Getting a group to buy the same game is often the hardest part of game night. These free games on Steam remove that problem: everyone can download them and join in. They cover co-op action, zombie survival, an action RPG, team shooters and a strategy classic.
1. Warframe
A story-driven, free-to-play online action game where you awaken as a powerful warrior and fight alongside your friends. Missions take a squad across planets with fast movement and a large arsenal. There is a lot to collect and unlock, so it works best for a group that wants a game to return to regularly.
Play together: Online co-op · Free to play
2. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
A tactical 5v5 shooter where attackers breach rooms while defenders reinforce walls and lay traps, and each operator brings their own gadget. The free version includes selected modes and operators; Ranked, Siege Cup and the other operators require payment.
Play together: Online co-op, Online PvP · Free to play
3. Unturned
An open-world zombie survival sandbox where you play one of the few people not yet turned. You scavenge, build shelters and fight to stay alive on large maps. Because it is free, the whole group can join the same world without anyone buying a copy.
Play together: Online co-op, Online PvP · Free to play
4. Path of Exile
An online action RPG in a dark fantasy world, where you play an Exile fighting to survive on the continent of Wraeclast. A party clears zones and bosses together and shares the hunt for loot. The game is free and promises never to be pay-to-win, and its deep character building rewards friends who like to plan builds together.
Play together: Online co-op, Online PvP · Free to play
5. SCP: Secret Laboratory
A multiplayer game set in a secure underground facility after a containment breach. Each round you might help the Foundation re-secure the site, side with the Insurgency, or play as one of the escaped SCPs. The mix of teams and surprises makes it a loud, chaotic pick for bigger groups.
Play together: Online PvP · Free to play
6. Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop
A free co-operative top-down shooter: an epic bug hunt that mixes co-op play with squad-level tactics. Each squad member picks a class and the team has to cover each other in tight corridors full of aliens. It is a good free alternative for groups who like co-op shooters.
Play together: Online co-op, Online PvP · Free to play
7. Paladins®
A fantasy team-based shooter with over 50 customizable Champions, fighting in 5v5 matches across a range of modes and maps. Champions fill clear roles, from front lines and damage to support, so a group can split them up and learn to play as a team.
Play together: Online PvP · Free to play
8. Battle for Wesnoth
An open-source, turn-based strategy game with a high fantasy theme. Besides seventeen solo campaigns, it has dozens of multiplayer maps where friends can play against or alongside each other. It is a calm, thoughtful pick for friends who prefer strategy over reflexes.
Play together: Online PvP, Remote Play Together · Free to play
Find more games like these
Browse the full list on PLAYNEXT, with filters for genre, tags and ways to play together.