47 of the best free Steam games you can play right now

What are the best free Steam games in 2024? If you are bored and don’t have much spare cash, you don’t need to fear a gaming drought. Steam is loaded with games you can play without spending a dime. What’s more, many of them are very good indeed: games that are just as much fun to play as their full-price, wallet-destroying siblings.

In recent years, free Steam games have become the norm, with some even overtaking paid-for triple-A tiles as the leaders of the PC gaming hobby. Take a quick look at the platform’s most-played list, and from FPS games to MMORPGs, you’ll see that a significant proportion of the most popular and best PC games on the platform happen to be free-to-play. So, because we desperately care about the health of your bank account – and honestly worry about how much money you’re spending on your nasty gaming habit – we want to help you find all the best free PC games you can play right now.

Here are the best free Steam games in September 2024:

Enlisted

Enlisted is pretty much the best free war game around. Unlike a lot of other WW2 games, it places a unique emphasis on strategy. You’re not a Rambo-esque single soldier who kills thousands of enemies single-handedly, you’re in control of a squadron and you can hop between the characters at any point, with each of them having unique classes and abilities that benefit different scenarios and play styles. You can really carve out your own way to play.

There’s a huge selection of maps to play on too, with each of them representing the location of real-world skirmishes in the Second World War. The maps all lend themselves well to different strategies and so encourage you to approach them differently – this essentially means that you encounter a huge amount of variety from game to game. For this reason, it’s well worth playing, and easy to accumulate a huge number of hours in it.

Play Enlisted for free.

Play for free

World of Tanks

World of Tanks has been around for over a decade now, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Wargaming’s MMO features over 800 vehicles, each carefully designed to take on other tanks on the battlefield.

Players have access to five different types of vehicles: light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, tank destroyers, and SPGs (self-propelled guns). In large-scale battles, teams must work together as a well-oiled machine to crush the opposing team. If you enjoy the tactical side of tank warfare, World of Tanks is perfect for you – and one of the best tank games we’ve ever played.

Play World of Tanks for free.

Raid: Shadow Legends

For the longest time, this was one free PC game that you couldn’t download through Steam, but now it’s there to reach a whole new audience. No doubt you’ve heard of it before, as Plarium, the company behind it, employs a rather aggressive advertising campaign, but there’s a reason so many YouTubers choose Raid as a sponsor – it’s fun and addictive.

Raid: Shadow Legends is all about building up a team of Champions to face endless foes in turn-based battles. The Champions you collect range from comical skeletons to edgy reinterpretations of folk figures (there’s even a real-life wrestler in the mix), and honing just the right team for each unique challenge requires a lot of thought and strategy. It caters to those who like to play alone (with tons of CPU enemies) as well as those who prefer more competitive games, as you can also put your team against the teams of other players around the world. If you’re looking for a new rabbit hole to lose yourself in, this could be it.

Play Raid: Shadow Legends for free.

War Thunder

Soldiers often hear thunder in the distance and prepare themselves for rain, only to discover it is War Thunder, a war game about planes and tanks shooting each other. Gaijin’s flight game straps you into a mind-shattering variety of authentic 1940s war machines and tasks you with surviving countless dogfights and land battles with other players.

It is a game that is constantly being updated and improved, with the biggest additions providing whole new types of vehicles like warships for massive naval battles. To help you make sense of it all we have put together a guide to the best War Thunder tier 1 planes, and a tank battles guide, too.

Play War Thunder for free.

Play for free

World of Warships

While heaps of quality tank games are available on Steam, prospective admirals have far fewer options. Fortunately, there’s World of Warships, which is not only one of the very best naval warfare simulation games but also a free Steam game.

With over 500 warships for players to unlock, from destroyers and cruisers to battleships and aircraft carriers, players can rest assured they won’t run out of new toys to aim for. Not that you’ll notice the grind: the multiplayer naval battles of World of Warships are pure spectacle.

Play World of Warships for free.

Play for free

Star Conflict

Do you long for a free Steam game that is effectively one gigantic, endless spaceship dogfighting simulator? Star Conflict takes the idea of player-driven stories spawned by Eve Online and condenses it to a much more action-packed, combat-oriented experience with a much more gentle onboarding process.

When you’re not skirmishing in nimble fighters or massive frigates, you can simply explore the beautiful, vibrant cluster of ancient worlds scattered through its sizeable void.

Play Star Conflict for free.

