19 free PC games for Windows to download from Microsoft

We wanted to find the best PC games from the Microsoft Store that are free to download and play. We did plenty of research and rounded up a list of free games that you can get in their full versions for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Our list covers a wide range of genres suited to different types of players and preferences, from racing games to puzzles, games for children, and simulators. If you want to know which are some of the best PC games that you can download for free (full versions) on your Windows PC, tablet, or laptop, read on:

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Introductory notes

All the PC games on our list are free, and you can download their full versions. They are the best games for Windows 10 and Windows 11 that we’ve found, tried and played. However, keep in mind that some of these games either come with ads or in-app purchases that enhance your gaming experience.

Also, note that our list isn’t ordered by any criteria. Depending on your taste in games, you might find your next favorite in the beginning, at the end of the list, or anywhere in the middle. And last but not least, if you need help downloading and installing games from Microsoft, this guide will help you: How to download PC games from the Microsoft Store.

1. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

We’ll start this roundup of free PC games that are available to download from Microsoft with the one we like best: Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. It’s an action-oriented MMORPG game made by SEGA, available for Windows, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation. Its anime-inspired visuals are impressive, so you must have a relatively powerful computer to be able to run it at maxed graphics settings. However, it’s worth it: the missions are well designed, and the story is nice, although some will argue that it’s rather short. Still, the adventure is worth it, and the narrative will certainly be continued in future updates. The combat is fast-paced, character classes are interesting, character creation is extensive, and the controls are intuitive and easy to remember.

One of the best free games for Windows PCs: Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

If you like vast open-space games, where you can go wherever you want, and also enjoy playing online, then Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is one of the games you should definitely try.

Free Download: Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

TIP: If you own an Xbox, here’s how to buy and redeem Xbox Gift Cards and games from Amazon.

2. Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct is one of the best beat-em-up games you can find right now, and it’s surely the best free arcade-fighting game from the Microsoft Store. We don’t know about you, but we are old enough to have witnessed the golden age of beat-em-up games during the 1990s, and we still have a crush on this type of game. Killer Instinct brings memories but is also a modern and beautiful fighting game rendition. It comes with a varied selection of characters, the gameplay is dynamic and fast-paced, and the graphics are impressive. Each character has its own fatalities and special skills, and although starting to play is easy and fun, learning to use all the combos is challenging. Also, fortunately, although the best way to play Killer Instinct is with a controller, the controls are good even if you’re playing it with a keyboard.

Killer Instinct

It’s also one of the few free and great games from the Microsoft Store that supports online multiplayer cross-play on Xbox One and Windows 10 or Windows 11 computers. All in all, if you love arcade fighting, Killer Instinct is the best free beat-em-up game that you can get on your Windows PC or device.

Free Download: Killer Instinct

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3. Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series

It is almost impossible not to have heard about Minecraft. Minecraft: Story Mode builds upon the original Minecraft game and adds a story to it. There are eight episodes in total, but only a few are free. It starts with introducing the characters and then jumps right into the story. We are not going to spoil it for you, but we would like to tell you that it is excellent. Although it looks like it is created only for children, there is also a lot of humor in the game that can satisfy anyone, regardless of age.

Minecraft Story Mode

Free Download: Minecraft: Story Mode

4. Asphalt 9: Legends

Asphalt 9: Legends is one of the most popular racing games in the Microsoft Store. The game greets you with a long list of real cars made by manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini. Asphalt 9: Legends features over 70 different racing tracks in various real-world locations from America to the Himalayas, so it is hard to get bored. You can play in Career mode and complete over 60 seasons and 800 races, or you can compete against up to 7 players in real-time in the World Series Multiplayer mode.

Asphalt 9 Legends is a great game for Windows 10 and Windows 11

The game offers a smooth arcade racing experience with accurate controls and manages to keep you glued to the screen for quite some time. In-app purchases are, of course, available, and that is OK. However, the ads can become a little bit annoying after a while.

Free Download: Asphalt 9: Legends

5. World of Tanks Blitz

World of Tanks Blitz is a free MMO game from Wargaming, the same company that created World of Tanks, World of Warships, and Worlds of Warplanes. This game is similar to World of Tanks and works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices, as well as on smartphones and tablets. It comes with over 300 tanks from Germany, Great Britain, USA, USSR, and Japan, which you can maneuver to win fights in 7 versus 7 online.

World of Tanks Blitz is a great game for Windows laptops, PCs, and tablets

You can fight in 26 different battle arenas, talk to other players via the in-game chat, and get achievements for your play. The game is free, but you can also pay real money for things like upgrades or vehicles.

Free Download: World of Tanks Blitz

6. Fallout Shelter

Fallout Shelter is a free game that makes you the head strategist of an underground Vault. You must build the best Vault there is and make your people happy by giving them the right jobs, clothes, weapons, and training to protect them from the Wasteland. There are a lot of decisions to make, and that makes this game fun and engaging. What will you choose to do: provide clean water, enough food, or save credits for building more living space?

