Best Free PlayStation Games 2023 (PS4 & PS5) • GamePro

If you’ve just got your hands on a beautiful Playstation 4 or 5, you might be wondering what the best free PlayStation games are to get you started.

With most AAA games now retailing north of $100, you’ll be pleased to know that the PlayStation store has a litany of free games for you to play whilst you wait for Horizon Forbidden West or The Last of Us to go on sale.

From sci-fi shooters to fishing and even an excellent platformer for you to try out the latest new features with, free PlayStation games are not too hard to find. 😍

To help you decide which is the best free PlayStation game to download next, we’ve played hundreds of hours of free titles to bring a shortlist of our top 13 favourites.

Scroll on down to unlock your next adventure! 👇

Even when you’re only looking for free games, there’s a lot to choose from, so to make finding your new favourite game easier, we’ve selected the best game for each genre.

It’s actually incredible when you think just how many hours of entertainment you can acquire without spending a single cent. That is if you can avoid in-game purchases of course which is how free PlayStation games make their money!

Here are the top 13 best free PlayStation games to play now:

As always, my list of free PlayStation games has been curated based on the principle of selecting a variety of games that could sit nicely within a single game collection. While there are many other free PS4 & PS5 games to consider, I don’t like listing repeats or sequels so go easy in the comments! 👇
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Destiny 2

Best Free PlayStation Game Overall

Release Date: 28th August 2017
Game Developer: Bungie
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

It should be no surprise that the studio behind Halo has made one of the best Action games on the PlayStation store. Though Destiny 2 was originally a pay-to-pay game, the game switched in 2019 and has continued to release support for the game since.

Destiny 2 has you play as an adventurer– either a Hunter, Warlock or Titan– completing quests for a guild of Guardians. That might sound like your classic dungeon-crawling fantasy setting, but instead, you’re a gun-toting rogue exploring alien planets.

All the missions can be done in a group, so bring along your friends and set out for the stars. The player base may be smaller now but with a group of friends or some groups you can find online, there are still many reasons why Destiny 2 is the best free PlayStation game overall.
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Fortnite

Most Popular Free PlayStation Game

Release Date: 21st July 2017
Game Developer: Epic Games
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Fortnite is the most popular game by a landslide. Maybe if Roblox was on PlayStation it would have some competition but the fact is that Fortnite is too versatile.

If you want to play parkour, team deathmatch, battle royale or the original Save The World mode, you just select it from the menu and play. The developers make big changes each season– they’ve previously added tanks, perks, climbing, and fishing.

Then come the crossovers and collabs. Dragon Ball Z, The Witcher, Robocop, Arian Grande, and Kid Laroi have all appeared. So it’s safe to say that there will be something that you’ll like in Fortnite when you can avoid the sweaty players.

But who am I kidding, you’re sick of this game already! 😂
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Genshin Impact

Best Free RPG Game On PlayStation

Release Date: 28th September 2020
Game Developer: MiHoYo
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

If you played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and wish it were multiplayer (and more anime), then Genshin Impact will be a dream come true.

Cooking, climbing and crossing lush vistas all make an appearance alongside a colourful cast of characters. The big differences are that the game relies more on RPG elements– levelling up, looting new items and crafting with elemental powers.

See Also: List Of Best Japanese Role-Playing Games

The catch is that you collect more by buying them gatcha-style, so getting the water wizard or fire fairy you want can consume both your time and your money. That said, the locations look lovely on the PS5 and buying more characters is optional, so it’s definitely worth the price of admission.

Genshin Impact is without question the best free PlayStation game for RPG fans.
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Warframe

Best Free PlayStation Action Game

Release Date: 25th March 2013
Game Developer: Digital Extremes
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Warframe is the game you’d imagine aliens play.

Your characters, the Tenno, are nano-suited puppets controlled and twisted by the void. You begin having your Tenno awaken from cryo sleep and enlist to fight the Sentient threat. It’s all completely bizarre, yet looting and shooting aliens with your friends is the best reason to spend time in this world.

The game also holds daily events, releases a steady stream of new Tenno and stories, and generally has a lot to get invested in. Before you know it, you’ll be invested in the intergalactic war, and know the intricate lore like the back of your hand.

