The best free PC games for 2026 are Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, Genshin Impact, Destiny 2, Hearthstone and War Thunder, all free to play on Windows.
This list covers 15 free-to-play games in detail, confirmed on their official store or publisher pages, who each one suits, the PC each needs, and a few popular names to price-check first. Over 40 more free games follow, grouped by genre.
Best free PC games for 2026 at a glance
Every game in this table is listed as free to play on its official store or publisher page. Most earn money through optional in-game purchases, and the best PC games overall include plenty of paid titles if you are willing to spend.
| Game | Type | Get it on PC from |
|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 | Competitive first-person shooter | Steam |
| Dota 2 | MOBA | Steam |
| Fortnite | Battle royale and creative sandbox | Epic Games; the Xbox store also lists PC |
| Marvel Rivals | Team-based hero shooter | Steam |
| Genshin Impact | Open-world action RPG | HoYoPlay launcher |
| Destiny 2 | First-person looter shooter | Steam |
| Hearthstone | Strategy card game | Battle.net |
| War Thunder | Vehicle combat MMO | Steam |
| Honkai: Star Rail | Space-fantasy RPG | HoYoPlay launcher |
| Zenless Zone Zero | Action RPG | HoYoPlay launcher |
| Wuthering Waves | Open-world action RPG | Steam |
| Brawlhalla | 2D platform fighter | Steam |
| Smite 2 | Third-person action MOBA | Steam |
| RuneScape | Fantasy MMORPG | Steam |
| EVE Online | Space MMO | Steam |
Which free PC game should you play?
| If you want | Play this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A competitive shooter with ranked play | Counter-Strike 2 | Competitive team play on Valve's Source 2 engine |
| A deep strategy game for the long haul | Dota 2 | Over a hundred heroes and regular balance updates |
| Something to play with friends tonight | Fortnite or Brawlhalla | Quick matches, cross-platform friends lists |
| Superhero team fights | Marvel Rivals | Team-Up abilities combine heroes' powers |
| A single-player story you can explore | Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves | Large open worlds with a main story campaign |
| Turn-based or card strategy on a weak laptop | Hearthstone | Low demands, and progress carries across PC and phone |
| Tanks, planes and ships | War Thunder | Air, land and sea battles in one game |
| A sci-fi shooter with raids | Destiny 2 | Story missions, PvP modes and co-op activities |
| A slow-burn MMO with a player economy | EVE Online or RuneScape | Years-deep worlds with a free tier |
| Mythology-themed MOBA from behind the hero | Smite 2 | Third-person camera instead of top-down |
Free PC games system requirements: minimum RAM and storage
Storage is the requirement that catches most people out. Wuthering Waves and Destiny 2 each want more than 100 GB free before you start the download.
These minimums come from each game's Steam store page and from Riot Games support for League of Legends.
| Game | Minimum Windows | Minimum RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brawlhalla | Not stated | 2 GB | 800 MB |
| Counter-Strike 2 | Windows 10 | 8 GB | 85 GB |
| Dota 2 | Windows 10 (Steam client requirement) | 4 GB | 60 GB |
| Destiny 2 | Windows 10 64-bit | 6 GB | 105 GB |
| EVE Online | Windows 10 64-bit | 4 GB | Not stated |
| Marvel Rivals | Windows 10 64-bit (1909 or newer) | 16 GB | 70 GB |
| RuneScape | Windows 10 | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Smite 2 | Windows 10 64-bit | 8 GB | 30 GB |
| War Thunder | Windows 10 64-bit | 4 GB | 70 GB |
| Wuthering Waves | Windows 10 64-bit | 16 GB | 150 GB |
| League of Legends | Windows 10 build 19041, or Windows 11 with TPM 2.0 | 2 GB | 16 GB |
Marvel Rivals and Wuthering Waves both list 16 GB of RAM as the minimum, so an 8 GB laptop is a poor fit for either. Once a game is installed, show an FPS counter to see whether your PC keeps up.
How to download free PC games safely from Steam
Download free games only from an official store such as the Steam client for Windows or the publisher's own launcher. A free game never needs a crack, a key generator or a third-party download site.