Fallout Shelter – a great game for Windows 10 laptops and computers

You can also make some in-game purchases with real money, but Bethesda (the developer) is very discreet about it without bothering you or slowing your progress through the game if you do not pay. That is a great approach.

Free Download: Fallout Shelter

7. World of Warships

World of Warships also comes from Wargaming. While similar to World of Tanks, this game is focused on the naval military. You get to control various battleships, destroyers, cruisers, and even carrier squadrons. Together with your teammates, you’re entering naval combat to conquer the enemy. The graphics are excellent and customizable, so you can run it even on lower specced devices. However, ultra graphics settings can demand quite a lot of hardware power.

World of Warships – a free game for Windows PCs

Although you start on a low level at first, the game lets you expand your skills tree and improve your ships and guns without ever needing to pay real money. However, the game also offers in-game purchases that let you buy new ships. But you still need to actually play the game to get experience. It’s a great tactical game that we recommend to everyone.

Free Download: World of Warships

8. Forza Motorsport 6: Apex

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex is a free-to-play game with beautiful visuals, in which you can race against all kinds of great cars, including muscle cars, GT cars, track toys, prototypes, and hypercars. There are six maps inspired by real-world tracks, and the races are going on day and night. The game uses DirectX and has some relatively high system requirements, but its visual quality justifies that. You can even play in 4K resolution.

Forza Motorsport 6 Apex is a top-notch racing game

The free version of the game is excellent, but it leaves you wanting more, and, to get access to everything, you must buy the premium version. Fortunately, that does not cost as much as other similar titles.

Free Download: Forza Motorsport 6: Apex

TIP: If you prefer to buy games from Steam instead of the Microsoft Store, read this guide: How to buy Steam Gift Cards, Wallet Cards, or Steam games from Amazon.

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9. Microsoft Minesweeper

It is almost impossible not to have heard of Minesweeper, one of the oldest Microsoft free games. It is a classic puzzle game that has been included in Windows for more than 20 years. The Windows 10 and Windows 11 version includes the classic game, with updated graphics and sound, as well as a new Adventure Mode and daily challenges.

The latest Microsoft Minesweeper works great both in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Free Download: Microsoft Minesweeper

10. Microsoft Mahjong

Microsoft Mahjong is the classic Microsoft free game in which you have to match tiles to win. The game uses updated graphics and sounds, and there are four different levels of difficulty to match even the most skilled players. There are also various visual themes to choose from and daily challenges to keep you going.

Microsoft Mahjong

Free Download: Microsoft Mahjong

11. Microsoft Ultimate Word Games

Microsoft Ultimate Word Games is a free collection of word games: Crosswords, Wordament, and Jumble. Crosswords comes with multiple board sizes and difficulty levels, in Wordament, you must find as many words as you can on a 4×4 grid of letters, and Jumble gives you a rack of letter tiles from which you must create words. You get daily challenges in each game, and you can also play Wordament in multiplayer if you want.

Microsoft Ultimate Word Games – free for Windows users

Free Download: Microsoft Ultimate Word Games

12. Microsoft Solitaire Collection

Microsoft Solitaire Collection is a free collection of card games based on the original Solitaire. Solitaire has been present in Windows for over 30 years now, and it remains one of the most loved games ever. Microsoft Solitaire Collection includes Klondike (the classic Solitaire), Spider, FreeCell, TriPeaks, and Pyramid.

Microsoft Solitaire Collection – a new spin on a classic game

Free Download: Microsoft Solitaire Collection

13. Dungeon Hunter Champions: Epic Online Action RPG

Dungeon Hunter Champions is a hack-and-slash action RPG that lets you play in player versus player mode, as well as in 5v5 mode, like in MOBA games. The game gives you control of a champion (there are over 250 champions to choose from), and you can choose to fight alone or in a team of up to five others.

Dungeon Hunter Champions – free PC game for Windows

Champions have various abilities, ranging from damage to healing. If you do not want to play with others, you also get single-player options. Although the game contains microtransactions and some ads, you can get by without paying any real money to progress.

Free Download: Dungeon Hunter Champions

14. Dungeon Hunter 5

Dungeon Hunter 5 is a well-built action-RPG game that is both challenging and addictive. It is a new addition to Gameloft’s dungeon crawler series that continues the interestingly crafted hack-and-slash adventure of the first games, this time with a faster and more fluid combat system. The gameplay is straightforward, as you have to guide your hero, a bounty hunter, in a fantasy world: the Kingdom of Valenthia. You do not have the option to choose between different character classes, but you can develop the way your character fights with the help of the 46 armor types and 150 weapons. Players can also customize the two spell slots and choose a belt item that could give them additional advantages.

Dungeon Hunter 5 – an addictive RPG for Windows

On top of single-player missions, you can also participate in daily and weekly events, where you can win unique materials that help fuse and evolve your gear. Furthermore, you can use your friends or other players as allies in the cooperative gameplay to assist you throughout the journeys. This is a highly addictive game for those of you who love role-playing games, featuring great graphics, a lot of NPC character interaction, and, of course, a substantial amount of hacking and slashing. Do consider that Dungeon Hunter 5 also comes with in-app purchases to make your life easier in the game.

