Best Free to Play Steam

You have some free time and would like to use it to play video games on your computer. At the same time, however, you don’t want to spend money on new games. Well, if that’s the case, why not take a look at the huge catalog of free to play games on Steam ? The famous digital video game distribution platform hosts many titles of this type, downloadable and usable without spending even a cent, and it would be a real shame not to use them.

In this regard, in today’s guide I will show you what I believe to be some of the best free to play on Steam , to download and play at no cost not only on Windows, but also on macOS and Linux. Believe me, you are spoiled for choice, also because free to play titles belong to the most disparate genres and, therefore, every player can find some suitable for their tastes.

What do you say, then, to ban the chatter and immediately start reading this guide of mine? Come on, sit comfortably, take a look at the list of games below and run to install the ones you think might be more suitable for you. Fun is guaranteed!

Index

• Preliminary information
• Best Free to Play Steam
  • Action and adventure
  • Shooter
  • MMORPG and MOBA
  • Card Game
  • Sports and fighting games
  • Strategy

Preliminary information

Before listing the ones that, in my humble opinion, are the best free to play on Steam , let me clarify a bit about this type of game.

The free to play ( F2P ) are a special category of video games to download and play for free, but where the game experience can be “enriched” by performing the optional purchases.

Although in some cases purchases in F2P titles concern only the aesthetic side of one’s avatar or non-essential services, in other cases the balance of the game and its progression depend on objects and services that can only be purchased with money.

Having said that, keep this factor in mind when deciding to play a free to play : for some players it is essential that a title does not force them to make purchases to progress, leaving their full freedom to want to spend money on the title they are passionate about.

Having made this brief introduction, I would like to point out that all the categories of games you know belong to free to play titles: you will therefore find F2P action , RPG , sports , fighting or strategy , just to name a few genres.

Clearly, know that to download a free to play title from Steam you will first need to create a free account on this platform and download the appropriate desktop client for Windows , macOS or Linux : if you have not yet performed these operations, read my guide on how Steam works to find out how.

Best Free to Play Steam

If you want to know which are the best free to play games on Steam , in the next chapters I will show you some of them, divided by genres: I hope you can easily identify the ones that are most suitable for you.

Action and adventure

If you are passionate about action and adventure games , the first free to play title that I recommend you try is Destiny 2 . This is the sequel to Destiny that has been a huge success on PlayStation and Xbox and was made by Bungie, the developers of the famous Halo series that has fascinated many gamers from all over the world.

Although this title was previously paid, it is now free. I warn you that a new paid expansion is released periodically (about a year), which adds new content. Some of these, however, are accessible for free for all those who prefer to enjoy a game experience without obligation to purchase. Paid Season Passes are also available, allowing you to earn more rewards as you play.

If you are interested in a first-person sci-fi title, with stunning graphics, with lots of content that requires team play, as well as those that allow you to go solo, Destiny 2 could be for you. The title is only compatible with Windows PCs.

In the same vein, I also recommend Warframe . The latter has always been considered by players as the free game to try in place of Destiny 2, when the latter was still paid.

In fact, Warframe is a sci-fi title that is fun to play, with impressive graphics and tons of content that can entertain for hours and hours. It has a third person view and relies on the cooperative component to address the objectives that are proposed.

Although it is a 2013 title, it is still very much played and, therefore, you will surely find other players who can accompany you on your adventures. Warframe is only available on Windows PC and, in addition, there are paid services, but they are not essential.

Shooter

Changing the genre of free to play titles , if you want to play a shooter , I can recommend Counter-Strike: Global Offensive , also known as CS: GO . It is among the most played free titles on Steam and has a very large community.

It was developed directly by Valve, the same company that owns the Steam platform, and it is possible to play it for free, with the possibility of purchasing the Prime package , which allows players to be paired in matches with others in possession of the same service, in addition to the possibility to receive additional rewards.

As for the graphics, although now dated, it still has a realistic orientation. There are tons of maps, weapons and accessories available, as well as skins (for a fee) to customize your gaming experience. You can play CS: GO on both Windows and macOS and Linux.

If you are looking for a title with more cartoonish graphics, then I can recommend Team Fortress 2 , also developed by Valve and with several years of support behind it like its “big brother” CS: GO. In reference to the latter, it shares the genre and the structure of the gameplay: in fact it is a match shooter title.

It may not have a community as large as CS: GO, but it does have a large number of daily active players, as well as content that offers constant fun. Sure there are newer and more modern products that are appealing, but Team Fortress 2, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, is a must-see classic. If you are interested in this title, know that you can play it on both Windows and macOS and Linux.

