Best multiplayer games to play in 2024

Making new friends and foes was never easier or more enjoyable

Author:
Dave Aubrey and Marco Wutz
Publish date:
Jan 3, 2024 6:17 AM EST

The best multiplayer games enable you to face off against your friends or team up with them to take on AI opponents or other humans, proving that the bonds of your companionship are much stronger than anything lined up to fight you. Yes, it's the real world's answer to anime's age-old "the power of friendship" trope. Deal with it.

If your buddies are not really into this hobby, then video games are the perfect gateway to meet new people with the same interests as you – what's better than to socialize in your favorite titles?

Of course, even if your friends are gamers as well, it's still difficult to get everyone on the same page in terms of tastes. We've listed some of the best multiplayer games to play in 2024 to make this task a little bit easier for you.

Rocket League

Racing games are typically one of the most accessible genres, and combining that simple control scheme with a soccer ruleset and some incredibly funky physics leads to an endlessly entertaining masterpiece. Rocket League is fantastic to play with friends, either online or local, and you can make your own clan in order to dominate the competition. Or you can just have fun in one of the many alternate modes.

Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy 14 The Dark Throne preview — Square Enix

If you’re going to pick up an MMORPG, you certainly could make worse choices than Final Fantasy XIV. The fanbase attests to the incredible story that flows through the recent expansions, and the gameplay is top-tier. Whether you just want to be social with your friends in an online game or you want to rise to the top of the ranks in your region, Final Fantasy XIV is the place you can do it.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Smash Bros Steve Pit & Dark Pit — Nintendo

Iconic characters from all of video game history battle each other in this classic fighting game you can have fun in even if you're spending eight hours a day on it. Featuring a plethora of stages from all the video games you love, unlimited options to customize game modes, and an item system that unleashes absolute chaos in every match, the newest iteration of Super Smash Bros. is fun and full of surprises for everybody. You always wanted to see Minecraft Steve beat up Super Mario, right?

Apex Legends

Apex Legends just might be the definitive battle royale shooter. It may lack the social aspect of Fortnite – and the abundant crossovers – but if you want a hardcore FPS with satisfying movement and an incredibly high skill ceiling, Apex Legends is the right choice for you. This is a game you can easily sink 1,000 hours into before realizing you’re not actually that good, and that’s just fine.

War Thunder

You may have already heard about War Thunder on the news, because players of the game keep leaking military secrets to win balance arguments on the forum. Repeatedly. What could incite such passion, you may ask? Well, War Thunder is a military simulation game allowing players to steer ground, air, and water vehicles in giant battles, bringing together material from the Second World War to modern warfare. You shouldn’t expect Arma-level accuracy here, but anyone fascinated with weapon systems from the 20th and 21st century will enjoy their time here. Nothing is better than making a coordinated air-ground assault work through sheer teamwork.

Minecraft

Minecraft allows for seemingly limitless potential, but all you need to have fun is a server to share with your closest friends where you can craft, build, and survive as a team. Building a cool lair in Minecraft is fun, but it’s far better if you do it with your friends and family. You could also explore some cool Minecraft seeds or spice up your game with the best Minecraft mods.

Company of Heroes 3

It’s always daunting to dive into an RTS game, facing opponents that might have years worth of experience. However, things are much easier when it’s a completely new game, as many other players you face will be as green as new – and that’s why getting into the most recently released Company of Heroes 3 might be a great idea for you and your friends. You can play 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4 against the AI or other human players, choosing the US Forces, British Forces, Wehrmacht, or Afrikakorps as your faction. We’ve got Company of Heroes 3 beginner tips to get you started and have also listed the best infantry and best tanks in the game.

Fall Guys

Love or hate these little beans, you can’t deny that Fall Guys is a great multiplayer game. It’s accessible enough to play with people of all ages, so you can get younger siblings or even your children involved, and if you have enough players you can even host a private match, just with the people of your choice. It’s a platformer, and it’s suitable for everyone you know, in groups of up to 60 players. Perfect.

Sea of Thieves

All you need to play Sea of Thieves is a small crew of trusty mates with Xbox Game Pass. You can sail across a vast sea completing some puzzling but rewarding quests in order to earn treasure which you can then exchange for some cosmetic bling, slowly making your crew the most fearsome on the seas. But you've got to get your hoard to a safe harbor first, which can be a bit tricky. Sea of Thieves is full of dangers, including other players who'd love nothing more than to sink your ship and loot all your booty for themselves.

Fortnite

Fortnite is the modern video game metaverse, featuring what seems like hundreds of characters from across video games, anime, TV, comics, and more. But underneath all that, it’s a pretty good and accessible shooter, in case you didn’t know. Fortnite makes it easy to jump into games with all your friends and play for hours without interruptions, other than kids on the mic. With the addition of the Zero Build mode and the upgrade to Unreal Engine 5, Epic Games has raised the appeal even more.

Crusader Kings 3

Crusader Kings 3 is the only environment in which no one will look down on you for seducing your friend’s wife, murdering their eldest son, and then plotting to have your friend kidnapped as your bastard son is brought up to rule their domain one day. If you and your friends ever wanted to play out what it’s like to be in Game of Thrones, then Crusader Kings 3 is the right choice for you – whether you’re fully committing to role-playing out your characters or are just trying to troll one member of the group, playing the medieval atrocity simulator is much more fun when you’re all on Discord together.

Across the Obelisk

Slay the Spire meets Darkest Dungeon in this roguelite deck-building RPG that you can play alone or with up to three friends for some fantastic cooperative multiplayer fun. There are over 500 cards and 16 characters to choose from as you enter procedurally generated worlds that ask you to make lots of difficult decisions. Which path to take? Which quests to accept? Should you be egoistic or assist with what another party member wants to do? This one is great fun to play together while being on Discord.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe contains a huge number of tracks and iconic items, making every race a fun and chaotic affair. Battle Mode is excellent when playing with friends, while a traditional online racing tournament for up to 12 players is also an excellent option when playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Just watch out, some people get very competitive with this one, and they won’t forgive you for an inopportune Blue Shell.

StarCraft 2

This classic real-time strategy giant is completely free to play, making its numerous game modes available to you without any investment. If you're looking for a more relaxed experience than the competitive 1v1 and team matches the game is known for, try StarCraft 2's co-op mode and complete exciting missions with a friend. Starting with SC2 now might be a daunting prospect, but over ten years after its release it's still the definitive RTS experience available.

Team Fortress 2

You’d think the game that really popularized selling cosmetic items to players would be a pariah, but who can really hate this timeless classic? Valve’s unloved stepchild – according to TF2’s own community, that is – is incredibly easy to get into. Just choose one of the different classes from Spy to Engineer and jump into the chaotic mess that are most TF2 servers. Embrace the unique weapons, skills, and personalities of each class and work together with your friends to achieve victory – and remember to periodically shoot your teammates to check if they’re a Spy.

If you're looking for a game you can spend time playing with a single partner as a bit of a bonding experience, take a look at our list of best co-op games.