If your regular gaming routine has started feeling a bit boring lately, you’re definitely not alone. With so many online games coming out every year—from big shooters and open-world adventures to wild party games and competitive esports titles—figuring out what’s really worth playing with friends can get surprisingly hard. And let’s be honest, picking the wrong game for the group usually makes someone quit angrily within the first hour, and nobody wants that.

The best multiplayer games aren’t always the newest or most popular. Sometimes you want a competitive game that keeps everyone focused, and other times you just want to relax, laugh, and enjoy some chaos together, or maybe stick with classic favourites. So if you’re diving into Battlefield 6, running from killers in Dead by Daylight, or causing friendly rivalries in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there’s always that one game that keeps the group play alive.

We could have easily made this list much longer, but these are the online multiplayer games we think are really worth playing right now in 2026. Since the gaming world changes fast, don’t be surprised if a few new games make it onto the list soon.

Let’s check the entire list out.

• Best Overall Multiplayer: Fortnite x The Simpsons
• Best PS5 Multiplayer: Helldivers 2
• Best Xbox Multiplayer Game: Forza Horizon 5
• Best Nintendo Switch Multiplayer: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
• Best PC Multiplayer: Final Fantasy XIV
• Best Free-to-Play Multiplayer: Marvel Rivals

• Genre: First-Person Shooter
• Release Date: TBA
• Developer: DICE / EA
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Players: 4 players per party – to 64-players per match
• Price: USD $69.99

Battlefield 6 seems to bring back everything that made people love the series in the first place. Over the years, the franchise has had its ups and downs, especially when compared to Call of Duty. Now, it feels like Battlefield 6 is finally listening to those who want a return to what the series does best: massive maps, buildings falling apart, modern military action, and wild chaos every few minutes.

And honestly, Battlefield is always more fun with friends. You start a match hoping everyone will play smart, but soon your squad is running through smoke, and someone crashes a helicopter into a building. That kind of unpredictability is why people keep coming back. Every match feels different, and even when things go wrong, it just adds to the fun.

Vehicles are still one of the main reasons Battlefield stands out. Tanks roll down the streets, jets fly overhead, and helicopters make matches feel wild. The battlefield always feels alive. Some things still look a bit rough, but that’s just part of Battlefield now. Even the bugs can lead to funny moments that people share online for weeks.

There’s a single-player campaign for anyone who likes a story, but most people come for the multiplayer. Battlefield has always been about big online moments where plans fall apart, and everyone tries to survive the chaos together. From what we’ve seen so far, Battlefield 6 seems ready to bring back that excitement.

• Genre: First-Person Shooter / Battle Royale
• Release Date: November 14, 2025
• Developer: Treyarch / Raven Software / Activision
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Players: 1-40 Online
• Price:
  • Cross-Gen Bundle — USD $69.99
  • Vault Edition — USD $99.99
  • Warzone — Free-to-Play

By now, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone are a huge part of online gaming culture. Every year, a new trailer comes out, everyone claims they won’t get sucked in again, and before you know it, the squad is back online at 2:00 A.M., arguing about loadouts and yelling after getting wiped by a rooftop camper.

People keep coming back because it’s easy to jump in. The gunplay is quick, satisfying, and chaotic in the classic Call of Duty style, where every match feels intense and a little over-the-top. Black Ops has always focused more on flashy action and wild, conspiracy-driven stories than Modern Warfare. From what we’ve seen, Black Ops 7 is sticking with that approach. Expect bigger action scenes, darker themes, and multiplayer all about constant movement.

Warzone still takes up a ton of hard drive space even after all these years. Whether you love it or hate it, millions of players keep coming back for the chaos of Verdansk every night. One match might feel tactical, and the next is total panic when your teammate rushes a full squad alone because “they were one shot.” That mix of tension and silliness makes Warzone so much fun with friends.

Honestly, not many multiplayer games create memorable moments the way Call of Duty does. Whether it’s winning a gulag fight, landing an impossible sniper shot, or losing a match because someone forgot to plate up, Black Ops 7 and Warzone already seem set to be two of the biggest multiplayer games everyone will be playing this year.

• Genre: Battle Royale / Third-Person Shooter
• Release Date: November 1, 2025
• Developer: Epic Games
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
• Players: 1-4
• Price: Free-to-Play

Ahh… where to begin? At this point, a Fortnite collaboration with The Simpsons feels inevitable. Fortnite has already become the internet’s biggest crossover machine, so bringing Springfield in sounds like the kind of chaos the game thrives on. Let’s be real. The idea of Homer Simpson running around a battle royale island with a shotgun feels like something that should’ve happened years ago.

