The 21 best multiplayer games on PC in 2023!
Even though gaming on consoles and even on smartphones is becoming a huge deal, the PC is still among the best platform to play online multiplayer games. With a lot of exclusive titles that aren’t available on the two other platforms mentioned, games such as League of Legends and Dota 2 are extremely popular, and among the largest e-sports in the world.
If you’ve got a brand new computer and you’re after a good online game to play, check out down below our list with all the best multiplayer games on PC, try them out, and enjoy yourself!
Best multiplayer games on PC that are free
1. Hearthstone
Also available for smartphones and for tablets, Hearthstone easily gets a spot in this list, in part because it was originally released exclusively for computers. Nowadays, it can be played on smartphones as well, and it is one of the best Android games!
Drawing inspiration from the characters and sceneries of World of Warcraft, Hearthstone is a digital card game in which two players will battle one against the other. To win the match, the players have to summon characters and spells from the saga with the goal of reducing the enemy’s hit points to zero.
2. Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm is a game that will feature the main characters from Blizzard’s franchises, such as Diablo, Starcraft, World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, and any other that may be released fighting one another. Through online team matches, each player controls a hero and has the goal of destroying the other team’s base.
All of that while defending their own base! Even though you can’t play all characters from the get-go, you can buy them with a digital currency that’s acquired through playing matches and finishing in-game missions or simply purchase them from the store.
3. League of Legends
A direct (and older) competitor to Heroes of the Storm, and one of the most popular games in the world. League of Legends has the same premise as the above game. A large difference is that both the characters and the mythology are entirely original, making it one of the best online games.
This game, which easily is one of the best multiplayer games on PC, can be considered a worldwide hit, since it has countless professional competitions going everywhere, with huge prizes, and a legion of fans that cheer for the teams in them.
And even so, League of Legends is one of the most accessible ones on this list. It can be played on most computers around since it doesn’t require high performance or anything like that. Just like Heroes of the Storm, it is free with heroes that can be purchased with real or digital money.
4. Star Wars: The Old Republic
Perfect for those who wish they could live adventures in the Star Wars universe, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set thousands of years before what happened in the movies and shows, and it lets you create your very own character and make it whatever you want.
Whether the character is an honorable Jedi knight, an ambitious Sith lord, a pilot traveling through the galaxy after rewards and treasures, or many others, the game offers a lot of freedom so its players can do whatever they want and interact with thousands of other players at the same time.
5. Dota 2
A huge rival to both League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm, Dota 2 is another one of the best and most popular multiplayer games on PC. A sequel to the map that both created and made the MOBA genre popular, Dota 2 is considered to be much more complex and less dynamic than its rivals.
Even so, Dota 2 is extremely popular, and it features the same team matches in which each player chooses a hero, each with their very own unique skills and specific purposes in the match. The game, which is one of the best free PC games, also has a lot of tournaments happening around the world and being broadcast online.
6. Paladins
A free FPS game focused on characters and character variety, Paladins is extremely different from most FPS games, both in general and the ones we will talk about since its focus is not on being a military simulator, but actually skill-based.
It uses a system very similar to card games so that the players can customize the characteristics of the heroes that are available in the game, and so play the team matches! Paladins is considered to be one of the best free games on Steam.
7. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Another really good option among the best multiplayer games for PC without citing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, famous worldwide. Its first installment was a mod for the Half-Life game, and it was one of the first to be considered an e-sports.
It is worth mentioning that it features a competitive scene that’s been around for over 10 years. The current version keeps the roots of the franchise, so it’s familiar for those who played it in its golden age on Internet Cafés, but adding a lot of new maps, customization, and tournaments that get broadcast on the internet!
8. Rocket League
One of the most hectic options on our list, Rocket League merges cars and soccer in what becomes a wild bet that really paid off. The players are divided into two teams, and each pilot must guide their car to “kick” a ball and score a goal, by performing extreme maneuvers and impossible jumps.
The game, which is one of the best couch co-op games, also offers you a myriad of other modes, such as the possibility of playing basketball, and a lot of different vehicles, such as the famous DeLorean from Back to the Future.
9. Warframe
A Third Person Shooter and very accessible game, Warframe can be played without spending a single dollar, and the in-game economy allows you to gather much of the paid resources by just playing the game. It’s full of action, very colorful, and offers a wide array of abilities and weapons for you to use.
It’s worth mentioning that Warframe is best enjoyed with friends, but the solo experience is still great. The game gets updated frequently and the developers are very engaged with the community they fostered.
10. PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
One of the most successful games for PC, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (or PUBG) also offers an Android and iOS version, getting a spot in the best mobile multiplayer games. Shortly after it was released, it had already sold millions of copies, and its popularity has not dropped since then.
It places the players in a Hunger Games-like scenario, which means that all players start off without anything to use. They must explore the field to find weapons and materials so they can get equipped and defeat the other players. To win, you have to be the only survivor.
11. Overwatch 2
The highly awarded 2016 game is still immensely popular in its sequel (that didn’t truly change that much). With extremely charismatic characters, the colorful FPS game brings you over 30 different heroes with their own weapons and skills for you to play. If well-played, it is possible to make amazingly hard combos!
