Updated Feb 11, 2021
What are The Best Free PC Games? We look at some of the best free PC games available in 2023. Includes Apex Legends, Dauntless, League of Legends, and more.
The landscape of PC gaming and the availability free PC games has changed significantly over the past decade or so. The days of searching high and low for free game downloads (both legal and illegal), console remakes or DOS games are gone. While there are still those that may choose rogue sites for their gaming fix, today, PC gamers have a plethora of quality free games to choose from.
This new wave of free PC games includes games from nearly every genre. This includes third and first person shooters, MMOs, simulations, collectible card games, action RPGs, real time strategy games and more. In addition, gamers will find titles from a wide range theme/settings, including, but not limited to, fantays/sci-fi, modern military shooters, and post-apocalyptic.
The list of games that follow covers the latest and greatest PC games that are available for free. While most will require some form of registration or installation via digital distribution platform, they won’t cost you a penny play. So rather than spend your time sifting through abandonware sites or shady corners of the web for an illegal download take a look at the below list. You can download top flight games with cutting edge graphics and gameplay absolutely free.
Best Free PC Games
Quick Links: MultiVersus – Call of Duty: Warzone – Fortnite – Apex Legends – Path of Exile – CS:GO – War Thunder – Black Squad – Dauntless – League of Legends – Dota 2 – Hearthstone – World of Tanks – Brawlhalla
MultiVersus
Multiversus is a free to play platform fighting video game. It includes a growing list of iconic characters from nearly every corner of media and pop culture. Players can compete against each other in head-to-head battles, or work together to complete cooperative missions. The game’s wide variety of characters, each have their own unique abilities and skills. The game is designed to be easy to learn but challenging to master, and is suitable for both casual and hardcore gamers.|
Call of Duty: Warzone
One of the newest titles in 2020 is also one if the best free pc game of 2020. Call of Duty Warzone is the latest Battle Royale game from Activision set in the Call of Duty Modern Warfare universe. The game supports online matches with up to 150 players, that’s 50 more than most battle royale games. Game modes include solo and squad based battle royale as well as the Plunder game mode.
In Plunder players race across map collecting cash by picking it up or taking out other players. Player that collects most cash by the end of the game is declared the winner.
The game like all others on this list are completely free to download and play.
Fortnite
Fortnite Battle Royale is a shooter/construction game in which players or teams of players fight in a last man standing battle royale. Players scavenge for items and weapons to help the fight against the 99 other players. By collecting wood, stone and metal players will construct shelters and defenses to ultimately help win the game. Be sure to check out the game page for more information.
After the success of this game and the genre, nearly every major video game publisher has thrown their hat into the free battle royale arena. Apex Legends is EA’s premier free battle royale game.
While there are many similarities with other battle royale games, developer Respawn Entertainment has developed some unique game play features that help separate the game from other battle royale games. In Apex Legends, each player will controls a legendary character. This element resembles class based shooters on the surface but there is a lot more variety.
When the game was released there were 8 characters available, each with strengths, weaknesses and special abilities. As of this writing there are a total of 10 characters available with more planned in future releases. More info can found on the main Apex Legends guide.
Path of Exile is an action role playing game set in a fantasy world. Game play is comparable to the Diablo series. Players control their character from the 3/4 top down perspective. Also, they will explore and adventure through indoor and outdoor environments including caverns, dungeons castles and more.
Players earn experience as they complete quests and defeat enemies. It includes seven different character classes available and the ability to customize skills and attributes.
The game features both a single player campaign story line and multiplayer game mode. The multiplayer mode allows you to join a party of up to six other players to form an adventuring party. Path of Exile is available via Steam. Additional information can be found on the Path of Exile game page.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive or CS:GO is Value’s popular modern military shooter. What was originally a retail release in 2012 it was mad free to play back in December 2018. In addition, the release also included their own battle royale mode called Danger Zone.
