Gather your friends (or enemies) and enjoy the top competitive, cooperative, or just plain chaotic console and PC titles.
In 2013, I started my Ziff Davis career as an intern on PCMag’s Software team. Now, I’m an Analyst on the Apps and Gaming team, and I really just want to use my fancy Northwestern University journalism degree to write about video games. I host The Pop-Off, PCMag‘s video game show. I was previously the Senior Editor for Geek.com. I’ve also written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I’m currently working on a book about the history of video games, and I’m the reason everything you think you know about Street Sharks is a lie.
Sometimes you want to play alone, no matter if your game of choice is a relaxing solitaire session or an engrossing, cinematic campaign. We get that. Still, some of the best gaming-related experiences come from moments shared with other people. After all, an excellent multiplayer mode makes a video game endlessly replayable, and enables good times with local friends or strangers across the country—as long as the servers stay up.
Our list of the best multiplayer games casts a wide net that includes console and PC games, competitive and cooperative titles, casual board games and serious esports fare, and, of course, battle royales, shooters, and fighters.
If you’re interested in playing a game with at least one other person, you’ll find something that catches your eye here. The only things missing are music games, since plastic instruments don’t seem like they’ll be making a comeback anytime soon.
These are the best multiplayer video games that you and your friends should play right now.
Among Us is more of a social experiment than a game. You and your friends play as crewmates attempting to repair a spaceship, but some players are deadly impostors who are picking off others. Constant lying and manipulation turn even the friendliest relationships into pure paranoia.
From the ashes of Titanfall rose the best battle royale game. Respawn’s Apex Legends combines unbelievably fluid movement with impeccable gunplay and innovative team communication features. Each character’s unique abilities open strategic options on the expansive battlefield.
This compilation contains more than 50 classic games that have stood the test of time, including bowling, backgammon, and billiards. You can have fun with friends or family, but beware getting so heated that you’ll never want to speak with them again. Online play ensures the good (and frustrating) times aren’t limited to your immediate vicinity.
Counter-Strike is a founding father for multiplayer online shooters, and Global Offensive continues the legacy. Though a bit dated now, you’ll still find a massive community always ready to hop into Terrorist vs. Counter-Terrorist tactical team action. Plus, it’s free!
Hideo Kojima’s freaky odyssey about time rain and babies in jars is also one of the most fascinating and unconventional multiplayer games in recent memory. As you traverse the harsh wasteland, you can leave behind useful items, such as ladders and reports, that other players can use in their sessions.
Destiny 2 is the looter-shooter that gives other looter-shooters envy. You gather the shiniest guns, the sickest armor, and show off your gear in front of fellow Guardians. Party-up and shoot your way through alien enemies and strongholds with Bungie’s perfect first-person shooter controls. The first taste is free, and regular, new content releases give you many reasons to keep gunning.
Despite a rocky launch, Diablo III has stood the test of time as the biggest name in loot-hungry action-RPGs. Customize your character with unique abilities and gathered treasures. Squad up with friends for ever-shifting descents into dark dungeons. New Diablo games are on the horizon, but Diablo III is still a hell of a good time.
What began as a mere mod has since become one of the most popular esports in the world. Dota 2 sets the standard for the MOBA genre, that strange hybrid between real-time strategy and team sports. New heroes give players constantly changing choices to consider. If you put in the effort to get really good at this game, the sky’s the limit.
Do you really need someone else to tell you about Fortnite? Originally a free battle royale mode for a failed multiplayer game, Fortnite became an absolute phenomenon. Every day, millions of children leap from the in-game battle bus to shoot each other and build elaborate structures, while dressed as their favorite brands. You can also hang out and watch concerts or (for some reason) documentaries on social issues.
Forza Horizon 5 appeals equally to serious automobile racing enthusiasts and anyone who just wants to drive aimlessly through beautifully rendered Mexican landscapes. Although largely similar to past entries, the new EventLab lets you create clever, custom courses to enjoy with friends.
Halo single-handedly saved the Xbox, and proved that multiplayer shooters could thrive on home consoles. Halo Infinite doesn’t just reinvent the single-player campaign, it continues Halo’s history of excellent multiplayer modes, from capture the flag to random weapon fiestas. Plus, you can play for free, so finish the fight.
In many ways, marriage is the ultimate multiplayer game. It Takes Two is a cooperative adventure that tasks two people with controlling a couple as they complete wacky challenges to repair their strained relationship. You’ll never know true love until you and your partner escape a giant cuckoo clock together.
The annual Jackbox Party Pack games consistently deliver the most hilarious social multiplayer experiences you’ll ever play. Design wacky t-shirts, come up with witty quips, and try to figure out which friend is faking it. Anyone can play, as long as they have a phone. With unique streaming features, even your audience can join the party.
