Singleplayer games can be powerful tools for telling beautiful, emotional stories with strong characters. Sometimes, though, we all need some competition to have fun, and that’s where multiplayer games come into play. When the human element gets introduced, new gameplay possibilities and surprises can transform video games into memorable experiences.
Online gaming is becoming more popular each year as a huge majority of modern games have a form of multiplayer component. This can make choosing a title that you will enjoy difficult, and that is exactly why we created our list of the best multiplayer games you can play with your friends.
From free multiplayer games for PC to fun co-op titles on consoles and battle royale games in mobile devices, we’ve got gamers from all platforms covered. Plus, some of the games we cover here will be cross-platform, which means you can play with your friends no matter which platform you are on.
No matter which genre you prefer, be it action-packed shooters, grounded simulation titles, or MMORPGs, you will find a multiplayer game that you can enjoy in this list. So, grab your friends, put on your headsets, and unmute your microphones; it’s time to get social.
1. GTA Online
If you grabbed a free copy of GTA 5 during Epic Games’ GTA 5 giveaway, prepare to dive into the most enjoyable online multiplayer game with friends: GTA Online. Although GTA 5’s story mode is exceptional, GTA Online takes things further and lets you experience the world of GTA 5 with your friends, from co-op heists to PvP deathmatches and races.
It has been growing steadily since its launch in 2013 and still has more than 90,000 daily average players on Steam. Plus, what better game to play other than GTA 5 while waiting for the GTA 6 releasing date?
2. World of Tanks
World of Tanks is a free-to-play multiplayer game focused on PvP tank battles. You take control of one of the +600 real-life 20th-century tanks. There are multiple different types of tanks, such as light, medium, and heavy tanks. Each of these classes fulfills a different role on the battlefield and can be customized both visually and performance-wise.
World of Tanks is still updated regularly 10 years after its launch. If you love tanks and wish to carry this experience with you everywhere, you can also try the mobile version, World of Tanks Blitz, which is just as good.
3. PUBG Mobile
While the genre-defining success of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in 2017 is unquestionable, no one was expecting its mobile counterpart to be just as popular. Developed and published by the Chinese giant Tencent in 2018, PUBG Mobile successfully ported what made the original game so successful to mobile devices: realistic gunplay, highly customizable guns, and tense battle royale action.
If your mobile device cannot handle PUBG Mobile, you can also try PUBG Mobile Lite, which features a smaller map built for 60 players. No matter which version you choose, PUBG Mobile is easily one of the best multiplayer games on mobile.
4. War Thunder
If you are looking for a more realistic online gaming experience, War Thunder is a great choice as it is one of the best multiplayer simulation PC games out there. More than 1700 historically-accurate aircraft, tanks, warships, and helicopters participate in realistic battles in 100 maps.
Despite being launched in mid-2013, it has been growing in popularity since then thanks to the constant updates and has 15,000 daily average players as of now. Plus, War Thunder is cross-platform, meaning every player is on the same servers, regardless of their platform.
5. Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves lets you sail, explore, loot, and fight with your friends in a vast pirate’s world. There are no rules, and you will inevitably encounter other players in your adventure; friend or foe. With its gripping quests, islands filled with loot, and fun side activities like fishing, it’s easy to see why this ultimate multiplayer pirate experience has been played by more than 10 million players since its launch.
If you own an Xbox One, instead of waiting for the news for Final Fantasy 7 remake on Xbox One, jump into Sea of Thieves and create your adventure.
6. Call of Duty: Warzone
Infinity Ward brought the popular FPS series back to life with 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the game’s battle royale component, Warzone, played a big role in that. It amassed more than 50 million players in its first month.
Call of Duty: Warzone offers satisfying gunplay, highly customizable guns, balanced vehicles, and a great map. It is also constantly updated with new guns, game modes, and in-game events. The best part is, Warzone is completely free and doesn’t feature any pay-to-win elements, making it one of the strongest contenders for the best free multiplayer online game title.
7. Destiny 2
The ex-Halo developer Bungie has been on gamers’ radars with its Destiny series for the last couple of years. Their latest title, Destiny 2, became free-to-play last year after the developers cut ties with Activision, and has been exploding in popularity since. You still have to pay for the major expansions, but a big portion of the game is free, and it still provides dozens of hours of gameplay.
With its highly customizable classes, innovative RPG elements, riveting quests, fun PvP modes, and countless guns, Destiny 2 is among the best online games multiplayer titles in the industry.
8. Rocket League
One of the most popular vehicular arcade-style soccer games of all time, Rocket League is the definition of “easy to learn, hard to master”. Its premise is simple: you play soccer with vehicles. But learning how to control the ball, shoot, attack, and defend can take hundreds of hours, and that’s what makes it extremely addictive. You can also customize the appearance of your vehicles in every way imaginable.
Rocket League is available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One with cross-play, and has 40,000 average daily players on Steam alone.
9. Black Desert Online
While the MMORPG genre has been decreasing in popularity recently, Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert Online has been a breath of fresh air in online RPGs games since its launch in 2015. Different from its peers, Black Desert Online features action-packed, skill-based combat with manual aiming, similar to hack-and-slash games, with cutting-edge graphics.
Its character customization and life skills options are truly deep, so if you like life simulation games like The Sims, there’s no need to look for cheats for Sims money; you’ve got everything you need in Black Desert, one of the online RPG games best.
10. Valorant
Riot Games, the developers of the famous MOBA game League of Legends, has finally released their anticipated competitive FPS game, Valorant. Often seen as a CS: GO – Overwatch hybrid, Valorant offers the tight and competitive gunplay of CS: GO, while including an expanding roster of different characters with various game-changing abilities, like Overwatch. It combines these two masterfully, creating a balanced and skill-based yet fun multiplayer game.
Valorant is also free-to-play as the paid content is mostly cosmetic items, so you can jump right in and join the millions of players in this competitive online FPS.
Which Multi-Player Online Game is the Best?
So there they are, our top 10 multiplayer games you can play with your friends. Of course, there are many more amazing multiplayer games out there than these 10, but across all platforms and genres, we decided that these 10 games are the most up-to-date, active, and engaging titles for now. Plus, most of the multiplayer games listed here are either very cheap or entirely free-to-play, so you should be able to easily gather your friends and dive in.
Of course, with multiplayer gaming comes competition, so if you are new to any of these games, don’t expect to be good at them from the start. Keep practicing and don’t fight with your teammates; try to communicate with them instead. This will ensure that you win more frequently while giving you the chance of making a couple of friends online.
Looking for an action-packed MMORPG? Black Desert Online is your game. Itching for some competitive shooter action? Give the brand-new Valorant a try. Want to raid different planets with your friends? Destiny 2 will give you just that. In short, no matter what you enjoy, these games are great choices to switch your gaming passion from offline to online.
