Here’s a list of the best free games for PC, Steam, Epic Games Store, and more from this year 2023. We’ll explain how and where to play them and more.
You may have seen this article on the Meditation pages and been invited to participate. Still, chances are you’re here because you once idly searched your favorite search engine for “free games” and (if you’re lucky) ended up here. In any case, apart from a greeting, we want to offer you something entirely different. Almost every magazine has articles on the subject (we’ve published several here over the years). It’s a popular topic that always piques the interest and curiosity of a wide range of veteran and novice gamers alike. But most reports of this kind are limited to a more or less long stream of names with descriptions, and that’s about it. Without detracting from the importance of the work done on these materials and their usefulness to thousands of readers, we want to do something different here.
The word “free” does not mean the same thing everywhere.
For those new to the topic and unfamiliar with it, a few basic concepts. First, yes, you can play thousands of games for free (legally) with your computer. But there are different types of “free,” which can be classified by their name: “Free to Play,” “Pay What You Want,” and “Free.” ‘Free to Play’ or ‘F2P’ are games that players can play for free. Still, there are payment options, either to access certain content, unlock characters or skins, or progress more quickly, depending on the game and its model, which players should research before investing much time in it. “Pay What You Want” are voluntarily paid games. Usually indie and experimental, created by developers who are learning, experimenting, or want to start a small and quick project, without all the baggage that is going to market involves; they are entirely free, but if you wish, if you are pleased with the experience or think they deserve it, you can leave them a tip for the work they do. In the third category are “free” or freeware games, free games without more, which can be titles that their creators left for free for whatever reason – seeking fame for future projects, love of art… – or games that were paid for in the past but are now left for free by those in charge to realize that their business cycle is over.
These aren’t the only alternatives that can be played for free on the PC. In the past, something called ‘shareware’ became very popular – codes that were distributed for free with part of the game and left the option to unlock the full game for a fee if the interested party enjoyed the game; classics such as Doom were born as part of this phenomenon. Nowadays, their equivalent is some MMORPGs, such as World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV, which allow you to play for free up to a certain level and then require a monthly fee to continue playing. There are also demos, which a few years ago were very popular even for big productions. However, now their role has diminished – although they are still an exciting alternative for trying out a wide range of modest displays. Finally, there’s the more modern iteration of demos, which are time-limited and include more commercial multiplayer games – one or more of these temporary demos usually appear every weekend on Steam.
The most popular free PC games
These are some of the most played and popular free-to-play games at the moment, the names of which are well known to many but should be kept in mind for new readers who join and want to know the upcoming options.
Fortnite: Battle Royale
A true phenomenon that draws millions of players and viewers every week. Fortnite consists of two parts: Save the World, the original paid concept that is a mix of team shooter and Minecraft, and Battle Royale, the free part (played by the vast majority of users), which is a free-to-play competition between 100 players whose goal is to remain the sole survivor. The lighthearted tone, dynamism, ease of starting the game, and the great flexibility afforded by the build system are some of the features that set this game apart from others. Battle Royale mode, as we said, is free to play with micro-payments of a purely aesthetic nature.
League of Legends
The game sparked MOBA fever, taking advantage of the popularity of the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III and reimagining its ideas to bring them to a broader audience. A global game was born from this root, with the world and characters continuing to expand conceptually and aesthetically. It’s a challenging game, as you team up with four other players and battle five others, choosing from a wide range of characters with unique abilities, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the features, details to explore, and the pace of combat. However, once you get into the game, it will keep you engrossed for years to come. It’s free, and you can play for years without paying a single euro, but you will have to accumulate “blue essence” within the game or pay if you want to play with a particular champion. The selection of free champions is constantly changing, and playing with them is pretty functional, but you need time or a quick way to pay to choose.
DOTA 2
The game sparked MOBA fever, taking advantage of the popularity of the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III and reimagining its ideas to bring them to a broader audience. A global game was born from this root, with the world and characters continuing to expand conceptually and aesthetically. It’s a challenging game, as you team up with four other players and battle five others, choosing from a wide range of characters with unique abilities, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the features, details to explore, and the pace of combat. However, once you get into the game, it will keep you engrossed for years to come. It’s free, and you can play for years without paying a single euro, but you will have to accumulate “blue essence” within the game or pay if you want to play with a particular champion. The selection of free champions is constantly changing, and playing with them is pretty functional, but you need time or a quick way to pay to choose.