This crossover could be a big hit. With famous characters like Homer, Bart, Marge, and Krusty, Epic Games has plenty of options for new skins, emotes, and themed items. If Fortnite goes all in, a Springfield-themed map or special event could become one of the most memorable collaborations yet. Part of the fun in Fortnite these days is watching how wild the crossovers get, and The Simpsons would fit right in.

Most of all, this type of crossover attracts players back to Fortnite, even if they haven’t played recently. Whether it’s for nostalgia, the memes, or curiosity about Epic Games’ latest crazy ideas, there’s a good chance people will want to experience it.

• Release Date: December 6, 2024
• Developer: NetEase Games / Marvel Games
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Players: 1-5
• Price: Free-to-Play

When Marvel Rivals was first announced, many people dismissed it. Some said it was just an Overwatch 2 copy, while others thought it was another hero shooter trying to cash in on a trend that was already dying out. People even compared it to games that disappeared soon after launch. But almost a year later, Marvel Rivals still has a massive player base and is one of the most popular games on Steam. That’s impressive, especially with so many multiplayer games out there.

It’s easy to see why people compare it to Overwatch. You select a hero, join a team, and hope not to be overwhelmed by someone with hundreds of hours of experience. However, Marvel Rivals distinguishes itself once gameplay begins. It features 6v6 matches instead of 5v5, offers a third-person perspective, and allows players to use various Marvel characters. Spider-Man swings across the map, Hulk dives into the fight, Iron Man launches missiles from above, and Loki creates chaos. Despite these differences, everything merges smoothly, and the game still a balance.

One of the first things you notice in Marvel Rivals is just how many characters there are. The game started with more than 30 heroes and villains, and the list keeps growing. If you’re new, picking a character can be a bit much at first, especially since each one has a specific role like Duelist, Vanguard, or Strategist. But once you get the hang of how their abilities work together, playing with friends is a blast. Landing a combo attack with your team feels just like being in a Marvel movie fight scene.

The best thing is that the game is free-to-play, but that also means there are microtransactions everywhere. Skins, cosmetics, bundles—you get the idea. To be fair, you can still play and have fun without spending any money. Still, it’s hard not to want that awesome Spider-Man skin in the shop.

• Genre: Third-Person Shooter / Co-Op Action
• Release Date: February 8, 2024
• Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
• Players: 1-4
• Price:
  • Standard Edition — USD $39.99
  • Super Citizen Edition — USD $59.99

Helldivers 2 turned out to be one of the biggest surprises in gaming in recent years. No one saw it becoming so popular, but once people started playing, it was easy to see why everyone got hooked. The game blends nonstop action, teamwork, and plenty of silly moments. In one mission, your squad might carefully plan airstrikes and objectives like real soldiers. In the next, someone might drop a stratagem beacon on themselves, taking out the whole team.

What truly makes Helldivers 2 special is playing with friends. Squads can team up across PS5 and PC thanks to full cross-platform support. When everyone collaborates, the experience is fantastic, despite the absence of Xbox. Stratagems can overlap, air strikes reach everywhere, turrets keep firing nonstop, and somehow your team manages to survive waves of bugs, robots, and chaos. The best part is that missions never proceed perfectly. Even with a win, someone is usually shouting as they jump into the shuttle at the last second. This wild, chaotic fun is what keeps players coming back.

• Genre: Battle Royale / Hero Shooter
• Release Date: February 4, 2019
• Developer: Respawn Entertainment
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
• Players: 1-3
• Price: Free-to-Play

Even after all these years, Apex Legends still feels like one of the smoothest multiplayer shooters out there. When it first dropped, it completely caught people off guard, especially because it took the battle royale formula everyone already knew and injected it with the fast movement and gunplay Respawn perfected in Titanfall 2. Sliding downhill at full speed, launching off zip-lines, wall-jumping through buildings—it all still feels ridiculously satisfying once you get into the flow of it.

The game now features a large roster of characters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, and squad roles. Depending on your choice, you might teleport across the map, scan enemies through walls, protect teammates with shields, or change the course of a fight with a well-timed ultimate ability. Because of this, every squad feels different, and when abilities combine during a firefight, matches can become chaotic fast.

It might seem like Apex is more complicated than it really is, but once you spend some time playing, it feels much more approachable. There is a learning curve, especially for new players joining tough matches, but the game does a good job of helping people learn its systems over time. Compared to many other competitive shooters, the Apex community is still pretty welcoming. You might run into a toxic teammate now and then, since it is online gaming, but most players are willing to help if you want to learn instead of yelling after every mistake.

