Best free PS4 games in 2023

The best free PS4 games are here whenever you have a need for a new game but a lack of cash to spend. And these are permanently free titles too, so you don’t have to worry about monthly time limits like with PlayStation Plus

While the free games you get each month with Sony’s subscription service are excellent, you get a random selection every month. The games in these lists are permanently free-to-play (excluding some optional premium purchases), so are perfect for dipping your toe into certain genres, or if you want something to play while saving money to save up for a PS5.

Take a look at our top picks below, and also our selection of the best PS4 games overall too if you want more ideas and don’t mind paying for your games..

The best free PS4 games to play today

(Image credit: WB Games)

1. MultiVersus

Warner Bros. has an enormous roster of iconic characters under its umbrella, so what better to do with them than have them battle? 

In similar style to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros., you’ll be fighting on a 2D field with multiple platforms to jump between and perhaps some stage hazards to avoid alongside your enemies. Knock them off the sides with your unique attacks and you’ll soon be able to claim a victory.

This game does come with microtransactions and season passes to unlock further content, but the base game is free.

Download MultiVersus (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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2. Splitgate

You know how an FPS works, but how does it change when you can create portals to teleport around the map? You can find out by playing Splitgate, which offers a robust free-to-play option.

Across one of twenty maps, you’ll have to think fast to make shots (and avoid them) from multiple unexpected angles and seize victory. The game boasts 15 different game modes, so you shouldn’t get board of portal-enhanced gunfights too soon. But if you do, or you fancy something more casually fun, there are custom, cross-platform lobbies to be made where you can mess around with weird custom game settings to your heart’s content.

Download Splitgate (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Konami)

The free version of eFootball still offers a surprisingly generous amount of content compared to the standard edition. You can play the main myClub mode, letting you pick players and managers to create the best squad possible. You can also train up play matches again the computer or other eFootball players, including those who own the full game, be it on the PS4, Xbox, PC or mobile.

The only real limitation is the small pool of teams you can use in Local or Co-op matches. You’ve only got a choice of nine.

Download eFootball 2022 (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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4. You Are Being Followed

If you have a PSVR headset, then you can try this virtual reality short about a blind woman and her guide dog. It’s based on a BAFTA Young Game Designers award winner, which should give you a good idea of the themes and tone-heavy design of this experience.

Since your main character can’t see, the game relies a lot on sound. There are still visuals though, meaning the VR headset is definitely needed. It’s a great shame if you don’t have one, since it’s not like any of the other best free PS4 games on this list.

Download You Are Being Followed (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Sirlin Games)

5. Fantasy Strike

For an entry price of zero dollars, you can play Fantasy Strike, an easy-to-learn fighting game online in casual or ranked matches, or against the AI offline. If you want access to the rest of the modes, it’s $15.

What you do get however is all the game’s characters unlocked from the start. None of them use special inputs; all their fanciest attacks are bound to simple button presses. All you therefore need to do is focus on learning the strategy of moving through the 2D arena, and figuring out the best way to defeat each of the different playable fighters.

This game is still competitive online however. Don’t mistake the simple mechanics of this best free PS4 games guide member for a mindless game!

Download Fantasy Strike (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Hi-Rez Studios)

6. Rogue Company

Sure, Rogue Company is another competitive shooter with optional microtransactions, but it still has a place on this best free PS4 games list because you can get started with the 4v4 objective-based battles for zero dollars.

You’ll begin a match by skydiving in, but once you’re on the ground, there are a couple of things you might be faced with. There will either be a bomb, which you may be tasked with either planting or preventing from being planted, or a series of control points you’ll need to capture.

Once that’s over, the next round will begin, with the chance for you to spend money you’ve earned that match for various mini-objectives on better guns and new ability upgrades.

Download Rogue Company (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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7. Spellbreak

Forget your guns but bring your magical gauntlets for battle royale Spellbreak. While it’s a smaller scale fight than you might be used to, there is depth to be found thanks to six different battlemage classes and customizable load-outs for unique magical attacks, plus the usual power-ups to battle over around the map.

