Best Live Service Games 2023

While most single-player games are treated as ‘one and done’ affairs, it’s a lot more common these days to see new titles, particularly multiplayer games, extend their lifespan with a live service model.

Whether it’s new characters, cosmetics, maps, modes, or seasonal events, live service games are constantly evolving through ever-expanding content updates.

In this list, we’ll highlight the best live service games to play in 2023, including the best new live service games on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

We’ll be updating this list in the future with new titles, so make sure to check back and let us know if we missed any of your favorite live service games!

Related:Best Free PC Games 2023Best Online Co-op Games 2023Best Competitive Games 2023

Despite pre-release concerns regarding its gameplay and graphics, Halo Infinite came out the gate swinging and has (so far) done a great job living up to the franchise’s legacy.

The story campaign sees you traversing a lush open-world and vying for control against the Banished using an assortment of recognizable weapons and a new grappling hook.

These elements are all welcome additions that translate perfectly to the game’s online multiplayer, which introduces a new battle pass for unlocking cosmetic rewards.

While it still has some room to grow and improve, such as adding co-op support to the campaign and refining the battle pass progression, we’re hopeful 343 will steer the game in the right direction. 

Another live service game that does an excellent job at translating its single-player gameplay to an online multiplayer experience is Grand Theft Auto V.

In GTA Online, players are set loose in a dynamic open world where they can explore, wreak havoc, and have fun with up to 16 other players publically or in private sessions.

There are a ton of activities to explore in GTA Online that will increase your rep and ranking, including heists, races, jobs, and more.

While it can take some time to figure out the best ways to level up your character, unlock vehicles, weapons, and housing, you’ll find plenty of guides for getting started in GTA Online.

If you’re a fan of anime visuals, open-world gameplay, and gacha rewards, then you’ve likely already heard of Genshin Impact.

This live service game has grown its popularity off the strength of its free-to-play structure, satisfying real-time combat, and growing roster of characters.

Additionally, the game offers multiple quests, events, and opportunities to explore its diverse cities via consistent content updates that drop about every two months.

Last but not least, Genshin Impact makes it easy to link up with friends across PC, console, and mobile by including itself in the growing number of games that support crossplay.

After experiencing a brief dip in its numbers in 2020, Fortnite made a massive comeback by introducing a slew of new characters, maps, skins, quests, and modes.

These days, players have plenty of reasons to hop on for a few matches and complete daily quests while checking out the latest crossover update.

This is one area Fortnite particularly excels at, with Epic Games managing to secure beloved properties and incorporate them into the game’s growing in-game universe.

From Marvel to DC, PlayStation to Xbox, and everything in between, it’s always worth coming back and seeing what new skins or characters have been added each season.

Following a complete overhaul based on player feedback, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has gone on to become one of the most popular MMORPGs across its multiple expansions.

In it, players are dropped into a magical open world where they battle monsters, take on jobs, and complete quests to level up their character.

Like many MMOs, the game is best experienced with a group of friends but you can always meet other players by striking up a conversation on Discord, Reddit, or in-game.

This adds a certain social aspect to Final Fantasy XIV that isn’t typically found in live service games.

Valorant is an amalgamation of every great online FPS rolled into one colorful, technically-robust beast of a game.

Since its launch, the game has managed to establish itself as a worthy contender in the competitive shooter space while iterating on tried and true gameplay.

Each match sees you facing off in 5v5 squads with Attacking and Defending sides as both teams try to complete objectives and eliminate the enemy team.

Like many live service games, Valorant features an extensive roster of playable characters called ‘Agents,’ which introduce unique abilities and strategies to add to your arsenal.

It took Path of Exile some time to get to the level of popularity it has today as fans were somewhat hesitant of committing to another Diablo-like action RPG back in 2013.

Fortunately, the playerbase has grown over the years due to the number of new features, characters, and content that has been added ever since.

Much like Blizzard’s critically-acclaimed dungeon crawler, it sees players traversing environments in search of loot and glory while also participating in seasonal events year-round.

It also benefits from being one of the few live service games to use a free-to-play model that doesn’t include paywalls to gate progression.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was the first game in the series to deviate from the standard multiplayer shooter format and cash in on the latest battle royale trend.

Its success led Activision to greenlight a standalone successor, Call of Duty: Warzone, which launched in 2020 as a free-to-play shooter.

Relatively new compared to many of the other live service games on this list, Warzone has already shown it’s more than capable of going toe to toe with other popular battle royale games.

Each round sees up to 150 players dropping on a sprawling map and competing in one of two modes: standard battle royale or plunder.

Rainbow Six Siege is another live service game that made a significant comeback following its 2015 release where the game initially struggled to catch on.

