Best multiplayer games to play in 2024

❘ Updated: 2023-12-25T08:10:00

cover art for best multiplayer games in 2023

Riot Games / Activision

In case you’re wondering which multiplayer games to play in 2024, we have you covered with all the biggest names where you can join in on the fun with your friends.

While single-player games are more about the narrative and experience, multiplayer games often lead to a lot more fun when partying up with your friends. Ranging from adrenaline rushes to 200 IQ plays being strategized in seconds, multiplayer titles often tend to bring out your competitive side.

However, there are also several multiplayer games where you can simply party up with your friends in a co-op environment and enjoy what the game has to offer. Our list of the best multiplayer games to play in 2024 includes various names across several genres and platforms.

Valorant

Riot Games

Since its release in 2020, Valorant has been growing rapidly with several new Maps and Agents being introduced in the game. The game’s popularity has certainly hit new heights with an upcoming and thriving esports ecosystem. However, while the pros fight it out on the stage, you can party up with your friends for a fun round of unrated matches to see who picks up the most frags.

Additionally, the combination of various abilities as well as the eye-catching maps is definitely going to keep you engrossed for hours as you sharpen up your aim and reaction time in the FPS. Riot’s tactical shooter is undoubtedly one of the best multiplayer games on PC that you should try out in 2024.

In case you’re new to Valorant, don’t forget to check out our Agent tier list to know which picks will give you an advantage in the game. Having said that, Riot is also working on handheld and console ports, which will soon allow you to enjoy the game on your desired platform.

Counter-Strike 2

Valve

Released in 2023, Counter-Strike 2, a.k.a. CS2, has replaced CS:GO, the most-dominated FPS game for over a decade. Taking over from its predecessors, CS 1.6 and CS: Source, CS2 is the go-to title for all FPS lovers. Presenting a simple yet challenging and enhanced experience, this title is optimally designed for both, FPS veterans, as well as new players who are simply looking to have some fun with friends.

Although the game is available for free on Steam, you will have to purchase the Prime Unlock feature to jump into Premier and ranked matches to enjoy everything that CS2 offers. Having said that, if you are looking for a fast-paced pure shooter experience with your friends or even to start your journey of going pro, CS2 might just be the game for you to play in 2024.

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2, like the name suggests, is a sequel to the massively popular 2016 hero shooter title Overwatch. While the initial title went on to become a smash hit, setting the stage for an exciting esports ecosystem to thrive. However, the release of Overwatch 2 in October 2022 has once again gained the attention of the entire community.

Overwatch 2 presents a much more polished look and upgraded in-game experience, which offers plenty of in-game fun. Allowing party sizes up to 5 instead of 6 like in the prequel, Overwatch 2 also features several co-op modes in case you simply want to enjoy the visuals and mechanics of the game with your friends without worrying about competitiveness.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Activision

Released in November 2023, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the third part of the 2019 reboot of the Modern Warfare series, serving as the 20th installment in the Call of Duty franchise. While the game’s single-player campaign features an enticing storyline, it is the multiplayer mode where you can have a lot of fun with your friends.

Featuring multiple game modes, there are a variety of different experiences for you to select from in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Additionally, one of the latest features added to the CoD franchise is the introduction of third-person playlists where you can enjoy the same fun but from a third-person perspective.

On top of everything, this title is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with full crossplay support. This means that you can enjoy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer modes with all your friends, irrespective of which platform they are on.

Warzone

Published by Activision as yet another sequel for a Call of Duty title, Warzone is the latest battle royale multiplayer game from the franchise. After its release in 2023, the game shot to the top of the popularity charts as one of the go-to battle royale games available right now.

Additionally, given that Warzone is free-to-play, it won’t cost you anything to check whether this is the best multiplayer game for you to play in 2024. Warzone is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and also supports full crossplay across all platforms, making it extremely easy to party up with your friends.

Additionally, Warzone shares its Store and Battle Pass system with Modern Warfare 3, making it a lot easier for you to claim rewards from the Battle Pass whether you play both games or either one of them.

GTA Online

After several new releases, it’s time for a seasoned title on our list, and which could be better than GTA Online? Featuring an action-adventure setting in an open virtual world featuring other players, the GTA Online experience is simply unique.

There are two different multiplayer modes that you can play in GTA Online. The first one features Invite Only and Crew Only options that allow you to choose who you want to play with. This option is a great way to have fun with your friends in a safe environment without the intrusion of any virtual strangers.

The other option is Public Sessions, where you will join a public lobby featuring several other players in a PvP environment. Given that GTA is one of the longest-running franchises, the popularity of this series is indisputable. Having said that, the game is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, making it fairly easy to play one of the best multiplayer games in 2024 across all these platforms.

Rainbow Six Siege

Ubisoft

Yet another multiplayer title that has been around for a few years now, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege features a tactical shooter experience with high-stakes competition. Released in 2015 by Ubisoft, Rainbow Six Siege is for those players who love to face a challenge.

While adding explosives and various gadgets to a tactical shooter experience has earned praise for the game, there are some who believe that these factors only contribute to the game’s complexity levels. However, there are several single-player titles that people solely enjoy for their complex mechanics, and in lieu of that, you might even enjoy the complex intricacies that this tactical shooter has to offer.

Having said that, the game is available on PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna, while a mobile version of the title is currently being worked on.

