30 best online games to play with friends right now

While gaming is known for being a solo experience for some, for others it’s a great way to connect with friends through complex narrative-based titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 or visceral FPS games like Counterattack. In fact, for those who live far from each other, gaming is a convenient way to reconnect and spend time with friends you wouldn’t otherwise see in person. With the popularity of VoIP programs like Discord, chatting with friends while gaming has never been easier.

However, because of all the great titles available, it is sometimes difficult to narrow down the options and finally choose a game. After all, everyone has their own gaming preferences and some friends won’t find certain games fun. Fortunately, with all the options available on a multitude of gaming consoles and cross-platform play enabled on many titles, figuring out which game to play with friends has never been easier.

30

Rocket League (2015)

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

Even people who aren’t normally fans of sports or driving games can laugh or scream at this exciting car football game. Friends can form teams or play against each otheras they try to drive the car in a way that hits a huge soccer ball into the goal. This is often much easier said than done and may require some skill to master this virtual sport, with plenty of laughs along the way.

Rocket League It is free to play, although there are several in-game purchases that can be made by anyone who wishes. The game also regularly offers fun events and updates that provide ways to get new car designs or cosmetics to enhance the experience, although none of these are required to play.

29

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)

Platform: Nintendo

As one of the most well-known fighting games, Super Smash Bros. gained fame as one of the best competitive multiplayer games. Many colleges and game stores around the world often offer Smash Bros.. game nights for large groups. Despite being a fighting game where players fight each other, the cartoonish nature of characters like Yoshi, Zelda and even Isabelle from Animal crossing makes it familiar.

THE Super Smash Bros.. End the list includes crossovers from many different games from the Nintendo universe and beyond. Surprisingly, even with such a large choice of fighters available, the game is also incredibly balanced between all characters, so players can feel free to use whichever character suits their fancy.

28

Forza Horizon 5 (2021)

Platforms: PC, Xbox

When the developers did Forza Horizon 5they I managed to find the right balance between creating a strong racing game and a relaxed driving experience. There are many exciting and challenging races to compete in, but players can also simply drive around the beautiful open world and find various little side quests and things to do. As a multiplayer game, it is easy for people to join a party to compete against each other or just enjoy the game.

The short nature of the races also makes it easier for groups of friends to join and leave without needing to coordinate everyone’s availability at exactly the same start time, although someone may occasionally have to wait for a race to finish before being able to join the group.

27

Rust (2018)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC

However Rust has been around since 2013, the game has steadily improved over its several years as an early access game on PC via Steam. Today, the game developed by Facepunch Studios is in its full release with a Rust console version playable on PlayStation and Xbox platforms and is a fun, if sometimes stressful, online multiplayer experience. Rust is a first-person survival game where players wake up completely stripped of everything (including clothes). Starting with a simple stone, Characters gather resources, build structures, and loot others for better equipment.

Rust It’s a high-intensity game, and when a player’s character dies, all of the body’s loot is up for grabs. This creates a fun and interesting dynamic where counting on friends is essential. With servers capable of hosting hundreds of people, playing with friends makes things exponentially easier. While “zerging” may be frowned upon, playing with a large group of friends is a definite way to have fun in the game.

26

Party Animals (2023)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC

party animals is a 2023 multiplayer party game seemingly inspired by previous physics-based multiplayer games such as Gang beasts and Fall Guys but it packages the title with a variety of selectable cute and cuddly animal avatars. In party animalsFriends can participate in a variety of minigames with online multiplayer and local split-screen. From combat modes and king of the hill game modes to objective-based maps, there are a variety of different ways for people to have fun with their friends. This cute, action-packed team game is perfect for casual time with a group of good friends.

25

Lethal Company (2023)

Platforms: PC

While it is by no means a polished game, Lethal Company is a new indie title developed by a small team called Zeekerss, who have worked on a few other indie titles in recent years with very positive reviews on Steam. Lethal Company is the most recent in Among us type gameswhere teammates collect scrap and other items while wearing a hazmat suit and explore abandoned bunkers in search of money while cooperating with a pre-made or randomized team. The only problem is that horrible aliens and environmental disasters lurk around every corner.

The game just launched into early access on October 23, 2023and there are still a lot of bugs to work out, but people online have already made hilarious compilation videos of some of the game’s funniest hazards. Very similar PhasmophobiaEach time a mission is successful, you can use the acquired credits to obtain better equipment to make recovery equipment. With little to no direction and proximity voice chat, the game’s scenarios are unique and, at times, incredibly funny.