SMITE
Dota 2 and League of Legends are two ample alternatives within MOBA/ARTS, but they are not the only ones. SMITE has managed to carve out a niche by betting on its values, making it a solid and relatively independent alternative. A different camera and control system, more focused on giving the player direct action, provides the game with a distinct identity from the quasi-RTS of the previous two games. It’s also more colorful and spectacular, with massive forces employed by the protagonist gods in combat. The game follows a model similar to LOL, with a “free rotation” that allows us to play for free with part of the squad, and the option to pay to gain direct access to all the characters.
World of Tanks
Another classic, played by millions of users, is Wargaming, which is still as relevant as ever – along with its ‘cousins’ World of Warplanes and World of Warships. This F2P runs on a fast-paced, immediately accessible, and fun formula, with many different types of tanks at our disposal, with which we can compete in intense battles against other players. Also, even though it doesn’t have simulation features, it has a certain appeal for military history buffs, including locations and tanks from World War 2. For the money, you can unlock “premium” tanks, buy equipment and special ammunition that technically give you an advantage over other players, but none of this will give you victory over a veteran player; at least, that’s the theory.
Warframe
Another F2P game worth trying is a futuristic action game in which we control ‘space cyber ninjas,’ completing single or cooperative missions against AI-driven enemies. We have a variety of classes with different skills, but what sets them apart is the excellent talent that allows us to walk on walls, glide, and perform all sorts of pirouettes to avoid enemies or dodge their attacks, which gives the game a unique spirit compared to other shooters that focus more on shooting. With an exceptionally striking aesthetic and a very significant amount of ever-growing content, Warframe is a great and high-quality game that can keep us entertained for dozens of hours.
Destiny 2
Destiny 2’s transition to a basic F2P model is excellent news for those looking for a quality shooter to play at their leisure. With Bungie’s hallmark of polished and fun action, Destiny 2 offers rich content; an engaging story told at a level you’d expect from AAA, very high production values, and ample opportunity for both single-player and competitive play. If you decide the base experience has won you over, you can purchase the add-ons: Forsaken and Shadowkeep, which do come at a price.
Dauntless
Inspired by Monster Hunter, Dauntless is a F2P alternative game from Capcom, cut to a similar pattern: a group of player-controlled hunters against a large and powerful creature. With each completed hunt, we’ll have more resources to continue advancing and progressing, unlocking different combat styles depending on our equipment. The game also has the advantage of supporting cross-play with almost all systems – including mobile ones soon – so it’s easier to play with a group in any circumstance.
Path of Exile
A game that many believe has managed to dethrone Diablo from the pinnacle of the genre. Path of Exile is a F2P developed by fans of the genre, and it shows. It captures like no other the essence of Diablo II that Blizzard itself missed in its sequel, has a considerable amount of content, a vast development tree, and a payment model that could be considered “fair,” and that doesn’t prevent you from enjoying it without investing a single euro. In addition to the vast amount of content already in the game, Path of Exile 2 is coming in the future, as part of the same game and with a new campaign, also free. A real gem, representing the best of the Free to Play model and a must-buy for ARPG fans.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
In turn, the tenth re-creation of the Star Wars universe, the second attempt to bring it into the realm of permanent worlds, takes us back to the years of the Old Republic and the wars between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Bioware was responsible for the practical implementation of what was explored in the two installments of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and was initially responsible for making sure the idea could be realized. Star Wars: The Old Republic allows us to create a character by choosing from several species and visit dozens of planets in custom stories for each of the roles, with companions to dialogue and decisions to make. The free content is very generous, you can play solo without much trouble, and the story retains excellent moments (the only downside is that it’s not translated into Spanish, so you’ll have to know English to enjoy it).