The game boasts a fully realized crossplay system, so you can play and make progress on a single account on any of your other current-generation gaming platforms, or just play with friends who don’t own the same console. What’s more exciting is the promised content that Spellbreak has in store for the future. You can expect this one of our best free PS4 games picks to gain more play modes, locations and backstory to be filled in throughout the game’s life, according to the developers’ promises.

Download Spellbreak (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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8. Genshin Impact

The Seven gods of Tevyat hold many secrets. Having woken up in this new world with no knowledge of it, and separated from your brother or sister, the answers to your predicament must be in their hands.

You’ll have to travel around Tevyat to find these deities, with your weapon of choice being the seven magical elements that the gods represent. You’ll also be able to traverse the landscape freely by land, water and air as the weather above you dynamically changes. Plus you can join up with up to three others to form a squad of adventurers.

This is the best free PS4 games list’s answer to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it does a good job of it. So if you’re looking for an RPG with a focus on exploration and magical combat that also happens to be free, then you really should take a look at this one.

Download Genshin Impact (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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9. Call of Duty: Warzone

You don’t need to have another CoD game on your PS4 to access Warzone, the franchise’s take on the battle royale genre. When you boot up the game and dive out of the plane into the game map, you’ll find yourself in a 150-player battle, on a huge island made of components taken from classic maps from the franchise. And when you take a fatal hit, you have a second chance in the form of the Gulag, a 1v1 match in a cramped environment against another player looking for a free rez.

Overall, there’s plenty that this member of the best free PS4 games guide offers, enough to maybe convince a Fortnite or PUBG fan to try a different game for once.

Download Call of Duty Warzone (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Hi-Rez Studios)

10. Smite

Most MOBA games place you as an aerial observer of the battlefield, but Smite puts you right behind your chosen character, who will be one of hundreds of gods from pantheons around the world. You stride, pounce or fly into battle against opposing heroes and their minions to destroy their Titan and win the match, taking out towers along the way. 

Smite is easy to pick up thanks to automatic settings for leveling your character’s abilities up and buying key items. but there’s plenty of depth and tactical enjoyment too once you turn off these settings, and look around the enormous 108 character roster for your favorite champions in each role. This MOBA/third-person action game combo is a unique experience among the best free PS4 games, and one that might help fans of its mixed-up genres appreciate the other.

Download Smite from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment America)

11. Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

You don’t need to have kept up with the enormous Gundam franchise of movies, TV shows and other games to enjoy this multiplayer game. Two teams of six head out onto the battlefield either on foot or in one of the series’ titular mechanical battle suits. This sequel also adds the option to leave the planet and fight in space, adding a whole new dimension to the fight.

Like many other best free PS4 games, you can unlock more and more content as you play, or pay with real money to unlock one of the 130 available mechas that takes your fancy straight away. The interactive lobby lets you meet up with other players to show off your collection, make upgrades and plan for the next battle. The developers are adding more and more content and holding special events too, so there’s always something new to check out.

Download Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2 (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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12. Genesis

It’s hard to find a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) title on consoles, but Genesis wants to be the best free PS4 games equivalent of League of Legends and other massive titles that dwell on PC. You can pick one of 28 heroes to take into a 5v5 battle in a sci-fi themed maps with dynamically changing elements, either in traditional multiplayer, single-player or in a co-operative PvE campaign. 

The game continues to grow over time to maintain your interest, allowing you to equip the champions with different items and weaponry. The inclusion of the PVE mode means you can learn to play or just chill out by fighting against AI opponents by yourself or with friends. The developers are also very open to discussing balance changes, which means you can hopefully change the game for the better if you really want to get involved.

Download Genesis (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Epic Games)

13. Dauntless

If you like Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, then this is one of the best free PS4 games for you. Either alone or with up to three other companions, you will be tracking and defeating enormous beasts, then taking the loot you’ve gathered home to upgrade your gear. The world’s rendered in a charming cartoon-ish style too, making it a joy to behold as you look for your next target, which will be one of many unique Behemoth creatures.