War Robots

Those who just want to pilot robots in destructive battles will find few options out there, especially ones that are free. However, there’s a good chance that you’ll find something appealing as you blast your way through the 14 maps on offer in War Robots.

Battle with your choice of robot, armed to the teeth with all sorts of guns and explosive ordinance in 6v6 multiplayer battles. Do you want your mech to be a sneaky sniper lurking on hilltops, or perhaps you fancy rushing your foes with a nimble skirmisher? With 50+ robots spanning across two classes, it’s up to you to find the best destructive mech.

Play War Robots for free.

Infinity Kingdom

Something we absolutely love about Infinity Kingdom is the way that it perfectly blends history and fantasy. Set in the land of Norheim, this strategy MMO sees you fighting against armies of evil gnomes – pure fantasy right? Well, no, because you gather an army of “immortals” who are actually figures from history (and mythology) including Genghis Khan, Cleopatra, and Leonidas (among many, many others).

There are some pretty deep cuts in here, like Nebuchadnezzar II (ever heard of him? The second king of the Neo Babylonian Empire) and Seondeok the Great (historic queen of one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea). Gathering all these people together alongside the likes of Loki, and Sun Wukong is really cool. They each have their own unique strengths, and you can spend a lot of time building a team that suits your preferred approach to battles before taking them into PvP arenas, or through a PvE campaign.

Play Infinity Kingdom for free.

Supremacy 1914

There aren’t a lot of grand strategy games among the free games on Steam, but one of the few that you’ll find there is Supremacy 1914, a fantastic game that allows you to play as any of the nations that were involved with the First World War. As an MMO, you could be playing with up to 499 other players, and with all of you using your strategic minds to secure victory, you’ll find yourself involved in very deep, intricate games.

It’s a really impressive game that history fans will really enjoy. There’s so much packed into it, and every playable country is a little different, with resources and munitions ranging between them. You might want to get to know all of them through different games, or maybe you’ll want to consistently use the same one in order to really master it. Either way, you’ll easily spend tons of hours in it.

Play Supremacy 1914 for free.

Conflict of Nations: World War III

Conflict of Nations: World War III is based around a potential third world war. Set in a future where the global situation has deteriorated to such an extent that all the countries now exist in a state of all-out war, and you get to take control of one of many available nations.

They all have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, with some having a clear advantage over others, whether that’s because they have more cities and cover more land or because they have a strategic location on the map. One of those multiplayer games that will easily last for weeks, probably even months, and as you delve into this strategy game for the long haul, you’ll need to use all of your expertise in order to cement yourself as a global superpower.

Play Conflict of Nations: World War III for free.

Call of War: World War II

Following a similar mold to Supremacy 1914, Call of War: World War II allows you to determine the outcome of the biggest global conflict in history. With ten playable nations to choose from (including the US, Russia, and Germany) and all of them offering armaments and munitions that are accurate to the time period, it’s a game that offers a lot of variety and one that will put a smile onto the face of history buffs.

As a long-term strategy game, you won’t be doing little skirmishes in a single session – instead, you’ll be returning to a single game over multiple IRL weeks. Because of the depth and scope of each game, it encourages you to think strategically and plan for the long-term consequences of your decision. It’s a game that’s easy to become invested in, and before you know it, you’ll be waiting for the school/work day to be over so you can get back to it.

Play Call of War: World War II for free.

Play for free

CRSED: F.O.A.D

Funny free Steam games aren’t all that common, but CRSED, which started life as a joke spinoff for squad-based MMO shooter Enlisted, earned its place on this list through constant quality updates and its madcap sense of humor. While you’ll spend most of a match in PUBG tracking down a hefty set of plate armor, in CRSED (or, as it used to be known, Cuisine Royale) you just need to find a kitchen, strap some metal cookware over your vital organs, and you’re good to go.

Regular content updates keep things fresh and funny, with everything from historical figures to super-powered demons being rotated in and out of the free-to-play battle royale game.

Play CRSED: F.O.A.D for free.

Play for free

Crossout

Crossout is a post-apocalyptic MMO action game in which you craft and build monstrously-sized machines and use them to bash others in explosive online games. It is basically what you used to do during your childhood with Lego but with the magic of computers.

You can craft a wide variety of vehicles – from small, nimble buggies to rugged off-roaders – with an arsenal of weapons just as large: get your murderous hands on power drills, machine guns, and rocket launchers, or even stealth generators if you fancy a quieter approach. With an arsenal like that, it is easy to see why Crossout is one of the best free Steam games.