- Open store.steampowered.com in your browser.
- Search for the game by name and open its store page.
- Confirm the page shows Free To Play next to the play button.
- Check the System Requirements section against your PC.
- Select Play Game.
- Install Steam when prompted, sign in, and let the game download.
- Launch the game from your Steam Library once the download finishes.
Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero install through HoYoverse's HoYoPlay launcher, linked from each game's official site. Epic's own games, Fortnite included, install through the Epic Games Launcher.
Counter-Strike 2: free competitive shooter
Counter-Strike 2 replaced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) as a free upgrade and moved the series to the Source 2 engine. Play it if you like short, tense rounds where aim and teamwork decide the match.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Valve |
| Genre | Competitive first-person shooter |
| Price model | Free to play on Steam |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10, 8 GB RAM, 85 GB storage, DirectX 11 GPU with 1 GB VRAM |
| Suits | Players who want ranked, team-based tactical shooting |
Dota 2: free MOBA on Steam
Valve calls Dota 2 the most-played game on Steam. Its hero pool runs past a hundred, and regular updates keep changing how matches play out.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Valve |
| Released on Steam | July 9, 2013 |
| Price model | Free to play |
| Minimum PC | Dual-core 2.8 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM, 60 GB storage |
| Suits | Strategy fans who want a game with years of depth |
Fortnite: free battle royale for PC
Fortnite bundles Battle Royale, Reload, Fortnite OG, Fortnite Festival and LEGO Fortnite into one free download. It also hosts thousands of player-made games built with Unreal Editor for Fortnite.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Epic Games |
| Released | July 2017 |
| Price model | Free, with in-game purchases |
| Platforms | PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Suits | Groups of friends and anyone who wants many modes in one install |
Marvel Rivals: free hero shooter
Marvel Rivals is a team-based PvP shooter in which you build a squad of Marvel heroes and combine their powers into Team-Up skills. Maps are destructible, so cover changes as the fight goes on.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | NetEase Games |
| Released | December 6, 2024 |
| Price model | Free to play on Steam |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, Core i5-6600K or Ryzen 5 1600X, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1060 or RX 580, 70 GB storage |
| Suits | Overwatch-style players and Marvel fans |
Genshin Impact: free open-world RPG
Genshin Impact is an open-world action RPG with a long story campaign and regular version updates; version 7.1 is the current one. It is free on every platform, and the Genshin Impact PC version installs through HoYoPlay.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Publisher | COGNOSPHERE (HoYoverse) |
| First released | September 28, 2020 |
| Price model | Free to play, with optional purchases |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox |
| Suits | Players who want exploration and story more than competition |
Destiny 2: free-to-play shooter on Steam
Destiny 2 mixes first-person shooting with elemental abilities and gear collecting. You can play the story, missions and PvP modes solo or with friends.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Bungie |
| Released on Steam | October 1, 2019 |
| Price model | Free to play; extra content is sold separately as DLC |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, 6 GB RAM, GTX 660 2GB or Radeon HD 7850 2GB, 105 GB storage |
| Suits | Looter-shooter fans who like co-op activities |
Hearthstone: free card game on PC and phone
Hearthstone is Blizzard's Warcraft card game. Blizzard says it is free to play for as long as you play, and buying cards is optional.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Genre | Strategy card game |
| Price model | Free to play and win; card packs are optional |
| Platforms | PC, phone and tablet, with cross-progression through a Battle.net account |
| Modes | Standard and Wild Ranked, Casual, and Battlegrounds, which needs no deck |
| Suits | Short sessions and low-powered laptops |
War Thunder: free tank, plane and ship game
War Thunder covers aircraft, armoured vehicles and naval craft from the early 20th century up to modern combat units. Battles happen on land, in the air and at sea, with cross-platform play.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Gaijin Entertainment |
| Released on Steam | August 15, 2013 |
| Price model | Free to play |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, 4 GB RAM, Radeon 77XX or GTX 660, 70 GB storage |
