12 Best Free Steam Games to Play in 2023

What are the best free games on Steam in 2023? Let’s dive into Valve’s storefront’s most attractive and free-to-play titles.

Steam continues to hold the most dominant territory in the gaming landscape. The storefront gained the upper hand with the incredible launch of Steam Deck. With the current boom in the indie gaming industry, there are also many free games to dive into in 2023.

Here’s a massive list of free Steam game suggestions to maximize your summer gaming sessions.

Best Free Games on Steam (Updated for 2023)

The following list consists of the best games on Steam you can play without spending hard-earned cash. Let’s dive into our list of Steam’s most appealing free-to-play games!

12. SCP: Secret Laboratory

SCP: Secret Laboratory puts you in the shoes of an SCP Foundation officer. As the site personnel, you face the most horrifying and freakish beings roaming free in the complex.

As the re-containment agent, you must stay alive before escaping the massive facility. In the process, you also need to depend on teamwork and communication.

SCP: Secret Laboratory has more than 150,000 reviews on Steam. With a very positive rating, this fantastic game will keep you on the edge of your seat.

11. Aperture Desk Job

Aperture Desk Job is developed by Valve for a smoother onboarding process for new Steam Deck owners. The game is designed to familiarize you with the device’s controls.

But as we all would expect from Valve, it is actually a great game that is set in the Portal universe. The free Steam game takes you to Aperture Science, the very company that we visited in the Portal games.

While it is “a game for Steam Deck,” it is still a great title for those who enjoy games made by Valve.

10. Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap allows you to assemble your deck and duel players around the world. The game is filled with heroes and villains from the massive Marvel universe.

As a card game, it checks all the right boxes with its addictive gameplay. It requires you to delve into strategic thinking and on-point decision-making. It is also one of the best free games on Steam!

9. Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is one of the longest-running MMOFPS games. With a plethora of expansions, Bungie’s hit FPS offers a one-long journey into the denizens of the galaxy.

Its fluid gameplay will keep you on the edge of your seat while the graphics immerse you in a massive world.

The title also boasts several classes where you can show your real combat skills. Thanks to its colossal arsenal of weapons, Destiny 2 is simply the ultimate MMOFPS game on Steam.

It is also one of the best free games on Valve’s storefront. Do keep in mind that the game also comes with paid expansions that offer new content.

8. Lost Ark

Lost Ark conquered the MMORPG landscape when it made its incredibly successful debut last year. The colossal MMORPG hit a record of a million concurrent players.

With nearly 200,000 reviews, Smilegate RPG’s hit title now has a Mostly Positive rating on Steam. And it takes players to the land of Arkesia where they search for the Lost Ark, which is the key to salvation.

If you haven’t tried the game when it first arrived, it might be the right time to dive into this free game on Steam.

7. Overwatch 2

That’s right, Blizzard’s hit FPS is now on Steam. Moreover, you can jump right into it without paying a single penny.

If you haven’t spent hours in the predecessor, prepare yourself for some team-based hero action in this competitive FPS. With its ever-expanding roster of heroes, Overwatch 2 offers fluid and addictive gameplay in several game modes.

It is possible to see Blizzard’s expertise in every aspect of Overwatch 2. From character design to world-building, this free-to-play FPS will have you sink your hours into it.

6. Conqueror’s Blade

Conqueror’s Blade is another free game on Steam that you can jump into right now. The tactical MMO game allows you to become a commander and manage your army on the battlefield.

Similar to Mount and Blade’s combat system, Conqueror’s Blade puts you on the battlefield with your soldiers. Command them however you want as you try to take down the 10-player team as your opponent.

From massive siege battles to thrilling pitched battles, Conqueror’s Blade is one of the best free games on Steam that you can dive into right now. If you happened to play Tiger Knight: Empire War before it died down, you’ll definitely like this one.

5. Dagon

Dagon is a narrative game that offers a brilliant depiction of H.P. Lovecraft’s story of the same name. It is simply one of the best free games on Steam. While it lacks gameplay mechanics and a gameplay loop, it is still a wonderful title that is worth your time.

It is especially a great pick for those who enjoy cosmic horror and the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. This goes for the developer studio of the game as they transformed Lovecraft’s stories into great narrative games.

Do keep in mind that you won’t be shooting aliens or zombies in this game though. It is a short story-focused game where you skip through cutscenes…and get immersed!

4. EVE Online

EVE Online is one of the longest-running MMO games out there. The title has been available since 2003 as it has expanded its player base around the world.

This free-to-play space MMO will be the only game you play if you are ready to brave its steep learning curve. Boasting a Mostly Positive rating on Steam, the developer CCP’s hit MMO features a plethora of content.

In fact, it offers pretty much everything you would like to see in a space game of this scope. From space mining to player-driven economy, faction battles to PvP tournaments, it is simply the best.

3. Doki Doki Literature Club

If you haven’t heard of Doki Doki Literature Club, you must be living under a cave. This visual novel is entirely free and has a special place in the history of the internet.

For many, it is known as the game that speaks to you. While that’s perfectly true, it is only some of the surprises the game has in store for you. Although it looks pretty innocent from its artwork, Doki Doki Literature Club is truly an unmatched game you can play for free.

2. Farlight 84

How about a game that changes all the dynamics of the good old battle royale concept? Here’s Farlight 84, the game that introduces us the Battle Royale 2.0 formula.

For many, it combines the best features of PUBG and Fortnite. That’s perfect for those who didn’t like the two horsemen of the battle royale genre.

Farlight 84 comes with great visuals and highly fluid gunplay that just keeps on giving. The hit battle royale title also offers a roster of heroes similar to Epic Games’ Fortnite.

1. The Sims 4

Maxis’ critically acclaimed The Sims 4 is now completely free on Steam. Considered one of the best free games on Steam, the fourth entry in the Sims series remains the best for millions of fans worldwide.

While you can only play the free version, we ensure you can spend hundreds of hours in The Sims 4. Even the base game is filled with content that will keep you immersed in the game.

Managing a household of simulated souls and supervising their lives is just great. And The Sims 4 is the best game in the series that allows you to do this in a more enormous scope.

What are some other free games on Steam?

If you didn’t fancy the ones above or played enough of them, here’s another list of free games on the storefront.

• War Thunder – Free-to-play World War 2 game focused on vehicle gameplay.
• Team Fortress 2 – Hero and team-based online action game developed by Valve.
• Wizard101 – Long-running MMORPG featuring magic combat. It is also among the best RPG games for low-end PCs and laptops.
• Guild Wars 2 – Massive MMORPG with a series of expansions and exploration-focused gameplay design.
• Albion Online – A top-down MMORPG set to follow the footsteps of critically-acclaimed Albion Online.
• Neverwinter – A free MMORPG set in the world of Forgotten Lands, featuring DnD heroes like Drizzt Do’Urden.
• Path of Exile – Diablo-like action-RPG game with a long history and highly detailed character creation system.
• Warframe – One of the longest-running sci-fi MMOs on Steam featuring myriad content.

What are your thoughts about and which free game is the best on the Steam library? Let’s comment below!