You can't go wrong with the best free Steam games. Not only do the titles this list offer a varied range of PC gaming and Steam Deck experiences, each one will set you back a whopping zero bucks. It might sound too good to be true, but the reality is that many games have taken the free-to-play approach in recent years. From all-star battle royales to EA's beloved life sim The Sims 4, there are so many exciting free games on Steam that sifting through the noise can be a nightmare.
But that's where we come in. We've picked out 25 of the very best games Steam has to offer, and none of them will go near your wallet. Bear in mind that this list differs slightly from our collection of the best Steam games, but the big difference is that all the games you'll find on this list won't cost you a dime. After all, from looter-shooters to cutesy farming sims, who says good games have to be expensive? Here's the 25 best free Steam games for you to plug in and play whenever you like - wallet not required.
Recent updates
This best free Steam games list was updated on July 18, ensuring that all the titles are still free-to-play and in order of our personal preference. We are considering whether to add looter shooter The First Descendant, but with mixed reviews on Steam, we will have to wait and see how it stands the test of time.
The very best free Steam games, starting with...
25. Emily is Away
Developer: Kyle Seeley
A narrative game set in the instant messaging services of yesteryear, Emily is Away is a touching story of love, friendship, and betrayal. The eponymous Emily is the character you'll interact with the most, with the choices you make shaping your shared story from high school to college. A 2017 sequel, Emily is Away Too, is also available for a small price, as is third instalment Emily is Away <3.
24. The Finals
Developer: Embark Studios
This turbocharged arena-shooter has been making waves on Xbox and PC alike. The Finals is one of the latest free-to-play FPS titles worth a download if you're on the hunt for a free Steam game with a thriving player base, countless guns to collect, and tons of online multiplayer action – all for the cool price of nothing. It's the very first title to launch from Swedish developer Embark Studios, and it's already impressing us with its high-fidelity graphics, fast-twitch gunplay, and delightfully destructable environments for you to build your own battleground on the fly.
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23. A Raven Monologue
Developer: Mojiken
A Raven Monologue is a silent visual novel about a top-hatted Raven that doesn't know how to croak. With beautifully-stylised characters set against a charming and colourful background, it's the kind of game you'll want to devour in a single sitting, and is very much worth your time.Plus, you can get this one on both PC and Mac computers, a great choice for anyone who spends time on either operating system.
22. Off-Peak
Developer: Cosmo D
Stranded at a train station without a ticket that'll allow you to leave, Off-Peak lets you kill time by wandering its surreal world and talking to its larger-than-life inhabitants. There are a few narrative threads to pull together, but if you can find them in among the bizarre encounters, you're more attuned to this kind of thing than I am. If it is your jam though, there's a paid-for sequel, The Norwood Suite, available too.
21. Dota Underlords
Developer: Valve
There are plenty of autobattlers out there, but Dota Underlords is easily the best one on Steam, as well as being one of the best free games on the platform. A spin-off of Dota 2, it puts you in control of a team of heroes from the famous MOBA, who'll battle it out for supremacy against seven foes until only one player remains. What sets this offering apart are the Underlords themselves, which each bestow their own unique strengths upon your team. Autobattlers can feel daunting at first, but they're also great forums for experimentation with plenty of depth. And if you fancy checking out the place where it all began, the original Dota Auto Chess is still playable within the Dota 2 client.
20. Crusader Kings 2
Developer: Paradox
The third instalment in the medieval series might be the new king on the chopping block, but Crusader Kings 2 remains a serious competitor thanks to its mammoth quantities of DLC. The base game, which puts you in charge of your own corner of Europe at the end of the Dark Ages, is entirely free-to-play, and offers hundreds of hours of map-based diplomacy and warfare. Without the subscription service, which offers access to the 13 post-launch expansions for $4.99 a month, it's easily one of the best free PC games as well.
19. Cry of Fear
Developer: Team Psyskallar
Having started life as a total conversion mod for the original Half-Life, Cry of Fear was released as a standalone game in 2013. It's built on some aging tech, but it makes the most of Valve's GoldSRC engine, making for a brilliantly-paced and deeply unnerving horror shooter.It's up there with the best free Steam games not only because it's free, but because the atmosphere is so tense that you'll forget you paid nothing for it.