• Genre: Hero Shooter / First-Person Shooter
• Release Date: October 4, 2022
• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Players: 5v5
• Price: Free-to-Play

Overwatch 2 has had its ups and downs, but despite all the debates and updates, the game is still a blast to play. When things are going well, Blizzard’s hero shooter is among the fastest and smoothest multiplayer games. Matches are quick, abilities fly everywhere, and team fights can shift from calm to total chaos in seconds.

The main thing that keeps players coming back is the variety of heroes and the way each role feels unique. Tanks dive into fights to create space, supports work hard to keep everyone alive, and damage players are often trying something bold or risky. The game is at its best when the whole team works together, which makes cross-play really important. Friends can team up across different platforms, play ranked or casual matches together, and build teams that actually work well instead of everyone just doing their own thing.

Honestly, not many multiplayer games match the excitement of a perfect Overwatch push. When everyone uses their ultimates at the right time and abilities stack up, a fight that seemed lost can suddenly turn in your favour. Competitive matches can get intense, but when your team comes together and moves as one, Overwatch 2 still offers some of the best team-based action.

• Genre: Co-Op Adventure / Action Platformer
• Release Date: 2025
• Developer: Hazelight Studios
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Players: 2
• Price: USD $49.99

Split Fiction feels like someone dreamed up the strangest co-op game idea and actually pulled it off. The story follows two writers: sci-fi author Mio and fantasy writer Zoe. They suddenly find themselves trapped in simulations of the worlds they created. Players are tossed from one wild setting to the next, jumping between futuristic cities, fantasy kingdoms, giant creatures, and all sorts of chaos while trying to survive together. Like Hazelight’s previous games, Split Fiction is built entirely around co-op play, so you’ll need a second player, either online or on the couch. The studio is also bringing back its Friends’ Pass system, so only one person needs to own the game for both to play.

The game stands out because it’s always changing. One moment you’re flying dragons in a fantasy world, and the next you’re swinging through a neon sci-fi city, trying not to fall. The gameplay jumps between platforming, puzzles, action, and surprising new mechanics, so it always feels fresh. It’s less like a single game and more like a bunch of co-op adventures packed into one wild ride, which is a big reason Hazelight games are so popular.

• Genre: Survival Horror / Asymmetrical Multiplayer
• Release Date: June 14, 2016
• Developer: Behaviour Interactive
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
• Players: 1 Killer vs. 4 Survivors
• Price:
  • Standard Edition — USD $19.99
  • Gold Edition— USD $69.99

Horror games are already nerve-wracking, but add your friends to the mix and the terror turns into pure, unforgettable fun. That’s the secret behind Dead by Daylight’s lasting popularity. Four survivors are thrown into a nightmare, scrambling to fix generators while one player stalks them as the killer. It all seems straightforward until someone fumbles a skill check and chaos erupts, sending everyone racing through the mist, shrieking over voice chat. Truthfully, it’s that wild panic that makes the game so addictive.

What keeps the game exciting is its ever-growing roster of horror and killer icons from Halloween, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Stranger Things, all lurking in the same world. It still feels surreal. One round, your team might be tiptoeing through shadows, clinging to hope, and the next, everything unravels when someone tries to play hero and ends up on a hook in seconds.

• Genre: Psychological Horror / Co-Op Survival
• Release Date: September 18, 2020
• Developer: Kinetic Games
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Players: 1-4
• Price: USD $19.99

If you’ve ever watched a ghost movie and thought, “There’s no way I’d walk into that house,” Phasmophobia lets you make that choice with friends. You play as paranormal investigators exploring haunted locations with flashlights, spirit boxes, EMF readers, and cameras. You might feel brave at first, but that confidence usually vanishes as soon as something whispers in the dark. The main goal is simple: find out what kind of ghost is haunting the place before it decides your team should leave.

The game is truly scary because it leaves you feeling exposed, especially when you use in-game voice chat instead of Discord. When your group splits up in a dark hallway and the radio starts to fail, panic sets in quickly because anyone can be targeted at any moment. One friend might hide in a closet, trying not to make a sound, while another shouts that the ghost is right behind them. That mix of fear, confusion, and chaos keeps people coming back. Plus, the developers keep adding new ideas and updates, so there are always more paranormal scares ahead.

