Top 10 free games on steam enjoy without breaking the bank
The top 10 free games on steam 2023 offer up experiences across many different genres that you try without spending. Of course, many of the best free games can include microtransactions, but each game in our selection has a free-of-charge entry point from the off, meaning you can jump right in without opening up your wallet.
Whether you spend any money on cosmetics or in-game currency is up to you, but it’s not a requirement when it comes to our selection of the best free games you can play right now.
With everything from life sims to MMORPGs and much more besides, you’re sure to find something here to suit you. So without further ado, read on below as we take you through the best free games around right now.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) expands upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched 19 years ago.
“Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely MOD became the most played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release in August 1999,” said Doug Lombardi at Valve. “For the past 12 years, it has continued to be one of the most-played games in the world, headline competitive gaming tournaments and selling over 25 million units worldwide across the franchise.
CS: GO promises to expand on CS’ award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac.”
Dota 2
The most-played game on Steam.
Every day, millions of players worldwide enter battle as one of over a hundred Dota heroes. And no matter if it’s their 10th hour of play or 1,000th, there’s always something new to discover. With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has truly taken on a life of its own.
One Battlefield. Infinite Possibilities.
When it comes to diversity of heroes, abilities, and powerful items, Dota boasts an endless array—no two games are the same. Any hero can fill multiple roles, and there’s an abundance of items to help meet the needs of each game. Dota doesn’t provide limitations on how to play, it empowers you to express your own style.
All heroes are free.
Competitive balance is Dota’s crown jewel, and to ensure everyone is playing on an even field, the core content of the game—like the vast pool of heroes—is available to all players. Fans can collect cosmetics for heroes and fun add-ons for the world they inhabit, but everything you need to play is already included before you join your first match.
Bring your friends and party up.
Dota is deep, and constantly evolving, but it’s never too late to join.
Learn the ropes playing co-op vs. bots. Sharpen your skills in the hero demo mode. Jump into the behavior- and skill-based matchmaking system that ensures you’ll
be matched with the right players each game.
Apex Legends
Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.
Master an ever-growing roster of diverse Legends, deep-tactical squad play, and bold, new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience — all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.
KEY FEATURES
A Roster of Legendary Characters — Master a growing roster of powerful Legends, each with their own unique personality, strengths, and abilities that are easy to pick up but challenging to truly master.
Build Your Crew — Choose your Legend and combine their unique skills together with other players to form the ultimate crew.
Strategic Squad Play — Whether you’re battling on a massive, floating city in Battle Royale or dueling in close-quarters Arenas, you’ll need to think fast. Master your Legend’s unique abilities and coordinate with your teammates to discover new tactics and powerful combinations.
Innovative Combat — Master an expanding assortment of powerful weapons and equipment. You’ll need to move fast and learn the rhythms of each weapon to get the most out of your arsenal. Plus, change it up in limited-time modes, and get ready for a boatload of new content each season.
Ever-expanding Universe — Apex Legends takes place in an immersive universe where the story continues to evolve, maps change each season, and new Legends keep joining the fight. Make your mark on the Apex Games with a multitude of distinctive outfits, and join the adventure!
This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
Play PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS for free.
Land on strategic locations, loot weapons and supplies, and survive to become the last team standing across various, diverse Battlegrounds.
Squad up and join the Battlegrounds for the original Battle Royale experience that only PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS can offer.This content download will also provide access to the BATTLEGROUNDS Test Server, which requires a separate download to play.
Optional in-game purchases available.
Mature Content Description
The developers describe the content like this:
This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Content.
War Thunder
War Thunder is the most comprehensive free-to-play, cross-platform, MMO military game dedicated to aviation, armoured vehicles, from the early 20th century to the most advanced modern combat units. Join now and take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea, fighting with millions of players from all over the world in an ever-evolving environment.
In War Thunder, aircraft, attack helicopters, ground forces and naval ships collaborate in realistic competitive battles. You can choose from over 2,000 vehicles and an extensive variety of combat situations many of which are exclusive.
You can find yourself blasting your pursuers from a bomber turret, defending your teammates on the ground from an air raid with anti-aircraft guns, shooting down enemy planes with a firestorm from multiple rocket launchers, or trying to sink an enemy warship with a torpedo from a fast attack boat.
Features include:
- Seamless cross-platform gameplay between Windows PC, Linux, Mac, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One with Xbox Series X|S – everyone on the same server.
- Over 2,000 highly detailed aircraft, helicopters, tanks, warships and other combat vehicles crafted carefully from historical documents and surviving sources.
- 100 maps representing the main historical battle theaters.
