However, some of the best titles on the list of the best free-to-play games on Steam offer quite a bit more story than some might expect. Different plots, different art styles and different play styles among the best of the best of free-to-play offerings means that there’s something on offer for almost everyone.
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Apex Legends Finally Joined Steam
One factor when trying to determine the absolute best free-to-play games on Steam is whether or not a game is on offer on another platform. One of the best free-to-play shooters on the market today, when Apex Legends came to PC, the game had only been available to download through the Electronic Arts/Origin launcher until last fall. The game features three-player teams going up against each other in its 60-player battle royale mode, as well as three-versus-three Arena deathmatches as well. While users can play the base game without paying a dime, those who want to unlock new characters or skins are going to have to lay out a little cash.
Destiny 2 Wasn’t Always Free-To-Play On Steam
It’s not very often that a game will start out at full price, and then transition to free-to-play. Fortnite is one such game that did that, but Epic changed the focus on what exactly Fortnite was from its “save the world” survival offering. When Destiny 2 first launched, it was a standard release with a $59.99 price tag. Of course, even when the game did hit the market, there were some free-to-play features mixed in, such as the ability to buy different emotes and skins. Eventually, Destiny 2 went fully free-to-play in 2019.
Since then, the game has managed to keep up the same high-quality offerings it did when it was a full-price game by offering some big annual expansions. By offering the base game as free-to-play, people are able to see if it’s something they want to get into before they decide whether or not they want to play any of the Destiny 2 expansions on offer. The level of quality is there in Destiny 2 as a AAA hero shooter with tons of loot to grind, and is easily one of the best free-to-play titles available on Steam.
Warframe Offers Space Ninjas On Steam
While Warframe actually hit the games market before Destiny, there is a certain segment of the gaming community that believes it’s quite similar or even meant to be a direct competitor to the latter. There are some rather obvious similarities between the two games: Both are set on an earth that is very far in the future, with both games also featuring characters decked out in rather impressive armor while blasting away with various weapons, all collected through loot progression.
There are also some pretty clear differences, in that the main characters of Warframe are actually a kind of space ninja race called the Tenno. These particular characters are all armed with a suit of biomechanical armor called the titular “Warframe.” Each one of those pieces of armor offers different special abilities and a different way to take on waves of enemies in the game. While the game was a bit under the radar when it first hit the market, it’s gained a bit of a cult following over the last few years. These days, Warframe even has its own convention called Tennocon, and still boasts thousands of active players.
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Dota 2 Is Uniquely Steam’s Free-to-Play MOBA
Dota 2 is a bit different than other free-to-play offerings on Steam, in part because the company that administers the online storefront also develops and supports this MOBA. There’s also the fact that the free-to-play gaming category tends to be moving towards first-person shooters primarily, but MOBA games are still very popular options for hardcore fans of the genre. Dota 2 has been a mainstay in the genre for just as long as League of Legends has.
Dota 2 allows players to take on a ton of different characters and fight in massive battles. There are quite a few different “heroes” on offer in Dota 2 that are totally free to play with, but users are also able to unlock even more characters through playing the game consistently. Those who are interested in this MOBA can only find it on Steam, making this is a true standout when looking for free-to-play titles to sink plenty of time into.
Quake Champions Shake Steam Players To The Core
Quake Champions is a fast-paced Arena shooter that went free-to-play in 2018, that is meant to be a successor to the original Quake game that debuted more than 20 years ago. In fact, Quake Champions is actually a kind of combination of the original Quake, which also has the multiplayer aspects of Quake III Arena. However, this particular title adds a modern twist, in that it offers Champions that are similar to what players might see in something like Overwatch.
Among the stable of Champions in this offering are well-known characters like BJ Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein. While the game isn’t among the most well-known or mainstream games out there, it is absolutely one of the best free-to-play games available on Steam these days.
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