• Genre: Medieval Slasher / Multiplayer Action
• Release Date: June 8, 2021
• Developer: Torn Banner Studios
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
• Players: 64 Online
• Price:
  • Standard Edition — USD $39.99
  • King Edition — USD $59.99

Medieval warfare was likely terrifying in real life, but Chivalry 2 manages to make it one of the funniest multiplayer games. The game is set in a harsh medieval world with huge battles, putting players in first-person combat with swords, shields, bows, catapults, and horseback charges that often descend into total chaos. One moment you’re storming a castle gate with your team, feeling like a real knight, and the next, someone throws a flaming chicken at you before chopping off your arm with an axe.

Chivalry 2 stands out because the battles feel truly immersive once the action begins. You can charge into the fight on foot, hang back to shoot arrows, or ride a horse straight through enemy lines. The combat system is deeper than most expect, rewarding good timing, counters, and smart positioning rather than just mashing buttons. Even after taking a ridiculous amount of damage, your character can still stumble forward, screaming and barely hanging on.

The game is even more fun with friends because every match eventually devolves into chaos. Someone might accidentally launch teammates from a catapult, another player could be kicked off a bridge, and somehow the battlefield still looks cinematic amid the madness. The best part is cross-platform support, so everyone can join the same lobby regardless of their system. It makes medieval battles much more entertaining when your whole squad charges into disaster together.

• Genre: Action-Adventure / Pirate Multiplayer
• Release Date: March 20, 2018
• Developer: Rare
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
• Players: 16-24
• Price:
  • Standard Edition — USD $39.99
  • Deluxe Edition — USD $49.99
  • Premium Edition — USD $59.99
  • X Edition — USD$79.99

Pirate games usually sound fun in theory, but Sea of Thieves is one of the few that captures the feeling of an unpredictable adventure with friends. The moment your crew sets sail, the game becomes a giant sandbox where anything can happen. One session has you peacefully searching for buried treasure. The next ends with your ship on fire, your crew screaming, and another pirate crew stealing everything you spent the last hour collecting.

What makes Sea of Thieves so good is the freedom it gives players. There’s no strict path through the experience. You can hunt treasure, battle skeleton fleets, explore islands, fight sea monsters, or simply sail around causing problems for other players if that’s your thing. The ocean feels alive, especially during storms when waves crash over the ship while everyone tries to keep it from sinking.

Sailing with friends is where the game really shines. Managing a pirate ship takes teamwork. One person steers, another adjusts the sails, and someone else patches holes below deck while cannonballs fly everywhere. Even experienced crews panic when another ship appears on the horizon because things can get out of control quickly.

What keeps people coming back are the stories the game naturally creates. Few multiplayer games produce moments this random and memorable. One night, you celebrate after finding treasure. The next, you’re chased across the ocean by a giant Kraken while your friend accidentally drops the anchor at the worst time. Sea of Thieves constantly creates those “you had to be there” moments. That’s what makes it one of the best multiplayer games to jump into with a group.

• Genre: Sandbox / Survival Adventure
• Release Date: November 18, 2011
• Developer: Mojang Studios
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
• Players: Up to 20 for self-hosted servers
• Price: USD $29.99

Few games have stayed this popular for so long like Minecraft. It’s honestly kind of crazy to think the game started with a small development team before becoming the best-selling video game ever. And even though Minecraft has grown so much over the years, its heart still feels simple and relaxing. You’re placed in a never-ending, randomly made world where you can explore forests, oceans, caves, mountains, and even completely different dimensions while slowly building your own survival story with friends.

People are still addicted to how everything fits together naturally by collecting resources to make better tools. These tools help you survive longer and explore more, and before you know it, hours have passed as your group builds farms, raises animals, plants crops, or tries to survive the night without Creepers blowing holes in the house again. Some players go really deep with big automatic systems and detailed creations, while others are happy just living off the land and building a cozy cabin in the wilderness.

• Genre: Party Game / Platform Battle Royale
• Release Date: August 4, 2020
• Developer: Mediatonic
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile
• Players: 32-60/ 4 Players Party Size
• Price: Free-to-Play

Back when everyone was stuck at home during 2020, a handful of games completely took over online gaming, and Fall Guys somehow became one of the biggest surprises of the bunch. At a time when most battle royale games were focused on intense gunfights and sweaty competition, Fall Guys showed up with colourful obstacle courses, bouncing platforms, and tiny bean-shaped characters constantly falling over each other. And honestly, it was exactly the kind of dumb fun people needed.

