The 30 Best Free PC Games of 2018

Killer Instinct Originally developed by Double Helix for the Xbox One's launch, this superb fighting game has continued to see significant updates under the care of Iron Galaxy. Most importantly, it's now available on PCs running Windows 10. There's always going to be at least one character available to play for free, but you can also buy new characters or entire seasons worth of content outright. And since everything you've unlocked or purchased on the Xbox One transfers over to the Windows 10 version, there's never a need to pay twice. (Download it on the Windows Store, or find out more on IGN)

Alien Swarm This top-down shooter developed by Valve is completely free — just download the entire game and the SDK through Steam, and enjoy. Join up with three of your friends to destroy alien monsters, or crack open the game editor to make your very own environments. With four classes, eight characters, and persistent unlocks, this game will keep you busy for months. Even better, it's truly free. No micropayments in sight. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Let It Die Originally exclusive to the PS4, this oddball free-to-play game from the developers of Lollipop Chainsaw finally lets Steam users fight their way up Let It Die's massive tower. Like many modern games, it borrows ideas from Rogue, but it doesn't neatly fit into the roguelike mold. When you die, you can spend currency to continue, or your current corpse will end up as a "Hater" that will attack your next character. And even if you don't buy-in, Uncle Death can keep you entertained for hours as you grind through characters. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Star Wars: The Old Republic Did the success of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi revive your love of Star Wars? If so, check out BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. The core story content is free-to-play, but if you're interested in even more gameplay, you can pay $13 to $15 per month for a higher tier of service that will net you more currency, perks, and content. This game isn't as popular or as polished as World of Warcraft, but it delivers a ton of content for free and has a surprisingly solid story for an MMO. (Download it on Origin, or find out more on IGN)

Smite If you're curious about the MOBA scene, but the overhead viewpoint is a turn-off for you, Smite is a decent place to start. With WASD movement and a behind-the-back perspective, Smite feels more like an action game than an RTS. Like many other games in this increasingly crowded genre, there is an absurd number of characters to choose from, and you'll need to pony up some money if you want access to all of them right out of the gate. Thankfully, a one-time purchase of $30 will unlock all of the existing characters and every future character as well. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

MapleStory When we think of MMORPGs, games like World of Warcraft and EverQuest come to mind. However, there's a side-scrolling MMORPG out of South Korea that's been hanging in there for well over a decade. And despite the 3D sequel hogging most of the attention recently, there's no end in sight for this classic. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Robocraft How does a mashup of Robot Wars and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts sound? Pretty good, right? Well, that's what the folks at Freejam are aiming for with Robocraft. Build and customize your very own combat robots, pit them against other custom robots online, and gain better parts and abilities. Premium memberships, crates, and bundles can be a bit pricey, but the core components are accessible through normal gameplay for free. And since the game is still in early access, it's wise to be cautious about sinking any money into this just yet. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Kingdom of Loathing Unlike it's for-pay sister West of Loathing, Kingdom of Loathing actually runs inside of your browser. The interface is sparse, and the art style is minimalist, but this awesome RPG has been lovingly supported by donations for many years. There's no fee for access, and no ads to watch. It's just pure joy – available for $0.00. (Play online, or find out more on IGN)

Fallout Shelter This marriage of Fallout's 1950s-style animation with a management sim is a stroke of genius from Bethesda. It was released first on phones, but Fallout Shelter feels well-suited for PC gamers as well. And while it might be tempting to drop a bunch of cash on lunchboxes to speed up your progress, you can plate-spin to your heart's content here without ever having to take out your credit card. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

