The best platforms to find quality free games

With video games often costing $70, knowing how to find the best free games can save you hundreds of dollars each year. Whether you play on PC, mobile or console, here's how to find some of your favorite free games - including blockbusters and hidden gems.

Where to find free games on PC

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Steam is a longtime favorite of PC gamers and the first place to check for free games. The store has an entire section dedicated to free games (you'll find this under the Categories tab), including everything from MMORPGs like Star Wars: The Old Republic to fast-paced FPS games like The Finals.

You can even sort by category to narrow down all your options. To find the newest free games, you'll want to scroll down to the Trending Free Steam tab, which compiles the hottest new releases and usually includes a ton of great indie games.

In addition to Steam, the Epic Games Store is another great option. This is where you'll find Fortnite and Rocket League, but the platform also offers weekly free games. Just create an account, claim the free game and you'll keep it forever.

For indie games, itch.io can't be beat. Itch.io is home to thousands of indie games - and you can easily sift through all the free titles by setting the price option to "Free". You won't find many big-budget titles here, but if you're a fan of experimental and indie titles, itch.io should be bookmarked on your browser.

Other good options include GOG and Prime Gaming. GOG is home to classic games, indie games, and more, although its catalog of free games isn't as impressive as Steam, the Epic Games Store, or itch.io.

And while Prime Gaming doesn't technically offer free games, Prime members will find a bunch of games to win each month. Use it to request titles like Forager and SteamWorld Heist, and it's always worth checking to see what's been added to the catalog.

Find free mobile games (App Store and Google Play Store)

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Hunting for free mobile games is easy. But finding good free games on mobile devices is a completely different story. Luckily, there's no shortage of hidden gems available on iOS and Android, as long as you know where to look.

On the App Store, you never have a problem checking out the Popular Games and What We're Playing Now sections. Popular Games is a collection of hit games that have attracted a large number of players, while What We're Playing Now is a collection of beloved games from the people who run the App Store. Not all are free, but most are, and since they cover a wide range of genres and are always changing, these two are a great place to start.

Alternatively, just scroll to the top free games section at the bottom of the App Store. Here you will find titles like Roblox, Monopoly Go, Subway Surfers and Brawl Stars.

Finding free games on Android follows the same process. Along with browsing the Top Rated and Popular Games sections , you can browse the Top Charts section titled Top Free . The Top Grossing section is another good option, however, note that some of these may be paid games or heavily monetized through small in-game transactions.

Find free games on Xbox, PS5 and Switch

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Finding free games on Xbox Series X, PS5 and Nintendo Switch is a simple process - and the same technique applies to all three platforms. First, you need to go to the corresponding store on your console. Once there, you'll see options to filter games by price. Set it to $0 and you'll get a long list of free games.

Additionally, some platforms often advertise a free game section, giving you quick access to the most popular free titles.

You can even check out the Most Popular sections of these stores, as you'll often find free games here like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Apex Legends. Those 3 games alone will give you thousands of hours of fun for $0.

Finding free games isn't difficult once you know where to look. Whether you're playing on PC, console or mobile, there are always plenty of new free games to discover.

Lesley Montoya

Update 27 August 2024