By Before getting married, I used to live alone. I moved to a new city and I was completely alone there.
I had no friends, no relatives nearby, not even a park to visit, just to be around people.
I’m generally an introverted person, by there are times even introverts feel lonely.
This post includes some of the games I played when I feel lonely. These are not cozy games. Because those Stardew Valley-type games did not work for me.
What worked best for me are online games where I can play with random people without forced PVP.
That feeling of seeing other people run around in the same location, completing missions side-by-side, trading items with others, always made me feel like I’m part of a community.
If you’re also craving for a feeling like that right now, try some of these games.
1. Elder Scrolls Online
I haven’t found another game that offers the same sense of togetherness and community as ESO does.
Even though it’s an MMO, this game does not force you to play with others. And it has thousands of quests for you to complete with loads of expansions to explore.
The fact that it takes place in the same universe as Skyrim was just a delightful bonus for me.
This combination made this game my go-to choice for dealing with my loneliness. Every time I visit a city in this game, it always feels like I’m visiting an actual city. There were always dozens of players running around.
Seeing them doing the same quests as me and running the same dungeons together, even without speaking a word, always made me feel like I was part of something.
2. Fallout 76
I used to run a shop in Fallout 76. I placed it near a popular location in the game, and I waited in the shop just to see people come to my place and buy things they want.
I also did events and group missions with other random people.
Fallout 76 is janky and has very outdated-looking graphics. But the game has one of the nicest and most loyal communities I’ve seen.
Housing and decorations are a big part of Fallout 76. Of course, the game packs a ton of action too.
When doing missions, you can even join a group and go do your own thing, mainly to gain the bonus XP. You can speak with them if you want, hang around, or do missions together. But you are not obligated to do any of that.
3. Warframe
Warframe is perfect if you enjoy grindy games.
You can join any mission and easily find 3 other random players doing the same mission with you. You can also find groups using the chat and do things together, like farming blueprints for building new warframes.
Similar to ESO, Warframe also has cities that players go to show off their fashion and even trade items.
Fashion is the true endgame of Warframe. There are loads of things you can do in this game, though.
For example, when I’m feeling lonely, I just go do some fishing or mine gems in caves. Sometimes I join resource farming missions to hang out with other players. Those missions last around 20-30 minutes most of the time.
4. Destiny 2
Ever since Sony bought out Destiny 2’s developer, the game has seen a massive decline. I honestly can’t speak about the current situation of the game because I haven’t played it in a while. But I used to enjoy this game a lot.
I love FPS games, and I loved the grindy vibe of Destiny 2. I always bought the new expansions of the game and enjoyed every minute of it.
This game also has open areas and city areas where you can meet and hang out with other players. It has an engaging story and co-op play where you can easily join a random group to do missions together.
5. No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Sky is not an everyman’s game. It features a unique art style, and it takes place in space. If you find those interesting, you’ll find thousands of hours’ worth of entertainment from this game.
In No Man’s Sky, you will meet lots of strangers in the online hub. You can join up and do missions together or explore the universe on your own.
I particularly enjoyed building bases and collecting cool ships.
Playing this game made me realize how tiny our problems really are compared to the vast universe with an infinite number of planets and stars, and galaxies.
6. Red Dead Redemption 2
RDR2 has both online and offline game modes.
Online mode is fun, but it has forced PVP, and I did not enjoy getting killed by random people every 10 minutes.
But I played the offline mode quite a bit and replayed the campaign three times. Each time I roleplayed different characters and it was really fun.
RDR2 has one of the most engaging and rich open worlds I’ve ever experienced. You often have random encounters even in lonely desert areas. And every one of those NPCs you meet offers a genuine and unique experience that keeps you fully engaged.
You never feel lonely playing this game.
7. Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic is another one of those co-op games that you can play with strangers.
I remember grouping with random players and finishing multiple missions without speaking a single word. It was all about gestures and pings.
The game offers several different kinds of missions and things to unlock for progressing. It’s an addictive game you can play with almost anyone and always feel part of a group.
8. Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 4 was one of my favorite games that I played to relax and do quick races with other players. But the game servers got shut down recently, and it’s no longer available.
These days, I play Forza Horizon 5. It’s basically the same game in a different location.
This game is all about racing, so you’ll need a controller or a racing wheel to get fully immersed in the game and have more fun.
9. Death Stranding
Some folks called Death Stranding a glorified walking simulator. But it’s actually much more than that.
In addition to its complicated and meaningful story, the game offers a vast world where you can do delivery missions while dealing with various obstacles and threats.
This game lets you be alone with yourself and some cool tunes to truly deal with emotions.
I used to play this game when I was tired of dealing with people. Even online games can be toxic sometimes.
10. TESV: Skyrim
If you don’t want to deal with the online aspect of ESO, Skyrim is another game you can play to deal with loneliness.
Skyrim is not as massive as ESO or as graphically advanced as RDR2, but it has some of the best quests you’ll come across.
The NPCs are also fun to speak with. And you can even have a companion to run around with and have short conversations.
11. The Sims 4
I couldn’t get into Sims 4 no matter how much I tried, but my wife just can’t shut up about it.
In Sims 4, you can live your dreams, build houses, run businesses, and kill your partner in brutal ways, among other things.
If you’re into that kind of thing, Sims 4 is a must-play title. The base game is free, but the expansions are super expensive. You don’t have to buy everything, though.
12. InZOI
I’m yet to play InZOI, but I’ve heard great things about this game from fans.
InZoi plays similarly to Sims 4 but with a more realistic approach. It even allows you to drive around and do all kinds of activities like meeting other people, getting into relationships, and hosting parties.
The game is still in early access, so proceed with caution.
What’s Next?
Feeling alone and lonely is part of life. Some people feel alone even when surrounded by dozens of people. It’s just something you have to deal with in certain parts of your life.
But don’t let that hold you down. Find ways, like playing online games, to get rid of that feeling. Don’t let your feelings define who you are. You’ve got this!
If you want more games to keep yourself busy, check out some of my other lists.
