Best Multiplayer Games 2023

Even a bad video game can be fun with the right group of players fighting by your side as you try to beat the other team and take home a win.

Whether you come to multiplayer games for the competitive element, online socialization, or just some good old couch co-op fun, we’ve got you covered.

In this list, we’ll highlight the best multiplayer games to play in 2023, including the best new multiplayer 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 multiplayer games!

Related:Best Live Service Games 2023Best Upcoming Co-op Games 2023Best Upcoming Fighting Games 2023 (And Beyond)

First up, we’re recommending FromSoftware’s latest addition to the Soulsborne series, Elden Ring.

Compared to previous games, Elden Ring handles multiplayer a lot better by giving players more ways to cooperate between worlds along with the standard PvP fights to the death.

The fact that it also features a massive open-world only makes it more appealing to play through with a friend and experience everything together.

While it can be a little cumbersome to set up, especially if you’re looking to explore certain dungeons and bossfights, having another player by your side can make things a lot more fun.

Dying Light 2 is another recent single-player game that supports online co-op for up to four players.

In it, you and your friends play as free-running survivors navigating a vast open-world filled with tons of hungry zombies.

Similar to the original, Dying Light 2 does a great job at creating tension throughout its story and gameplay by sending you to dangerous locations.

This is especially true at night when zombies become more aggressive and you have the opportunity to earn double the XP and resources.

Other than voicing complaints about Halo Infinite’s ranking system and battle pass progression, players have been quite receptive to Xbox’s new FPS title.

Much like its predecessors, Infinite manages to stand out from other arena shooters by doubling down on weapon spawns, map size, and time-to-kill duration.

While you still can’t play the campaign cooperatively just yet, an update is currently in the works to make the feature available in the near future.

In the meantime, players can explore a growing list of PvP playlists where they can complete daily/weekly quests to earn XP and level up the battle pass to unlock rewards

Next up, Ready or Not is a tactical first-person shooter that emphasizes teamwork and realistic combat situations such as dealing with active shooters, bomb defusal, and hostage situations.

In it, you and a team of up to four other players control elite Swat officers tasked with protecting civilians and removing threats by either lethal or non-lethal measures.

Each mode has a different set of rules of engagement and points are awarded for following them as well as using non-lethal force whenever possible.

Currently, the game only supports online co-op against AI bots but the developer plans to add competitive PvP at a later date.

KoF is one of the oldest fighting game franchises and has managed to hold its own throughout the years while competing with heavy hitters like Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom.

The most recent installment is The King of Fighters XV which sees players facing off in 3v3 matchups that pull from a wide roster of characters from various SNK franchises along with some fresh faces.

The game stands out for its single-button inputs which allow you to pull off flashy combos with minimal memorization.

As a result, it’s particularly forgiving for newcomers to the series as well as fighting games in general and can be played online against other players.

If you’re a fan of wrestling, then you’ve likely been frustrated at some point or another by just how limited your choices are for good wrestling video games.

One of the mainstay franchises is WWE 2K, which receives a new entry every year for better or worse.

After several back-to-back letdowns, the most recent WWE 2K22 is a return to form for the series that addresses many of its predecessors’ issues while offering solid gameplay and network performance.

In it, players duke it out in both online and local matches using a host of iconic superstars along with custom wrestlers created and shared by the community.

Pitched as a love letter to snowboarding, Shredders is a new extreme sports multiplayer game that sees your character looking to break into the scene at the biggest snowboarding event of the year.

To earn a spot among the best of the best, you’ll have to hone your skills by carving up mountains and performing tricks off rails and ramps.

The game was designed to be played with a standard gamepad and features extremely detailed controls reminiscent of games like Skate.

 Along with a full story mode, Shredders supports online multiplayer where you and your friends compete for the top score.

Considering we’re huge fans of Monster Hunter, recommending the latest Monster Hunter Rise is sort of a no-brainer for us.

Similar to previous entries, the game sees up to four players joining forces to track and hunt down aggressive wildlife using a wide array of weapons and tools at their disposal.

Each monster has a unique set of attacks, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses that can be exploited to capture or kill them for crafting materials and other resources.

The real joy of this series comes from getting to know the ins and outs of each of its weapon classes consisting of blades, bows, guns, hammers, spears, and lances of varying sizes and elements.

If you’ve ever had the oddly specific dream of being transported to a Viking purgatory with your friends, then Valheim is here for you.

This glorious multiplayer game sees you exploring a massive world filled with an abundance of biomes, enemies, and resources that can be harnessed to survive.

By doing this, you can create fresh equipment, construct buildings and bonfires to stay cozy and protected, and explore different regions to find additional valuable materials.

While the game is known to have a pretty steep learning curve, you can make things a bit easier by installing certain mods and playing with up to nine other people on the same server.

Our next recommendation is the tactical team-based shooter Valorant, which comes from Riot Games and draws inspiration from games like CS: GO, Overwatch, and Rainbow Six Siege.

In it, players compete in 5v5 teams where one side is assigned the role of Attacker and the other Defender.

To win, both teams must try to carry out their objective while preventing the enemy from doing the same, usually by eliminating them to end the round.

