The Best Multiplayer Games on Steam

Steam offers a huge variety of online games, both cooperative and competitive, enjoyed by players around the globe. These games – ranging from intense shooters to large-scale role-playing adventures – are shaping how we play multiplayer games today, thanks to regular updates and strong community involvement. This is a collection of the best and most popular multiplayer games currently available on PC.

‘PUBG: Battlegrounds’ (2017)

PUBG: Battlegrounds is one of the original and most influential battle royale games, created by PUBG Studios and published by Krafton. In the game, 100 players parachute onto a large map and fight to be the last one standing by finding and using weapons and supplies. PUBG is known for making the battle royale genre popular worldwide thanks to its realistic shooting and focus on smart, strategic gameplay. Krafton regularly updates the game with new maps and features to keep it fresh and competitive.

‘Destiny 2’ (2017)

Destiny 2 is an action-packed, first-person shooter with RPG aspects, created and maintained by Bungie. Players become Guardians, tasked with defending the last city on Earth from alien enemies throughout our solar system. You can team up with friends for challenging activities like Strikes and Raids, or test your skills against other players in competitive modes. Bungie constantly updates the game with new stories, seasons, and large expansions, keeping the experience fresh and evolving.

‘Apex Legends’ (2019)

Apex Legends is a quick-moving battle royale game made by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. What sets it apart is its cast of playable characters, called Legends, each with their own special skills and powerful abilities. The game takes place in the same universe as ‘Titanfall’ and focuses on team play, made easier by its popular ping system. Respawn regularly updates the game with new characters and changes to the game maps with each new season.

‘Dead by Daylight’ (2016)

Dead by Daylight is a horror game where one player takes on the role of a killer, and four others play as survivors trying to escape. Developed and published by Behaviour Interactive, the game is famous for featuring characters and settings from popular horror movies like ‘Halloween’ and ‘Resident Evil.’ Behaviour Interactive regularly updates the game to improve balance and add new maps.

‘Sea of Thieves’ (2018)

I’m totally hooked on ‘Sea of Thieves’! It’s an amazing pirate adventure game made by Rare and published by Xbox. You get to sail the open sea with your friends – up to four of you on a ship – looking for treasure, fighting other pirates, and just exploring. What’s really cool is that it’s a shared world, so you’re always running into other player crews while you’re out on your voyages. And Rare has been adding tons of new stuff since it came out, like these story-driven ‘Tall Tales’ and cool seasonal rewards, which makes the whole experience even better!

‘Warframe’ (2013)

I’ve been playing ‘Warframe’ for a while now, and it’s a really cool cooperative action game where you’re part of this ancient warrior race called the Tenno. We wear these awesome biomechanical suits and run missions all over the solar system. There’s a ton to do – everything from sneaking around to huge space battles. What I really appreciate is that Digital Extremes constantly updates the game with new content, and it’s genuinely free-to-play; you can progress without spending any money, which is awesome. They’ve done a great job avoiding those ‘pay-to-win’ traps.

‘Helldivers 2’ (2024)

Helldivers 2 is a cooperative, third-person shooter game created by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony. Players team up as highly trained soldiers to complete missions on dangerous alien worlds. The game focuses on teamwork and has realistic combat, including the possibility of accidentally hitting your allies. What’s unique is a galactic war map that changes based on the actions of all players worldwide.

‘Elden Ring’ (2022)

Elden Ring is an expansive, action-packed role-playing game created by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Though best enjoyed solo, it allows players to team up online to tackle difficult bosses or invade each other’s worlds. Players can also leave helpful hints for others or call allies in for assistance as they explore the challenging landscapes of the Lands Between. The game was a huge commercial success for Bandai Namco Entertainment, blending FromSoftware’s well-known combat style with a rich world co-created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin.

‘Monster Hunter: World’ (2018)

Monster Hunter: World is an action RPG created by Capcom where you hunt large, powerful creatures in a variety of detailed environments. Players can use many different weapons and team up with up to three friends online to defeat even tougher monsters and collect materials to create new equipment. This game successfully brought the popular Monster Hunter series to home consoles and PC, focusing on realistic ecosystems and smooth, engaging combat.

