The best multiplayer games in 2023

The more the merrier when it comes to the best modern multiplayer games.

Best co-op RPG
Diablo 3 Box Art
Diablo 3: Eternal Edition
Genre
Action RPG
Available on
Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac
Best social multiplayer
Among Us Box Art
Among Us
Genre
Strategy
Available on
Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
Best online multiplayer
Fortnite
Genre
Battle Royale
Available on
PC, Android, PS4, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Best online shooter
Apex Legends Box Art
Apex Legends
Genre
Battle Royale FPS
Available on
PC, Android, iOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Best co-op shooter
Back 4 Blood box art
Back 4 Blood
Genre
Co-op FPS
Available on
PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
Fergus Halliday
Jan 18, 2023
Icon Time To Read7 min read

If you walk into your nearest EB Games or JB HI-FI, you'll find no shortage of cinematic and expansive single player experiences. Regardless of whether you prefer to play on Xbox, PlayStation or PC, there are numerous experiences on offer. Between the militarism of Call of Duty, the dark fantasy of Elden Ring and the historical adventurism of Assassin's Creed, modern single-player gamers are spoiled for choice.

However, for many players, the best gaming experiences aren't scripted. Instead, they're social. These days, multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Some are purely competitive. Others blend in elements of cooperation. Many are free to download and play. A few demand an up-front cost. Early Access has made it easier than ever to to jump in and try something new, but some multiplayer classics remain so for good reason.

If you're looking for a new multiplayer game to play with your friends, we've put together a list of the best.

Best Multiplayer Games in 2022

Among Us

Among Us Box Art
Price
Mobile versionFree-to-play
Platforms
Anrdoid, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
Genre
Social deduction and strategy
Players
4 to 15 players online or local WiFi
Where to buy

A loose adaptation of social deduction games like Mafia and Werewolf, Among Us quickly gained popularity following the onset of the pandemic. The setup here is simple and accessible, while providing more enthusiastic fans with plenty of room for experimentation. It doesn't hurt that the game is available on basically everything at this point: iOS, Android, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation and even VR.

Up to fifteen players are crammed onto a virtual spaceship and tasked with working together to uncover the hidden imposters within their ranks. Meanwhile, the imposters are looking to sabotage the mission and pick off their shipmates without being detected.

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For fans of...

League of Legends

League of Legends Box Art
Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC and Mac
Genre
MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena)
Players
1 to 10 players (5 vs 5)

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) titles like League of Legends and DOTA 2 have risen from the ruins of the real time strategy game market over the past two decades, but the former is probably the best place to start if you’re looking to dip your toes into the genre and get a sense of why it's so popular.

League of Legends is a little more approachable than the other MOBAs out there, with a broad range of modes and a diverse roster of characters that provide plenty of different ways to learn and play the game. If you’re pressed for time, there’s also a mobile port called Wild Rift that provides many of the same thrills but crunches the length of a game down to a tight 10-20 minutes.

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For fans of...

DOTA 2, Starcraft 2, Heroes of Newerth

Valorant

Valorant Box Art
Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC and Mac
Genre
FPS | Hero shooter
Players
1 to 10 players (5 vs 5)

Valorant is as much Riot’s answer to Counter-Strike as it is their response to Overwatch. Set in the near future, this fast-paced competitive shooter sees who teams of superpowered and heavily armed agents face off in first to thirteen shootout. 

While Riot’s stylised take on the tactical shooter can feel daunting to get into, the high skill ceiling means that it's incredibly satisfying to master in the long run. Playing alongside friends can take the edge off learning to get good at Valorant, and give you someone to impress when the odds look grim.

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For fans of...

Fortnite

Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC, Android, PS4, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Genre
Battle Royale
Players
1 to 4 co-op (100 player matches)

Despite the ecletic mix of pop culture icons in the mix, from Darth Vader to Ariana Grande, the setup for Fortnite remains straightforward. 100 strangers parachute onto an island. Last one standing wins.

Epic’s ever-expanding and genre-defining battle royale shooter is still the king for good reason, and Constant variation is a key ingredient behind the game's enduring popularity. The developer behind the game are relentlessly and regularly tinkering with key aspects of the game, keeping longtime players interested and giving lapsed fans a reason to come back.

Fortnite is ridiculous, but it doesn't hurt that it’s ridiculously fun to play with a group of friends.

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For fans of...

PUBG, Minecraft and Roblox

Apex Legends

Apex Legends Box Art
Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC, Android, iOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Genre
Battle Royale FPS (First-person shooter) | Hero shooter
Players
1 to 3 co-op (60 player matches)

If Fortnite is a little too light-hearted for your liking, then Apex Legends might be more your speed.

It’s not as deadly serious as something like Call of Duty: Warzone, but Respawn’s science fiction battle royale shooter provides plenty of thrills with snappy gunplay and exciting hero mechanics that let you pull off creative plays that let you turn the tables on your opponent and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

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For fans of...

Titanfall and Call of Duty

Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven Box Art
Price
From$49.95
Platforms
PC (coming soon to console)
Genre
Digital tabletop RPG
Players
1 to 4 co-op
Play it now

An adaptation of the board game of the same name, Gloomhaven is a cross between Diablo, X-COM and Slay the Spire. Available on PC and coming to consoles, this cooperative RPG lets up to four players take up the mantle of adventurers crawling dungeons in search of gold and glory.

While Gloomhaven can be played solo with one player controlling up to four party members, multiplayer is where it really shines. The game eschews the typical action point system seen in turn-based tactics games like X-COM for a card-based alternative that provides greater variety and depth.

