The 15 Best Games To Play With Friends Online [2024]

Are you and your gaming group looking for something new? It can be difficult to coordinate choices on games to play with friends online, as everyone has different preferences and playstyles.

In this post, we rounded up the best games to play as a group. We cover a mixture of genres and styles to suit all players so you can get a better idea of the best multiplayer games.

The Top 15 Online Games To Play With Friends

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Genre: Racing
• Release date: April 28, 2017
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 92/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Kart racing with various characters, unique tracks, battle mode
• Developer: Nintendo EPD
• Pricing: $59.99 (base game) + $24.99 for Booster Course Pass DLC
• Best for: Groups who enjoy casual, fun-filled competition

In a landscape crowded with intense, competitive games, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s lighthearted, group-friendly gameplay offers a delightful contrast. What sets it apart from other racing games is its perfect blend of accessibility and excitement, making it an ideal pick for social gamers regardless of skill level.

With a roster of beloved Mario Kart characters, a diverse selection of karts, and a wide array of vibrant tracks, each race is distinct from the next. The unique anti-gravity feature adds a thrilling twist to the traditional karting experience, allowing you to race on walls and ceilings for unexpected and strategic maneuvers.

Supporting up to 12 players online, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is perfect for a lively game night with your friends. The combination of easy-to-learn mechanics and engaging game modes like Grand Prix and Battle ensures everyone can join in on the fun, regardless of their gaming background. 

2. Diablo IV

• Genre: ARPG
• Release date: June 6, 2023
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox
• Rating: 86/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Action RPG, loot-driven, character classes, open world, co-op multiplayer
• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Pricing: $69.99 (Standard Edition), $89.99 (Digital Deluxe Edition), $99.99 (Ultimate Edition)
• Best for: Groups who love dark fantasy settings, loot grinding, and challenging combat

Diablo IV reinvigorated the beloved action RPG genre with its dark and immersive fantasy setting. Diablo stands out for its emphasis on cooperative gameplay. You and your friends can battle monsters, explore dungeons, and gather loot to make your party stronger. The mixture of combative gameplay and world exploration with deep lore makes it a compelling co-op experience.

The dark fantasy universe is a key highlight, offering a haunting environment that draws you in. You’ll choose between various classes (Barbarian, Sorcerer, Rogue, Druid, or Necromancer), each with unique abilities and skill trees, providing diverse gameplay options.

As the most recent entry into the series, you can expect regular updates to Diablo IV that will keep the experience fresh for you and your friends. While you’ll have some challenges throughout the game, Diablo IV is suitable for those without much actual gaming experience.

3. Overcooked 2

• Genre: Simulation, party
• Release date: August 7, 2018
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 81/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Cooperative cooking, chaotic kitchens, time management
• Developer: Ghost Town Games, Team17
• Pricing: $24.99
• Best for: Groups who enjoy frantic cooperative challenges

Overcooked 2 serves up a deliciously chaotic cooking experience that's a favorite for group play. You and your friends must work together to prepare and serve meals under tight time constraints. Fun and frantic, the game challenges you to coordinate and execute complex orders to keep customers happy.

What makes Overcooked 2 truly special is its ability to turn even the simplest cooking tasks into hilarious races against the clock. The game’s creative kitchens, filled with moving parts and obstacles, require quick thinking and seamless teamwork to keep things running smoothly. The difficulty ramps up as you play, which is great for keeping you and your friends engaged.

Accessible and engaging for players of all skill levels, Overcooked 2 is perfect for game nights with your friends. With so many intense, competitive games out there, Overcooked 2 can be a nice palate cleanser.

4. Rocket League

• Genre: Sports, action
• Release date: July 7, 2015
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Vehicular soccer, fast-paced matches, car customization
• Developer: Psyonix
• Pricing: Free to play with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Friends seeking a competitive yet lighthearted sports game

If you’re a fan of both soccer and vehicles, then Rocket League is a fantastic choice for you and your friends. In Rocket League, you’ll compete with your team in a soccer game, with the objective of scoring more goals than the opposing team before the timer runs out. Unlike in actual soccer, though, you won’t be using your feet, but rather a small car with a temporary rocket boost ability.

Rocket League has proven to be a hugely popular online multiplayer game, with both strong casual and competitive scenes of players who continue to jump in daily for car-soccer battles. Regular updates keep the game fresh, and it’s a perfect example of a free-to-play game that manages not to be pay-to-win.

The game is cross-platform, meaning you can play with your friends no matter what platform they're on. This makes Rocket League highly accessible and convenient for you and your buddies to jump into games together.