For finely tuned 2D fighting, look no further than The King of Fighters XV. Building off intriguing ideas introduced in previous entries, KOF XV gives you a massive character roster and an expressive, creative fighting system. Tournament features, multiplayer party modes, and rollback netcode make this one of the series’ best entries.
Free from any previous mod baggage, League of Legends is arguably the more accessible game when it comes to the MOBA heavy hitters. Still, it takes skill to master every champion and lead your team to victory. The League of Legends universe is expanding into other game genres and Netflix shows, so now’s the time to get caught up.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is absolutely everything you could want from Nintendo’s hugely popular kart racing series. It features gorgeous visuals, inventive tracks, and a revamped battle mode. In fact, Nintendo is still selling new courses, years after the game’s 2017 debut. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is so spectacular not even the blue shell can stop it.
Minecraft gives young people an unparalleled sense of freedom as they explore and build worlds, brick by brick. In fact, multiple builders can join the same game world for cooperative mining and crafting. Take it a step further by setting up your own Minecraft server, so you and friends can construct a private paradise.
Monster Hunter Rise finally makes hardened haters see the glory of Capcom’s monster-slaying series. You can craft new weapons and armors by defeating a monster menagerie inspired by Japanese mythology or swing through the air with new wirebug techniques. No beasts will stand in your way as you go beast hunting with friends.
Mortal Kombat 11 finishes the time-traveling reboot trilogy’s story, showing how NetherRealm is second to none when it comes to fighting game single-player modes. Still, nothing beats shooting ice balls and launching spears at your friends, and ripping their spines out with gory fatalities. Thankfully, the excellent fighting engine creates terrific two-player battles.
“Cars playing soccer” is such a beautiful premise for an arcade sports game, and Rocket League perfectly pulls it off. Sure, you can just put the pedal to the metal and bash into the ball, hoping it goes into the goal. But the high-flying physics system creates enough depth for sensational tests of skill. The free-to-play season structure means you’ll always have a reason to return.
Tekken 7 is the latest and greatest entry in the venerable 3D fighting game franchise. Prove your worth at the King of Iron Fist Tournament by nimbly sidestepping, laying down painful combos, and tapping the new Power Crush and Rage Arts attacks. For the true Tekken experience, fight your dad and throw him down a volcano.
Tetris Effect: Connected makes the perfect puzzle game even better. Alongside traditional competitive Tetris multiplayer modes, Effect lets you team up for cooperative “Connected” journeys where you and your partners clear lines on the same massive board. Combine that with trance-inducing audiovisual stimuli, and you’ll never look at blocks the same way again.
Only Nintendo could take the well-worn shooter genre and turn it into a game about punky squid kids squirting ink at each other. By making battles more about covering turf than blasting opponents, Splatoon 2 is a friendlier and more accessible shooter. However, you’ll need to stay on your toes with so many unique weapons and traversal options.
StarCraft II is the best strategy game since chess. Whether you play as Terran, Zerg, or Protoss armies, you have access to perfectly balanced units for overcoming any opponent during real-time clashes. The StarCraft II trilogy even introduces free, cooperate multiplayer modes, so veterans can introduce newcomers to the fight.
There would be no fighting games without the Street Fighter series. This anniversary collection lovingly compiles classic pixel-art entries from Street Fighter II to Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Online multiplayer lets you test your old-school skills against new challengers anywhere in the world.
Streets of Rage 4 breathes new life into the aging beat ‘em up genre thanks to complex combat and stunning illustrated graphics. If smacking goons in solo fashion gets boring, team up with a friend for chaotic co-op action. You can even unlock retro versions of classic characters.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate combines countless characters, stages, modes, and music tracks to create the most incredible video game crossover of all time. It’s also a phenomenal platform-fighting game, speeding up the addictive combat and rebalancing advanced techniques. No matter how seriously you take it, no video game can scratch that satisfying multiplayer itch like Super Smash Bros.
The Best PC Games
The Best Nintendo Switch Games
The Best PlayStation 5 Games
The Best Xbox Series X/S Games
For more game reviews and previews, check out PCMag’s Steam Curator page(Opens in a new window). And for in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag’s Pop-Off(Opens in a new window) YouTube channel.
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In 2013, I started my Ziff Davis career as an intern on PCMag’s Software team. Now, I’m an Analyst on the Apps and Gaming team, and I really just want to use my fancy Northwestern University journalism degree to write about video games. I host The Pop-Off, PCMag‘s video game show. I was previously the Senior Editor for Geek.com. I’ve also written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I’m currently working on a book about the history of video games, and I’m the reason everything you think you know about Street Sharks is a lie.
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