The title has had several world championships by now, with many smaller tournaments in between. Overwatch is another of the best multiplayer games for PC, but it also offers a different premise than most shooters and very unique maps.
Best multiplayer games on PC under 5 USD
12. Ballistic Overkill
An FPS game developed by a Brazilian game studio, Ballistic Overkill uses mechanics from shooting games such as Counter-Strike itself but is focused on characters, just like Paladins is.
Its maps and characters aren’t as colorful or as charismatic as Paladins (or Overwatch 2, which we will talk about later on), but it’s much more focused on attacks. It doesn’t even have any support characters or healers! The matches are in a hectic dynamic, and the players will hardly be able to stand still in a single spot.
Best multiplayer games on PC from 14,99 to 29,99 USD
13. World of Warcraft
The biggest MMORPG in the world, World of Warcraft is still easily one of the most popular games you can find anywhere. Originally created as a strategy game, the current Warcraft world has been online for over 15 years and is still going strong, with new stories being told and lived by its players.
The game lets you create multiple characters from different races and classes with which you can explore the wide and always expanding world. In fact, a new expansion has just been released! While it can be considered to cost under 29,99 USD, as you only need to subscribe to play up until Shadowlands (the previous expansion), you need to pay from 49,99 USD for the latest expansion.
14. GTA Online
GTA Online is a mode within the extremely popular GTA V game in which the players can create their characters and live in a highly-capitalist crime world (kind of like ours), and so it is one of the best multiplayer games on PC.
In this game, you have access to an open-world environment, so you can take part in a wide array of challenges, modes, and crimes, including bank heists, drag racing, and other types of missions, which you can customize.
15. Worms W.M.D
The original platform for the famous worms, Worms W.M.D. is one of the most recent releases in the franchise. A 2D turn-based game, here you will use the new weapons and vehicles at your disposal to beat the around 30 levels in the campaign mode.
The multiplayer mode lets up to 6 local or online opposing players. Each controls up to eight worms trying to be the last survivor. To be the winner, they can use the 80 weird and unexpected weapon types. This includes even a holy grenade inspired by the classic comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
16. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
The classic fighting game is still huge both on consoles and computers. For the first time offering a story mode, Street Fighter V has new characters, but it does also bring the classic old ones that made this franchise become what it is.
You can choose to play it locally or online, and the players will take part in one-on-one combats, almost as if they were in an arcade game. It brings new mechanics and, for the first time in the franchise, PS4 players can compete against PC players!
17. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Merging FPS games such as Counter-Strike with online RPGs, The Division 2 brings to you a New York City that’s been devastated by an epidemy. Placing the player as an agent for an institution responsible for bringing back order and civilization.
For that, the players must fight against criminal activity and investigate the nature of the disease that ravaged one of the largest cities in the world. One of the highlights of this game is the dynamic climate, which changes the combat conditions. This can either favor the player or be an obstacle.
18. Rainbow Six: Siege
Released a while ago, Rainbow Six: Siege is a game much like the Division and Counter-Strike, but the game does have some really different mechanics than either of those. It has a more tactical approach than CS, and instead of being out in the open, you’ll have closed-off environments.
The matches are between two teams, and simulate hostage rescue or bomb-disarming situations, but with a much more realistic approach. The environment can be destroyed and manipulated to help the combatants or disturb the enemies.
Best multiplayer games on PC over 29,99 USD
19. DOOM Eternal
The classic shooting game, DOOM, had a triumphant return in 2016, and after DOOM Eternal was released, it was considered one of the best games in 2020! Created by the same studio that was responsible for the original game, here you’ll have the same elements that made it a success: hordes of creepy demons and unthinkable weapons.
The multiplayer mode brings the same hectic rhythm in iconic modes, such as team matches and point control. One of the best and biggest pieces of news is that you can even play as the demons!
20. Mortal Kombat 11
An icon of the 1990s, the characters of the bloody Mortal Kombat have returned in full strength with the release of Mortal Kombat 11, yet another installment of the franchise. It brings the characters in its past versions, and it manages to keep the quality of the franchise.
Other than that, it also features some new characters other than the classic ones. The fights still follow the 1×1 model, but it has a very active player community, online events, and worldwide tournaments.
21. Battlefield V
Shooting games are among the best options to play online, maybe even so due to how easy and good it is to play them on mice and keyboards. Even though this genre has many options and subgenres, Battlefield V manages to change things up a lot!
Set during the Second World War, this game managed to portray those times faithfully, but without getting too hung up on realism, in order to have a quick rhythm for the combats. Battlefield V has kept the original combat modes in the franchise, but it still is a very different experience from the original game.
Which ones are your favorites among the best multiplayer games for PC?
The gaming market is one of the most dynamic when it comes to entertainment, and maybe because of that, it is hard to dedicate ourselves for too long to only one of them. We hope you liked our article and selection and, if so, please share it with friends and go have some fun!
Tip: Check out as well our list of websites to download games, the best lightweight Android emulators, and the best Android MMORPG games!