Free Download: Dungeon Hunter 5

TIP: Do you own a Sony PlayStation console? If you do, read our guide on how to buy and redeem PlayStation Gift Cards and games from Amazon.

15. Seekers Notes: Hidden Mystery

Seekers Notes: Hidden Mystery is a classic hidden objects type of game in which you must help the people of Darkwood. A curse has been sent to them, and they cannot find their missing things. You do not remember how you got into Darkwood and why you are there, but it looks like you can recover lost items to help the city lift the curse.

Seekers Notes Hidden Mystery – another free PC game for Windows

The game requires you to spend energy points to play scenes and puzzles, and some of them can be pretty challenging. As for the visuals, the scenes in Seekers Notes: Hidden Mystery are beautiful, and the hidden objects are well hidden. 🙂 If you enjoy this type of game, Seekers Notes: Hidden Mystery will make you happy.

Free Download: Seekers Notes: Hidden Mystery

16. Modern Combat 5: eSports FPS

We wanted to include a free first-person shooter on this list, and, after searching through the Microsoft Store, we finally settled on Modern Combat 5. This game should appeal to all Call of Duty or Battlefield fans, as it closely resembles their gameplay and structure. It contains two different areas: an action-packed single-player campaign featuring a fantasy storyline and a multiplayer mode with a fast-paced environment and a well-developed progression system. The multiplayer also features five different soldier classes (assault, heavy, recon, sniper, and support) that allow you to unlock a specific set of weapons and evolve through separate ability trees.

Modern Combat 5 – free first-person shooter for Windows

However, you should know that Modern Combat 5 makes it mandatory for you to be connected to the internet, even if you want to play the single-player campaign. The graphics of this game are quite good, and they help provide an immersive gaming experience.

Free Download: Modern Combat 5

17. Candy Crush Soda Saga

Everybody knows Candy Crush Soda Saga, and most of us have played this game or a similar one at least once in our lives. It is a free-to-play puzzle adventure game that looks fun and colorful. The story is about joining Kimmy on her journey to find Tiffi by switching bottles and candies. There are Candy Bears to be saved, honey to give, and frost to break to set the Candy Bears free.

Candy Crush Soda Saga

Candy Crush Soda Saga has beautiful graphics, and it is easy to play, although, on the higher levels, the difficulty increases significantly. Getting past more complex levels can be tough and sometimes frustrating. However, if you do not have enough patience to finish such a level, you can buy a few more moves or a candy hammer. Buying stuff makes it easier to play the game, but it also takes away some of the fun in it. If you want to enjoy Candy Crush Soda Saga, use only what it gives you for free. Sometimes you might have to stop before the game lets you replay a failed level, but leaving your chair for a while to return and try again later might be a good thing for you.

Free Download: Candy Crush Soda Saga

18. Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops

Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops is a real-time strategy game in which you control small and funny-looking troopers by using tap-and-move and tap-and-attack controls. You can use the standard weapon or special weapons, like grenades or missiles, to destroy larger war machines like tanks, for instance. The primary objective here is to kill your enemies and complete war missions.

Download free PC game for Windows 10/11: Tiny Troopers 2 Special Ops

Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops has beautiful graphics, colorful in a cartoony way, and large maps. Navigating the game also means that you collect intel (intelligence information), medals, special weapons, and so on. Although you can play it without paying a cent, you can also buy health, boosts, and new soldiers, and the game also shows ads rather often. Overall, it is fun to play, and the challenging missions can keep you on your computer for quite a while.

Free Download: Tiny Troopers 2: Special Ops

19. Homescapes

Homescapes is a Gardenscapes spin-off, similar to Candy Crush games, otherwise known as match-three games. This game motivates you to earn points which you can then use to decorate a large, spacious, Victorian-style house. In addition to the multiple rooms that are becoming available, depending on your level, during the game, you also get access to a multitude of annexes, courtyards, and green spaces. Decorating them requires you to be creative, but it does so in a relaxing way. Among the things that we like most about this game are its vivid colors and the various events (Easter, Christmas, Spring, Halloween, etc.), during which you can buy all kinds of thematic decorative objects for your house and front lawn.

Homescapes – great free game for Windows laptops (and PCs)

Homescapes is a game that doesn’t force you to spend hours in a row to play it or be online during fixed hours to get your energy or rewards. You can play it at any time, as the lives you get inside it, although they’re generated every 20 minutes, stack up and are available whenever you open the game. Another thing that we appreciate about Homescapes is the low count of advertisements. That is not to say that there aren’t any: you sometimes get to see ads about other games from the same family, made by the same gaming company, such as Gardenscapes, Fishdom, etc.

Free Download: Homescapes

What other free games from the Microsoft Store are you playing?

This is our selection of the best free games that we’ve found in the Microsoft Store. You can find many other exciting titles besides these. However, you should also be prepared for ads and in-app purchases. After all, nothing is really free, is there? Do you know other free games from the Microsoft Store that deserve to be on this list? If you cannot see your favorite game mentioned anywhere in this article, feel free to recommend it using the comments section below.