The idea is very simple—stay alive through a bunch of wild mini-games until only one player remains—but every game quickly becomes total chaos. You’re jumping across spinning platforms, getting hit by giant hammers, grabbing other players near the finish line for no reason, and trying hard not to get thrown into slime. The best part is that cross-platform play lets everyone join the same game no matter what device they’re using, which makes playing with friends even more fun. And somehow, even when you lose in the most embarrassing way, Fall Guys still makes it funny instead of annoying.

• Genre: Sports / Basketball Simulation
• Release Date: September 5, 2025
• Developer: Visual Concepts
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
• Players: 1-10
• Price:
  • Standard Edition — USD $69.99
  • SLAM Edition — USD $79.99
  • Superstar Edition— USD $99.99

Basketball games come and go every year, but NBA 2K26 still feels like one of those releases people immediately jump into the second it drops. Whether players are playing through MyCareer, building fantasy rosters in MyTeam, or loading into online games with friends, NBA 2K has become much more than a yearly sports title. Once you’re on the court, the presentation still feels incredibly close to a real NBA broadcast, from player animations and crowd reactions to commentary and arena atmosphere.

Online play is still one of the main reasons people keep coming back, especially now that players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S can play together. Unfortunately, players on older consoles, PC, and Nintendo Switch don’t get all the same cross-play features, which can be frustrating. The City is back with a new layout, serving as a huge online basketball hub where players can walk around, team up with friends, challenge random opponents, and basically live inside NBA 2K’s digital basketball world.

No matter how much players complain about missed shots, broken builds, or microtransactions every year, everybody still comes around when the second game starts to get competitive online. One close match instantly turns casual trash talk into full playoff intensity, especially when somebody hits impossible shots in the final seconds. Yeah, we’ve all been in that spot before.

• Genre: Open-World Racing
• Release Date: November 9, 2021
• Developer: Playground Games
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
• Players: 1-12
• Price: USD $59.99

Racing games usually fall into two categories: very realistic driving simulators or pure arcade fun. Forza Horizon 5 strikes the right balance between the two. The game places players in a vast open-world version of Mexico, filled with deserts, jungles, beaches, cities, volcanoes, and long roads that make you want to speed up the moment you see them.

What makes Forza Horizon 5 so much fun is how laid-back it feels compared to most competitive racing games. You can spend hours just driving around with friends, searching for hidden cars, sliding along mountain roads, or even racing fighter jets in the middle of a storm because the game thought it would be fun.

The car choices are amazing, too. Fast supercars, tough off-road vehicles, classic muscle cars, and rally favourites—you can find almost anything here. Thanks to the game’s tuning and customization options, players can customize their cars however they like before playing online against friends or other players.

Even years after its launch, Forza Horizon 5 remains visually stunning. Cruising quickly across the map at sunset with music playing makes ordinary driving feel cinematic. It’s a game you intend to play for twenty minutes, but before you know it, you’ve spent three hours just exploring and enjoying yourself without doing anything in particular—and still had a great time.

• Genre: Platform Fighter / Party Fighting Game
• Release Date: December 7, 2018
• Developer: Bandai Namco Studios / Sora Ltd.
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Players: 1-8
• Price:
  • Standard Game — USD $59.99
  • Fighters Pass Vol. 1 — USD $24.99
  • Fighters Pass Vol. 2 — USD $29.99
  • Challenger Pack — USD $5.99

One game that always draws everyone in is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, whether it’s a party, a family gathering, or just a late-night gaming session with your buddies. Even after all these years, the game still gets everyone excited from how the rules start to apply. You choose your favourite fighter and try to knock the others off the stage—but once the match starts, anything can happen. A second later, the room is filled with laughter and shouting as items start flying around, or someone runs into an explosion, and there’s always that one friend who clings and somehow lasts the longest.

Much of the fun comes from those wild matchups—watching Mario face off against Sonic, or Link fight Sephiroth, while Pikachu shocks everyone nearby. No matter how many times you watch, it never gets boring. Nintendo did something special by making Smash a big tribute to video games. Each character has its own unique traits, so no two matches ever feel exactly the same, even after playing a hundred times.

If you ask me, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is best when no one takes it seriously, but again, there’s always that one person in the group. One friend might be doing impressive moves while someone else just presses buttons randomly and still wins. The game is great at testing friendships, especially when a last-second move steals the win in a surprising way. That’s what makes it fun—things get loud and unpredictable, and before you know it, everyone is yelling at the screen, ready to play again.