| Suits | Military history fans and vehicle-combat players |
Honkai: Star Rail: free space-fantasy RPG
Honkai: Star Rail sends you across the universe on the Astral Express with a four-person combat team you choose. Version 4.6 is the current update, and the PC version downloads through HoYoPlay.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Publisher | COGNOSPHERE (HoYoverse) |
| Genre | Adventure RPG |
| Price model | Free to play |
| Platforms | PC and PlayStation 5 |
| Suits | RPG players who prefer planning a team over twitch reflexes |
Zenless Zone Zero: free action RPG
Zenless Zone Zero is HoYoverse's action RPG, currently on version 3.2. Pick it if you want faster, combo-driven combat than Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Publisher | COGNOSPHERE (HoYoverse) |
| Genre | Action RPG |
| PlayStation 5 release | July 4, 2024 |
| Price model | Free |
| PC download | HoYoPlay launcher from the official site |
Wuthering Waves: free open-world action RPG
Wuthering Waves is a story-rich open-world action RPG. You play as Rover, waking with lost memories and travelling with a cast of Resonators.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Kuro Games |
| Released on Steam | April 29, 2025 |
| Price model | Free to play |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1060 or RX 570, 150 GB storage |
| Suits | Genshin Impact players who want faster combat |
Brawlhalla: free platform fighter
Brawlhalla is a 2D platform fighter for up to 8 players, online or on one screen. The developer states it is and always will be 100% free to play.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Blue Mammoth Games, published by Ubisoft |
| Released on Steam | October 17, 2017 |
| Price model | Free to play; an optional All Legends Pack unlocks every character |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android, with cross-play |
| Minimum PC | 2 GB RAM, 800 MB storage |
| Suits | Couch play with friends and older PCs |
Smite 2: free mythology MOBA
Smite 2 is the Unreal Engine 5 sequel to Smite, a third-person action MOBA where you play as gods like Zeus, Anubis and Loki. The original Smite, released on Steam in 2015, is still free on Steam too.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Titan Forge Games |
| Early access release | August 27, 2024 |
| Price model | Free to play (Early Access) |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, 8 GB RAM, GTX 1630 or RX 6400, 30 GB storage |
| Suits | MOBA players who want an over-the-shoulder camera |
RuneScape: free fantasy MMORPG
RuneScape is a high-fantasy open-world MMORPG set in Gielinor, with skills, quests and a long-running story. Its Steam release came in 2020, long after the game itself began.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Jagex |
| Released on Steam | October 14, 2020 |
| Price model | Free to play; optional membership adds 8 skills, over 120 quests and the full world map |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 600 series or Intel UHD 610, 8 GB storage |
| Suits | Players who like skilling and questing at their own pace |
EVE Online: free space MMO
EVE Online is a player-driven space MMO set in New Eden, a galaxy of over 7,000 star systems. Players run the economy, the corporations and the wars.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Developer | Fenris Creations |
| Released | May 5, 2003 |
| Price model | Free as an Alpha clone; paid Omega status unlocks every ship and faster progression |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit, 4 GB RAM |
| Suits | Patient players who enjoy trading, politics and large fleet battles |
League of Legends, Lost Ark, Blade & Soul and Eggnogg+: check the price first
These four often appear on free PC game lists. Confirm the price on the official store or launcher before you install, because their store listings either vary by region or do not show a free-to-play label.
| Game | What the official listing shows | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| League of Legends | Riot Games MOBA; needs Windows 10 build 19041 or Windows 11 with TPM 2.0, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage | Riot's own client and site for the current price model |
| Lost Ark | Steam community hub exists, but the Steam store page is unavailable in some regions | Whether the store page loads in your country |
| Blade & Soul | Not returned by a Steam store search | The publisher's own launcher for availability and price |
| Eggnogg+ | Not returned by a Steam store search | The developer's current store listing and price |
Free shooters and battle royale games on PC
Every game in these genre tables is listed as free to play (F2P) on its Steam store page right now, sorted A to Z. Most sell cosmetics or battle passes, and a few charge for a separate campaign.
