The Best Multiplayer Video Games to Play with Friends in 2025

If you’re seeking a thrilling collaboration with friends or strangers, look into It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Goes Mobile. This lively title allows players to join in ridiculous antics while strategizing and forming alliances, offering excellent humor intertwined with competitive challenges.

Among Us presents a fascinating twist on social deduction, requiring keen observation and quick thinking. Assemble your team, identify the impostors, and immerse yourself in this gripping atmosphere filled with suspense and deception.

For those who enjoy crafting and building together, Valheim stands out as an immersive survival experience. Explore vast biomes, gather resources, and construct impressive settlements with friends, all while confronting mythical foes. Its stunning visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics enhance the overall enjoyment.

Sea of Thieves invites players into a vibrant world of piracy where adventure awaits at every turn. Sail the seas with your crew, hunt for treasure, and engage in thrilling naval battles against other ships. The cooperative gameplay encourages teamwork, making it a memorable choice for group play.

Best Co-op Experiences for Friends

“It Takes Two” serves as a remarkable choice for collaboration, designed for two players. This platformer cleverly blends storytelling and gameplay mechanics, ensuring that cooperation is key to progressing through its rich narrative. Shared challenges and character dynamics create engaging experiences packed with puzzles and mini-games that require teamwork.

Overcooked! 2

Gather a group and engage in “Overcooked! 2”, where players operate a chaotic kitchen together. This title emphasizes communication and coordination, testing friends’ ability to manage time and resources while preparing meals under stressful conditions. Different kitchen environments and unforeseen obstacles keep the excitement flowing, demanding strategic thinking and speed.

Left 4 Dead 2

For those who relish intense action, “Left 4 Dead 2” offers thrilling zombie survival scenarios. Teams navigate through various campaigns facing hordes of undead while utilizing teamwork to strategize and survive. Each session provides a unique experience with varied enemy encounters and map layouts, ideal for a group looking to bond over adrenaline-pumping moments.

Competitive Shooter Games to Boost Your Skills

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II stands out with its fast-paced action and refined mechanics. Engage in tactical team play and hone your reflexes while mastering diverse weaponry in various environments.

Valorant introduces strategic gameplay combined with character abilities, fostering teamwork and communication. Prioritize crosshair placement and learn smoke strategies to outsmart opponents.

Apex Legends focuses on squad-based combat with an emphasis on mobility. Utilize each Legend’s unique skills to create synergies in battle, enhancing both individual and team performance.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive delivers classic competitive experience demanding precision and teamwork. Practice your aim in training maps and understand game dynamics to climb the ranks.

Rainbow Six Siege emphasizes strategy and planning. Master operator abilities and reinforce structures to gain the upper hand in tactical situations, rewarding strategic foresight.

Escape from Tarkov combines survival and combat, where tactical decision-making is crucial. Manage limited resources while improving shooting and movement skills in intense firefights.

Destiny 2 offers a blend of shooting and RPG elements. Engage in raids and PvP activities that challenge your aim and teamwork, providing an immersive environment for skill enhancement.

Each experience not only entertains but also significantly contributes to skill development, preparing players for competitive environments.

Engaging MMORPGs for Immersive Worlds

Consider trying Final Fantasy XIV for its rich storytelling and spectacular visuals. The game’s expansive lore and dynamic character development keep players deeply engaged. Regular updates introduce new content, ensuring a fresh experience.

  • World of Warcraft: A classic with a vast universe filled with quests, dungeons, and PvP arenas. The diverse races and classes allow for countless playstyles.
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Offers a flexible approach to exploration and role-playing. Its detailed environments and intricate lore appeal to fans of the franchise.
  • Guild Wars 2: Features a unique event system, where player actions can influence the world. The lack of subscription fees attracts many newcomers.

Unique Features to Explore

  • Player Housing: Titles like Final Fantasy XIV and The Elder Scrolls Online provide customizable living spaces for players, adding a personal touch to the experience.
  • Community Events: Engage in dynamic world events in Guild Wars 2, where cooperative gameplay fosters interaction among players.
  • Diverse Character Customization: Titles such as Black Desert Online offer in-depth customization options, allowing for personalized avatars that reflect individual styles.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Check system requirements before installation. Each title varies in performance needs.
  • Explore free trial options to assess gameplay mechanics and community engagement.
  • Participate in community forums for insights on updates, strategies, and in-game events.

Fun Party Games for Casual Gaming Nights

Among the best options for a casual gathering, Jackbox Party Pack stands out. This collection features several mini-games that accommodate various player counts and require minimal setup. Ideal for both gamers and non-gamers, it sparks hilarious interactions through trivia, drawing, and wordplay challenges, all played on smartphones as controllers.

Skribbl.io

Skribbl.io is an entertaining online drawing and guessing game that works well for groups. Players sketch prompts while others guess the word. This fast-paced fun encourages creativity and often results in funny interpretations of the drawings, making it perfect for laughter-filled sessions.

Tabletop Simulator

For those who enjoy board games, Tabletop Simulator allows for a digital experience of countless classic and new tabletop options. You can set up various games like Settlers of Catan or Monopoly, customizing rules and themes to fit the mood of your gathering. With a physics engine that simulates realistic gameplay, this platform caters to strategy enthusiasts and casual players alike.

