Some people say that the best things in life are free, and while that proverb applies to love and family most of the time, free-to-play games prove it is correct time and time again. They offer excellent experiences, are easily accessible, and you get to explore an endless list of titles without breaking the bank.
Playing on a PC further reduces the need to empty your piggy bank to enjoy a gaming experience, considering how expensive consoles can get. But the problem often lies in picking the best PC games to download and play. The list is simply endless.
By the way, there are many great games to play on Steam, some of them included in this list of best free PC games for 2023. Grab your PC, and let’s show you where the good stuff is.
The Best Free PC Games for 2023
- Dota 2
- Destiny 2
- Eve Online
- Genshin Impact
- Fortnite
- Brawlhalla
- Blade & Soul
- League of Legends
- MultiVersus
- Hearthstone
Are you looking for a challenge? Then Defense of the Ancients 2, or Dota 2, may just be what the doctor ordered. It is arguably the most challenging esports game out there, earning the tag “easy to learn, difficult to master” from the gaming and esports community.
Whatever the case, this MOBA will rock your boots and leave your PC hot (keep an extinguisher nearby). With a roster of over 100 characters to choose from and the task of defeating every other team of players, Dota 2 is one immense battlefield with endless possibilities.
From the brilliant minds that brought us the Halo franchise masterpiece comes Destiny 2, where you play as a Guardian, a badass warrior who travels the galaxy, shooting down anything nasty.
Gamers who thirst for high-end action can’t do much better than Destiny 2, as it is one of the highest-rated action MMO titles you can find for PC. Think of Call of Duty but in outer space.
This is one of the longest-running games on this list and in general. Released in 2003, Eve Online is a sandbox MMO that puts you in a ship and pits you against the scary and very cutthroat threats of endless space. Eve Online stands out because your story is unique, as you create your path by choosing through countless options.
One of the best free PC games for 2023, and perhaps of all time, Eve Online lets you explore endless worlds, space systems, and choices as you deal with threats from the expansive open world and other players forging their paths.
Very few games can hold the clout that Genshin Impact does. It’s an RPG where you can play interchangeably as one of four characters in a squad, each with unique abilities. You get to travel through the vast and mysterious world of Teyvat, discovering new experiences as you try to locate a lost sibling.
You also get to fight monsters, master the seven elements, gather unique items to help you in your quest, and have a good time.
Fewer words describe Fortnite better than ‘iconic’. It hasn't looked back since it stormed the battle royale community. And why should it? When you offer players an entire multiverse of characters to choose from, customisable appearances, amazing graphics and excellent gameplay– you have the right to call yourself one of the best games in the world and mean it.
The gameplay is straightforward; 100 players compete against one another on a shrinking map, gathering resources and weapons to become the last man or team standing. There are many surprises and collectables along the way, making each match unique and addictive.
Platform fighters are insanely entertaining. Maybe it’s because the objective is to punch or knock out your opponents or the complexity of avoiding being taken out yourself. Either way, Brawlhalla is one of those games you just have to play. Take our word for it.
But you’re not just simply throwing punches here. Brawlhalla matches feature an array of weapons randomly raining onto the platforms. The characters are rotated weekly, but you can purchase your favourite characters using coins. Moreover, Brawlhalla supports cross-platform play, so you can jump between console and PC for matches.
Martial arts, intense PvP matches, dungeons to explore, raids to conquer and aesthetics to die for. Well, not literally, but Blade & Soul is a good choice for MMORPG lovers. Its fast-paced combat style has endeared it to many in the MMORPG community. You can choose from four different races: Jin, Lyn, Gon and Yun, representing humans, half-beasts, demons, and spirits, respectively. There are also 13 playable classes, including Assassin, Summoner, Astromancer, Warlock, Soul Fighter and Gunslinger.
Blade & Soul also has a mobile game version, Blade & Soul: Revolution, so you can check that out if you like the game enough to want to experience it on mobile.
Riot Games is a developer famous for many of the world’s best games. One of those is League of Legends, which holds rank as one of the most played MOBAs in PC gaming. LoL involves you playing as any of the games numerous champions, coordinating with your teammates to lay waste to your opponent’s base. The best thing about LoL is that the matches only get more challenging as you go on, so there is no shortage of challenges to make you sweat.
Champions are rotated weekly in the free mode, but you can buy characters for permanent use if they catch your eye. In-game currency can be paid for with real money or through earnings from gameplay.
If there’s one thing sure to get the gamer juices flowing, it’s how extensive the character roster is. And with MultiVersus, you have no shortage. The hardest part of the game may well be choosing which character you will play.
MultiVersus is a platform fighter from Warner Bros. Games that lets you play as any character from the company’s many properties. That includes Game of Thrones, DC Comics, Looney Tunes, and charactersScooby-Doo characters. You can also play as characters from Rick and Morty, Adventure Time and Tom & Jerry.
Currently, the game’s open beta launch will be closed from June 25, 2023— but have no fear; it will return in 2024. We’re keeping it on this list because even with new downloads being temporarily disabled, it’s good enough to wait for.
Card games are a bit of a novelty when it comes to gaming, and not everyone likes to really get into them. But games like Hearthstone exist and smash all expectations— ranking high on many gamer lists. It’s easy to see why; Hearthstone is well done and is even based on the Warcraft mythos.
Its gameplay involves players taking turns with a 30-card deck of special attacks and attributes to drop their opponent’s health till it hits zero. Challenges earn you valuable gold, which you can use to strengthen your deck.