| Game | Type | Developer | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Legends | Squad-based hero shooter | Respawn, published by EA | A growing roster of characters with their own abilities |
| Arena Breakout: Infinite | Tactical extraction shooter | Morefun Studios | PvPvE raids: loot, then extract or lose your gear |
| Blood Strike | Battle royale and squad modes | NetEase Games | Each Striker has an active and a passive ability |
| Delta Force | Extraction and combined-arms warfare | Team Jade, published by TiMi Studio Group | Operator-based missions across several modes |
| Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra | Team action game | Ganbarion, published by Bandai Namco | Dragon Ball's first team-based free game |
| FragPunk | 5v5 hero shooter | Bad Guitar Studio, published by NetEase Games | Shard Cards change the rules each round |
| Halo Infinite | Arena shooter | 343 Industries, published by Xbox Game Studios | Multiplayer is free; the campaign is sold separately |
| Mecha Break | Third-person mech shooter | Amazing Seasun Games | Ground and aerial combat across three modes |
| Off The Grid | Battle royale | Gunzilla Games | Cyber-augmented contestants in a near-future world |
| Overwatch | 5v5 and 6v6 team action game | Blizzard Entertainment | The Steam listing now uses the name Overwatch |
| Paladins | Fantasy team shooter | Evil Mojo Games, published by Hi-Rez Studios | Over 50 customizable Champions in 5v5 modes |
| PUBG: Battlegrounds | Battle royale | PUBG Corporation, published by KRAFTON | The game that started the battle royale trend |
| Rainbow Six Siege | Tactical team shooter | Ubisoft Montreal | Planning and execution matter more than raw aim |
| Stalzone | PvPvE extraction shooter | EXBO | Persistent progress in an anomaly-filled Chernobyl Exclusion Zone |
| Strinova | Third-person tactical shooter | iDreamSky | Characters switch between 3D and flat 2D forms |
| Team Fortress 2 | Class-based team shooter | Valve | Nine classes; also runs on Linux |
| The Finals | First-person shooter | Embark Studios | Fully destructible game-show arenas |
Free MMORPG and RPG games on PC
| Game | Type | Developer | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albion Online | Sandbox MMORPG | Sandbox Interactive | Player-driven economy and classless combat; Windows, Mac and Linux |
| Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium | Tactical RPG | Sunborn | Lead squads of Tactical Dolls through contamination zones |
| Guild Wars 2 | Action MMORPG | ArenaNet | No subscription; paid expansions add more content and slots |
| Limbus Company | Story-driven RPG | ProjectMoon | Lead twelve Sinners through Lobotomy Corporation's facilities |
| Once Human | Survival game | Starry Studio, published by NetEase Games | Post-apocalyptic world with base building and co-op |
| Path of Exile | Dark fantasy action RPG | Grinding Gear Games | The original is free; Path of Exile 2 is a paid game on Steam |
| PlayM2M | Mythological fantasy MMORPG | Laniatus | Still in Early Access |
| Warframe | Online action game | Digital Extremes | Story-driven co-op missions with friends |
New free PC games released in 2026
The notable new free games of October 2026 are Aion 2 and Arknights: Endfield. These dates are the Steam release dates.
| Game | Steam release | Type | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legend of YMIR | April 4, 2026 | Norse-mythology MMORPG on Unreal Engine 5 | Wemade XR |
| World of Tanks: HEAT | May 25, 2026 | Hero-driven tank action game | Wargaming |
| Aniimo | September 15, 2026 | Creature-catching open-world RPG | Pawprint Studio |
| Aion 2 | October 5, 2026 | PC-only faction-war MMORPG on Unreal Engine 5 | NC |
| Arknights: Endfield | October 14, 2026 | 3D real-time strategy RPG | Hypergryph, published by Gryphline |
Free card and strategy games on PC
| Game | Type | Developer | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crusader Kings II | Medieval grand strategy | Paradox Development Studio | The base game is free; expansions are paid |
| Gwent: The Witcher Card Game | Online PvP card game | CD Projekt Red | The Rogue Mage single-player expansion costs extra |
| Marvel Snap | Fast collectible card game | Second Dinner | Short PvP matches built around Marvel cards |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel | Strategy card game | Konami | Cross-platform Duels against players worldwide |
Free story, puzzle and visual novel games on PC
These are mostly single-player games, and several are the first episode of a paid series.