- Intense PvP experiences in full-scale combat missions at various difficulty settings for all play styles and degrees of experience.
- Rich PvE content including dynamic historical campaigns and solo missions.
- Regular content updates including new vehicles, maps, missions and nations.
- Astonishing graphics, authentic sound effects and beautiful music creating an atmosphere to fully immerse yourself in.
- Create custom content for War Thunder and share it on War Thunder Live, with the prospect of earning real money through the Revenue Share Partner System!
Destiny 2
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.
An Immersive Story
You are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.
Guardian Classes
Choose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
Titan
Disciplined and proud, Titans are capable of both aggressive assaults and stalwart defenses. Set your hammer ablaze, crack the sky with lightning, and go toe-to-toe with any opponent. Your team will stand tall behind the strength of your shield.
Warlock
Warlocks weaponize the mysteries of the universe to sustain themselves and destroy their foes. Rain devastation on the battlefield and clear hordes of enemies in the blink of an eye. Those who stand with you will know the true power of the Light.
Hunter
Agile and daring, Hunters are quick on their feet and quicker on the draw. Fan the hammer of your golden gun, flow through enemies like the wind, or strike from the darkness. Find the enemy, take aim, and end the fight before it starts.
Cooperative and Competitive Multiplayer
Play with or against your friends and other Guardians in various PvE and PvP game modes.
Cooperative Multiplayer
Exciting co-op adventures teeming await with rare and powerful rewards. Dive into the story with missions, quests, and patrols. Put together a small fireteam and secure the chest at the end of a quick Strike. Or test your team’s skill with countless hours of raid progression – the ultimate challenge for any fireteam. You decide where your legend begins.
Competitive Multiplayer
Face off against other players in fast-paced free-for-all skirmishes, team arenas, and PvE/PvP hybrid competitions. Mark special competitions like Iron Banner on your calendar and collect limited-time rewards before they’re gone.
Exotic Weapons and Armor
Thousands of weapons, millions of options. Discover new gear combinations and define your own personal style. The hunt for the perfect arsenal begins.
Warframe
Mature Content Description
The developers describe the content like this:
This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Conten.
Goose Goose Duck
Goose, goose, DUCK? Goose, goose, DUCK? A game of social deduction where you and your fellow geese must work together to complete your mission. Keep an eye out for those malicious Mallards and other birds, who have infiltrated your team and will do anything to stop you.
This Game Includes:
- Private and Public Game Lobbies.
- Built-in proximity chat
- Loads of Cosmetics to customize your goose! Hats, Shirts, Farts, Pets!
- 7+ maps including S.S. Mothergoose, Mallard Manor, Jungle Temple, The Basement, and Ancient Sands!
- 5+ built-in game modes including Classic, Draft, Trick or Treat, Dine & Dash, and Goose Hunt!
- 45+ optional sub-roles including the Dodo Bird, the Pelican, and the Morphling!
To utilize the in-game voice chat, many of our members are forming private games by posting in our discord! We’re also a small but active team so if there are any suggestions or questions we would love to hear them! Click on the image to join.
Path of Exile
Mature Content Description
The developers describe the content like this:
This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Nudity or Sexual Content, Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Conten.
World of Warships
PLAY FOR FREE
Download and play World of Warships absolutely FREE — you can progress through the game’s countless ship trees simply by playing the game and accumulating experience.
EPIC NAVAL COMBAT
Naval warfare has never looked this good! Engage in thrilling battles between massive fleets across a multitude of gigantic maps where every maneuver, salvo, or push can mean the difference between utmost triumph and total defeat.
OVER 400 HISTORICAL SHIPS
From Bismarck and Yamato to Iowa and Hood… The most famous and historic warships of WWI and WWII have been recreated in breathtaking detail, making World of Warships the most extensive virtual naval museum on the planet!
4 DIFFERENT CLASSES
Every playstyle has its place! Take command of devastating but slow battleships, versatile but vulnerable cruisers, stealthy but lightly-armed destroyers, or quick-striking but fragile aircraft carriers — and everything in between!
REWARDING PROGRESSION
Choose your favorite branch among 12 in-game nations and battle your way up a comprehensive ship tier system following a natural historical progression.
UPGRADE AND CUSTOMIZE
Install modifications on your ship to fit your playstyle, train your commanders to unlock special skills, and augment your fleet with camouflages, signal flags, and more.
PLAY SOLO OR WITH FRIENDS
If the life of a lone wolf is not for you, invite your friends to a Division and put your co-operative skills to the test! If you’re looking for a real challenge, join a Clan, climb to the top of the Clan league, and strive to be the best on your server!
Please note, only game accounts created using Steam version of the game are officially supported due to technical reasons.