Strategic Team-based Games for Tactical Minds

Consider “Team Fortress 2” for a classic blend of strategy and teamwork. Each class offers unique abilities that can be well-leveraged in coordinated assaults or defenses. Combat strategy is essential as rounds often depend on class composition and map control.

“Rainbow Six Siege” stands out for its emphasis on tactical gameplay. Players select operators, each with distinct gadgets, to execute strategies in destructible environments. Coordination and communication play crucial roles in either attacking or defending objectives, making each match a cerebral challenge.

For a fast-paced yet strategic experience, look into “Valorant.” This title combines traditional shooting mechanics with agent abilities designed to change tactical outcomes. Team composition affects playstyle, encouraging adaptability and strategic thinking in different phases of each match.

“Overwatch” offers a dynamic approach, with heroes that excel in various situations. Team synergy is paramount as selecting heroes that complement each other can turn the tide during engagements. Map control and ultimate ability timings add intriguing layers to the strategy involved.

Here’s a comparison table highlighting key features:

Game TitleKey MechanicsFocus Area
Team Fortress 2Class-based abilitiesClass composition
Rainbow Six SiegeOperator selections and gadgetsTactical planning
ValorantAgent abilitiesAdaptability and teamwork
OverwatchHero synergies and ultimatesMap control

Each option provides unique strategic challenges where effective communication and team coordination are paramount for success. Select a title that aligns with your tactical preferences for an engaging experience.

Unique Indie Multiplayer Games Worth Exploring

Consider checking out Unrailed!. In this cooperative title, players work together to build a train track across procedurally generated landscapes. The challenge lies in constantly gathering resources and managing time as the train speeds onward. Communication and teamwork are key to preventing derailments.

Cozy Grove

  • Gameplay: A life-sim experience with a mystical twist, featuring ghost bears in a haunted forest.
  • Interaction: Players can collaborate to complete quests, decorate camps, and share resources.
  • Visuals: Charming hand-drawn art style with an seasonal aesthetic.

Worms Rumble

  • Action: Fast-paced, real-time combat in a 2D environment with customizable worms。
  • Modes: Features both deathmatch and battle royale styles for intense action.
  • Unique Features: Classic weapons alongside new additions like airstrikes and bazookas.

Explore Project Winter, a social deception experience combining survival elements. Players must cooperate to gather resources while identifying traitors among them. Trust and betrayal make each session thrilling.

Check out Golf With Your Friends for a humorous take on mini-golf. Its diverse courses and zany obstacles promote both competition and laughter.

Q&A: The best multiplayer video games

What makes Helldivers 2 arguably the best new multiplayer game for squads who love frantic drop-in carnage on PlayStation 5 and PC?

Its cross-platform online multiplayer experience lets you play with up to three troopers, calling in stratagems that alter every multiplayer mode from bomb runs to extraction, and the tongue-in-cheek briefing room has already earned a spot on any multiplayer games list for 2025.

Why does Dota 2 remain one of the best multiplayer arenas a decade on, still drawing millions to its competitive play each week?

The constantly shifting hero pool, seasonal battle passes, and Valve-hosted Majors ensure that this free to play juggernaut has stood the test of time as a competitive multiplayer classic.

How does Rocket League blend multiplayer racing with a fighting game skill ceiling to create a totally unique multiplayer experience?

By turning soccer into rocket-powered car ballet, Psyonix delivers great multiplayer thrills that balance chaos and mastery, making it probably one of the best party picks on PS5 and PC.

Which open-world crime sandbox keeps topping “25 best” round-ups thanks to its ever-expanding GTA Online heists?

Five consoles later, Grand Theft Auto Online still feels fresh through weekly races, businesses, and an evolving game mode roster that makes Los Santos the ultimate virtual playground for playing with your friends.

What sets Forza Horizon 5 apart from other racing games when recommending multiplayer games to play in 2025?

Playground Games’ Mexico map flows seamlessly from single stage to online multiplayer expeditions, and the multiplayer aspect even lets creative drivers build battle royale game eliminators inside a festival vibe.

Why do critics rank Jackbox Party Pack games among the best co-op games for couch gatherings even though they’re technically browser-based online games?

Each trivia or drawing prompt scales to eight phones locally or worldwide, proving that low-fi laughs can coexist with AAA fps games in any list of the best social experiences.

How has Grand Theft Auto Online’s role-play scene transformed the original game into an asymmetrical multiplayer game of cops, medics, and criminals?

Community servers turn solo play into improvised drama, demonstrating how a 2013 hit evolved into a multiplayer online phenomenon that many now call the best multiplayer game of all time.

Which survival game on PS5 and Steam earns praise as a best multiplayer pick for couples who enjoy crafting empires under pressure?

Valheim’s procedurally generated biomes and brutal boss runs create a Viking saga where building mead halls together epitomizes co-op game bliss.

Why is Street Fighter 6 cited as one of the best fighting games and also a top-tier online multiplayer experience?

Its rollback netcode, beginner combos, and robust multiplayer gameplay hubs let rookies fight legends without lag, securing the Capcom classic’s place among best fighting games and best online games on both PS5 and PC.

What classic fps games still dominate LAN cafés and Steam charts, proving that an old-school shooter can be one of the best games for modern competitive games fans?

Counter-Strike 2 refines bomb-defusal tension with updated maps while keeping the same razor-sharp gunplay, illustrating why some titles simply stood the test of time as best multiplayer games on PC.