| Game | Type | Developer | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cube Escape: Paradox | Escape-room puzzle adventure | Rusty Lake | Detective Dale Vandermeer is trapped in two universes |
| Doki Doki Literature Club! | Visual novel | Team Salvato | The developer warns it is not suitable for children or the easily disturbed |
| ENA: Dream BBQ | Surreal adventure | ENA Team | An optional Supporter Edition upgrade is paid |
| Everlasting Summer | Visual novel | Soviet Games | Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux |
| Jigsaw Puzzle Dreams | Multiplayer jigsaw puzzle game | That's Nice Games | Decorate the room you solve puzzles in |
| Life Is Strange (Episode 1) | Episodic story adventure | Dontnod, published by Square Enix | Episode 1 is free; rewind time to change choices |
| Life Is Strange 2 | Episodic story adventure | Dontnod, published by Square Enix | Free trial; progress carries into the paid episodes |
| Marvel Puzzle Quest | Match-3 puzzle RPG | Infinity Plus 2 | Collect Marvel heroes and play PvP tournaments |
| Poppy Playtime | Horror puzzle adventure | Mob Entertainment | Use the GrabPack in an abandoned toy factory |
| Sheepy: A Short Adventure | Short pixel-art platformer | MrSuicideSheep | A short, handcrafted game about an abandoned plushy |
| The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit | Story adventure | Dontnod, published by Square Enix | A free demo set in the Life Is Strange universe |
| Tell Me Why | Episodic story adventure | Dontnod, published by Xbox Game Studios | Chapters 2 and 3 are sold separately |
How to check a PC game is really free to play
- Open the game's store page on Steam, Battle.net or the publisher's site.
- Look for Free To Play beside the play button or in the breadcrumb at the top of a Steam page.
- Read the Includes Interactive Elements note for in-game purchases or chance-based purchases.
- Scroll to About This Game and look for a paid tier, such as EVE Online's Omega status or Destiny 2's paid DLC.
- Treat any page that asks for a price before the download as a paid game, whatever other sites call it.
Free PC games FAQ
What are the best free PC games?
The best free PC games are Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, Genshin Impact, Destiny 2, Hearthstone and War Thunder. Each is listed as free to play on its official store or publisher page and runs on Windows 10 or 11.
What is the best free PC game in 2026?
Counter-Strike 2 is the strongest pick for competitive players and Genshin Impact for story and exploration. Both are free on PC. Fortnite suits groups of friends best because it packs several modes into one free download.
What are the best free games on Steam?
The best free games on Steam include Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Marvel Rivals, Destiny 2, War Thunder, Wuthering Waves, Brawlhalla, Smite 2, RuneScape and EVE Online. Steam shows a Free To Play label on each store page.
Are there good free PC games that play offline?
Most free PC games need an internet connection because they are online multiplayer games. Brawlhalla lists single-player and local split-screen modes on Steam, so it is the closest fit on this list for playing without online opponents.
Where can I download free PC games safely?
Download free PC games from Steam, the Epic Games Store, Battle.net or the publisher's own launcher, such as HoYoPlay. A free-to-play game never needs a crack, a key or a third-party download site.
Are free-to-play PC games really free?
Free-to-play PC games let you download and play without paying, but most sell optional items. Some add a paid tier, such as EVE Online's Omega status, RuneScape membership or Destiny 2's paid DLC.
Which free PC games run on a low-end laptop?
Brawlhalla needs only 2 GB of RAM and 800 MB of storage, and Hearthstone also runs on phones and tablets. Dota 2 asks for 4 GB of RAM, while Marvel Rivals and Wuthering Waves need 16 GB.
Is League of Legends free on PC?
League of Legends runs on Windows through Riot Games' own client. Check Riot's official site for the current price model; the game needs Windows 10 build 19041 or Windows 11 with TPM 2.0, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage.
Bottom line: the best free PC game to start with
Start with Counter-Strike 2 if you want competition, Genshin Impact if you want a world to explore, and Brawlhalla or Hearthstone if your PC is modest. All four are confirmed free on their official pages, and between them they cover shooters, RPGs, fighting and strategy at very different hardware levels.