AdVenture Capitalist If you've ever played a game like Cookie Clicker or Candy Box, you'll be very familiar with the way this game works. When broken down into its component parts, you do little more than click buttons and watch numbers grow higher, but there's something so viscerally satisfying about this style of game. AdVenture Capitalist, fundamentally, is a dopamine machine. It's hard to explain the appeal, but since it's free, you can simply go see for yourself. (Download on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Pinball Arcade Classic arcade tables never looked so good! Download the client for the Pinball Arcade on Steam, and you'll get full access to the Mary Shelley's Frankenstein table for free. You can also try out any of the other tables at no additional cost, but you won't be able to play past the first high score. Each additional table can be purchased à la carte, or you can invest $10 or $20 at once into an entire pack of classic tables. Whether you're a casual fan or a pinball fanatic, this freemium product is fantastic. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Paladins This "Champion Shooter" from Hi-Rez Studios is most obviously comparable to Blizzard's Overwatch, but with a new 100-player Battlegrounds mode, it's clear that this early access game is willing to ride the wave of whatever's exceedingly popular in the shooter space. You can play for free with a limited group of starting Champions, but a one-time $30 purchase of the Champions Pack will unlock all current and future characters. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 Lite Do you thrive on competition? Well, the "Lite" version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 lets you live out all of the nail-biting moments of operating your own football club. You can play the online myClub mode and League mode, kick around with the exhibition matches and improve your skills with the training mode. It's more limited than the full product, but it's still a solid way to get a taste of what modern PES looks like. And if you're dying for more soccer, you can always upgrade to the complete version later on. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Brawlhalla Inspired by the likes of Super Smash Bros., this 2D fighter allows PC gamers to join in on the fun. While it doesn't function exactly the same as Nintendo's beloved cross-over series, there's enough in common to satiate your melee cravings. You can play as much as you'd like for free, but you will need to make a single $20 purchase to unlock all current and future characters. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Dota 2 Based on a popular Warcraft III mod called Defense of the Ancients, Valve's Dota 2 is the poster child for the free-to-play model. Without spending one red cent, you get access to the entire gameplay experience. Of course, Valve does make a tidy profit from selling players cosmetic and convenience items. The Bellevue company is well-versed in the realm of free-to-play games at this point, so don't be surprised if you find yourself buying lots of new loot for this "free" game once you're hooked. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

League of Legends Just like Dota 2, League of Legends is a MOBA derived from the exact same classic Warcraft III mod. However, the folks at Riot Games have a very different pricing model than Valve's. You can play a select number of characters out of the gate, but access to additional characters need to be earned or purchased. League remains insanely popular across the globe, and the folks at Riot Games continue to expand this franchise more and more every single year. (Download it on the League of Legends website, or find out more on IGN)

Doki Doki Literature Club Taking on the tropes of dating-themed visual novels, this quirky and somewhat terrifying game from Team Salvato subverts the genre at every turn. If you can handle some severe psychological horror, this meta-adventure is worth the handful of hours it takes to finish. While this isn't really the free-to-play model as we've come to expect, the entire gameplay experience remains entirely free of charge. If you enjoyed your experience, you can drop $10 on the "Fan Pack" for wallpapers and the soundtrack. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Pinball FX3 The world of pinball has a long history of licensed tables, so it's good to see Zen Studios keeping that tradition going even after the market for physical pinball tables has nearly evaporated. If you're willing to spend real money, you'll find tables from franchises ranging from Star Wars to Fallout to E.T. And even if you're unwilling to open your pocketbook, the free table is still loads of fun. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Realm Grinder If you've never played an idle game before, the concept might raise your brow. You'll spend your time cycling between rapid clicking and simply waiting around for the game to progress — idling. Most games are built around some kind of a gameplay loop, but the overwhelming majority mask the repetition with exciting quests and complicated systems. Idle games, like Realm Grider, instead eschew those layers of abstraction in favor of ever-growing numbers. You'll start off by clicking over and over, and earning only a little bit of gold. After a while, your buildings will be cranking out currency much faster than you could ever hope for, and you'll get to reap the sweet, sweet dopamine release as you collect upgrades and trophies. (Download it on Steam)