Along with the standard mode, you can also try out Escalation, a series of five battles that continue to raise the stakes and the difficulty so you and your companions can truly prove your hunting skills. There are also weekly trails that add different modifiers to add a fresh twist to your encounters, in return for unique rewards.

Download Dauntless (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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14. Apex Legends

Apex Legends puts a fresh spin on the genre made popular by PUBG and Fortnite, offering tactical, team-based gameplay in which 20 squads of three battle to be the last team standing. Apex Legends stands out from the best free PS4 games pack by allowing you to choose from distinct characters each with their own abilities (a la Overwatch), creating endless possibilities for how you strategize with your team. The game’s brilliant ping system lets you mark locations, weapons and enemies for your teammates without saying a word, and the smooth movement and gunplay just feels great — this is the team that delivered Titanfall, after all.

Download Apex Legends (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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15. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Free Edition

In a battle between Materia and Spiritus, the gods of protection and destruction, two teams of heroes from the Final Fantasy series must fight for them. In this free version, you can pick from a rotating selection of four fighters from the original roster and fight in online or offline bouts, swinging your weapons and casting spells in teams of three to take down your opponents. You can’t play the game’s story mode, but you can play online with people who have bought the game, and transfer your progress from the free version if you decide you enjoy it enough to buy the full experience.

Download Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Free Edition (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Epic Games)

16. Fortnite Battle Royale

Despite some serious competition from games like Apex Legends, Fortnite is still one of the best free PS4 games for a reason. This multiplayer shooter has 100 players parachute onto a battlefield and scavenge for weapons and supplies, then fight until there’s one person or team left standing. However, Battle Royale stands out by incorporating the base-building mechanics of the core Fortnite game, which adds an exciting wrinkle to the formula by letting you create traps and strongholds as you fight to survive.

Fortnite remains one of the biggest games out there thanks to constant updates and in-game events, from new skins and map changes to rebalanced weapons to live in-game concerts and even a whole fresh start in the form of Fortnite Chapter 2. Its colorful, whimsical art style also makes it a great battle royale starting point for younger players.

Download Fortnite (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)

17. Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters

Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters lets you try one of the biggest fighting games out there, but in the form of one of the best free PS4 games. But this is no limited demo — while you’ll be restricted to a handful of characters (which rotate out on a regular basis), you can still play the bulk of this frenetic 3D fighter’s modes, including training mode, online battles and a portion of the game’s story mode. 

Dead or Alive 6 evolves the iconic fighting franchise with a new meter system that lets you unleash devastating Break attacks, as well as the Fatal Rush which allows you to perform combos with a single button. All of this looks great thanks to the most stunningly realistic graphics the series has seen yet. If you like what you play, you can purchase individual characters a la carte, or upgrade to the full game.

Download Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: CD Projekt)

18. Gwent

Remember Gwent, the card game from The Witcher 3 that you spent more time playing than you did tackling actual quests? That card game is now its own stand-alone experience, and one of the most addictive of the best free PS4 games we’ve listed. Building on the original Witcher 3 iteration, Gwent is a free-to-play collectible card game that’s all about customizing your deck, summoning all kinds of cool attacks and spells, and outsmarting your opponent. 

Even if you’re not a fan of CD Projekt Red’s high-fantasy universe, Gwent is one of the best free PS4 games for anyone who wants an addicting card battler. You’ll need to position your cards carefully and play them wisely, otherwise you’ll find yourself winning by a mile in the first round and losing the second and third. There’s a choice of factions too to compliment your play style, meaning there’s plenty to explore.

Download Gwent (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Blue Mammoth Games)

19. Brawlhalla

Brawlhalla is the closest you’ll come to playing Super Smash Bros. out of these best free PS4 games picks, though it’s more than a mere knockoff. This frenetic platform fighter features beautiful hand-drawn 2D art, a colorful cast of characters and a unique battle system that lets you pick up weapons to completely change your fighting style midmatch as you strive to knock your opponent off the stage. 

