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The Best Free PC Games to Play in 2022

There are loads of free PC games out there, but many of them aren't worth your time. These will have you hooked for hours.
By Jessica Hall
Apex Legends

Once upon a time, "free" PC games came in two basic flavors: Flash and shareware. Free-to-play gaming didn't start with mobile devices, but phones popularized this method of distribution. Today, there are more fun free PC games available than there ever were in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

There are two basic types of "free" games, and we include both on our list. First, there are games that are literally free, with no content, skins, or alternate modes locked away. Second, you've got games that are free to play, but that place some kind of restriction on the game experience. The popularity of the F2P model means there are a great many different spins on this idea. We've included titles that encompass a great many different play styles and types of games.

Each image links through to the Steam page or website where the game can be downloaded.

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A Rich Variety of Free PC Games

One of the great things about PC gamingSEEAMAZON_ET_135 See Amazon ET commerce(Opens in a new window) is that there’s no need to pay much money to get access to thousands or even hundreds of thousands of hours of quality entertainment. This list of games is a collaboration, in order to blend together a solid mix of genres and types. We've got varied tastes. So, our list includes things like a fast-paced FPS, and a turn-based strategy game. There's a relaxing and aesthetic platformer, some MOBA options, and a few goofy games designed to make you laugh. Many of these games support multiplayer, so you can bring friends along to hang out and have a good time.

We've refreshed this list for 2022 but kept some previous old favorites around. The games listed here run on a wide range of hardware, including some titles that support very old PCs. It's currently difficult to build a cost-effective gaming PC, but that shouldn't keep you from enjoying the hobby.

If there’s a new free or F2P game grabbing your attention, meanwhile, let us know what it is. We’ll get it checked out and see about including it next time we update!

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