In this post, we take a look at some of the best free-to-play games available on Steam for PC. If you love free games, these top picks will certainly help feed your appetite.
Steam is filled with great free games that will keep you busy for hundreds of hours without having to spend a single dime. These are some of the games you can download and play for free forever.
Of course, they will include in-game microtransactions. But these aren’t pay-to-win games. You can pay to get cosmetics if you want. Otherwise, you can enjoy these games freely without spending any money, as long as you can resist the need to make your characters look cool.
Now, let’s get to the list.
#1 Warframe
First up, one of my all-time favorite games, Warframe. This game has been around for many years but it still has a highly active community of players and the developers release new content throughout the year.
Warframe is a third-person shooter with tons of gameplay value. I’ve put in over 300 hours into this game and still haven’t got through the main side missions yet.
#2 Destiny 2
If Warframe is too complex for you, try Destiny 2. Destiny 2 is another looter-shooter that’s very similar to Warframe but with a first-person view and less advanced missions and crafting.
Destiny 2 base game is now completely free to play on Steam. If you like the game, you can try out the paid expansions. Truth be told, the expansions have the best content. But the free version packs tons of value as well.
#3 Shatterline
Shatterline is a brand new multiplayer FPS that just arrived on Steam early access. It’s free to play and it was an instant hit among many gamers.
Shatterline features gameplay that’s quite similar to an old hit, Dirty Bomb but with modern elements. The gunplay feels just as smooth as a Call of Duty game. You’ll immediately fall in love with this one.
#4 Apex Legends
The fast-paced battle royale game recently arrived on Steam and you can now play it free of charge. Apex Legends is one of the most exciting shooters you can play. And it’s even better when playing with a couple of friends.
Even if you hate BR games like Fortnite and PUBG, give Apex Legends a try. The fast-paced gameplay and its cool hero character system make the game a really fun experience.
#5 PUBG
PUBG also went free-to-play in January 2022. This move came after a few F2P competitors, like Apex Legends, saw a rise in popularity.
You can now play the game for free. However, it’s not entirely free. While you have access to most of the content and maps, you’ll have to buy a one-time add-on to access the full game.
Either way, it’s still a pretty great BR game you’ll definitely enjoy, especially since it’s free. More info here.
#6 Path Of Exile
My second favorite game on Steam. Path Of Exile is an action RPG game that’s also a pretty old game but you’d be surprised how often the game gets new content and how popular it is.
If you loved games like Diablo 3 and Torchlight, you’ll instantly fall in love with Path of Exile. Fair warning, it can get a bit confusing and tough at the beginning of the game. Check out some tutorial videos on YouTube before you get started.
#7 Undecember
Undecember is a new ARPG that was released in late 2022. This game is quite similar to Diablo 3 and Path of Exile but offers a much more polished gameplay experience.
What I loved the most about this game is that it features cross-play and cross-save between mobile and PC. This allows you to play the game on PC and continue your playthrough on mobile while you’re on the go.
#8 CS: GO 2
Valve recently made CS:GO a free-to-play title a while back but now it’s even better.
CS:GO received a massive new update recently turning it into CS:GO 2. You can now jump right in and play this iconic FPS for absolutely free. The game looks much smoother and runs much better than ever before. Just beware of spending cash on skins, though.
#9 Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 is one of the longest-running MMORPGs out there and it recently came over to Steam. You can now download the game directly from Steam and play the base game for free.
The base game packs a tons of content for you to enjoy and if you’re into MMORPGs like WoW, this one is a must-try.
#10 Albion Online
Albion Online recently went free-to-play and it managed to amass a great number of new players since. This is a top-down MMORPG with a player-based economy. You can grind to build stuff and go on missions. Players have complained this game to be too grindy, but at least it’s now free for everyone to try and find out.
#11 Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a fun new free-to-play game on Steam you can play whenever you need to blow out some “steam” (pun unintended). This is a fun cartoonish PVP fighting game with a twist.
In this game, you not only have to defeat your opponent but also have to avoid falling off the platform. The game may look tiny, but there are now eSports championships made around this game.
#12 DOTA 2
DOTA 2 is a game that doesn’t require an introduction. Everyone knows this massively multiplayer battle arena game and how it works. If you still haven’t tried this game, give it a try. It’s free after all!
#13 Paladins
Some say Paladins is a direct clone of Overwatch. Others say Paladins was in development way before Overwatch. There’s much debate. But, don’t worry about all that.
If you love FPS multiplayer shooters, you’ll love this game. There’s no story or missions. Just plain PVP team-based shooting action.
This is a fun game once you get the hang of it. I’ve put in around 100 hours into this game.
#14 Quake Champions
Remember Quake? Well this new free-to-play game is even more fun than the old games. Quake Champions is an FPS game with awesome action-based multiplayer combat where you just shoot the crap out of everyone using massive and explosive weapons. To sum it up, this is the bloody fun.
#15 Neverwinter
Neverwinter is an online role-playing game or MMORPG with bits of similarities to World of Warcraft. Even though it was released in 2013 the game still has a large active community. Give this one a try if you’re a fan of roleplay games.
#16 Enderal: Forgotten Stories
Technically this is not a game but more like an expansion mod. But there’s an entirely new campaign and missions in this mod that revamp the entire game.
Enderal is a community-made expansion mod for Skyrim. You’ll need the Skyrim base game in order to play this mod. And the mod is free to play.
#17 SIMS 4
SIMS 4 is now free to play! That’s right. You can now play god and do evil things in your own tiny world for free.
Of course, the expansions are still there and you need a fortune to buy all those expansions. But the base game has lots to explore and enjoy. And for the low price of free, it’s well worth the download.
#18 Warface
Made by a team of developers behind Crysis, Warface is a fun and action-packed free-to-play FPS game with lots of gameplay value. This is a great title you can try if you’re into Call of Duty style multiplayer games. Although the graphics of this game can be a bit outdated.
#19 Black Squad
Black Squad is just like CS:GO, but with better graphics, weapons, and gameplay mechanics. This game is free to play and includes an active community. It has all the great game modes of CS:GO, like deathmatch and bomb defuse as well.
#20 Spiral Knights
This may look like a fun little platformer game, but it’s actually a game with intense multiplayer battles and co-op action. If you’re into RPG games, this game will offer you loads of fun.
#21 SMITE
SMITE is another free to play battle arena game. Once you get tired of DOTA 2, you should try this game. Although, try to keep player mics muted if you don’t want to get yelled at by a random Russian.
#22 Dungeon Defenders II
This is a hidden gem with some fun co-op gameplay action. Dungeon Defenders II is a tower defense game with action-packed multiplayer gameplay. The game receives regular updates and has an active community as well.
#23 The Expendabros
The Expendabros is a free-to-play limited-edition version of the fun platformer game Broforce. This game was released to promote the movie Expendables when it was first released. The game is old, but let me tell you it’s still super fun to play.
#24 Realm Grinder
Realm Grinder is bit of an old-school RPG game with fun gameplay where you get to build and manage your own little realm. There are players who have put in over 1k hours of playtime into the game. Ask them if the game is addictive or not.