Summary
Let’s face it - video games are expensive. Since many titles cost around $70, it’s hard to enjoy gaming without giving your wallet CPR. While it can be demoralizing to see headache-inducing price tags on every storefront, there are plenty of outstanding free-to-play multiplayer games if you know where to look.
Luckily, every modern video game console has at least a few free multiplayer games. Whether you’re playing onSteam,Nintendo Switch, or even a mobile device, you can spend hours playing co-op or competitively with friends or family without paying a cent.
Marvel Snapis a deck-building card game where you duel against an opponent to gain the most control of the board. Each card is worth a certain amount of points, which you can place at one of three locations on the battlefield. Whichever side has more points wins that location.
Most cards have a special ability that’s triggered by certain conditions. When and where each character is placed plays a huge role informing a winning strategy. Thankfully, you unlock new cards at a steady pace, creating a satisfying gameplay loop that constantly rewards you for playing.
Similar to the Super Smash Bros. Series,Brawlhallais a crossover platform fighter where you must knock your opponents off the battlefield. Up to four players duke it out in cartoonish free-for-all matches while weapons rain from the sky. Thanks to the easy-to-learn controls, this is a great starting point if you’re new to fighting games.
You haveover 60 characters to choose from, each with unique stats. In addition to original fighters, the roster features many guest appearances, including characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Shovel Knight, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Arguably one of the most iconic battle royales,Apex Legendstook the world by storm when it launched in 2019 with its innovative approach to the first-person shooter genre. You and your squad are dropped onto a constantly shrinking arena and must eliminate the competition by scavenging for weapons, armor, and items.
The gameplay is about moving fast and working with your team to form strategies. Thankfully, you can communicate with your allies through the in-game ping system and even resurrect them if they’ve been knocked down. With over 20 unique heroes andplenty of customizable weapons, you can easily sink countless hours into this classic FPS.
5Trove
A Sandbox MMO Similar To Minecraft
Take MMO dungeon-crawling, mix it with Minecraft-style graphics and building mechanics, and you get Trove. It’s an open-world RPG where you pick a class, form a party, and explore an ever-expanding world filled with treacherous dungeons, towering bosses, and plenty of treasure.
When you’re not adventuring, you can use the resources you’ve found to build a house or craft weapons. If you can imagine it, you can create it. Want to make a sword out of bacon? You can do that and so much more.
Tetris 99 requires a Nintendo Switch Online Subscription.
Tetris 99takes the series' legendary block-stacking gameplay and reimagines it for a battle royale format. Each round is a fight for survival as you and 98 opponents clear lines of tetrominoes to send obstacles to each other. Whoever is the last person standing wins.
Despite launching in 2019, the game receives frequent content updates, including crossover events with iconic Nintendo Switch titles, such as Super Mario RPG and Fire Emblem Engage. Since each match lasts only a few minutes, it’s the perfect free multiplayer game for short pick-up-and-play sessions.
InFall Guys, you control clumsy jelly bean characters through a series of silly races and survival missions. The goal is to rank high enough to qualify for the next round. Each challenge offers a uniquely cartoonish twist, ranging from dashing to the finish line while dodging giant fruit to collecting the most rings in a Sonic the Hedgehog-inspired level.
You can play the game solo or form a team with up to three others. The simple gameplay and hilarious tonemake it great for beginnersand battle royale veterans.
Among Us is free to play on mobile devices.
Among Ushelped popularize the social deduction genre by placing up to 15 people in an isolated location with an alien impostor. If you’re a crew member, you must try to survive while figuring out who the killer is. If you’re the culprit, your job is to eliminate each person one by onewithout getting caught.
Crew members can win by successfully completing their tasks without getting murdered or by correctly guessing the culprit before it’s too late. For the best experience, make sure you’re playing with friends or family over voice chat.
Even years after launching,Rocket Leaguecontinues to have a strong community, thanks to its blend of soccer gameplay and racing elements. Two teams of four boost across a massive field in rocket-powered cars to score as many goals as possible before time runs out.
Matches are fast-paced battles, allowing you to run your opponents off the field as you race toward the ball. You can even customize the rules to add fun new twists, like changing the gravity or swapping the ball for a hockey puck.