24

Splatoon 3 (2022)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

A third-person shooter on Switch, Splatoon 3 is the most recent in Splatoon franchise, which debuted on Wii U in 2015. Unlike realistic shooters like Call to action, Splatoon maintains a cartoon aesthetic where Inklings and Octolings come together to face each other, throwing colored paint at each other with the aim of filling the entire map with their colors. Splatoon 3 supports up to 10 players through online Private Battles or up to 8 players using Local Wireless.

23

Jackbox 10 Party Pack (2023)

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

The Jackbox Party Pack has been a mainstay in many homes around the world for years, with the Fun trivia and mini-game play style which has become popular since the franchise was established with You don’t know Jack in the late 1990s. Jackbox Party Pack 10 returns to the series with all-new minigames, including “Tee KO 2,” “FixyText,” and time travel trivia in the form of “Timejinx.”

Released on October 19, 2023, it continues the tradition of fun party games in an online format for up to nine players. Since many of the games are better suited to a large group and can accommodate eight to nine players, this is a game to check out if you have a large group of friends.

22

Helldivers 2 (2024)

Platforms: PC, PS5

Helldivers 2 It was a surprise success, exceeding the developer’s expectations. A sequel to the top-down isometric original that inspired the sequel, Helldivers 2 puts people in control of the titular Helldivers, outer space soldiers from Super Earth who are willing to take on dangerous missions on foreign planets facing off against monstrous insects called Terminids and a robotic AI faction known as the Automatons. A cooperative multiplayer game, people band together to take on the game’s diverse missions across different planets in a hyper-patriotic version of the future.

21

Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC

However GTA: Online may not have achieved critical acclaim Grand theft auto 5 or the other single-player experiences in the franchise, it would be wrong not to consider the title one of the best online games to play with friends. Very popular to this day, Grand theft online was originally released shortly after GTA 5more than a decade ago in 2013and has since seen a plethora of regular updates to improve the experience. Packed with the single-player experience, it created a new avenue of fun in the world for those who completed the campaign.

In GTA Onlineplayers can create their own characters in open world of San Andreas and Los Santos while interacting with the world’s NPCs and other human-controlled characters. Although it is a large and robust modding community and modded servers, people have taken the title to the next level by implementing special rules that dictate how people play. This has resulted in deeply immersive role-playing servers and generated a ravenous fan base for the franchise and upcoming Grand theft auto 6.

20

Don’t Starve Together (2016)

Platforms: Mac, Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One

Don’t starve together is an independent expansion for the survival game Don’t starve. With a 2D Lovecraftian aesthetic, People must come together to survive in the dark jungle and its dangers. Supporting up to six players at once, users must locate resources, construct production buildings, and fortify their shelters to escape the shadowy beasts and frightening entities that roam the land. With a spooky yet cartoonish aesthetic, Don’t starve together It tackles serious survival themes with a really cool art style.

Although the game mechanics initially seem simple, it paves the way for a deep and quite challenging game that is a great introduction to the survival genre of video games. Great for all ages, Don’t starve together It’s amazing to play with friends or family online.

19

Mundo Pal (2024)

Platforms: PC, Xbox One and X/S

The surprising success of a small Japanese development company’s new creature-collecting survival title has taken the world by storm, racking up an impressive 19 million players in just under a month. While enthusiasm for the game has waned since its original release on January 19, a roadmap that includes official online servers, PvP, new bosses, and a host of other improvements and tweaks will continue to bring new players to the survival title. With up to four players in online co-op and 32 players on dedicated servers, it’s possible to play the creature collection title with a large group of friends.

18

Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC

For those looking for a solid fighting game experience and would rather beat their friends than play alongside them, Mortal Kombat 1 is the perfect game to learn. MK1 is the long-awaited sequel to 2019 Mortal Kombat 11which saw Liu Kang ascend to a Fire God. Mortal Kombat 1In many ways, it’s a reboot of the franchisealthough it mainly follows the continuity established in modern Mortal Kombat games. In the game’s narrative, time is reset, giving way to a reintroduction of the classic MK characters from previous games. Mortal Kombat 1 can be played offline in local mode or in private online lobbies.

Ultimately, although not as praised as Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1 still has time to solidify himself as one of the best MK games. The introduction of the Kameo mechanic, reminiscent of other watched fighting games, adds a new element to the gameplay, while the graphics and controls are the most updated iteration of the series yet.