Like many other free games, CS:GO also includes a paid “prime status” which grants players access to exclusive items. Those that purchase the game were upgraded to prime status. While prime status can be purchased for $14.99, players can earn the same items by leveling up to rank 21. More information on the game can be found on the CS:GO game page.
War Thunder offers players a massively multiplayer online vehicular combat game. The game pits two teams of up to 16 players against each other. Be sure to check out the War Thunder game page for more information and helpful links.
Similar to World of Tanks and World of Warplanes in that players control World War II and Korean War era aircraft, tanks and ships as the battle in combined arms battles. Vehicles available come from a wide array of nations including but not limited to, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, France, Germany and Japan.
There are three main types of battles, arcade battles, realistic battles and simulator battles. Each type of battle includes different game play elements. For instance, realistic battles require players controlling aircraft to take off from a runway.
Black Squad is a free to play first person shooter that is available for free from Steam. Formerly known as Viper Circle, Black Squads supports battles with up to 32 players. It pits two teams against each other the Viper Circle and the Peacemakers.
Players can obtain every item in Black Squad through general game play and leveling up. The game features a wide array of weaponry with over two dozen types of firearms from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and more. For additional information on the game be sure to read our Black Squad game page.
Dauntless is a free action role playing game that features game play elements from role playing games and crafting games. It has most often drawn comparisons to Capcom’s Monster Hunter. In the game players will take on the role of a Slayer who accepts missions or “hunts”. Following that, they take a transport ship to a set of islands known as the Shattered Isles. Finally, it is from these islands where they begin the hunt where they seek out the creature for their hunt. A creature known as the Behemoths.
Released in May 2019 by Epic Games Dauntless is available on their digital distribution platform. The game does make use of micro-transactions for cosmetic changes. That being said, players do not need to purchase micro-transactions in order to download, play and enjoy this one though!
League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game that is free to play. Players choose a champion and take part in a team based 5v5 battle. The primary objective of the game is to destroy the opposing teams base or Nexus.
The game has taken inspiration from the Warcraft III The Frozen Throne mod call Dota or Defense of the Ancients. The game is free for Windows PCs and Mac OS and it has been one of the most popular free games available for the PC since its release in 2009. It is continually being updated and new champions added giving players over 140 different ones to choose from.
Dota 2 is another multiplayer online battle arena game similar to League of Legends. Two teams fight it out in 5v5 battles on a single game map. Destroy towers and defenses and other base defenses with the goal of destroying your opponent’s base and Ancient before they destroy yours.
Dota 2 is the sequel to the original Dota and is completely free to play. Similar to Dota in terms of game play and heroes, the game is available on Steam with over 100 heroes to choose from and thousands of players online at any one time.
Hearthstone is an online collectible card game that pits two opponents against each other in a head to head battle using cards to summon minions, cast spells, special abilities and more.
Players start out with a limited set of cards available to them to construct their battle decks. As a result of the low number of cards available at the start, each game play and fight gives you the chance to unlock and earn new cards. With thousands of cards available and different character types the possibilities are endless with this deck construction game. In addition to being completely free to play.
World of Tanks is a massively multiplayer tank combat game from Wargaming.net. Players have all sorts of options when it comes to playing this one with more than 500 different tanks and vehicles to choose from with more being added. These vehicles represent 11 different nations.
In addition, the game includes six different game modes, clans, tutorials and more. It does also include micro-transactions that allow players to unlock certain tanks and ammo as well as granting them access to higher tiers of game play and competition.
Brawlhalla is a 2D fighting game in the vein of Super Smash Bros and is one of the most addicting and best PC games available. Players select a Legend and then fight in online matches with up to 8 other players. It includes cross platform play between PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch players. It also includes more than 40 different Legends to unlock, each with their own strengths and weaknesses to master.
The game is 100% free to play, with no pay to win advantages. It does have micro-transactions for cosmetic changes but everything else is completely free.