As you fight, you build your reputation with your chosen Crossout faction. In PvP or PvE (where you can even fight user-created bosses), engaging in some good ol’ shooting will grant you new parts and blueprints to continue your vehicular crusade. If you need a hand getting started, consult our Crossout beginner’s guide.

Play Crossout for free.

Play for free

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is an MMO version of Wizards of the Coast’s genre-defining tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons. It takes you to the Forgotten Realms and pits you against hobgoblins, kobolds, and much worse. It is a surprisingly robust action MMO, emphasizing skill-heavy combat and a pretty world to explore.

There is a bit of a push for players to buy things in the in-game store, but you can do everything without paying a penny. That even includes playing the frequent expansions, such as the recent Jewel of the North update that adds a new Bard class and refines the leveling system.

Play Neverwinter for free.

Play for free

Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is an MMO set in the unmistakable sci-fi world of the Starship Enterprise, where you are given a ship and a crew and sent off on sci-fi adventures that feel authentically Star Trek. Though it’s ever-ageing, it continues to get regular free updates that add new, elaborate episodic missions, additional gear, seasonal events, and even the crew of Deep Space Nine in Star Trek Online.

The story also has a tangible impact on the evolving galaxy. While there is a cash shop and premium ships, the game continues to be extremely generous toward free players, allowing them freedom in exploring the final frontier.

Play Star Trek Online for free.

Wizard101

Wizard101 is a fantasy MMORPG that has captivated players for over a decade. In it, you play as a Ravenwood School for Magical Arts student. You choose whether you want to specialize in Fire, Ice, Storm, Myth, Life, Death, or Balance, which determines the magical abilities you’ll develop during your time in the world of the Spiral.

The game’s world is huge, and you’ll find yourself visiting a variety of locales, including snowy outposts, cities under the sea, Ancient Egyptian-style desert communities, and much more. The game has quite an enticing storyline, too, with more depth than you might have expected based on its cutesy art style.

Play Wizard101 for free.

Naraka Bladepoint

The fortunes of this battle royale game have certainly turned around since it went free-to-play. Each warrior you unlock in Naraka Bladepoint has its own move set and powers, but you can also activate environmental traps to outwit your fellow rivals on the path to victory.

If you’re worried that this is just another one of those free games that you’ll need to wait in a lobby for, then you can read our Naraka Bladepoint review from when the game first made its debut. Also, at any given time, at least a quarter million players are online in each 24-hour period. You’ll always have someone to play against of a similar skill level, making for an intense match.

Play Naraka Bladepoint for free.

Final Fantasy 14

Yes, that’s right: you can play Final Fantasy 14 for free. The most recent MMO incarnation of this iconic Square series has won over many fans. Even if you’ve never played Final Fantasy games, it could be a good place to start. Set in the sprawling world of Hydaelyn, this is one of those MMO games that are fun to play even when you’re busy running errands for villagers, going fishing, hunting, or passing your time in one of countless other ways.

Of course, there is still a huge and compelling story at the heart of the game. You’ll easily spend around 120 hours on the Realm Reborn storyline that was part of the base game, but moreover, Square has periodically added new story expansions, so now, after that, you can play through Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker, and Dawntrail – some of which are even longer than the base story itself. Read our Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail review for a look at our thoughts on the most recent story expansion to the game.

Dark and Darker

If you’re looking for something a little more… *checks notes* unforgiving, then Dark and Darker might be the PvPvE game for you. Choose from one of several dungeons and perhaps band together with a motley crew of adventurers as you delve deeper for more treasure. You can strike it lucky on your own if you dare.

However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this will be a breezy jaunt. Oh no, the monsters that live within its musty cavern walls are out for blood. It’s ridiculously easy to get overwhelmed, and that’s not just because of the many beasts surrounding you like a pack of wolves. Your fellow players may also turn on you instantly and plunder your corpse for ill-gotten loot as they make their way out. Dark and Darker can get incredibly tense at times, especially if you make it to the exit with valuable treasure only to find one last obstacle standing between you and freedom. The game is in early access, meaning there’s more to come, and those who invest in the upgrade can delve into more dangerous dungeons with higher stakes. Read our Dark and Darker system requirements guide if you want to be sure you can run it.