EVE Online Lovingly referred to as "spreadsheets in space," EVE Online has enjoyed a thriving, if sometimes odd, community of space entrepreneurs for the last decade and a half. Yes, this game launched in the early Bush administration, and it's still going strong. A while back, CCP began offering a free-to-play option for EVE that allows unlimited access to a subset of the ships and skills. For more options, you'll need to pony up some cash for a proper subscription. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Path of Exile If you liked the Diablo series, Path of Exile will be right up your alley. At its core, this is an action RPG mashed together with a free-to-play business model. You'll spend most of your time moving through fantasy environments, destroying everything in your wake with blades, bows, and magic — paying for aesthetic changes and select upgrades along the way. If you loved Diablo II, but weren't so keen on the direction taken by Diablo III, you should absolutely check out POE. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Butterfly Soup This charming game focuses on a group of LGBT Asian girls who love baseball, and their story is told as a visual novel. Beautiful illustrations are presented alongside loads of dialog and some light adventure game elements. All together, this is an adorable story that's easy to fall for. And as with many games on Itch.io, Butterfly Soup is available through the pay-what-you-want model. You can play the entire game for free, but it's absolutely worth throwing the dev a few bucks if you end up enjoying yourself. (Download it on Itch.io)

Tera Unlike most MMORPGs, Tera's combat is real-time. Instead of just locking on and cycling through your abilities like a typical MMO, Tera is much more action-focused. You'll need to roll out of the way of attacks and aim your shots. So if you like the social aspects of MMOs but hate the WoW formula, Tera is worth trying out. "Elite status" nets you tons of bonuses at a rate of $15 per month, and investing real money in "EMP" lets you purchase cosmetics, consumables, mounts, and random loot boxes whenever you see fit. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

TrackMania Nations Forever TrackMania is designed around besting your friends on the leaderboards, and making the craziest race tracks imaginable. Play the entirety of the stadium environment for free by downloading TrackMania Nations Forever, or spend $30 to upgrade to TrackMania United Forever with an additional six racing environments included. And if you just can't get enough, you can always move on to TrackMania 2 or TrackMania Turbo. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Hearthstone Based on the setting of Blizzard's incredibly popular Warcraft franchise, Hearthstone is a phenomenon in and of itself. This turn-based collectible card game is hugely successful on PC and mobile, and the low barrier to entry is the reason why. All you need is a free Battle.net account, and you can join in on the fun. There are optional expansions, but you can still have tons of strategic fun for free. (Download it on Battle.net, or find out more on IGN)

Emily is Away Set in the early-to-mid aughts, this tiny narrative-driven game gives the player a set of snippets that examine how relationships change as friends leave high school, and work their way through young adulthood. With Windows XP and AOL Instant Messenger set-dressing, you'll spend your time responding to prompts from your friend Emily over the years. How you answer shapes the conversation, and the twists and turns allow the millennial crowd to recapture the agony-slash-ecstasy of IM-heavy relationships. This first story is completely free, and the sequel costs just $5. (Download it on Steam)

Team Fortress 2 Dota 2, while wildly popular, isn't Valve's first free-to-play game. The house that Gordon built cut its F2P teeth on Team Fortress 2. Originally released as part of a bundle called The Orange Box, Valve made Team Fortress 2 free-to-play nearly four years after its original release. This class-based shooter is now infamous for its item-based economy and maintains a surprisingly large user base. Give it a go, but don't let the virtual hat mafia get ahold of your Steam account. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Warframe This sci-fi third-person shooter from Digital Extremes has a lot to offer for thrifty players. You can spend dozens of hours shooting and slashing away with other players online, and you don't have to invest anything other than your time. Of course, you can spend real money on in-game currency and items, but it's not necessary to have a good time. Even better, it works surprisingly well on older systems, so almost anyone with a half-way decent graphics card can join in. (Download it on Steam, or find out more on IGN)

Neverwinter Ready to get nerdy? Check out this free-to-play MMORPG based in the Forgotten Realms. Explore this fantasy world with your friends, and soak in the decades of lore built-up around this popular D&D setting. You can pump in real money to improve your character, but you need to be careful of what you buy because it's easy to blow hundreds of dollars. Still, chipping in $10 or $20 on occasion seems pretty reasonable if you're having a good time. (Download it on Steam, or Find out more on IGN)