5. Jackbox Games

• Genre: Party
• Release date: Various (multiple games released since 2014)
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, iOS and Android
• Rating: 74/100 on Metacritic for latest release (Party Pack 10)
• Gameplay features: Party games, trivia, drawing, writing, social interaction
• Developer: Jackbox Games
• Pricing: Varies per pack, typically $19.99-$29.99
• Best for: Friends looking for a virtual party game night with creative and hilarious challenges

Jackbox Games has been a staple for party fun since its debut, offering interactive games you can play on your smartphone. It stands out for ease of setup and accommodation of a wide range of players, making it perfect for gatherings and casual game nights. Games span trivia, drawing, and wordplay, ensuring your group will be entertained.

If you’re at a loss over which game to play next with your friends, Jackbox Games is an excellent choice. Its mix of easy-to-learn games and the ability to play with just smartphones makes it a go-to option for casual gaming sessions where everyone can get involved.

6. Minecraft

• Genre: Sandbox, survival
• Release date: November 18, 2011
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Sandbox, building, exploration, survival, creative modes
• Developer: Mojang Studios
• Pricing: One-time purchase with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Friends who enjoy creative freedom and open-ended adventures

What's better than creating your own world? Creating it with friends! Minecraft allows you and your friends to build a world together, mining resources across the lands and surviving enemy attacks as you go. This diverse gameplay will keep your group hooked for hours as you work together.

There are plenty of popular online games you can play with friends online that encourage cooperation and competitiveness. However, Minecraft offers a sandbox experience that focuses on true, unabridged creativity that's unrivaled from other free-to-play games out there.

Minecraft has multiple game modes, such as Creative, Survival, and Adventure, depending on the type of experience you’re looking for. The main difference is that Survival introduces a hunger mechanic, features mobs, and requires you to mine for resources you’ll then use to build. Creative, on the other hand, gives you all the blocks from the start with zero mobs to deal with as you build.

Despite being released over a decade ago, Minecraft is still regularly updated with new features, and there are also many popular fan spinoff games, such as Tekkit and Hexxit, to jump into.

7. Deep Rock Galactic

• Genre: First-person shooter (FPS)
• Release date: May 13, 2020 (full release)
• Platforms: Windows, Xbox, PlayStation
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Cooperative FPS, mining, procedural generation, diverse classes
• Developer: Ghost Ship Games
• Pricing: $29.99
• Best for: Groups who love cooperative challenges, teamwork, and FPS action
   

Deep Rock Galactic takes cooperative gameplay to new heights with a unique blend of mining and monster-fighting action. You and your friends will dig through caves, mine resources, and fight alien creatures. You can expect a different experience with every playthrough, giving it tons of replayability.

The game has a variety of character classes, each with unique abilities and extensive customization. You and your friends can tailor your roles to suit different playstyles and ensure you’re ready for the challenges of each mission. Caves are procedurally generated, meaning the exploration is fresh every time.

If your gaming group is looking for a memorable adventure of battling aliens and mining resources, Deep Rock Galactic is a fantastic choice. It combines teamwork, exploration, and engaging gameplay mechanics in ever-changing environments. While some may disagree on whether it counts as a true space MMO, it contains many MMO elements while being primarily an FPS game.

8. Overwatch 2

• Genre: First-person shooter
• Release date: October 4, 2022
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 79/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Hero shooter, 5v5 matches, objective-based modes, diverse roster
• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Pricing: Free to play with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Friends who enjoy team-based shooters with dynamic hero abilities

Overwatch 2 builds on the success of its predecessor with expanded gameplay and a host of new features. With objective-focused gameplay, you’ll choose between different heroes with unique abilities and roles on the battlefield. Each match is a unique experience.

Most notably, the sequel introduced PvE story missions, providing a cooperative gameplay experience alongside the classic PvP modes. These missions delve deeper into the game’s lore and give you a chance to team up with others against AI foes while you learn the ropes.

There is a steady stream of new updates and seasonal events, keeping the game fresh and engaging. With the growth of eSports games, Overwatch 2 has a bright future ahead of it. Blending fast-paced action, strategic depth, and a gorgeous art style, Overwatch 2 is a perfect co-op choice for your group to try.