18. Paladins
Developer: Evil Mojo Games
Hi-Rez Studios' take on the hero shooter will be very familiar to those of you familiar with the genre, but Paladins does offer a few new ideas. Chief among those is its deck system, which allows you to wade into battle wielding five cards that augment each of its characters' unique abilities. New arrivals are regularly making their way to the game, and there's also a well-maintained esports scene. Real money can be used to unlock cosmetic items to customise your favourite heroes, and to unlock new characters more quickly.It's a great free alternative if you aren't willing to shell out for Overwatch 2, but it's so much more than a free dupe.
17. Brawlhalla
Developer: Blue Mammoth Games
There are a few contenders when it comes to great PC platform fighters, but Brawlhalla fits the bill while costing you nothing. Regular seasonal updates, as well as loads of different fighters, weapons, and gadgets ensure it always feels fresh across both online and local multiplayer. Real-money purchases can be used to buy new characters as well as cosmetic items, but as far as free Steam games go, this one is hard to beat.Imagine MultiVersus, but better and for free.
16. Fallout Shelter
Developer: Bethesda
Unfortunately, it's unlikely that Bethesda will ever choose to give away one of its best RPGs for free, but if you want to immerse yourself in its post-apocalyptic universe at no extra cost, Fallout Shelter captures much of the series' charm within a charming management game. Placed in charge of one of Fallout's massive vaults, you'll have to keep your residents alive in spite of the radiation, monsters, and raiders raging outside. Microtransactions offer opportunities to gain new items and increase stats.
15. Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
Developer: CD Projekt RED
There are plenty of great Collectible Card Games out there, many tied to franchises even bigger than The Witcher, but Gwent is the best one available on Steam. Adapted from the Witcher 3 minigame of the same name, Gwent offers a twist on the formula with its best-of-three format, which requires intricate bluff and deck-management skills, and makes for some truly heart-in-mouth moments. Gwent is fairly generous with its free gifts, especially when you're learning the ropes, but as with many CCGs, entry is free but new cards will cost real money.The game is set to leave developer hands at the end of 2023, but the meta will continue to evolve as players take the reins to decide the future of each card's stats.
14. Conqueror's Blade
Developer: Booming Tech
If you've been looking for a way to capture the feeling of defending Helm's Deep since 2002, Conqueror's Blade is likely to be the closest you can get. The tactical medieval MMO puts your unique warlord in control of entire armies. Using varied abilities, devastating siege weapons, and your own sense of cunning, engage in huge battles with up to 29 other players. Premium membership limits the XP and gold grind, and paid DLC offers new armour and more siege weapons.
13. War Thunder
Developer: Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a hugely detailed military MMO that's easy to grasp but features an enormous degree of depth for those players who want to master its system. Whether you're into ground, air, or naval combat, there's something on offer, with dozens of vehicles from some of the world's most advanced armies making for epic dogfights, tense tank skirmishes, and pitched warship battles. Paid DLC offers a means to unlock new vehicles faster, but if you're prepared to truly master the basics, you might never need anything else.
12. Runescape/OSRS
Developer: Jagex
Both modern-day RuneScape and its enduringly popular Old School equivalent exist on Steam, providing two ways to scratch your classic MMO itch. Both games offer huge worlds to explore, complete with their own fully-functioning economy, deceptively deep combat, and a wide variety of skills to master, from smithing to cookery. Dozens of quests, from collecting ingredients for the local chef to hunting down and slaying legendary dragons, will keep you busy for a very long time, as will vibrant communities and regular developer updates. Paid membership subscriptions offer access to more skills, quests, and map areas, but it's possible to pay your fees with in-game gold if you're invested enough.
Play Old School RuneScape here
11. Doki Doki Literature Club!
Developer: Team Salvato
The less you know about Doki Doki Literature Club going in the better, but suffice to say that its cutesy dating-sim aesthetic is only the beginning, and contributes to one of the most notable visual novels of recent years. And if you're prepared to dip in for a second playthrough, it'll push the limits even further, creating a game that tries to mess with you while you play. A premium version now exists, but you can still play the original for free.
Play Doki Doki Literature Club! here
10. Warframe
Developer: Digital Extremes
If you're into Destiny's high-tech space opera but are looking for something a little faster-paced, Warframe is a lightning-quick third-person PvE sci-fi shooter. The focus here is on a swift cycle of upgrades, letting you jump into quickfire missions using your choice of more than 40 character archetypes and enough customisation options to make any loadout feel unique. You can spend real money on items, but half the fun of Warframe comes from the satisfaction of the grind.