‘Rust’ (2018)

Rust is a challenging online survival game created by Facepunch Studios. Players try to stay alive in a constantly evolving world by collecting materials, constructing shelters, and protecting themselves from other players. While teamwork is important for forming groups, the game is also famous for its competitive raids and the need to be wary of others. Facepunch Studios regularly adds new features, vehicles, and items each month to keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.

‘Valheim’ (2021)

Valheim is a Viking survival and exploration game created by Iron Gate Studio and published by Coffee Stain Publishing. Players can team up with up to nine others in a vast, randomly generated world. They’ll need to build bases, create tools and weapons, and battle legendary creatures. The game has a unique visual style – it looks simple but features impressive lighting and realistic physics. Coffee Stain Publishing has continually updated Valheim, adding new areas to explore and more items to craft.

‘Deep Rock Galactic’ (2020)

Deep Rock Galactic is a cooperative, first-person shooter where up to four players team up as space dwarves. They’re sent to a dangerous planet to mine resources while battling hordes of bug-like creatures. The game stands out with its environments that can be completely destroyed and its four different classes, each requiring teamwork to overcome challenges. Ghost Ship Games has earned praise for regularly updating the game with new content and for creating a gameplay experience that really encourages players to work together.

‘Team Fortress 2’ (2007)

Team Fortress 2 is a popular, team-based shooting game made by Valve. Players choose from nine different characters, each with their own special abilities and purpose in battle. The game is known for its unique visual style and a system where players can collect and trade cosmetic items. Valve still updates the game with new content and events, and it continues to be enjoyed by a large and dedicated community after more than ten years.

‘Left 4 Dead 2’ (2009)

Left 4 Dead 2 is a cooperative first-person shooter game made by Valve. In it, up to four players team up to survive waves of zombies and special infected creatures while trying to reach safe zones across different campaigns. The game features an ‘AI Director’ that changes the difficulty and where items appear based on how well the players are doing. Valve also added a competitive mode called ‘Versus,’ where players can play as the zombies and try to stop the survivors.

‘Counter-Strike 2’ (2023)

Counter-Strike 2 is the newest first-person shooter from Valve, building on the popular game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It features enhanced graphics and a more reliable online experience thanks to the upgraded Source 2 engine. Players join either the Terrorist or Counter-Terrorist team and compete in rounds where they must either plant/defuse a bomb or rescue hostages. Valve continues to support the game as a leading eSport through regular updates and by hosting tournaments.

‘Dota 2’ (2013)

Dota 2 is a popular online game created by Valve where two teams of five players battle it out. The goal is to destroy the opponent’s main structure, called the “Ancient,” while also gathering resources and gaining experience. What makes Dota 2 unique is that all of its more than 100 playable characters are free to use. Valve also puts on “The International” every year, a major esports tournament known for its huge prize pool.

‘Terraria’ (2011)

Terraria is a 2D adventure game where you can explore, build, and fight monsters. Developed by Re-Logic, it lets players create their own worlds and team up with friends online to build amazing structures or take on challenging bosses. Over the past ten years, Re-Logic has consistently added free updates, making the game much larger and more detailed than when it first launched.

‘Stardew Valley’ (2016)

Stardew Valley is a farming game created by ConcernedApe. It originally let players farm on their own, but now includes a multiplayer mode where up to four people can work together on a single farm. Players can share items, divide tasks, and interact with the town as a group. The game’s creator continues to improve the multiplayer experience with new updates and content designed for cooperative play.

‘Portal 2’ (2011)

Portal 2 is a puzzle game created by Valve where players solve challenges using a special device that creates portals. It features both a single-player story and a separate co-op mode with two robot characters, Atlas and P-Body. In the co-op mode, players must work together, communicating and coordinating their actions, to complete difficult test chambers by manipulating space and physics with the portal guns.

‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ (2023)

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a large and detailed role-playing game created by Larian Studios, based on the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Up to four players can team up and experience the story together, making choices that truly change how it unfolds. The game lets players interact with the world in clever and strategic ways, especially during battles. Larian Studios has been widely praised for the game’s impressive technology and the amount of freedom it gives players, particularly when playing with friends.

Let us know in the comments which Steam games you and your friends have played the most multiplayer hours in!

2026-02-17 05:17