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For fans of...

Fire Emblem, X-COM, Slay The Spire

Legends of Runeterra

Legends of Runeterra Box Art
Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC, iOS and Android
Genre
Digital Card Game
Players
1 to 2

If you’re a fan of mobile-friendly digital card games like Hearthstone, but daunted by the way that these games try to milk as much money as possible out of that enthusiasm, Legends of Runeterra might be the more generous free-to-play card game that’s worth your time. 

Set in the same fantasy world as League of Legends and Netflix’ Arcane, Legend of Runeterra is a collectible card game with no booster packs, champion cards packed with personality, a rich roster of gameplay modes and a vibrant competitive community.

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For fans of...

Hearthstone, Magic: The Gathering, Gwent

Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood box art
Price
From$14.98
Platforms
PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
Genre
Co-op survival FPS (First-person shooter)
Players
1 to 4 co-op
Play it now

If you’ve got fond memories of Valve’s co-operative zombie apocalypse duology, you’re not the only one. The developer behind the original Left 4 Dead have revived the formula with the coyly-titled Back 4 Blood. 

Like Left 4 Dead, Back 4 Blood lets you and up to three friends shoot, stab and smash your way through a series of apocalyptic scenarios. You can even jump into the versus mode if you fancy a few rounds on the other side of the fence. This mode lets you take on the role of an infected, flipping the game's premise on its head.

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For fans of...

Left 4 Dead, Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Natural Selection 2, and Dead By Daylight

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2
Price
Free to play
Platforms
PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
Genre
FPS (First-person shooter) | Hero shooter
Players
1 to 4 co-op (8 player matches)
Play it now

Blizzard’s team-based hero shooter has seen better days, but if you’re after a first person shooter with heart as well as headshots, it’s hard to beat. Overwatch 2 boasts a rich roster of characters, 5v5 multiplayer and a crowded competitive scene that’s buzzing with energy and professional teams to follow.

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For fans of...

Team Fortress 2 and Paladins

Diablo 3: Eternal Edition

Diablo 3 Box Art
Price
From$54
Platforms
Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Mac
Genre
Action RPG
Players
1 to 4 players
Play it now

With Diablo Immortal finally out in the wild, Diablo 2 having just gotten a new coat of pain and Diablo 4 on the horizon, there's never been a better time to be a Diablo fan. However, if you're looking for the best place to start with the hack-and-slash series, it's hard to look past all the things that the third game in the series gets right.

Available on both PC, consoles and even the Nintendo Switch, Diablo 3 picks up decades after the first two installments of the series and brings the the dark fantasy world of Sanctuary to life  like never before. You can team up with up to four friends at a time to kill your way through dozens of demons and collect ever more exciting and powerful loot.

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For fans of...

Diablo, Warframe, Path of Exile, Wolcen, Grim Dawn and Titan Quest

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 Box Art
Price
From$20
Platforms
PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Google Stadia and PS5
Genre
RPG shooter
Players
3 player co-op (up to 16 players in PVP)
Play it now

Over the course of two smaller, post-launch DLCs, four major expansions and a dozen season passes, Bungie’s follow up to Halo has grown, shrunk and evolved in too many ways to count. Nevertheless, if you’re after a cinematic and stylish first-person shooter with enough depth and flourish to satisfy you over the long haul, Destiny 2 is hard to beat.

Regardless of whether you’re more interested in PVP or PVE content, the world of Destiny 2 provides plenty of paths to progress and the game’s season pass model ensures new story content is never far away. 

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For fans of...

Halo, Borderlands, Diablo and The Division

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ Box Art
Price
From$39
Platforms
PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One
Genre
Fighting
Players
2 player (online and local)
Play it now

If you grew up watching Goku, Vegeta and the rest of the gang defend the earth from intergalactic threats, Dragon Ball FighterZ is an absolute must play. It’s by no means the first or even the first good game based on the popular series, but it’s the rare adaptation that nails the kenetic hype of the superpowered anime.

The base game features 24 playable characters, a sprawling campaign mode and a rich online community. There are also several DLC season passes for the game, which nearly double the size of the roster and bring fan favorites like Broly and Videl into the fray.

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For fans of...

Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Guilty Gear and Tekken

Rocket League

Rocket League Box Art
Price
Free-to-play
Platforms
PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One
Genre
Action sports
Players
1 to 4 players local (8 players online)
Play it now

Rocket League is infectious and ridiculous in a way that only video games can be. Two teams of cars face off against each other in a penalty shootout. The goal is simple, but getting the ball over the line is a chaotic thrill.

For those who like their racing/soccer hybrids in 2D rather than 3D, there’s also an exceptional mobile version of the game called Rocket League: Side Swipe. This spin-off of the main game is available for free on both iOS and Android and well worth a look if you're keen to get a sense of why Rocket League is as popular as it is.

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For fans of...

Wipeout (the TV show, not the game), Soccer and Trackmania.

Fergus Halliday
Written by
Fergus Halliday is a journalist and editor for Reviews.org. He’s written about technology, telecommunications, gaming and more for over a decade. He got his start writing in high school and began his full-time career as the Editor of PC World Australia. Fergus has made the MCV 30 Under 30 list, been a finalist for seven categories at the IT Journalism Awards and won Most Controversial Writer at the 2022 Consensus Awards. He has been published in Gizmodo, Kotaku, GamesHub, Press Start, Screen Rant, Superjump, Nestegg and more.

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