The game supports everything from local, four-player party brawls to intense, one-on-one, competitive online matches, and you can experience it all for free. The only thing you’d have to pay for is permanent access to all of the game’s characters; otherwise, you can pick from a limited, rotating pool of fighters. Even if your friends don’t own a PS4, you can still play with them thanks to cross-play with the Xbox One, Switch and PC.

Download Brawlhalla (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

(Image credit: Hi-Rez Studios)

20. Paladins

It’s easy to pass off Paladins as a cheap Overwatch clone at first glance, but this team-based shooter has its own special quirks — and as its inclusion on the best free PS4 games list suggests, it costs nothing to play. Paladins stands out from the hero-shooter crowd by letting you customize your character via collectible cards, adding an extra level of strategy to the game’s tried-and-true objective-based combat. You’ll either be capturing points, pushing payloads into your opponent’s base, or just defeating as many as you can in straight-up combat, enhanced by a blend of fantasy/sci-fi themes and designs.

With a rich fantasy aesthetic and an ever-growing roster of champions, Paladins is a great team shooter for folks who don’t want to pony up the cash for Overwatch or dive headfirst into the well-established community of Team Fortress 2 — or for those who need a break from either one.

Download Paladins (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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21. Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is an online role-playing game that lets you live out every fantasy you’ve ever had about boldly going where no one has gone before, in the form of one of the best free PS4 games. To boil down our full Star Trek Online review, this sci-fi space adventure lets you play as a human, as a classic Star Trek alien such as a Vulcan and Cardassian, or even as a member of your own custom alien race. 

You’ll engage in both starship combat and on-the-ground shoot-outs, all while upgrading your tech to become even more power and playing through a rich storyline that delivers plenty of new lore for hardcore Trekkies to sink their teeth into. While Star Trek Online lets you purchase in-game currency for things like outfits and ship skins, you can also experience the entirety of its story for free. There are expansion packs on offer too if you’d prefer to spend your money on extra content.

Download Star Trek Online (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

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22. Warframe

Warframe has been around since the PS4’s launch, and it remains on the best free PS4 games list because it’s still evolving. This online sci-fi shooter casts you as a futuristic space ninja who commands their own Warframe: a remote-controlled robo-suit that has its own distinct attacks and abilities. You can team up with friends to tackle the game’s story missions or test your strength in competitive multiplayer, fighting across a Solar System of the far future.

Warframe is constantly getting new characters and content, such as customizable spaceships, open-world sections, cinematic quests and of course extra weapons. All this content makes this game a great pick for folks who want to loot and shoot their way through a bunch of cool-looking sci-fi worlds. It’s great if you’re community-minded too, with one of the busiest fanbases around and an annual fan expo too.

Download Warframe (opens in new tab) from the PlayStation Store

How to choose the best free PS4 game for you

If you like the sound of one of the best free PS4 games we’ve put on this list, here are a few questions you can think over before hitting the download button.

One of the best ways to get a feel of what a game is about is to simply check the genre. While there’s no reason why a game that’s not like anything you’ve played before won’t be to your tastes, it’s worth checking what type of game each title labels itself as. It will give you a good idea of what mechanics to expect, so you aren’t blindsided by a complicated combo system or left unsatisfied by a simplistic control scheme.

Some games give you everything they have to offer from the start, and hope you like them enough to spend some real money on them. Others are cut-down versions of paid products, which may result in locked-off content. Either way, it’s likely that going for the free option means missing out on something If it’s going to bother you not having access to all parts of the game, then steer clear or keep your credit card handy to rectify the situation.

The most crucial tip however is: don’t get invested if it isn’t fun. These are the best free PS4 games after all, emphasis on free. There’s no price to pay and no consequences if you don’t like one of these games after trying it out. Just play as many as you fancy until you find one you actually enjoy.