Some of the most popular and best-reviewed PC games on the planet are completely free to play. Whether you're chasing competitive shooters, deep MOBAs, sprawling open-world RPGs, or just a fun game to fire up after work, there's a free PC game built for you. The free-to-play model has matured dramatically over the past decade — most modern free games are full-featured titles with optional cosmetics rather than pay-to-win cash grabs.
Here's a guide to the best free PC games across genres, plus where to find more.
We've focused on free PC games that meet three criteria: completely free to play (no required purchases), actively maintained with regular updates, and offering a substantial, polished experience that competes with paid games in their genre.
The defining battle royale of the past decade. Epic Games' Fortnite is constantly updated with new seasons, collaborations with movies and other game franchises, and modes ranging from competitive 100-player battle royale to creative sandbox mode (Fortnite Creative) and LEGO Fortnite. With cross-platform play and a vibrant esports scene, Fortnite remains one of the best free PC games for players who like variety and frequent fresh content.
Valve's tactical shooter is one of the longest-running competitive games on PC — and it's completely free. Counter-Strike 2 (the 2023 upgrade to CS:GO) features improved graphics via Source 2, redesigned smoke grenade physics, and a refined ranked system. The competitive scene is one of the largest in gaming, with major esports tournaments offering multimillion-dollar prize pools. Free on Steam.
Riot Games' MOBA giant has been the most-played PC game in the world for years. With over 160 playable champions, a deep ranked ladder, and constant balance updates, League of Legends offers nearly unlimited depth for players who enjoy strategic team gameplay. The annual World Championship is one of the biggest esports events on the planet. Free on Riot's official client.
Respawn Entertainment's hero-shooter battle royale combines tight gunplay with character abilities, fast movement, and squad-focused team play. With new "Legends" (playable characters), maps, and weapons added every season, Apex Legends has remained one of the freshest free PC games on the market. Free on Steam and the EA app.
Another Riot Games title, Valorant blends Counter-Strike-style tactical gameplay with character-specific abilities. The 5v5 competitive shooter has become one of the most-watched esports titles since its 2020 launch, with a global pro scene and constant updates. Free on Riot's official client.
Soccer with rocket-powered cars — Psyonix's Rocket League went free-to-play in 2020 and has only grown since. The simple-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay loop is one of the most uniquely fun in gaming, and the competitive Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) is a major esports event. Free on Epic Games Store and Steam.
Digital Extremes' sci-fi action MMO has been quietly building one of the most loyal followings in PC gaming for over a decade. Warframe combines third-person shooting, parkour movement, and deep RPG progression across hundreds of hours of content. It's often praised as the most generous free-to-play game on PC, with virtually all content earnable through gameplay. Free on Steam and Warframe.com.
HoYoverse's open-world action RPG looks and plays like a console adventure game with an anime aesthetic. Genshin Impact features elemental combat, dozens of playable characters, and a sprawling world that's continuously expanded with new regions. While its gacha character-unlock system has drawn debate, the base game is genuinely free and offers hundreds of hours of content. Free on the HoYoPlay launcher.
Most of the best free PC games are distributed through major platform launchers rather than central stores:
Steam — Hosts the largest catalog of free games, including Counter-Strike 2, Warframe, Apex Legends, and Rocket League. Steam also offers regular free weekend events for paid games.
Epic Games Store — Home to Fortnite and Rocket League, plus free game giveaways every Thursday for paid titles.
Riot Client — Required for League of Legends, Valorant, and Riot's other free PC games.
EA App — Required for Apex Legends, plus other free EA titles.
Battle.net — Blizzard's launcher for free games like Hearthstone.
HoYoPlay — HoYoverse's launcher for Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero.
For more variety, check Steam's "Free to Play" category, which features thousands of free PC games across every genre — from indie experiences to AAA titles.