The First Descendant

Nexon’s newest looter shooter, The First Descendant, is completely free to play on Steam. It’s got cool outfits, cooler weapons, and a vast environment with fast-paced missions to power through. If you’re a fan of games like The Division, Warframe, and Outriders, it’s worth giving this one a go, especially with things like The First Descendant codes and The First Descendant Twitch drops granting freebies.

With an impressive roster of The First Descendant characters with varying skills and abilities to master, it’s likely you’ll spend more than a few hours as a Descendant. 

The Finals

Yes, you heard us right – another free FPS. This one comes with a twist, as The Finals is set in a gameshow environment with fully destructible scenery. The Finals is famously accepting new contestants, and you can jump into the free-to-play shooter right now.

Contestants, or players to you and I, can jump into dynamic arenas in teams of up to three with a joint goal of becoming the show’s winners. There are several game modes, some include delivering cash to a bank with the winning team being those that secure the most money, or some more traditional deathmatch-based modes also proving hugely successful.

With an arsenal of weapons and power-ups at your disposal, you can also send wrecking balls into buildings that you suspect your challengers inhabit, sneak up on foes with katanas or some of the best The Finals weapons in hand, or simply go all-in with explosives. The Finals is a game you can experience in your style, at your discretion. Will you be underhand, will you tailor the best The Finals build to your play style, or will you win honestly in a gunfight?

Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty is one of the most renowned and beloved FPS series’ around, now over 20 years old – and better than ever. While the mainline games are all paid-for, the popular battle royale mode Call of Duty: Warzone is free-to-play, and is available on Steam.

Perhaps you’ve always been a fan of the mainline series and haven’t yet dropped into the free game, maybe you’ve never played CoD but come from one of the other many war-based FPS games like PUBG, or perhaps you’ve just heard your friends talk about it. Whatever the reason you might consider trying Warzone, there is no better time than now. Like all the games on this list – and the reason you’re here – of course, it’s free, so there’s no downside. However, Warzone has also recently been released on mobile, so plenty of other new players are in the same boat as you. It’s also cross-platform and crossplay compatible, so you can play across mobile, console, and Steam and play with friends on any platform.

As you drop into a Warzone match, be it in the massive Urzikstan map or one of the smaller Resurgence maps, you need your best Warzone loadouts set up. Like most battle royale games, you won’t start with them but can instead wait until they drop in randomly or purchase your favorite weapons from Buy Stations around the map – once you’ve looted or earned enough cash. Other weapons, armor, and equipment can also be found in floor and chest loot around the map, but be careful not to pay so much attention to looting your surroundings that you don’t see an encroaching enemy.

If you enjoy fast-paced, chaotic, multiplayer FPS games, squad up and drop into one of the best free Steam games available right now.

Sheepy: A Short Adventure

OK, Sheepy might not keep you busy for long – we completed it in about an hour – but it is free, and, despite its short length, its story serves up more emotion and style than games ten times as long. As you take on the role of an adorable plush sheep come to life, you might think that this 2D platformer is an adorable jaunt through a sweet, childlike world. You’d be wrong.

Instead, Sheepy: A Short Adventure is a gloomy escapade through the dark past of a corrupt business, as the bodies of its employees punctuate your journey above and below ground. Don’t worry, though, this isn’t a horror, there are no jumpscares or serious spooks, but there are plenty of cute and fun moments, one particular scene that brings the stunning soundtrack to life and even made some of us PCGN writers shed a tear.

If your lip doesn’t wobble there, we defy you to keep your tears in at the end when you meet Patches, the game’s recurring boss, for one last time. The difficulty increases with each of the surprisingly challenging boss fights; by the third and final challenge, your relationship with Patches starts to change as you learn more about the bear and even Sheepy themselves. Just weeks after the game’s release, the debut game from MrSuicideSheep has thousands of Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews, so don’t miss out.

The Sims 4

As with its prequels, there are loads of Sims 4 expansion packs to bulk out the game’s content, but this time, you can play the base game itself for free. While we’re sure that the number of PC gamers who have never played any version of The Sims before is pretty low, if you’re one of the few who hasn’t, this is the ideal place to start (and we’re sure old fans are going to love revisiting the franchise).

Designing your Sims, building their perfect home, and then guiding them through their lives is such an addictive experience. You can work hard to make all their dreams come true, or you can mess around and cause havoc. Throw all the best Sims 4 mods into the mix, and there’s virtually no limit to what you can do with The Sims 4.

