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There's no price quite like free, is there? In all walks of life, getting something for nothing feels like getting away with a scam, even when it's far from criminal.

A decade or more ago, a game going free-to-play was a sign that something was either going badly wrong with its player numbers or that it wasn't good enough to get people to actually pay for it. Now, though, that couldn't be further from the truth. The model has spawned some of the most successful, dominant games ever released, and there are now more top-quality free games to choose from than ever before.

So, we thought it only right that we help you sift through the mediocre options to find the hidden gems, and the obvious successes, that comprise the very best games to play right now without paying a penny. There are hours of entertainment to be had here, all with a price tag of zero.

To look forward, check out our list of the most anticipated upcoming PC games.

Our pick of the best free games to play today

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Warzone 2.0 might well be the best choice on this list, if only because of how popular it continues to be. It's the battle royale game from the Call of Duty franchise. And a free game that pits up to 150 players against each other on its huge map.

It's a frenetic shooter that rewards skill and patience, and is simply a blast to play, especially with friends. Plus, while it has a Battle Pass system for those who want to pay, there's nothing at all to stop you from playing it without paying any money at all.

Fortnite

If there's one single game that exploded free-to-play models into the mainstream, it might just be Fortnite, which gained an absolutely massive player base partly because of its free Battle Royale offering.

It's now a cultural behemoth that any parent will recognise and is forever expanding its scope and systems to get more complicated, but one thing that hasn't changed is this: its run-and-gun-and-build gameplay is just as free to access now as it was back then.

Valorant

Riot's shooter is not for the faint of heart - it's very much kin to Counter-Strike, so you should be prepared to face a somewhat steep learning curve.

Valorant is all about precision and timing, and once you start to get familiar with a couple of its heroes' powers and some of the weapons, you'll see just how tight and competitive it can really be.

Overwatch 2

A more casual shooter, although one that can still get mighty sweaty in competitive playlists, Overwatch 2 takes everything that was good about the first game, makes it free to play, and shrinks the team size by one.

The result is a really good team shooter that has a vibrant visual design and great audio, albeit one that feels like it's still slightly lacking in content.

The Sims 4

The classic people simulator is finally available to play for free - at least, the base game is. If you want any of the countless interesting expansion packs you'll have to pay, but that's no problem.

After all, even without any added content you've still got loads to explore, so this looks like an excellent deal for anyone who fancies dabbling as playing god for a while.

Rocket League

We've invested countless hours in Rocket League, a physics-based rocket car football hybrid, and were thrilled when it went free to play in 2020.

It's an addictive but simple game, albeit one with a skill ceiling so high we can barely see the top of it even after years of playing, and also has a thriving competitive scene.

World of Tanks

If you love armoured fighting vehicles and free games then World of Tanks may be the one for you. This is a free-to-play team-based tank shooter which has over 600 tanks to play with and is full of armoured combat thrills. Personalise your tank and go to war!

War Thunder

War Thunder offers it all - claiming to be the most comprehensive free-to-play MMO military game available. With over 500 aircraft to fly, 300 ground fighting vehicles to blast about in and naval vessels to sail too. This is war on a grand scale, with a never-ending experience that just keeps getting better.

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact came out of absolutely nowhere to reach huge popularity worldwide - it's an open-world RPG that takes clear inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but with a character-collecting central mechanic that makes it addictive in the extreme.

You won't get particularly far without spending a bit of money, but it's so polished and fun to play that you're unlikely to mind too much. This is one of the buzziest games around at the moment, so give it a try sometime.

World of Warships

Prefer your battles on the high seas? Love the idea of assembling an armada and recreating historic battles? Then World of Warships might well float your boat. Sail everything from battleships to cruisers, destroyers and everything in between.

You can play alone or with friends and of course it's utterly free.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is immediately different to the shooters showcased above - it's a far more complicated game, a battle arena game of 5v5 matches that can take up to an hour to play. It's fiendishly difficult but also utterly addictive, with nearly limitless combinations of possible outcomes to account for at all times.

Anyone who's tried it knows how easily it can suck you in for "one more game", and developer Valve is constantly tweaking it and adding new characters or features. Trust us, this could be one to try, while its main competitor League of Legends has just as valid a claim on your time.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends might be another battle royale shooter, but it really shook things up at a time when Fortnite was pretty much untouchable in terms of its dominance. It added hero characters with diverse abilities for players to choose between, as well as a revolutionary ping system to help players communicate - so good that every other game is now copying it.

It's a really fun team shooter and you don't have to spend any money to get an advantage. Unlocks are attainable with some patience, while cosmetics are mostly all that awaits you if you do choose to pay.

Hearthstone

Blizzard's card game monolith, there's no ignoring Hearthstone if you've ever played and enjoyed a collectable card game. It's a card game with a super simple set of rules that becomes infinitely complicated based on the cards you choose for your deck, and the tactics you decide to pursue.

Games can be really quick and easy, and it's available on all sorts of platforms so that you can get your fix even if you're out and about. Fun art and voice lines punctuate your battles, and you'll soon find yourself obsessing over how you could win your next round. It's amazing fun, and totally free.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 didn't start as a free title, but has been changed to one to encourage new players to try it out. It's Bungie's new baby, with a big base of dedicated players and gunplay that's nothing short of satisfying.

Plus, with expansions and changes coming frequently, you can expect more content down the line. If you're looking for a chilled-out game with the potential for real challenge, playing Destiny 2 with friends could be a great answer.

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

Most of the games on this list are multiplayer - that's simply the way that the market is skewing at the moment. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a welcome exception. It's a sort of quasi-prologue to Life is Strange 2, the latest in Ubisoft's entirely delightful adventure game series, but is a more light-hearted, brief tale.

It's so good that Life is Strange 2 will actually recommend you play it before starting Episode 2, and while it might not last too long, it's an amazing experience to get for absolutely no cash at all.

CS:GO

CS:GO is almost synonymous with competitive FPS gameplay. It's a popular eSports game and highly thought of too. It might have been knocking about since 2012 but it's still regularly top of the player count on Steam.

Warframe

Taking on the likes of Destiny and other massive shooters, Warframe started from a modest place but has slowly grown its following to gain a seriously impressive reputation. You can play it on all the consoles (even your Switch), and on PC, and its blend of quickfire shooting and action is a really fun, explosive stress-reliever.

The lore and story is a little difficult to get your head around at first, but you'll get used to it and soon be jetting off for missions with your squadmates.