If you like free PlayStation games with a difference, try out Warframe.
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Apex Legends

Best Free PlayStation FPS Game

Release Date: 4th February 2019
Game Developer: Respawn Entertainment & Panic Button Games
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Fortnite’s biggest competitor, Apex Legends, has some big differences.

The first is that it’s first-person and the action sure is tenser because of it. You can’t peek around corners or watch your periphery without giving yourself away for one! The second is its characters (or legends), who all have a handful of special abilities to watch out for.

Seeing through walls, tracking enemies and stealth skills all mean that strategy is a key part of the game. Then to top it off, the maps are much smaller, which makes matches quick and deadly. If Fortnite is too relaxed for your taste, maybe Apex Legends will slake your thirst.

If you’re looking for the best free Playstation games that come with a huge online player base, Apex Legends is definitely worth exploring.
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Resident Evil Revelations 2: Episode 1

Best Free Horror PlayStation Game

Release Date: 24th February 2015
Game Developer: Capcom
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

If you’re looking to work up a cold sweat for free, you’ll find slim pickings.

Though PS Plus has a litany of horror titles– Dead by Daylight, Until Dawn and Hello Neighbor– there are only two free horror games on the PlayStation store. This is the complete opposite of some of the best Xbox Horror games which can mostly be found on the Xbox Game Pass. However, for PlayStation, the only free horror games include:

• Chapter 1 of Opus Castle
• Episode 1 of Resident Evil Revelations 2

Both are definitely worth a try for hungry horror fans, but Resident Evil Revelations 2 edges out the win with its co-op campaign and bigger budget scares. In fact, the entirety of the Resident Evil series is worth playing for nostalgia alone.
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Just Dance 2023 Edition

Best Free Family PlayStation Game

Release Date: 22nd November 2022
Game Developer: Ubisoft
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Until now, the Just Dance games were full price, but recently Ubisoft has decided to take a different tact. With the 2023 Edition, Just Dance is now free-to-play on the PlayStation and is scheduled to become the last one in the series with new free & paid content constantly being added instead of yearly releases.

See Also: Must Play Switch Games For Kids

Year 1 has seen songs from Billie Eilish, Encanto and even Linkin Park be added, with more to come. The game has also added online multiplayer, so you can play and party with your friends, wherever they may be.

As the best free PlayStation game to play at home with your friends and family, challenge your crew to a dance-off tonight and see who can move like Jagger!
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SMITE

Best Free MOBA PlayStation Game

Release Date: 25th March 2014
Game Developer: Hi Rez Studios
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Sadly, the PlayStation store hasn’t got any free real-time strategy games.

But, if you like MOBAs, Smite is the biggest and most popular free MOBA game on the PlayStation. The game is themed around the legendary and mythical gods of all the pantheons of the world. See Aphrodite fight alongside Maui as you coordinate your team towards capturing the enemy base.

See Also: Best Real-Time Strategy Games (All Platforms)

The game has been going strong for over seven years now and has over a hundred playable gods. Genesha, Hel and even King Arthur make an appearance, so you’ll have no difficulty finding one to champion. The real challenge is smiting your enemies.
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Rocket League

Best Free Sports PlayStation Game

Release Date: 7th July 2015
Game Developer: Psyonix
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

Car soccer has been around for a surprisingly long time, but if that’s all that Rocket League was, it wouldn’t be half as popular as it is today. Instead, your vehicle is outfitted with rocket boosters and some amazing suspension to allow the game to be played in the air as much as on the field.

See Also: Best Sports Games (Xbox, PlayStation, PC & Switch)

It’s soccer 2.0 and though you might initially have some difficulty scoring while bouncing around the arena, when you spike one past the goalie, the fanfare that resounds makes you feel like a true soccer star.

If you have never heard of Rocket League until now, you have unfortunately been living under a rock. As one of the most competitive eSports games of all time, there is still a huge player base across Australia despite it’s 2015 release.
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Astro’s Playroom

Best Free PlayStation Platform Game

Release Date: 12th November 2020
Game Developer: Team Asobi
Platform: PlayStation 5

If you’re playing on a PlayStation 4, you might be disappointed to find out that one of the best free games on the PlayStation store is a PS5 exclusive. Astro’s Playroom is the game that launched with the PS5.