However, Ubisoft weathered the storm and continues to push out new content, gameplay refinements, and patches that have resulted in an overall better online shooter.

Now more than seven years since its launch, the game has a large and active playerbase and has even spawned a co-op spin-off, Rainbow Six: Extraction.

At the same time, Siege is constantly expanding following big updates that introduce new operatives, balancing, and events to keep the game feeling fresh and exciting.

One of the more recent games on this list, Apex Legends feels a lot like Titanfall’s online multiplayer mixed with a sprinkling of hero shooters on top of a battle royale base.

In it, up to 60 players drop onto a massive island and immediately begin looting and shooting their way to victory while harnessing their character’s unique set of abilities.

Players are split up into three-man teams and can pick from a roster of 19 characters, referred to in-game as ‘Legends,’ that belong to different classes.

The game also offers several alternate modes such as Arena, where players can opt to play 2v2 matches or the standard 3v3 configuration.

Another live service game that has a less-than-stellar launch is Sea of Thieves, which released in early 2018 to lukewarm reception.

Since then, Microsoft has invested a lot of resources to help Rare get the game back on track to much success, considering how well-received its expansions have been.

Each session sees crews of 1-4 players working together to steer a ship, sail the ocean seas, and hunt down treasure on islands and waters teeming with evil skeletons and enemy players.

On top of that, Sea of Thieves is one of the fortunate games to feature cross-platform support across PC and Xbox consoles.

Admittingly long in the tooth, Destiny 2 has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout its many seasons, with the recent Witch Queen among one of the better expansions.

In it, players pick from Titan, Warlock, and Hunter classes before setting out into the world to explore and save the universe from multiple alien factions vying for power.

The game features an assortment of planets to visit, each with distinct biomes, enemies, and activities to grind for experience, crafting materials, and loot.

Outside of the main storyline, Destiny 2 offers free-roaming exploration, public events, PvP modes, six-player raids, and more.

At one point, Overwatch was the most popular live service game on the market, launching in 2016 to much fanfare as players flocked to the (at the time) one-of-a-kind hero shooter.

While the player count isn’t nearly as high these days, there are still enough players hanging around to make it easy to find a game and meet new friends.

Additionally, Blizzard has made some notable changes over the years and even now, continues to rework certain characters in anticipation of its upcoming sequel, Overwatch 2.

Other than that, there are seasonal events, weekly challenges, and a thriving competitive scene that encourage players to hone their skills and keep improving.

Originally launching on Steam back in 2013, Warframe has been running ever since and only gotten better with every update.

In this sci-fi MMO, you play as a deadly space ninja traveling to different planets and waging war with different alien races.

The game is revered for its fluid character movement and open-ended combat that allows you to wield a wide range of abilities depending on your class, or warframe.

While it definitely falls under the category of grindy live service games, pretty everything can be obtained for free with enough time and patience.

Most people are already aware that Dota 2 began as a fan-created mod for Warcraft 3 and has now become a huge e-sports phenomenon.

Falling under the MOBA descriptor, it sees players assembling a team of heroes from over 120 playable characters to compete in 5v5 matches. 

The main goal is to destroy your opponent’s ancient structure while defending your own, all the while getting to know the many ins and outs of team composition.

Due to how long the game’s been around and the exhaustive amount of content available, it can be tricky to get into for new players, so make sure to set aside some time to bring yourself up to speed.

Another live service game that primarily revolves around ‘search and destroy’ gameplay, CS: GO is among the most beloved tactical shooters on the market.

In it, 5v5 teams face-off to either detonate a bomb or prevent detonation depending on which side you’re assigned to.

Both teams can also win the round by eliminating each player on the enemy team, which requires strategic aggression and coordination.

Like many of the games covered in this list, CS: GO has a very big competitive e-sports scene as well as its own economy dedicated to trading rare weapon skins.

Even now in 2023, League of Legends continues to hold on as one of the most played MOBAs despite being exclusive to Windows PC and Mac.

Part of its success can be attributed to the fact it remains free-to-play, with players given the option to customize their character in-game using real-world money.

The game currently offers 140+ characters, dubbed ‘Champions,’ to play as in 5v5 matches where teams try to destroy each other’s Nexus.

It’s considered one of the most high-level strategy games on the market, one that heavily relies on teamwork to win games, especially at higher rankings.

Our final recommendation shouldn’t come as too much of a shock seeing as it’s been around forever and continues to bring players back with every new expansion.

Of course, we’re talking about the granddaddy of MMORPGs, World of Warcraft, also known as WoW.

With more than two decades under its belt, the game has provided countless players with an outlet to meet people, go on adventures, and obtain powerful gear.

Although many games like WoW have come out since its release, none have been able to dethrone arguably the best MMO of all time.