• Genre: Kart Racing / Party Racing
• Release Date: June 5, 2025
• Developer: Nintendo
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Players: 1-24 Online Multiplayer/ 2-4 Multiplayer Split Screen
• Price: USD $79.99

Can you imagine multiplayer gaming without Mario Kart? Before online battle royales and shooters became popular, Nintendo’s famous kart racer was already turning living rooms into battlegrounds in the early ‘90s. Even now, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still delivers wild moments among friends. A race might seem peaceful until a blue shell suddenly knocks out the leader just before the finish line. Suddenly, everyone is shouting, shells are flying, and someone is falling off Rainbow Road, claiming the game is unfair.

Mario Kart is just amazing and simple because anyone can jump in and have fun right away. You don’t need to spend hours learning the controls or dealing with complicated mechanics to enjoy it with friends. There’s still enough skill to make winning feel satisfying. No matter how long the series has been around, sitting on the couch with friends and yelling at the TV on the last lap never gets old.

• Genre: Sports / Party Sports Game
• Release Date: February 12, 2026
• Developer: Nintendo
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Players: Local & Online Multiplayer
• Price: USD $69.99

If you thought Mario Kart World was fun, you should definitely check out Mario Tennis Fever, which brings the same excitement to the tennis court and turns racing into a wild mix of laughter and competition. A quick rally turns into a flurry of amazing shots, wild saves, and surprising comebacks that keep everyone on their toes. That’s what makes Mario sports games special: they turn regular sports into unforgettable moments, even for people who never expected to enjoy them.

As with all great Mario multiplayer games, the real fun starts when everyone relaxes and just plays. One person might play like a tennis pro, while someone else swings just to make their friends laugh. Each match is full of colour, speed, and unexpected turns, showing off Nintendo’s unique style. When you think you’ve won, the final moments can change everything, surprising both winners and underdogs.

• Genre: MMORPG / Fantasy Adventure
• Release Date: August 27, 2013
• Developer: Square Enix
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac
• Players: 4 players (dungeons), to 8 players (raids/trials), and up to 24 players for alliance raids
• Price: USD $19.99

Massive online games can feel overwhelming to jump into, but Final Fantasy XIV manages to feel huge and welcoming at the same time. Set in the fantasy world of Eorzea, the game throws players into a giant online adventure loaded with dungeons, raids, giant bosses, deep storytelling, and enough content to consume your free time if you let it. For many players, that’s exactly what happened.

Part of what makes Final Fantasy XIV so loved is its focus on the social side of online gaming. There are difficult raids and massive battles that require teamwork, but also players spending hours hanging around cities, decorating houses, roleplaying, fishing, crafting outfits, or simply chatting with friends. Over the years, the game turned into more than just an MMO—it became a giant online community where people genuinely enjoy spending time together beyond grinding quests.

While MMORPGs usually scare newcomers with complicated systems and endless menus, Final Fantasy XIV does a good job easing players into its universe over time. One minute you’re exploring a town, the next you’re fighting a screen-filling boss alongside dozens of other players while dramatic music blasts in the background like you’re inside a fantasy movie.

• Genre: Action RPG / Open-World Adventure
• Release Date: September 28, 2020
• Developer: HoYoverse
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mobile
• Players: 1-4
• Price: Free-to-Play

Anime-inspired games have become really popular in recent years, but Genshin Impact surprised everyone by growing even bigger than expected. It helped make the modern “gacha” system mainstream by combining character collecting with a huge, open-world fantasy adventure that keeps growing every year. In the world of Teyvat, players can choose from a large cast of characters, each with their own elemental powers and weapons, and explore vast regions full of quests, puzzles, bosses, and hidden secrets.

One reason people keep coming back is that the game feels relaxing, especially when playing with friends. You can join each other’s worlds on different platforms and team up to clear Domains, fight bosses, or just explore together, as long as everyone has the right Adventure Rank. Sometimes you’re climbing mountains and gliding over beautiful scenery, and other times your whole group is struggling against a tough enemy that seemed easy at first. Even though it’s free-to-play, the game feels very polished, from the music and environments to the combat and character designs, though the gacha banners can sometimes test your patience.

Putting together a multiplayer games list sounds easy until you realize how many titles lose their appeal after a week or two. For this roundup, we focused on games that continue pulling players back in long after the hype settles—whether that’s through strong online communities, replay value, cross-platform support, constant updates, or simply how entertaining they are to play with friends. We looked at everything from massive competitive shooters and co-op survival games to party titles and open-world adventures to make sure there’s something here for every type of player. More importantly, these are the games people continue recommending, reinstalling, and spending way too many late nights playing for a reason.