League of Legends

The oldest game to be included in our list, League of Legends is arguably one of the most popular multiplayer games across the entire planet. Be it through the Arcane animated series on Netflix or one of the countless chartbuster anthems, even if you haven’t played the game, you have most likely come across League of Legends in some form or the other, perhaps without even realizing it.

Inspired by a custom map for Warcraft III, League of Legends is one of the first stand-alone titles from the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre. Since its release in 2009, League of Legends has come a long way with countless patch updates as well as the release of new and reworks for existing champions in the game.

While getting into a game like League of Legends without any prior experience with MOBAs can be a little difficult, it doesn’t take long to get engrossed by the vast universe it has to offer once you get past the initial days of learning the basics.

EA Sports FC 24

The last game in one of the longest-running franchises, EA Sports FC 24 features the largest collection of Ultimate Team players while also making several improvements to the gameplay systems. Breaking away from the chain of an annual title release, EA has confirmed that this will be the ongoing title with seasonal updates after FIFA 23.

Jump into multiplayer custom tournaments with your friends or simply battle it out in the Seasons mode, the opportunities are endless in EA FC 24. Additionally, the game supports full crossplay across all platforms at the time of release for the first time in the franchise’s history.

Valheim

If you are looking for a co-op exploration and survival game, Valheim has to be your go-to choice. Featuring a vast world shrouded in terrifying mysteries of various kinds, Valheim supports up to 10 players in one world as you explore through the wilderness.

Based on Norse mythology with several references to lore, you can explore all the different realms with your friends while also scavenging for resources that will help you survive. An additional advantage of Valheim is that you can save your respective Worlds to come back later and pick up from where you left off last time.

This feature will allow you to keep separate Worlds for when you’re playing and when you’re playing with friends, making it one of the best multiplayer games to play in 2024.

Apex Legends

Released in 2019, Apex Legends presents a unique take on the Battle Royale genre with the additional mechanic of hero shooters. Since its release, Apex Legends has gone on to bag several awards, certifying itself as one of the best multiplayer games available. Given that the game is free-to-play is simply the cherry on top for anyone who’s searching for a new multiplayer title.

The game is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC with full crossplay support. Additionally, a separate port for mobile devices is also available for those who wish to give it a try, however, the mobile version does not support crossplay with the other platforms.

Having said that, Apex Legends features a three-player squad limit while being one of the most-played video games of all time, making it very easy to find multiplayer matches.

Destiny 2

Developed by Bungie, Destiny 2 is a free-to-play multiplayer FPS shooter title that features both PvE as well as PvP gameplay. Be it a round of PvP action against an opponent squad or a co-op quest with your buddies, the universe of Destiny 2 has a lot to offer.

Given that the game is available across all major platforms, you can form fireteams with your friends to play together across any of the supported platforms. Crossplay is auto-enabled in Destiny 2 and does not require you to activate it additionally.

Apart from all this, there are also several DLCs available for Destiny 2. However, in case you are new to the game, we suggest that you consider purchasing the DLCs only after you have spent some time on the free-to-play version of the game.

World of Tanks

World of Tanks features several combat vehicles from the 20th century that you can use to shoot down your opponents. The vehicles available in the game range from the pre-World War 2 era up to the Cold War era, giving you a rather vast collection to choose from.

Additionally, the game is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with full support for crossplay, allowing you to play it online with your friends across any of the mentioned platforms.

Given that the game still maintains a steady count of players despite being fairly seasoned, it is safe to say that World of Tanks is definitely one of the best multiplayer games that you should give a try in 2024.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is the unofficial sequel to the community-created mod for Warcraft III, Defense of the Ancients. Although the game’s full release happened in 2013, Dota 2 was in closed beta since 2011, featuring two TIs before the game’s full release. In case you’re wondering what TI is, it stands for, The International, an annual Dota 2 championship that holds the record of the largest prize pool in all of esports.

Although Dota 2 is considered fairly difficult to learn and features a very steep learning curve, it is definitely worth trying at least once to see for yourself what all the hype is about. However, it is strongly recommended that you try the game with a full party of five players as teaming up with randoms can be a bit stressful in a high-pressure game like Dota 2.

Rocket League

Rocket League presents a unique combination of vehicles and football where you have to score goals while driving a car across the field. There are several different modes in the game that allow you to team up with your friends as you try to take down your opponents.

Be it iconic goal-line clearances or jaw-dropping goals, there’s a lot you can achieve in Rocket League while also having fun with your friends. Given that the game supports full crossplay functionality, you can even team up with your friends on other platforms. Having said that, you should probably give this free-to-play multiplayer game a try in 2024.

The Finals

After a surprise launch at The Game Awards 2023, The Finals quickly went on to become one of the most beloved free-to-play titles. This title from Embark Studios features destructive gameplay filled with chaos, including a plethora of weapons and gadgets to choose from.

Considering it’s free, you and your buddies will have a blast playing this game and the sweet part is that it supports full cross-platform and cross-progression functionality. So, if you ever decide to change platforms but keep your progress intact, you can do that very easily.

With that said, The Finals is easily one of the best multiplayer games to try out in 2024. The content will keep on flowing with fresh seasonal updates and battle passes.

So, there you have it, these are all the best multiplayer games that you can play in 2024. Make sure to check out our gaming homepage for more lists and guides.

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