Like many of today’s online multiplayer games, Valorant features an extensive roster of playable characters called ‘Agents’ that introduce unique abilities and strategies to add to your arsenal.

Call of Duty has built its legacy off of its multiplayer offerings and Warzone is one of the first-person shooter franchise’s most successful releases to date.

Following in the footsteps of Black Ops 4, Warzone deviates from the standard shooter format to focus on the increasingly popular battle royale structure.

In it, up to 150 players are dropped onto a sprawling map where they’ll have to scavenge for weapons and gear while competing in one of two modes: standard battle royale or plunder.

The best part about playing this game with friends is that it’s free to download and available on just about every platform.

Having bounced back from less-than-stellar reception following its launch, Sea of Thieves has come a long way and only gets better with each update.

This is no doubt connected to Microsoft’s heavy investment and commitment to help Rare get the game where it needs to be and support the community.

Every game sees 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.

To add to that, Sea of Thieves is one of the fortunate multiplayer games to support crossplay between PC and Xbox consoles.

Next up is Dead by Daylight, an online survival horror game where four players combine forces to try and escape from a deadly killer controlled by a fifth player.

The survivors’ primary concern is getting themselves out alive by completing certain tasks, namely repairing power generators that grant access to an escape hatch.

All the while, the killer is free to roam the map using special abilities to assist them in tracking down and catching their next victim.

It all makes for a heart-pounding multiplayer game that greatly benefits from a wide selection of playable characters and cross-play support.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’re likely familiar or had someone in your circle get you to play Innersloth’s hit social deduction title Among Us.

In it, 4-10 players assume control over colorful jellybean astronauts as they attempt to sleuth out the alien imposter disguised among their crew while carrying out basic tasks throughout the station.

At the same time, the alien or Imposter(s) must try and pick off crewmates without raising suspicion and getting caught.

Easily the best part of the game is anytime a meeting gets called and accusations start to shoot off in every direction.

No stranger to best multiplayer games lists, Apex Legends is what you get when Titanfall multiplayer gets mashed together with hero shooters and battle royales.

Each game sees up to 60 players unleashed on a sprawling map filled with randomized weapons and equipment that can be the difference between a win or a loss.

On top of that, each character or ‘Legend,’ comes equipped with a unique set of abilities that determine their preferred playstyle.

In addition to the standard battle royale mode, the game also features Arena, where players can opt to play 2v2 matches or the standard 3v3 configuration.

Although no longer at the height of its peak, Fortnite is starting to see a resurgence of interest following the announcement of its next upcoming season.

With that said, players should have no problem queuing up to play a couple of matches and knock out daily quests or explore one of the many custom game modes currently available.

It’s likely Fortnite will always be here to stay considering Epic seems to have no shortage of crossovers in store for fans.

This includes beloved franchises from Marvel, DC Comics, PlayStation, Xbox, and countless movies and TV shows that make it worth dipping back in to see what’s changed.

Overwatch took the world by storm when it was released in 2016 and hasn’t let go ever since, amassing a passionate esports community while still appealing to less competitive gamers.

This is in large part due to its satisfying blend of MOBA and FPS gameplay with distinct roles and heroes that significantly alter how you play.

In addition, Blizzard has made some notable gameplay refinements throughout the years and continues to rework certain characters in anticipation of an upcoming sequel, Overwatch 2.

Even if player count isn’t quite as high these days, you shouldn’t have any problem finding enough people to hop on and play a few rounds.

Another multiplayer game that’s been around for what feels like forever is Rainbow Six Siege, which was released in 2015 and has evolved significantly since then.

Ubisoft is typically accused of not giving their multiplayer games enough resources to survive so imagine the relief fans felt when it became clear they wouldn’t abandon Siege once things got shaky.

Fast forward to seven years after its launch and the game has managed to grow a large and active playerbase and has even spawned a spin-off, Rainbow Six: Extraction.

Similar to games like CS: GO and Valorant, Siege sees two teams of five facing off against each other across modes like bomb defusal, hostage rescue, or asset protection.

If you’re searching for an online multiplayer game that offers a vibrant and interesting open-world to explore and meet other players, look no further than GTA Online.

Building off of Grand Theft Auto V’s solid foundation, the game sees up to 16 players wreaking havoc on the streets of Los Santos as they grow their own criminal empires.

You’ll find there’s no shortage of missions, jobs, races, or other activities to participate in to raise your rep/ranking and unlock new cars, housing, clothes, weapons, and other goodies.

Although figuring out the best ways to level up your character can be tricky at first, if you ever feel stuck you can make things easier by using our guide for getting started in GTA Online.

Rocket League is bigger than ever after going free-to-play, and now has a mobile game spin-off called Rocket League: Sideswipe.

Offering a simple mix of cars meet soccer, the game is relatively easy to pick up and play for newbies while still having an infinitely high skill ceiling for those who crave competition.

There is an assortment of modes to pick from, including 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 soccer along with several alternate modes that act as riffs on other sports such as hockey and basketball.

Whether you’re looking for a multiplayer game you can take seriously or something to play for a few hours each night, Rocket League gives you the flexibility to commit as much or as little time as you want.