PC Shooter gamesare a dime a dozen. The multiplayer scene is absolutely stacked with first-person or third-person shooters, and these games or franchises tend to have a long shelf life. While some titles such asOverwatchandArma 3require an initial investment, some of thebest shooters on PC are free-to-play.
Gaming is an expensive hobby, regardless of whether someone prefers to spend their time on consoles or computers. PC gamers might have access to deeper sales, but sometimes the free option is the way to go. Therefore, let’s take a look at the greatest FPS or third-person shooters that are currently free on PC.
Updated August 01, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Free shooter gamesdo not debut every week, but the ones that hit the bullseye tend to stick around for a very long time. One of the genre’s most decorated releases received a sequel in September 2023.
Destiny 2is not included because it is difficult to recommend solely as a free-to-play experience.
Counter-Strikehas been around in some form since 2000, and Valve’s multiplayer-driven series has always performed well. The franchise garnered unprecedented success with the launch of 2012’sGlobal Offensive, afree-to-play FPS gamethat spent roughly the next decade as the most active title on Steam. Despite barely losing any popularity,CS: GOobviously started to show its age after a while, prompting Valve to finally work on a modern version calledCounter-Strike 2. Debuting in September 2023, this sequel/update introduced a new engine, improved gunplay, and other notable changes, althoughits launch was not flawless.
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Some aspects of the game are not quite as fleshed-out as they could be, and the map selection is very limited. Still,Counter-Strike 2largely retained its predecessor’s player base, and it will likely dominate the free shooter scene for the next decade. The factCS:GOis no longer on Steam has not hurt its sequel’s chances either.
Debuting in March 2021,Enlistedis currently in its beta phase, although the game already offers a significant amount of content. A squad-based MMO shooter,Enlistedgives players their pick of a range of classes and the battles combine infantry withground and aerial vehicles. The game currently has four campaigns on PC, along with a range of modes including Conquest and Invasion.
Enlistedis a work in progress, but the game has plenty of potential and will hopefully only get better with each passing month. For those looking for afree-to-play World War 2 shooter,Enlistedis a valid option.
Variety is the spice of life, andWar Thunderoffers something quite different from traditional shooters. Focusing exclusively on vehicular combat,War Thunderallows players to engage in battles using either tanks, planes, or ships. Dividing its arsenal of destructive vehicles into separate nations,War Thundercaters to a wide audience through its modes, some of which are designed to simulate realistic battles while others are arcade-style affairs.
War Thunderhas progressed quite a lot since its introduction, developing into one of the most consistent free-to-play games on the market. For those looking for something other than on-foot gunplay,War Thunderis one to keep in mind.
Activision has dropped its sequel toCall of Duty: Warzone, with the 2.0 edition launching with a fresh map named Al Mazrah,a revamped Gulag, and a new mode called DMZ. The battle royale game has big shoes to fill as its predecessor was among the genre’s most popular entries, and while it is still too early to definitively state thatWarzone 2.0will be an improvement, the game does introduce its share of interesting twists to the formula.
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Unsurprisingly,Warzone 2.0’s gunplay is tight and responsive, setting the stage for plenty of fierce firefights. Al Mazrah is shaping up to be a decent launch map, and the new 2v2 Gulag ramps up this mechanic’s intensity even further.
Riot’sValoranthas steadily established itself as a juggernaut of the free-to-play market, particularly on platforms like Twitch. The hero shooter was a bit late to the game since it trailed behindOverwatch, however,Valoranthas done a decent job of building momentum since its debut.
Featuring a diverse array of modes and a frequently updated roster of Agents split into four classes, the FPS has strong foundations and a development team committed to sustaining its relevance. That said,Valorantis far from perfect and has had issues with performance and balancing.
Once it got over some growing pains,Warframeevolved into one of the best free-to-play games on the market. Blending melee and shooter combat, Digital Extremes' title has always offered fun gameplay, however, the campaign’s scope and presentation felt limited in the game’s early years.
Nowadays,Warframehas blossomed into an expansive experience that can keep somebody entertained for years. Incorporating open-world environments that enhance immersion while also serving this universe’s lore,Warframedelivers a trulyepic sci-fi adventure.
Respawn surprised the world with the release ofApex Legends, a shooter that combines multiplayer subgenres and does it well. Love a good hero shooter?Apex Legendsdoesn’t lack colorful characters. Prefer shooters with a tactical component?Apex Legends' squad-based gameplay rewards coordination and planning. Feel like a battle royale?Apex Legendsdrops teams into a large map and cuts them loose. Want precise gunplay? Respawn’sTitanfallbackground shines throughApex Legends' gameplay.
Apex Legendsis polished, addictive, andconstantly evolving. Thisfree-to-play shooteris here to stay.
Fortniteexists alongside the likes ofMinecraftandPokemonas a license that transcends gaming. The battle royal version has been inescapable ever since its debut, and its ubiquitous nature has naturally led to some backlash. At this point, someone would be forgiven for thinking Epic’s title is more meme than game, and the former has certainly helped in extending the release’s lifespan. However, underneath all the dances and emotes lies a polished and addictive third-person shooter that balances accessibility and complexity incredibly well. Make no mistake,Forniteis fantastic.
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On the surface, the gunplay is rather simplistic, but it is still satisfying and complements the fast-paced nature of battle royale modes.Fortnite’s nuance comes from its building mechanic, which can be surprisingly robust if a player is willing to really explore its options.
Valve releasedTeam Fortress 2in 2007; in 2021, the game still averages more than65,000 concurrent players. Setting the standard for hero shooters,Team Fortress 2is overflowing with personality and style. Its cartoonish visuals have allowed the game to age gracefully, and the gameplay is welcoming to newcomers while still containing plenty of nuance and depth for veteran players.
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Team Fortress 2’s classes are well-balanced and varied, and they have remained relatively constant since the game’s launch. The gameplay is plainly fun, even after all these years.
Something would be amiss if a new battle royale game did not hit the market every other month. Currently in early access,Farlight 84leaves a respectable first impression, even if it struggles at times to differentiate itself from the titles that inspired it. The team-based shooter splits 40 players into groups of 4 and tells them to survive until the end.
The core gameplay sticks close to the standard battle royale formula, albeit with a few interesting twists like early-match respawns, sci-fi vehicles, and hero-shooter elements. While it will probably never dethroneFortniteorApex Legends,Farlight 84has hit the ground running and is worth keeping an eye on for the future.
PlanetSide 2has been around since 2012. Like most MMOs, the first-person shooter’s popularity has organically ebbed and flowed over the last decade, however,the game has remained active enoughto be worth recommending in this day and age. 2020 was an especially strong year forPlanetSide 2, with theEscalationandThe Shattered Warpgateupdates bringing a renewed interest in the MMO.
When it comes to large-scale warfare,PlanetSide 2is arguably the best free-to-play option on PC. Split into multiple factions, players battle it out to gain control of Auraxis.
In November 2021, Microsoft releasedHalo Infinite’s multiplayer for free, entering the game into open beta on PC and Xbox consoles.Halo Infiniteis a graphical powerful;each mapcomes with detailed and lavish environments that can be awe-inspiring at times.
As pretty as the game is,Halo Infinite’s strongest asset is undoubtedly the gunplay.Halo Infinitecaters to veterans of the franchise while also incorporating tools to make the experience inviting to newcomers. The maps are smartly designed and decently balanced, the modes are varied enough to stand out from each other, and there is even a competitive option for those who want it.