Read our full Sims 4 review.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends, Respawn Entertainment’s hybrid of the hero shooter and battle royale genres, is several years old now, but its wide range of characters inspires many different playstyles. Characters have a vast range of abilities to aid their two squad mates in getting the victory, with some excelling in power, speed, or even healing their allies. Check out our Apex Legends tier list to see how your favorites rank, as well as all the Apex Legends skins, to see what’s available to buy.

PUBG

The battle royale game that started it all, PUBG is free to play with more seasonal trailers, new maps and vehicles, ziplines, and much more. It still retains its unforgiving edge, but you should be the last one standing and get the coveted chicken dinner with any luck. So, if you’re looking for a super-intense shooter where death could come any second, check out our PUBG maps guide to see how they’ve changed over the years.

Read our PUBG review.

Overwatch 2

Believe it or not, Overwatch 2 is now available on Steam. As an update to one of the first successful hero shooters, Blizzard’s FPS game has a huge roster of characters to pick from, including every single hero from the first game. Each character has its load-outs, skills, and ways to hinder the progress of your opposition as you race to complete objectives. Check out the Overwatch 2 tier list to see who the best heroes are and which characters are zeroes.

Read our Overwatch 2 review.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is a huge game about exploring a galaxy filled with mysteries. You are a Guardian defending the bastion of Earth’s defenses. You can select one of three unique Destiny 2 classes and use their godlike powers to decimate foes.

While it’s not the easiest game to get into, owing to its years of content, it’s more than worth the trouble, thanks to its excellent gunplay. The base game only gets you far, but there are plenty of Destiny 2 expansions to give you more to explore and new OP Destiny 2 builds to exploit. Give our Destiny 2 review a read to see how Bungie’s sequel compares to other live service titles.

Counter-Strike 2

Stepping into the shoes of possibly the most popular competitive FPS game of all time, Counter-Strike 2 is a “technical upgrade” to CS:GO, so it’s still the same game you know and love, but with a fresh coat of paint. Incredibly fresh new mechanics, like tick-rate-independent gameplay and dynamic smoke grenades, allow for the most accurate and technical experience in Counter-Strike history, and it shows that Counter-Strike 2 remains the most played game on the internet.

Whether you like stealth or noise as you take on the best of the best in CS2, we’ve got you covered with our guides on the best CS2 knives or the most helpful Counter-Strike 2 crosshair codes. Not sure if you should commit to Valve’s FPS? Read our CS2 review to see what we thought about the evolution of the Counter-Strike series.

Lost Ark

Amazon Games and Smilegate launched the free-to-play MMORPG Lost Ark across the West in 2022, following an initial 2019 launch in South Korea. Since then, hundreds of thousands of players have descended upon the world of Arkesia, cementing Lost Ark as one of the best MMORPGs. And it’s no wonder, as Lost Ark is one of the best-looking fantasy MMOs around, on top of being packed full of bosses, raids, and quests. In fact, you can read just how much we love it in our Lost Ark review.

With many Lost Ark classes to choose from, ranging from MMO essentials like Bard, Paladin, and Sorceress to unique entries like Gunslinger and Wardancer, there are many ways to make your Arkesia experience your own. Smilegate is pretty good at listening to community feedback as well, adding more gender options for classes, regular content updates, and loads of free Twitch Drops and Prime Gaming goodies to keep you coming back. Read our Lost Ark review to see how this MMORPG stacks among the best of the genre.

Goose, Goose, Duck

If you like games like Among Us, you’ll like Goose, Goose, Duck, a social deduction game in the style of the popular, aforementioned multiplayer game – only imposters are now devilish ducks.

There’s little to say about Goose, Goose, Duck if you’ve already played Among Us, as it is essentially the same – even down to your duties and kill mechanics. If not, though, it’s a great chance to give cartoonish social deduction games a try, being free to play and all. Under the assumption that you’ve been living under an airship for the last few years, you load into a game as either a goose or a duck. If you’re the former, you’re the good guy, bumbling around trying to complete your duties. Believe it or not, the latter are the baddies, and you must try and stop the geese from fulfilling their tasks – by any means necessary. Simple, silly, fun, best played with friends.

Project Playtime

Project Playtime was the late 2022 release from MOB Games, the developer behind the viral success Poppy Playtime – and it’s already shaping up to be just as popular. Like its predecessor, Project Playtime is a horror survival game based in a toy factory, but you’re not working alone this time.

