Looking for a high-quality game that won’t break the bank? Look no further than this list of the best free-to-play PC games that you can start playing today.
The free-to-play genre has exploded over the past few years, pushing out buggy, predatory games for unique titles with ethical monetization practices. Even with the boom bringing new experiences to consoles — check out our rankings for the best free Xbox One and PS4 games, if that’s your bag — PC is the home for most free games. From Brawlhalla to World of Warplanes, here are the best free PC games. It’s hard to compile any list of games without mentioning Fortnite. Epic Games’ massive battle royale title released into early access only a mere three years ago, and just left early access earlier this year. Despite that, it has attracted hundreds of millions of players thanks to its variety of challenges, rare skins, and live events. Fortnite is a staple, not just because it’s a free PC game, but because it’s a good game in general. If you’re just now diving in, make sure to read up on the best places to land and how to win a match without building. Download Now Dauntless is basically free-to-play Monster Hunter, just much more accessible. The reasons die-hard fans love Monster Hunter are the same reasons why newcomers often turn away from the series. Monster Hunter is slow, progression is complex, and failure is ingrained in the game. Enter Dauntless. Not only is Dauntless free, it’s much easier than Monster Hunter World to pick up and play. Combat is more reminiscent of a hack-and-slash, and although genre staples like stamina management and the lack of animation cancel are present, they’re much more forgiving in Dauntless. Developer Phoenix Labs doesn’t force microtransactions on you, either. Crafting new armor and weapons to take on bigger monsters is a part of the free experience. The vast majority of the microtransactions are cosmetic. You can gain an edge in leveling with the Hunt Pass — Dauntless‘ take on a battle pass — but you don’t need to spend any money to have a good time with Dauntless. Plus, it supports cross-play between PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Switch, so you can pair up with your friends no matter what platform they’re on. Read our Dauntless review Download Now Apex Legends is Fortnite‘s meaner-looking older brother (complete with a dirty beanie). Faster and more rugged with a greater focus on gunplay, Apex Legends is a fast-paced battle royale game with a lot of depth. It has only been around for a little over a year, but despite that, Apex Legends is still putting up record-breaking player numbers. Since it’s still in its fifth season — which added quests to the game, among other things — now is a perfect time to jump in to Apex Legends. It’s one of the best battle royale games around, after all. Download Now Since its release in 2013, Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games has maintained a clear stance on microtransactions: You can buy items in-game, but they won’t give you an edge in any way (a hopeful mark on the cynical hearts of free-to-play enthusiasts). As for the game itself, Path of Exile is an isometric action RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Hacking and slashing is a big part of the game, but Path of Exile has a lot of depth, too. Character customization is basically endless, offering a strong driving force behind the often monotonous nature of ARPGs.