It was made both for players to experience the system’s new haptics and adaptive triggers, and as a love letter to PlayStation’s history. All the big Playstation titles (and many of the lesser-known ones) make an appearance among the cute robots playing around.

The collectables are consoles and memorabilia like the PlayStation Eye or the Vita. And, as a love letter it makes cupid look stupid. A must-play game for PlayStation enthusiasts who want to honour everything that makes PlayStation so great.
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Overwatch 2

Best Free Multiplayer PlayStation Game

Release Date: 4th October 2022
Game Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

The original Overwatch had the problem of being a full-priced team game with six on either side. Getting five friends to buy the game was the first hurdle and getting them together was the second, and most frustrating battle.

Overwatch 2 is free, and has cut down to five-person teams. Now, you can team deathmatch like a real team or strategise like a real squad. So get some buddies together to do some hacking, gunslinging, or hamster-ball rolling this week.

With the game’s wide-ranging roster, it’s not hard to find a hero that you like to play. After that, the only challenge is locking in Junkrat before anyone else.
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Hitman 3: Starter Pack

Best Free Single-Player PlayStation Game

Release Date: 20th January 2021
Game Developer: IO Interactive
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

More than just a trial for the third game, the Hitman 3 Starter Pack allows owners of previous games to play all their previously unlocked maps in Hitman 3. And if you haven’t bought those, you can enjoy the limited rotation of full, free maps. Maybe you’ll get an assignment in beautiful Bangkok. Visit the opulent Himmapan resort, walk among the flowing ferns and byzantine pillars.

And once you’ve had your fill, assassinate one of the naughty guests.

But that’s not the end of it, even with one or two maps available, the trial manages to pack in a multitude of entertaining ways to complete your contracts. Tamper with your target’s microphone for an electric performance, poison his birthday cake, or kindly fix up a rickety tuk tuk.
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Call Of Duty Warzone 2.0

Best Free Co-Operative PlayStation Game

Release Date: 14th November 2022
Game Developer: Infinity Ward
Platform: PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5

You and your squad drop into an evacuated airport. Planes are sitting out in the open and craters have spoiled the tarmac. Spreading out to look for supplies, you hear footsteps nearby. A teammate barks a warning over the comms, but a firefight ensues.

Warzone 2.0 is filled with these moments, and planning movements or attacks with your team puts it in a league above most other cooperative games. You fight over ammo, you make hail mary plays and cheer after a hard won victory. 2.0 has added swimming, patrolling NPCs, and a new 2v2 Gulag to fight for your freedom in.

Just be sure that you are ready to be frustrated. If you can manage to avoid any loose hackers, your time in the Gulag will not be pleasant.
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The Final Word

Free-to-play Playstation games count as some of the most popular and successful games of all time among their ranks. It’s a big business, which provides great benefits for new players. It means you can play Fall Guys, Multiversus or World of Tanks until you love it or decide it’s not for you– All without paying a penny.

But if you do like a game, they usually have endless content to buy and play through. And if you haven’t found what you’re looking for among these games, maybe you’ll find our selection of the best games on PlayStation Plus to be more to your taste.

There’s nothing better than spending money on in-game content when you really love a game. I’ve had many an experience like with Battlefield 2024 where I purchased the full-price pre-release only to find out after one session that it was not for me. For that, free PlayStation games that you wind up spending weeks playing are even more special.

Have we missed any free PlayStation games worthy of making the list?

Drop a comment below with your recommendations for us to play, and if they are worthy enough, we’ll add them to our shortlist! Once you’re done, don’t forget to check out some of my other roundups, game reviews and technology deep dives:

• Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset Review
• Best Gameboy Advance Games.
• Must Own PC Games For Kids.
• Best VPN For PlayStation Gamers
• Top 10 Video Games Based On Books
• Nintendo Switch Vs Nintendo Lite.
• Best Nintendo DS Games (All Time)
• Best Farming Games (PC, Xbox, PS & Switch)

Content Disclaimer: This handpicked shortlist of the best free PlayStation games for the PS4 & PS5 has been independently written. GamePro has not been commissioned by any game developers featured on this list, nor have any royalties been exchanged for this article. This includes financial reimbursement, free advertising or free gifts.

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