If single-player scares have you a little too afraid, then you can hide behind the relative safety of five friends in Project Playtime as you go up against one vengeful toy – controlled by another player – in the latest asymmetrical horror game. If you’re more interested in the original, take a look at what we know about the Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 review.

Conqueror’s Blade

Conqueror’s Blade offers a devilish blend of top-down battle strategy and third-person fighting that few other war games dare attempt. The medieval MMO receives regular updates and support from developers My.Games so that you won’t get bored. Each new season brings fresh units, areas of the map to explore, and new epochs to delve into. Of course, you can loosen your purse strings to splash out on a battle pass or cosmetic items, but the game’s core is entirely free.

Tower of Fantasy

Looking for an alternative to the the open-world RPG adventure of Genshin Impact? Well, look no further than Tower of Fantasy. While the general formula may not exactly be original, this anime game offers a new take on a style of game that resonated with millions of players. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Tower of Fantasy features a sci-fi setting, with a story that focuses on humans living on the planet Aida hundreds of years in the future. What you do there is up to you. Want to gallop across the countryside atop a robotic unicorn? Want to do battle against monsters with your friends? Want to gather ingredients so you can follow recipes and become a culinary expert? This gacha game will keep you occupied for a long time because there’s so much to do.

Unturned

One of our favorite free games like Minecraft, Unturned is perfect for fans of the blocky game and its other counterparts, like Roblox. We’re all familiar with the zombies of Minecraft, but Unturned takes that one step further as a true zombie apocalypse game, complete with the crafting, building, and creative aspects of its predecessors as well.

Play with friends or combat other survivors, gun down hordes of zombies, complete NPC quests, and even take to the seas or skies in various vehicles. There’s plenty to keep you busy and get your money’s worth in this free game, so there’s no excuse not to try it. The thousands of “Very Positive” Steam reviews might help if you need further convincing.

Warframe

Warframe lets you play as a space ninja, which is probably all you need to know to start getting excited. Beyond that, a third-person co-op affair pits you against goons and other space ninjas, all wearing fancy ‘Warframes’ that provide special abilities. It is a slick action game with a hint of Destiny about it, thanks to its buddy-up mission design and shared-world social environments. Part of the attraction is perfecting your own Warframe build to clear levels and grind faster than anyone else.

Though there may be a bit of grind involved if you want to craft the coolest gear, you will be slicing people in half and power-sliding around on your knees for most of that, so don’t be too concerned. Despite being nearly a decade old, there are still regular content updates added to Warframe and a huge number of concurrent players, so it’s never too late to start, and you won’t be short on other players to team up with. Give our Warframe review a read to discover our verdict on the game. We also have a Warframe 1999 release date guide if you want to see what else the devs have cooking up.

Trove

Don’t be fooled by its blocky, Minecraft-like aesthetic. Trove is a hardcore MMO for players who live for the grind and action-adventure combat.

In Trove, you start by picking from a selection of fantasy-inspired classes and set off across a series of realms. You constantly level up, fight cube-y monsters, delve into dungeons, and unlock new gear, which you can show off back at your home base. If you’re a hoarder at heart, then Trove will appeal to you.

Albion Online

Albion Online is a sandbox MMO in which characters don’t belong to specific classes, allowing for a more adaptable playstyle where you’ll need to progress your character and adjust your combat style by gathering resources, buying and selling gear, and slowly building up your loot stash. It’s no surprise players are sinking hours into this free MMO; the world has a lot to offer, including deadly fights against other players, different biomes to explore, and a loot system that drives players from the comfort of any one area in Albion’s expansive map.

Albion’s the name, and PvP’s the game, so don’t get bogged down in farming and riding your horse into the great unknown. Ambushes are common and brutal, so come prepared, but not too prepared, as the unforgiving full-loot drop system on death can be incredibly frustrating.

Eve Online

One of the great MMOs of our time, EVE Online is available to play without a subscription fee. This means that literally anyone with a PC can start their own voyage of discovery within the vastness of space. The only question is: who will you be? Unlike class-based fantasy RPG games, EVE isn’t about being a ranger or a warrior and saving the world. It’s about becoming a cog within a huge, player-controlled universe.

So, will you be a trader and help bring much-needed items to others? Or will you rise through the ranks of a corrupt corporation and engage in tactical sabotage against your enemies? These are just two of the countless thousands of paths that are available to you in this incredible, unrivaled MMO.