Paladins
For those looking for a F2P alternative to Overwatch, Paladins is one of the most obvious options. A 5v5 team shooter with multiple game modes, over 40 champions to choose from with their unique abilities, and a friendly enough game system for those who want to play for free – although you can pay to unlock all current and future champions in one go, as well as getting a Season Pass with exclusive resources and skins.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Nearly two decades after Counter-Strike it gained dominance in internet cafes worldwide. The game is still hugely popular thanks to the F2P strategy that has made it the most played game on Steam today, with consistent figures approaching a million simultaneous users. Being such a well-known game, the introductory experience can be challenging and requires patience, time and dedication before you feel like you’re doing anything meaningful. For this, as with any team-based multiplayer game, it’s always best to go with friends. The game is free to play, but by paying, you’ll gain access to matches with other paid users and various extra features in the form of skins and items.
Roblox
With over 90 million active users, Roblox tends to be less represented on gaming sites than, say, Fortnite (which has the same number of users), probably because of its chaotic nature, which also gives it its charm. Roblox is not one game, but many, infinitely many. It’s a generic engine on which creative people can create their own worlds and games, ranging from small spaces where you can just hang out with friends to ambitious simulators of all kinds. There are all sorts of gambling games, Battle Royales, mini-GTAs, things like (unofficial) Dragon Ball games, and infinite options, although each game can have separate paid options if it has reached certain popularity.
Dungeon Fighter Online
One of the most popular multiplayer games in the world, DFO is a Final Fight or Street of Rage style browser, but with an MMO progression system, making it have a wide range of characters, classes, subclasses, and skills. Its advantage over other F2P MMOs is some immediacy, as the approach is fairly straightforward, and it has quite a long way to go once you start getting into the story. It has a PVP mode, co-op, and a payment system that allows you to get exclusive items, help advance, and get powerful items ahead of players who don’t pay. As is usually the case with games like this, it’s a matter of spending money or patience. It all depends on your priorities. The game is available on Steam, but it’s recommended to use it directly.
Apex Legends
Electronic Arts and Respawn’s F2P is an attempt by the big software giant to keep up with other alternatives in the popular Battle Royale genre. With a more serious and focused approach than Fortnite, Apex is popular with those who want to play a shooter with some substance before the chaotic Epic holiday games. Its payment model focuses on cosmetic items for characters and weapons, loading screens, music, and other items that can be purchased either via battle pass or microtransactions, so it has no competitive advantage over players who don’t want to pay.
Call of Duty: Warzone
The hugely popular Call of Duty has made forays into the Battle Royale world before, but Warzone is the main assault: a completely free-to-play, standalone game with no dependency on buying other games, crossplay between PC, PS4, and Xbox One and 150 players spread across a huge map, but with the distinct spirit of Modern Warfare in its gameplay and staging. A new alternative in the F2P landscape.
Valorant
The new game from the creators of League of Legends is aiming very high, presenting record figures in its first days. This reformulation of Counter-Strike combined with hero shooter elements represents a return to the tactical and cerebral shooter, with an evident vocation to become a benchmark report that is already free for any player who dares to try its demanding bet.
Rocket League
Rocket League is a sports video game developed and published by Psyonix; first released in 2015, the game has become a fan favorite and has hosted numerous leagues and tournaments.
The core gameplay involves players driving a car equipped with a rocket engine, which they then use to play modified soccer. The game is fast-paced and players can perform impressive tricks and maneuvers to gain an advantage over their opponents.
Graphics are simple but effective, featuring vibrant colors, detailed car models, and well-designed environments. The soundtrack is also top-notch, with fun sound effects that bring the game to life and add excitement.
One of the greatest strengths of Rocket League is its accessibility. It is a simple, low threshold game that can be bought and played immediately, yet it offers a deep and varied gameplay with a high level of skill, advanced techniques, and strategy.
Another key feature of Rocket League is its competitive framework. The game offers a series of different game modes, as well as regular e-sports events and tournaments where players can compete against other players from around the world.
Genshin Impact
Metagame Impact is an action role-playing game with beautiful graphics, an exciting world, and many playable characters. The game is free to play and available to many users. The Gacha system is a constant incentive to keep playing and collecting characters.
The game’s combat system is engaging and allows for various play styles, with each character having unique abilities and item preferences. The open world also offers many opportunities for exploration and adventure, including hidden puzzles, mini-games, and secrets.
However, relying on gacha mechanics can be frustrating for some players who don’t want to spend real money on microtransactions, and the game’s plot and story can also be frustrating. There are also limited multiplayer options, which can be frustrating for players who want more opportunities for interaction.
Other Interesting Games
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