9. Among Us

• Genre: Social deduction, party
• Release date: June 15, 2018
• Platforms: Windows, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Social deduction, teamwork, betrayal, spaceship setting
• Developer: Innersloth
• Pricing: Free to play on mobile with in-game purchases; $4.99 on other platforms
• Best for: Friends seeking a party game with social interaction and deception
   

Among Us dropped in 2018 and exploded in popularity soon after. Its distinction from the other popular games of the day was a major factor, focusing on social dedication and lighthearted gameplay in a sea of overdramatic competitive games. Another strong point of Among Us is its simple mechanics, making it a great choice if your friends aren’t experienced gamers familiar with complex mechanics.

In Among Us, your goal is simple: Discover the Impostor among your party. You’ll do this by observing behavior, using security cameras and admin maps to check other players’ locations, and verify alibis as well as witness accounts from other players. The result leads to fun, conspiratorial games that feel immersive in a different way from the many titles out there.

Among Us is cross-platform and available on many platforms, making it easy for your friends to join no matter which device they have. This, combined with easy mechanics, means it’s a perfect choice if you’re trying to play a game with a group that doesn’t typically play games.

10. Apex Legends

• Genre: Battle royale, first-person shooter
• Release date: February 4, 2019
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• Rating: 89/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Battle royale, hero shooter, diverse characters, fast-paced action
• Developer: Respawn Entertainment
• Pricing: Free to play with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Groups who thrive on competitive shooters and strategic teamwork
   

Apex Legends burst onto the battle royale scene with a unique twist on the genre, offering a team-based approach where squads of three compete to be the last one standing. It distinguishes itself with its diverse roster of Legends, each equipped with unique abilities that add layers of strategy and tactical depth.

Regular content updates and limited-time events maintain excitement in the game. These updates introduce new Legends, weapons, and gameplay mechanics, ensuring the game remains engaging and fresh. If you and your friends enjoy competitive and dynamic gameplay, Apex Legends is a perfect choice. 

Apex Legends has a large, dedicated player base and boasts regular updates to its roster as well as the maps offered. This ensures that you have a constant stream of fresh updates that keep the experience fresher than other battle royale titles.

11. Valheim

• Genre: Survival, sandbox
• Release date: February 2, 2021 (early access)
• Platforms: Windows, Linux
• Rating: 90/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Survival, exploration, crafting, base building, boss fights
• Developer: Iron Gate AB
• Pricing: $19.99
• Best for: Friends who enjoy cooperative survival experiences and Norse mythology
   

Valheim is an immersive Viking-themed survival experience with many RPG elements. You and your friends will explore a procedurally generated world, encountering bosses and mobs as you try to build a settlement together. If your group is into Norse mythology and survival games, this entry is an excellent choice for you.

It also offers a deep crafting system where you can build everything from a simple tool to a massive fortress. This sense of progression helps keep you engaged long term and gives you a sense of accomplishment. By exploring the world more, you’ll unlock new resources and abilities.

12. Sea of Thieves

• Genre: Action adventure, open world
• Release date: March 20, 2018
• Platforms: PC, Xbox
• Rating: 69/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Cooperative pirate adventure, naval combat, treasure hunting, dynamic world
• Developer: Rare
• Pricing: $39.99 with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Friends who enjoy open-world exploration, cooperative gameplay, and pirate adventures

Sea of Thieves is a pirate-themed adventure that’s perfect for cooperative play. In this game, you and your friends embark on epic voyages across a vast and vibrant ocean, hunting for treasure and engaging in thrilling naval combat. The cooperative gameplay emphasizes teamwork, whether navigating treacherous waters, solving intricate puzzles, or battling rival pirates. It’s a great example of an MMO game that isn’t an MMORPG.

Its living world ensures every adventure is unpredictable and memorable. The game’s dynamic weather, procedurally generated encounters, and player-driven events create a constantly evolving experience. No two sessions are the same, providing you with endless opportunities for exploration and excitement.

Regular updates keep Sea of Thieves fresh and engaging, introducing new quests, events, and features to discover. Whether you’re a seasoned pirate or a newcomer to the seas, the game’s blend of cooperative gameplay and ever-changing content makes it a fantastic choice for group adventures and unforgettable escapades.

13. Halo Infinite

• Genre: First-person shooter
• Release date: November 15, 2021
• Platforms: Windows, Xbox
• Rating: 87/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Open world, campaign, multiplayer modes, grapple hook
• Developer: 343 Industries
• Pricing: Free-to-play multiplayer with in-game purchases; campaign requires purchase
• Best for: Friends who love Halo's universe and want a blend of campaign and multiplayer experiences
   

In the 2000s and early 2010s, Halo games were the choice for cooperative gameplay among gaming groups. Whether you’re looking to recapture the magic of old Halo games with your friends or have always been curious about the experience so many talk about, Halo Infinite can help you get there.