Crusader Kings 2

Crusader Kings 2 puts you in the shoes of a Christian lord and tasks you with ensuring the survival of a medieval dynasty through the end of the Dark Ages. To succeed, you and your descendants must fend off an army of nobles, heretics, and even the Pope while expanding your territories. However, you’ll be going up against not just the Mongols but also ambitious vassals and scheming illegitimate heirs.

The learning curve is undeniably steep, but Paradox Interactive’s ample experience with the genre ensures that Crusader Kings 2 is the perfect first step into grand strategy without needing to spend a cent. We’ve got Crusader Kings 2 tips to assist any budding ruler, as well as the best CK2 mods to spice things up once you’ve found your footing. We can also help you expand your experience with the best CK2 DLC if you’re in it for the long haul. If you can’t get enough of the series, Crusader Kings 3 is the real pinnacle of the games, but you do have to part with a bit of cash for that one. Read our Crusader Kings 3 review if you need help deciding to buy.

Runescape

The past couple of decades have seen countless MMORPGs rise and fall – and through it all, Runescape endures. The thought of Runescape might send you on a nostalgia trip of trading at Varrock Bank or poaching newbies in the wilderness, but Jagex’s critically acclaimed RPG is still going strong.

While Runescape may be a world away from Old School Runescape, it retains the same character progression and exploration approach. Its sheer longevity has infused it with mythology, from the Runescape party hat to account robberies and in-game riots. You can be part of shaping its bright future or stick closer to home and improve your woodcutting skills. The choice is truly yours.

Cry of Fear

It’s no great surprise that the vast majority of free Steam games are live service multiplayer games. However, Cry of Fear bucks that trend entirely, offering a top-of-the-range horror experience for absolutely free. The humble horror began life as a Half-Life mod, taking direct inspiration from classic survival horror experiences like Silent Hill to create an all-new allegory of trauma, psychosis, and recovery. Expect copious jump scares, twisted enemies, and an oppressive atmosphere that’s befitting its Scandinavian setting.

It’s an undoubtedly terrifying single-player game experience in its own right, but it supports co-op for up to four players if you need additional support to see it through to the end.

Smite

Smite is a MOBA with a twist: you control your religion-influenced gods like you would in a third-person action game, with the camera positioned behind them. This makes Smite feel like a very different kind of 5v5 game; the differences do not stop there.

Smite has numerous modes, including the team deathmatch-influenced Arena. That said, it still has plenty of familiar stuff: lanes, creeps, and items are all present and correct, and the pantheon of gods is constantly being added to. It’s a better time than ever to jump back into Smite or try it for the first time, with Smite 2 on the horizon. While the free game is not technically available yet, those purchasing a Founder’s Edition can soon access the Smite 2 beta. Check out our Smite 2 preview for our thoughts on the changes and improvements.

Marvel Snap

One of the breakout stars of 2022, Marvel Snap gives deck-building card battler fans a brand new collection to get into, this time featuring everyone’s favorite superheroes. It’s so good it’s even converted Marvel fans to the card-battling genre and vice versa, so you don’t need to be a fan of both to try it.

This free game has cross-platform support, so you can also play across PC and mobile devices, keeping your progress and collection with you as you switch between them. As you build out your collection, familiarize yourself with the best Marvel Snap decks to build out, whichever level or Marvel Snap pool you currently reside in.

Path of Exile

Considerably more grim and gothic than other action games out there, Path of Exile is also blessed with one of the most compelling leveling systems seen in an RPG. An impossibly large and liberating grid of abilities and improvements awaits, ready to allow you to enhance your character in any way you see fit.

To unlock those tantalizing abilities, you’ll need to battle your way through the monster-infested world using a combat system that is (whisper it now) possibly a bit better than Diablo IV. On top of all that, it also gets a massive expansion and a new competitive league every few months, which will keep you busy while we still wait for the Path of Exile 2 release date, the huge sequel with which we got hands on in a PoE2 preview, and we can’t wait.

Team Fortress 2

What can one say about Team Fortress 2, Valve’s mega-popular, constantly evolving shooter? It has many hats. It is also extremely refined, always full of players despite launching in 2007, and it still gets frequent updates in the form of seasonal patches to fatten the game up with even more hats, modes, and maps.