Finally, if you are a fan of arena battles, with characters divided by classes, I can also recommend Paladins . It is a free to play title for Windows that is considered by many to be the free version of Overwatch , another (paid) title not available on Steam.

There are several game modes, each with their own rules, which challenge teams that clash on the battlefield. Being a class-based game, having a balanced team certainly brings a greater advantage in battles.

MMORPG and MOBA

While most of the titles are based on game sessions with a limited number of online players, those belonging to the MMORPG genre (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), on the other hand, are characterized by the possibility of having these sessions with hundreds of players. at the same time.

There are several titles of this genre, such as TERA , Neverwinter or even NosTale : they are all long-standing titles and require a lot of free time to devote to their complete exploration. In addition, they have a very small community, also because this genre is no longer very successful.

Albion Online is a “younger” MMORPG genre title than the titles I mentioned in the previous lines. It has comic graphics with an isometric view and lots of content that can entertain a player for hundreds of hours.

Its strength is also its cross-platform component , i.e. a feature that allows players of all platforms on which this title is available (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS / iPadOS), to play together.

A genre that, on the other hand, is still very popular today is the MOBA one . Although it can be categorized as a sub-genre of the strategic one, it has a team multiplayer component that sets it apart from the latter.

Among the most famous titles of this genre is Dota 2 . It is a title developed by Valve for both Windows and macOS and Linux and is structured in game maps divided into lanes, in which the players, divided into two teams, aim to destroy the opposing base.

Players must organize themselves by choosing, before the start of the game, a character belonging to specific classes, to be mastered in order to lead their team to victory.

Card Game

The Card Game genre includes the strategic genre titles in which the player makes use of collectible cards in order to face other opponents and obtain victory. They are a digital evolution of collectible tabletop card games, such as the iconic ones from the Magic series .

Among the most famous and appreciated Card Games by players, I recommend you try GWENT : it is a collectible card title for Windows based on the universe of the famous videogame saga The Witcher .

Its strength is to be able to face other players in online duels, in which you have to put your deck on the “table” by combining cunning, improvisation and bluffing to win games in the different game modes available.

In addition to the title I told you about in the previous paragraphs, I can also recommend The Elder Scrolls Legends . It is another strategic card game that is based on the popular video game series The Elder Scrolls .

The player’s goal is to build an adequate deck in order to be able to overwhelm the opponent in battles with artificial intelligence and against other players who are passionate about this title. You can play The Elder Scrolls Legends on both Windows PC and Mac.

Sports and fighting games

Among the titles free to play gender sport , I suggest one of the most famous dedicated to football fans: this is eFootball PES 2020 Lite , the free version of eFootball PES 2020 for Windows.

In this multiplayer title it is possible to play different games, taking advantage of the different game modes available. In addition, there is also an offline mode, to play football matches in local mode.

Clearly, being a free version, compared to the full version of eFootball PES 2020 you will have less content available, such as a limited number of stadiums and teams to choose from. However, it offers a valid sports experience that you can use for free to spend several hours of your free time.

If you are looking for a free to play fighting game, I can suggest you try Brawlhalla , as it is one of the most played and famous of this genre. The game experience proposed by the title in question aims to face the opponent to throw him out of the game arena.

There are several game modes available in Brawlhalla and it is also possible to start battles with up to four players per team. If you like brawler-style titles, this could definitely be for you to play it on your Windows or macOS PC.

Strategy

If you like titles where strategy is the fundamental element to achieve victory, you will surely find interesting the free to play titles on Steam that I am about to offer you.

For example, one medieval-themed title I suggest you check out is Crusader Kings II . It is a dynasty simulator that sets the player the goal of making the selected dynasty survive and thrive, through a series of political choices that will require juggling wars and alliances.

In this title you will be able to take on the role of historical figures who really existed and change the fate of the most important balances that have characterized the medieval era. Crusader Kings II is a title that you can play on both Windows PC and Mac.

Another popular free-to-play strategy title for Windows on Steam is Fallout Shelter , which is set in the same universe as the famous Fallout video game saga . In this title, you will have command of a Vault, that is, an underground bunker, and you will have to make your community of inhabitants prosper.

In addition, there will be several obstacles to be faced, which will require a good dose of strategy, to defeat the threats that populate the Wasteland. Speaking of which, you’ll have a huge underground area to expand and upgrade your Vault.