17

Galactic Deep Rock (2020)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC

Galactic Deep Rock is a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter with a team of space-traveling dwarf miners. With different missions in procedurally generated caves with different dangers and creatures, DRG sometimes it can be a real challenge. Originally released for Xbox and PC in 2020, DRG It has since evolved through developers Ghost Ship Games, with a lot of attention paid to the title over the years. Teams of dwarves band together to take on different missions cooperatively while overcoming hordes of alien bugs protecting the treasure.

Highly addictive, the game requires precise teamwork as each person can take on different roles within the team to help achieve the ultimate goal of mining natural resources and extracting them from the mission location. With constant updates and seasonal events, DRG is a game for those who like cooperative horde games.

16

Mario Party Superstars (2021)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

When the first Mario’s Party was released for the N64 in 1999, and set a precedent for fun couch co-op games to play with friends. The newest iteration of the title allows friends from around the world to connect via Nintendo Switch Online and create custom lobbies to compete in minigames or the main game format. As the latest iteration of the title released in 2021 and developed by NDcube and published by Nintendo, it is the 12th game in the long-running series.

Just like previous games in the franchise, people can go in free-for-all or 2v2 online modewith a wide selection of characters including Donkey Kong, Birdo, Wario and relative newcomer Rosalina. With a wide variety of boards and game modes, there’s plenty of variety in the powerful Nintendo Switch title.

15

Valheim (2021)

Platforms: Xbox, PC

Turning to survival, Valheim is an early access multiplayer exploration and survival game based on Norse mythology and folklore. With parties of up to 10 people, Valheim it can accommodate a ton of players on a single hosted server and is quite reasonable in terms of PC requirements. People can come together to discover the game’s diverse biomes while eliminating treacherous trolls and other dangerous creatures from the land.

What makes this indie so amazing is how deep the world is and the rewarding sense of progression achieved by taming certain animals and obtaining better equipment. Just like other survival titles, in Valheim you can craft different armor and weapons, build giant houses out of wood and stone and even sail the game’s vast ocean with a group of friends, making this certainly one of the best online multiplayer games to play. play right now.

14

Total War: Warhammer 3 (2022)

Platforms: PC

The grand epic Total War: Warhammer 3 is the culmination of years of development, beginning with the first title in the franchise, which was released in 2016. Arguably the greatest franchise Creative Assembly has ever created, the Total War: Warhammer game series utilizes The technology and foundation of the historic Total War titles that put the development company on the map.

Total War: Warhammer 3 refines the gameplay and user interface while introducing new missions, missions and unique faction mechanics. While some of the game’s features may seem dense, the fast-paced RTS combat with massive armies helps break up more tedious grand strategy tasks like balancing the economy and dealing with diplomacy. With up to eight players in the massive campaign on the biggest map Creative Assembly has ever created – combining the map from all three games – is one of the most engaging grand strategy games you can play with friends.

13

Counter-Strike 2 (2023)

Platforms: PC

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was originally developed in 2012 and is a sequel to one of the oldest FPS games in history. Counterattack 2 is the latest enhancement to the iconic first-person shooter. Valve has constantly updated, tweaked, and balanced the game throughout its lifespan, to the point of near perfection. Counterattack 2 is the culmination of these efforts with new additions and improvements, including new volumetric smoke, updated maps, and improved tick rates.

Counterattack has been a landmark in FPS games and is considered one of the greatest franchises ever created for the genre due to its tight controls and highly strategic gameplay. Creating a team to win competitive matches in CS2 It’s quite a challenge, but it’s also one of the most fun games to play cooperatively with a group of friends once you learn the underlying game mechanics.

12

Terraria (2011)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS/Android

Terrarium is a 2011 action-adventure and sandbox game originally developed for PC, but later ported to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, and even mobile devices. Developed by Re-Logic, the game has received constant updates since its original release over a decade ago. That said, it’s still one of the most fun games to explore with friends today.

Terrarium is a 2D pixel art title that challenges people to discover different resources, craft different items and survive the long, treacherous nights. With a huge level of freedom of choice and procedurally generated worlds capable of holding 8 players, Terrarium manages to achieve that nostalgic gaming feeling with modern survival game mechanics.

11

Diablo 4 (2023)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC

Devil 4 is an ARPG developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The latest in iconic Devil game franchise, the title follows a group of adventurers as they unravel the dark mystery behind the game’s main antagonist, Lilith. Devil 4 can be played entirely solo, outside of team activities such as PvP or world boss encounters; however – playing with friends certainly makes the experience more fun. Additionally, the different classes of Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Necromancer, and Druid ensure that the entire party can find a character that suits their personality or play style.