. Incredibly beautiful graphics, engaging jumps, and one-of-a-kind building mechanics made this game a hit.
Whether you like it or hate it, there’s no denying that Fortnite is a cultural phenomenon. Epic Games has certainly found the secret formula to attract players, keep them engaged, and everyone is curious to know where the game is going next.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)
Platform: PC
Developer: Valve
Although it started as a paid game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has pivoted to become a completely free game. The latest installment of Valve’s popular shooter series continues to dominate the Steam charts despite being several years old, and Valve is constantly adding new content to the game.
More game modes have been added over time, but the core five-on-five competitive experience remains the main attraction. One team is tasked with rescuing hostages or planting bombs, and the other team must do everything to prevent it. There isn’t a game like CS:GO on the market, and it’s still one of the best FPS games out there.
Rocket League
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer: Psyonix
Customize your rocket-equipped car before throwing it on the field and trying to get the ball into the opponent’s goal. Rocket League is a game that is easily accessible to newcomers, but it will take a lot of practice to execute precise aerial tackles and give your team the advantage.
Revolves around an absurd concept: Kicking the ball with a car. But surprisingly, this game became a phenomenon when it launched in 2015. Even so far, it is still very popular and soon, this game will be completely free to download.
Splatoon 2
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo
Similar to its predecessor, Splatoon 2 emphasizes the use of fun ink-based weapons to blast enemies and ground in the colors of your team. Your main goal is not to kill as many enemies but to control as many maps as possible. Make it a very interesting type of game. The key to victory on eight symmetrical maps often lies in being well aware of the terrain, managing ink, and thwarting the opposition’s plans.
Valorant
Platform: PC
Developer: Riot Games
It is a myth that Valorant has quickly won the hearts of a large number of FPS players. Riot’s shooter has just come out of beta, but it’s already on par with the biggest games in its genre.
Valorant is indeed somewhat similar to Counter-Strike, but a vibrant array of agents replaces the terrorist gangs. 5v5 matches take place in up to 25 rounds, each round can last from 10 seconds to several minutes. The attackers will plant a bomb (called a Spike) and the defenders will have to defuse the bomb to win. If you have not tried playing Valorant, then you should give a chance to the latest game from the father of this League of Legends.
PUBG
Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4, iOS, Android
Developer: PUBG Corporation
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, helped kickstart the battle royale craze, popularizing some of its most basic rules like a narrow safe zone, large map, and 100-player setup. While other battle royale games have gone for a cartoon aesthetic, PUBG is still based on realism (or at least as realistic as a 100-man deathmatch with exploding cars that sometimes may occur).
Overcooked 2
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Developer: Team17, Ghost Town Games
How much do you value your friends? That’s the question you need to ask yourself before starting Overcooked 2, because this game will completely test the limits of friendship. You and several other players take on the role of chefs in the most absurd kitchens ever designed. Do you think you can cook on an iceberg? How about when speeding on the highway? It would help if you were fast, accurate and coordinated with your teammates to make the customer happy, so try to complete your mission.
League of Legends/Dota 2
Platform: PC
Before you object to lumping two competitors of the MOBA genre into one category, this article intends to suggest you one of them, not both. Because while the mechanics, items, and lanes of LOL and Dota offer different gameplay experiences, these two titles are similar for the most part.
League of Legends was Twitch’s most-watched game of 2019 and around eight million concurrent players per day above Dota’s 400,000 average. Of course, that doesn’t mean LOL is the better game. Try out a few matches in both games before deciding which one to pick.
Apex Legends
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Apex Legends was like a bomb going off at launch; brings a sense of unpredictability that has changed our thinking about battles. Teams of three can communicate seamlessly without headsets, using a ‘ping’ system to flag items, tag enemies and suggest regrouping locations. It feels like a cooperative battle at its best, with class skills that combine for deadly effects – such as Bloodhound’s smoke grenades to obscure enemy vision while tracking them through the fog. If you haven’t played it in a while, it’s time to go back to see how the maps have changed.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Developer: Ubisoft
Rainbow Six Siege focuses on team strategy planning, communication, and execution. Rainbow Six has made a name for itself with a calmer, more deliberate approach to bombastic shooters, making it a huge fan base.
To be a good player in Siege, you need to understand each map well and coordinate your team accordingly. The depth, nail-biting tension, and tactical potential of Rainbow Six Siege make for a memorable cat-and-mouse multiplayer experience.
Overwatch
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Developer: Blizzard
Overwatch is a drastic change in the shooter genre. As a ‘hero shooter’, it features a very diverse number of characters – a gorilla with cybernetic enhancements, a mechanic and its pilot, a deranged pyromaniac, a bizarre guinea pig inside a battle tank – each with different abilities and roles.
Teamwork is key as the game is never about simply eliminating the opposition but about defending the objectives. Overwatch has also made huge strides in the e-sports arena, with tournaments even airing on ESPN.
Minecraft
Platform: PC
At this point, nearly everyone on the planet has played – or at least heard of Minecraft. This is a block adventure game, a virtual Lego set that comes to life, allowing you to build and explore vast environments.
The game continues to receive updates 10 years after its release, and the PC community can take advantage of some crazy mods to make the world more enjoyable. If you haven’t played Minecraft in the past few years, now is a great time to return.
