When you are first starting out with PC gaming, it is not unusual to be a bit strapped for cash. After dropping a few grand on a top-of-the-line gaming PC, you don’t really feel like spending another $70 until you get your next paycheck. That’s where free-to play games come in. Anyone who is versed in mobile games will hear that phrase and brace themselves for micro-transaction and gacha hell, but PC free-to-play games tend to work a bit differently. The hardest part when it comes to free-to-play games on PC is finding the diamonds in the rough so to speak.
That’s where Steam comes in. Steam is the place that comes to mind when you think of buying games on PC since its launch back in 2003. Over the years, many different kinds of games have been added to the platform and the addition of many social features has cemented Steam as the go-to place for anything PC gaming. With an open storefront, it was only a matter of time before free games started to flood the store. While many free games on Steam tend to be mobile ports or asset flips not worth playing, there are definitely a few free games worth your time. Much like our best flash games list, we are here to provide you with the 10 best free games you can get on Steam right now.
10. Overwatch 2
While Overwatch 2 does have its fair share of controversy surrounding the scrapped content for the game and the cost of skins, the core elements of the competitive hero-based FPS are still there. What would have originally cost you $60 to get has been made free with the release of the sequel and it is ready for you to play right now. While the game is free-to-play, you will still need to spend time to unlock the full roster of heroes if you don’t want to spend any money at all. Just make sure you have them all unlocked before you try to queue for ranked if you don’t want 4 other angry teammates when you can’t switch off the base heroes.
9. Planetside 2
Although Planetside 2 is one of the older games on this list, it still holds up quite well compared to most other Triple-A releases. Planetside 2 is a Large-scale warfare FPS game with MMO elements. A constant 3-way battle is being waged on multiple planets and you are the latest recruit to join up with one of the 3 main factions. Whether you are looking to be an ace pilot, a tanker driver, or just a run-of-the-mill foot soldier, Planetside 2 has you covered. Battles in Planetside 2 are quite large considering the age of the game, having upwards of 100 players all fighting over a single base at a time.
Although the game is a bit old, it is still frequently updated. Recently there was a 4th faction added allowing for players to freelance for whichever faction has the least players out of the big 3 factions. The game shows its age with the older graphics and poor optimization. But everything in the game is free to unlock and use with a bit of grinding in the game.
8. Path of Exile
Path of Exile is an Action RPG similar to Diablo and other top-down looter games. What sets it apart from Diablo, aside from being entirely free, is the classes and class customization. One look at the skill trees in Path of Exile can easily overwhelm even the most veteran MMO player due to the sheer amount of options and paths available. But once you manage to conquer the boss that is the skill trees, you will find a fully free Triple-A worthy game. It features a full campaign to play through as well as the seasonal characters that you have come to expect from Diablo-style games.
7. Sims 4
Seeing this game on the list might shock you since Sims 4 was originally a full-priced $60 game. But as the game has aged and EA has added content pack after content pack to the game, they have decided to release the base version of Sims 4 entirely for free. This is a great deal for anyone who wants a family sim-type game. While you might be turned off at the thought of needing to get the content packs to have a full game, you can still play without them. If you are really desperate for more content than the base game has to offer, you can always turn toward the modding scene for Sims 4.
6. Dota 2
A good MOBA is hard to come by, to the point where there are only 3 major MOBAs massive enough to garner attention. While all of these MOBAs are free, Dota 2 does have a bit more polish and options compared to the other 2. The main draw of Dota 2 is that all of the characters are free and unlock right from the start when you launch the game. No grinding is required to unlock anything with Dota 2, all the gamemodes and characters are right there for you to play. Dota also features a vast array of player-made arcade game modes that turn the standard MOBA formula on its head. From tower defense games to PvE adventures, the custom games in Dota 2 brings a lot of variety to a standard MOBA.
5. Warthunder
A familiar name to anyone who spends time watching YouTube videos, Warthunder is the next game on our list of the best free Steam games. While you may be tired of hearing about the game from the countless sponsorships that it offers, there is a bit of truth in what people say about the game. While it can be quite the grindy game to get newer vehicles, Warthunder is a treasure trove of content for any history buffs who want to get into military games. Offering all forms of combat from land to sea and air, it really has a bit of something for anyone.
4. Apex Legends
Another Triple-A quality game for free is the hit battle royal Apex Legends. Yet another game from EA that is fully free-to-play, the only purchases you can make are to buy characters early or to buy skins. Although many fans wanted this to somehow turn into Titanfall 3, Apex Legends has managed to make a name for itself as one of the top Battle Royal games in the scene. Rivaled only by Fortnite, Apex pulls in players by offering a focus on movement in combat and ability usage over building skill. While the game has had its ups and downs it is still going strong to this day with quite a large playerbase.
3. Counter-Strike 2
While this entry would have been Counter-Strike: Global Offensive a few months ago. The Sequel, Counter-Strike 2, has maintained the free-to-play model that CS:GO introduced later in its lifetime. Counter-Strike 2 is one of the nicer-looking games on the list since it uses Valve’s Source 2 engine, which also makes it one of the newest games on the list. If you have never played a Counter Stike game before, it is a high-skill FPS game that is all about knowing the recoil patterns of guns and the right angles to hold. While Counter-Strike 2 doesn’t change much from the original CS:GO, it does offer new volumetric smoke and some decent map changes. Just be aware that if you are looking to get into competitive Counter-Strike 2, you will need to buy Prime access in order to play Prime matchmaking with your friends.
2. Team Fortress 2
A timeless classic, Team Fortress 2 has withstood countless games that were supposed to put the nail in the coffin for it. Team Fortress 2 could be considered the most popular class-based FPS out there and it clearly has some sort of draw to still be around after its release back in 2007. While it is mostly kept alive by the massive cult following, it is still a very solid free-to-play FPS game if that is what you are looking for. Offering a variety of game modes, classes, and weapons to pick from for each class, Team Fortress 2 has plenty of content to experience before you get bored with it. This is also before you even consider the massive amount of community servers, maps, and gamemodes that you can also play entirely for free.
1. Warframe
Possibly the ultimate free-to-play game, Warframe has heaps of content for you to play through that any other game would change well over $100 for. All of the content that has been added to Warframe since its release is fully free-to-play even the massive single-player expansion won’t cost you anything. While Warframe does offer a pay to skip the grind model, there is nothing in the game that you can’t grind and trade with other players for. It truly is the only MMO out there that is fully free-to-play with no subscriptions or paid expansions in sight. You can easily sink over 100 hours into Warframe and only experience a fraction of the story content that the game has to offer.
That’s our top 10 free-to-play games that Steam has at the moment. This is only a small fraction of the free-to-play games on Steam and there are still a few more diamonds in the rough to be found for sure. But if you are just looking for a quick experience to kill a bit of time, consider checking out our list of the top 20 Poki games that you can play in your browser right now.