Generally speaking, it makes sense that the biggest video game titles in the world require you to shell out the big bucks. But some of the most innovative and popular ones out there can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere, free of charge. These games give you the premium experiences you’d expect from top titles through detailed storylines, high-quality graphics, or even just good ol’ fun. While none of the games in this list was released in 2024, they’ve stood the test of time as the best in the free-to-play realm, whether for 15 years or three.
Fortnite
Fortnite has a legendary reputation in the gaming industry for being a pioneer of the battle royale genre. Start a Battle Royale game and you’ll be just one out of up to 100 players who need to defend, attack, and fight to be the last player standing. Although there are other game modes available, the competition and opportunity to connect with friends makes it the most popular one.
The game’s vibrant and bold art style and diverse environments make it even more attractive to gamers, and it combines all sorts of beloved game genres like role-playing, survival, and adventure into one package. It has an approachable and lighthearted aesthetic that makes it appealing to a wide range of players, so it’s no surprise that it became such a cultural phenomenon. Add in the free factor, and it becomes an unstoppable force that continues to draw people in year after year.
The Sims 4
The Sims 4 may seem like old news as it was released in 2014, but this social simulation game has developed a massive cult following. Although it wasn’t always free, it moved to a free-to-play model in 2022. The Sims franchise is all about creating virtual people and families and simulating their lives however you wish. Each Sim has basic needs such as hunger and hygiene to fulfill, but you can decide the trajectory of their career, what relationships they form, and what they do on a daily basis.
Many Sims players also enjoy building their Sims’ world using many intricate features such as landscapes and structures and furnishings such as beds, decor, showers, counters, and more. The free base game comes with a limited number of worlds, furnishings, and gameplay capabilities, while purchasing expansion packs, game packs, and stuff packs gives players access to more.
Call of Duty: Warzone
The iconic Call of Duty series made its way onto the gaming scene in 2003 and, since then, has been synonymous with the first-person shooter. The franchise’s original Modern Warfare titles are inspired primarily by World War II settings, and the Black Ops subseries has a more diverse and experimental feel to it. Then, in 2020, Activision released Call of Duty: Warzone, their first standalone battle royale title. At that time, the battle royale genre began to gain traction, so they wanted to jump on the bandwagon and bless fans with a free last-man-standing combat game.
If you don’t have the funds to fork out for the latest release in the COD series, Warzone is a great alternative option that combines the classic narratives, styles, and weapons of Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, and Vanguard with the action-packed fun of this new game mode. As a bonus, the game one-ups other battle royale titles and supports up to 150 players in a single match, as opposed to the typical 100-player cap.
Fall Guys
Fall Guys provides a burst of color, laughs, and competition as you play for free as a cute, bean-shaped character in a series of minigames to win the crown. It’s also a battle royale game like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite, but one that doesn’t involve weapons. The premise is much more playful, where contestants compete in rounds of obstacle courses and team games, much like a party game. Gamers can get hooked for hours of fun, jumping, grabbing, diving, and training their skills, earning in-game currency to buy nameplates, patterns, and cosmetics for their characters.
It’s a great family-friendly game that regularly receives updates and new costumes to keep things interesting. These updates are known as “Seasons” and often come with costumes from various media franchises and video games like Among Us, Cuphead, Star Wars, and Marvel.
League of Legends
This might come as a surprise to many, but arguably, the biggest multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game in the world has been free since its release in 2009. That’s right—League of Legends is a free-to-play game that’s only monetized by in-game transactions for skins, loot boxes, and other cosmetic items, unlike how you can get free SC coins at social casinos.
The goal of the game is to control a champion of your choice and gain experience points by defeating enemies and the rival team base. It’s a purely classic MOBA-style game that has set the standard for others in the genre. Unlike MMORPGs or battle royale titles, MOBAs are known for their quicker matches, ranging from 15 minutes to just over one hour. Players need to work cohesively as a team and understand the nuances in strategy to outplay opponents, making it an intensely team-based game rather than a free-for-all, every-man-for-himself scenario.
It’s such a widely played game with a competitive streak that it quickly became the world’s largest esports game. The League of Legends World Championship (known as Worlds) is held annually in major countries, with the prize pool for the 2024 tournament set at over $60 million USD.