But despite how much the game has grown since it launched back in 2007, it remains easy to pick up, especially if you have some chums to play with. The package now feels infinitely huge, with a great variety of game types, from the classic capture point Red vs. Blu games to co-op Mann vs. Machine, where players band together to keep waves of murderous robots at bay.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is massive, second only to League of Legends in the realm of MOBAs. Millions of people seemingly play it constantly, always coming back to check out new characters and patches. As a MOBA with roots in the origin of the genre, you know exactly what to expect: an eclectic roster of Dota 2 heroes, a huge list of powerful items, ten players, three lanes, and a massive emphasis on skill.

You could spend days and days just thinking about the metagame, not to mention honing your talents by spectating the biggest matches come tournament season. Budding players need to get started somewhere with this free Steam game, so check out our guide to the best Dota 2 heroes.

Disney Speedstorm

Any good list of games should include a kart or racing game. Disney Speedstorm might not be the most challenging or complex game on this list, but it sure is fun. Take on the role of some of your favorite Disney characters, don stylish racing gear, and slip into the seat of a speedy motor as you race around Disney and Pixar-themed tracks. This free Steam game changes seasonally, with new characters and courses being added constantly, along with its seasonal battle pass. While you can pay for additional content, Disney Speedstorm is enjoyable and competitive without parting with a single cent.

Once Human

If it wasn’t already clear, we love our survival horror experiences here at PCGamesN, and recent debutant Once Human has already made its way onto our list.

All life on Earth has been infested by an alien entity known as Stardust. Fortunately, some humans – meta-humans – such as yourself can resist its effects and actually wield it to their advantage. Sporting plenty of suitably monstrous bosses, huge base-building potential, and more customization options for your gear than you can shake a rifle at, Once Human is one of 2024’s top freebies. While you might bounce off it after the first server wipe, this system also provides you a clean, level entry point into the game if you’ve never played before.

Throne and Liberty

If you’ve been itching for a new fantasy MMO from a major studio, then NCSoft has you covered. Throne and Liberty plops you down in the world of Solisium – a magic-filled realm that is, unsurprisingly, under threat from a great evil.

As the holder of a fragment of the Star of Sylaveth – a celestial object that grants you power – the forces of Kazar have painted a rather large target on your back. You see, Kazar is looking to acquire every fragment to dominate the world, and it’s your job to prevent this. Featuring a robust combat system, gorgeous visuals, and some pretty impressive engineering from the devs when it comes to showing tons of players on-screen at once without slowdown, there’s a lot to like about Throne and Liberty.

If you do opt to check it out, be sure to check out the latest Throne and Liberty codes for an extra boost, as well as all the best Throne and Liberty builds that you can try out. Throne and Liberty sports a classless combat system, so there’s lots to dig into there.

Our free Steam key giveaways

Here are the current giveaways live on PCGN right now:

• Midnight Murder Club – Grab your guaranteed Steam key for the closed beta of this fun and spooky multiplayer party game before we run out.

From time to time on PCGamesN we will host giveaways for Steam games. You can enter via a widget on the dedicated article. If a game is listed here, the giveaway is currently live, so click the link in the bullet list below to be in with a chance of winning the game completely free. We’ll keep this list regularly updated with games you can get your hands on.

Other free Steam keys

Here are the current free game offers on Steam or elsewhere right now:

• What the Fog – Create or log into your Behaviour account to download this cute roguelite based in the DBD universe for free. (Limited to 2 million copies)

How to redeem Steam keys

Have you got a free Steam key? If so, congratulations! So long as nobody has redeemed already, you are just a few steps away from getting a game or DLC for absolutely nothing. Follow these instructions to redeem your Steam key.

• Open your Steam client.
• Click ‘Activate a product on Steam’.
• Copy and paste your Steam code into the text box below and click confirm.
• If successful, click the redeem button to add the game or DLC to your library.
• You can then install the game manually or update the existing game with the DLC.

Do note that Steam codes come in one of three formats:

• AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC
• AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDDD-EEEEE
• ###AAAAAAAAAAAA ##

If your code is unsuccessful, make sure that you don’t leave any rogue spaces at the end of the text box, as these will count toward the characters entered. If you get an error message that says duplicate code, someone already beat you to the free game. If the code is invalid, check that it’s, in fact, a Steam code and not a code for another service such as Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, or even a PlayStation code.

And there you have it: the very best games available on Steam that will cost you absolutely nothing. And since they all come at everybody’s favorite price, you can play even more games than before. With everything from terrifying horror games to logical war games, why not try them all and see which ones are for you? It won’t cost you anything but a little RAM, and you might even discover a new favorite. We also have a list of the upcoming PC games if you can wait a bit for your next gaming fix.