9. The Sims 4
Developer: Maxis
It's one of the best simulator games for good reason, and the journey continues in EA's latest instalment, The Sims 4. It went free-to-play on Steam in 2022, meaning you get to explore Oasis Springs and Willow Creek without even touching your wallet. From creating your own families to building homes and community lots, there's always lots to do in The Sims 4. You might even find a secret or two hidden across its myriad worlds...but we'll let you discover those for yourself.
8. Apex Legends
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
There's a whole bunch of free-to-play battle royale games out there - you can find several of them on Steam, in fact - but Apex Legends might just be the best of the lot. Building out of the fast-paced world of the Titanfall series, movement and gunplay are as slick and exciting as you'd expect, but its the titular Legends themselves that set this game apart. From speed demon adrenaline junkies to anti-gravity Scottish scientists, there's something here for you no matter your playstyle, with a regularly-evolving world to help keep things fresh.
7. Final Fantasy XIV trial
Developer: Square Enix
It's not technically a free game, but there's enough on offer within just the trial version of Final Fantasy 14 that it'll keep you busy far longer than many of the other games on this list. As well as offering access to the base game (also known as A Realm Reborn), the expanded trial includes the Heavensward expansion, and raised the level cap from 35 all the way to 60. There are other restrictions, like limits to character creation and a currency cap, but they're a small price to pay for a lengthy no-obligation look at one of the most interesting modern MMOs out there.
Play Final Fantasy XIV Online Free Trial here
6. Path of Exile
Developer: Grinding Gear Games
Path of Exile might be 11 years old, but it's still one of the best free Steam games out there. The dark fantasy action-RPG sees players setting out across an unforgiving realm as an Exile, gathering your strength and vanquishing enemies on a quest to bring swift justice upon those who have wronged you. Its isometric camera will be a familiar sight for any Diablo 4 fan, and if you can stomach a whole lot of grinding, there are hours of gruelling RPG adventuring to be had as you explore Path of Exile's vastness. With Path of Exile 2 currently in development, there's no time like the present to get stuck into the game that started it all. Did we mention it's free? Because it is.
5. Eve Online
Developer: CCP Games
Eve Online might be drawing in on its third decade, but the monstrously huge space MMO shows no signs of slowing down. The free version limits the ships you can fly and some of the skills you can pick (a subscription will set you back £10 a month), but if you can find your way through the grunt work that often faces many new recruits, you could find yourself a cog in one of the most fascinating gaming communities out there. At its best, Eve Online is part political thriller, part intricate military campaign, and part economic rollercoaster
4. Dota 2
Developer: Valve
Valve's take on the MOBA phenomenon remains one of the best examples of the genre, crafted by the people who helped start the entire craze. With hundreds of heroes to master, all with their own unique skills, Dota 2 can be daunting, especially for genre newcomers, but stick with it and you'll find one of the deepest and most expansive experiences available on PC, as well as one of the most high-stakes esports scenes out there, all for absolutely no cost.
3. Lost Ark
Developer: Smilegate
A few years after its launch in Korea, Lost Ark came to the West in 2022. Mixing Diablo-style ARPG gameplay with detailed MMO architecture, it swiftly hit one of the highest concurrent player counts in Steam's history, topping out above even the juggernauts of Dota 2 and CS:GO. With 15 classes to master and plenty of other options to let you chill out in your downtime, if you're looking for a new MMO, or simply saving up for Diablo 4, Lost Ark could be the perfect fit.
2. Destiny 2
Developer: Bungie
Destiny 2's more recent additions will set you back a little, but the base game, alongside two older expansions, are available on Steam completely free. Bungie's phenomenal FPS/MMO hybrid offers best-in-class gunplay, across both a sprawling space opera narrative, and a host of PvE and PvP game modes. All-in-all, there's hundreds of hours of gameplay on offer, no matter what you're looking for.
1. Counter-Strike 2
Developer: Valve
At long last, CS:GO's successor has arrived. Counter-Strike 2 has officially landed on Steam, and it's been a rip-roaring success so far. It displays Valve's talents at its very best, with razor-sharp and slick gunplay and vibrant worlds to rip through. Better still, all your favorites from CS:GO have been imported to make you feel right at home from day one. If you're an FPS fan who's yet to try out the Counter-Strike series, now's your chance to get in on its exciting latest chapter.
Fancy a walk down memory lane? Here are the best classic PC games that set the stage for today.
Ali Jones
News Editor
I'm GamesRadar's news editor, working with the team to deliver breaking news from across the industry. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I've run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam's latest indie hit.
With contributions from
- Jasmine Gould-WilsonStaff Writer, GamesRadar+
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