To find free PC games on the Microsoft Store, open the Store app on Windows or visit microsoft.com/store. Navigate to the Gaming tab, click PC Games, then use the price filter to select "Free" — this surfaces all free-to-play titles available.
Popular free PC games available on the Microsoft Store include Fortnite, Roblox, Sea of Thieves' free Maiden Voyage trial, and various free demos of paid titles. The Microsoft Store also occasionally runs limited-time free game promotions, though these are less frequent than Epic Games Store giveaways.
For broader access to PC games, the Xbox app on Windows offers Xbox Game Pass — not technically free, but the $1 first-month trial gives access to hundreds of games. Game Pass titles can also be searched within the Microsoft Store interface.
Some of the best free-to-play PC games released this year and over the past year include Marvel Rivals, The Finals, Throne and Liberty's Western launch, and Path of Exile 2's Early Access. Most major free-to-play releases now come from established studios like NetEase, Embark, and Grinding Gear Games.
The hero shooter genre has seen the strongest growth in new free-to-play releases — Marvel Rivals in particular has emerged as a major Overwatch competitor since launching in late 2024. Path of Exile 2's Early Access has also drawn millions of players from the ARPG community looking for a free alternative to paid titles like Diablo IV.
For the latest releases, Steam's "New Releases" filter combined with the "Free to Play" tag is the most reliable way to discover new free-to-play PC games as they launch.
The safest places to download full version free PC games are official platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, the Microsoft Store, Riot Client, EA App, and Battle.net. Avoid third-party download sites, torrents, and "crack" sites — these are illegal and frequently contain malware.
Steam and Epic Games Store offer the largest libraries of completely free PC games. Steam's "Free to Play" category contains thousands of titles, while Epic gives away one or more paid games every week as full free downloads — these stay in your library permanently once claimed. GOG also offers a small but curated selection of completely free classics that are DRM-free.
Avoid third-party "free full version download" websites, torrent sites, and sites offering "cracked" versions of paid games. These are illegal, frequently bundle malware, and put your computer at risk. If a website offers a paid AAA game for free download outside of an official platform, it's almost certainly malicious or pirated.
For paid games you'd like to try free legitimately, look for Steam Free Play Days (free weekend access to specific titles) and Epic Games Store's free weekly giveaways. Both give you full access to the complete game with zero cost.
Ubisoft's free PC game lineup is limited but includes Trackmania (free Starter Access tier), regular free weekend events for For Honor and Rainbow Six Siege, and free trial periods for The Crew 2. Ubisoft+ also offers a free first-month trial to access multiple games.
Here are the Ubisoft free PC games worth trying:
Trackmania — The casual racing game offers a free "Starter Access" tier through Ubisoft Connect, with access to a curated rotating selection of tracks. This is the best truly free Ubisoft PC game currently available with no time limit.
For Honor — Regularly runs free weekend events and 5-day full-game free trials. Worth watching the Ubisoft Connect app for the next promotion period.
Rainbow Six Siege — Free weekend events are common throughout the year, giving players full access to the tactical shooter for several days at a time.
The Crew 2 — Frequently included in Ubisoft's free weekend rotations and free trial promotions.
Ubisoft+ (the company's subscription service) also offers a free first-month trial, giving access to a rotating library of dozens of Ubisoft titles — a useful way to try multiple games without spending money. Note that XDefiant, Ubisoft's main free-to-play shooter, shut down in mid-2025 and is no longer available.
For permanent free-to-play PC games with deep ongoing content, players are generally better served by titles from Riot Games, Epic Games, and Digital Extremes.
The best free PC games of today rival paid releases in scope, polish, and active player counts. Whether you want competitive depth (Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends), constant fresh content (Fortnite, Apex Legends), or a long-running adventure (Warframe, Genshin Impact), there's no shortage of high-quality options that won't cost a cent.
The best part: you can try them all without spending money. Pick one that matches your taste, install it, and dive in.
Alex Castellari · Editor
Editor