It brings a fresh take on the iconic franchise, blending traditional and modern mechanics. The game features a gripping single-player open-world campaign for the first time in Halo history. It also boasts a robust multiplayer experience, with a mixture of large and small modes to choose from.

Most FPS games offer solely a competitive experience. What makes Halo Infinite stand out as one of the best online games to play is its offering of both competitive and cooperative experiences. Regular updates and seasonal content ensure the game remains engaging, with new challenges, maps, and features continually enhancing the experience.

14. GTA Online

• Genre: Action adventure, open world
• Release date: October 1, 2013
• Platforms: Windows, PlayStation, Xbox
• Rating: 80/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Open world, missions, heists, races, various activities
• Developer: Rockstar North
• Pricing: Included with GTA V ($29.99)
• Best for: Groups who enjoy open-world freedom, causing chaos, and completing missions together
   

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Online launched as part of Grand Theft Auto V in 2013, but its expansive open world and dynamic content have kept it thriving well beyond its initial release. The game invites you and your friends to dive into a sprawling city full of activities, missions, and high-stakes heists. From robbing banks to participating in high-octane races, there’s no shortage of ways to engage in the criminal underworld of Los Santos.

GTA Online stands out as one of the best action role-playing games because of its ever-evolving nature. Frequent updates introduce new missions, vehicles, and events, ensuring the game remains lively. Whether tackling the latest heist with your crew or exploring new content, there’s something for your whole group.

GTA VI is just around the corner, and with it a GTA Online 2. It's a great time to jump into the original GTA Online with your friends, whether for the first time or as returnees. GTA Online 2 will likely reset all characters, however, so don’t expect to retain your progress from one game to the next.

15. Valorant

• Genre: First-person shooter
• Release date: June 2, 2020
• Platforms: Windows
• Rating: 80/100 on Metacritic
• Gameplay features: Tactical shooter, 5v5 matches, agent abilities, precise gunplay
• Developer: Riot Games
• Pricing: Free to play with optional in-game purchases
• Best for: Friends seeking a tactical shooter with a focus on teamwork and ability usage 

Valorant is the premier tactical shooter with a strong emphasis on strategy and team coordination. With a 5v5 format, your group will have to use both tactical skills and character abilities to outwit opponents and achieve objectives. With its blend of precise gunplay and unique abilities, Valorant offers deep and rewarding competition.

The focus on competitive play is evident through ranked matches and a thriving eSports scene. Valorant’s structured gameplay tests both your skill and coordination. Regular updates and the addition of new agents keep the game fresh and dynamic, providing players with new strategies and gameplay elements to master.

It’s important to note that Valorant is made by Riot Games, of League of Legends fame. League of Legends is one of the most successful games of all time and has had a massive eSports scene for over a decade. This success gives a reassuring sense to Valorant’s longevity, making it a perfect choice if your group is looking for a new game to play for the long term.

The Best Online Games To Play With Friends at a Glance

Struggling for time but want to choose the best online game to play with your friends? Check out our handy table below!

How To Choose the Best Online Games To Play With Friends

Choosing the best online game for you and your group involves several key considerations. Here are some to get you started:

• Gameplay mechanics: Look for games that match the type of gameplay you’re looking for, like fast-paced ability-based action or slower strategic team play.
• Story quality: Find a title that immerses you in the world and narrative so you can understand your place in the story.
• Character development: Seek a game that offers character progression and customization so you can feel more connected to your character.
• Cross-platform capability: Ensure the game you choose can be played with others regardless of platform differences.
• Time investment: Find a game that matches the type of time investment that you and your group are looking for.

FAQ

Have questions about games to play with your friends online? We answer the most common questions you’re likely to have below.

What Are Some Popular Online Games To Play With Friends?

Some popular online games to play with friends include GTA Online, Among Us, Minecraft, Apex Legends, and Valorant. These games offer a variety of gameplay experiences. Whether you're looking to team up for some fast-paced action or engage in strategic gameplay, there's a game out there to suit your group.

Do I Need a Gaming Console To Play Online Games With Friends?

No, you don't necessarily need a gaming console to play online games with friends. Many popular online games are available on PC and mobile platforms. 

Are There Any Free Games I Can Play With My Friends Online?

Yes, there are plenty of free games you can play with your friends online. This list covers the best options, including GTA Online, Minecraft, and more.

What Is the Best Online Game for Two Players?

The best online game for two players depends on your preferences, but some great options include Overcooked 2, Minecraft, and Diablo IV.