22 Best Free Open World Games of All Time

There are honestly a lot of free games out there in the world right now. Some are pure open-world titles, some are battle royales with big maps, and others are full-on MMORPGs. Either way, if you want a big game for free? You have options. Here are a few of them in this case.

#22 Call of Duty Warzone

Let’s start off with a franchise you’re all familiar with, Call of Duty. Specifically, Call of Duty Warzone, which is their foray into the Battle Royale genre, and it’s clearly worked for them as they’re continuing to make the game bigger and grander as time goes on.

You should know how battle royales work by now. You’ll be dropped into a large map and expected to be the last one standing. Whether you honestly live up to that promise is up to you.

One could argue that this is something that Call of Duty needed because instead of just chugging out a game per year and hoping it’s good, they can just update this one to keep people playing it.

#21 PUBG Battlegrounds

We started out with a battle royale game, but now let’s talk about THE battle royale game that very much kickstarted the boom that we are all in right now.

PUBG Battlegrounds may not be as proud or famous as it was before, but a free game is a free game. And while a certain other title has stolen their spotlight, they’ve been doing their best to improve things, add more maps and content, and giving you plenty of items to customize your characters.

If nothing else, there’s still a LOT of glory in this game to be earned. So load up and see if you can beat all the other players!

#20 Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

Next up we’re going to talk about a game that is all the rage in Japan, and is trying to be that in the rest of the world. Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis is technically a sequel, technically not, of the hit MMORPG from the land of the rising sun? It’s honestly really hard to explain.

But the point is that this is a free MMORPG title that you can play with friends all over the world, and you’ll have a very fun JRPG adventure to go and be on. Phantasy Star is massively popular in Japan, so this game is an extension of that, and thus why it’s doing so well.

#19 Realm Royale Reforged

It’s always interesting when a game tries to “reinvent” itself in order to better please fans. Realm Royale Reforged has done that with their title. They listened to players and said that they were going to bring in features that they had gotten rid of before.

Such as bringing armor back into the title, or how you can now lock your classes again.

They’ve also made sure that the things players did like about the game are still in it. Like movements and combat abilities. Just with a few additions to make it all robust.

Is it worth it? Jump in the game and find out for yourself!

#18 Conquerors Blade

Are you ready to get medieval?!?!?

..what do you mean, “no”? You’re reading this entry, aren’t you? You know what? Whatever, we’ll just keep going.

In Conquerors Blade, you’ll have a unique MMO experience. Because here, you’re playing on one of two sides in a massive medieval clash. You are either on the side of those trying to take a castle, or those trying to defend it. You’ll command massive amounts of units and have to work together with other players in order to succeed in your mission!

Will you be the heroic defenders, or the conquering heroes? Jump in and find out!

#17 Trove

Trove is a familiar looking title with a truly expansive set of ways to play the game. Here, you’ll have a literal infinite number of realms that you can go and explore and have fun in. You can search for treasure across all of them, or pick a class that is perfect for fighting and then set out to conqueror all the monsters that you come across.

Oh, and you won’t just be visiting these realms, you can build them yourself! Play with yourself and others and see just how expansive Trove can be for you all. You might just be surprised at what you get to do.

#16 Creativerse

If you’re wanting a more creative experience, then the aptly titled Creativerse is one for you to partake in. When you start on this adventure, you’ll be in your own private world that stretches far and wide. As you progress through it, and discover your abilities, you’ll be able to make the realm whatever you want it to be.

Then, when you want to see what the other players in the game have made, go and do that! You can hop from your private realm to a more public world and work with other players to build whatever you want them to be. So go have fun and create!

#15 Undefeated

Are you ready to finally live out your superhero power fantasy? In Undefeated, you’ll be a hero of a small town, and it’s up to you to keep it safe from villains. The good news is that you have unlimited powers and abilities, so you’ll be perfectly suited for whatever challenges come your way.

Plus, there are special challenges in the game that’ll test your strength and speed and skill. Such as being able to destroy a whole bunch of objects within a set amount of time. Or, flying through the air and going through all sorts of hoops.

Either way, Undefeated will leave you feeling…uh… Undefeated.

#14 Ring of Elysium

Behold a reality show unlike any other, because there is no chance that this would ever happen in the real world…we hope.

In Ring of Elysium, you are part of a group of people who are trying to survive. Survive what? How about a NUCLEAR EXPLOSION!!! Yes, you’ll have to get out of the area before the nuclear cloud reaches you. But it’s not just about the escape, it’s about whether you use all that’s around you to escape in time!

Other players will try and stop you, and if you don’t make it to the helicopter in time? Well…it was nice knowing you.

#13 Unturned

What happens when Minecraft meets a true zombie apocalypse? You get Unturned, that’s what, for better or for worse.

In the game, you are in a world where zombies are everywhere and it’s your job to survive them no matter the cost or tactic. You can load up with weapons and choose to go in guns blazing to wipe them all off the face of the Earth. Or, you can go and try stealth in order to work your way around the zombies so that they don’t notice you.

Either way, survival is crucial, so make sure you are up to the task of it in Unturned.

#12 Dead Frontier 2

You’d think there would be more online games out there that have you as one of the remaining survivors of the world, but Dead Frontier 2 is honestly one of the few out there to do it.

In this world where darkness is everywhere and there are monsters far and wide, it’s up to you to decide how you will live.

With resources scarce, and ammo in short supply, if you come up against threats you must take them out quickly and ensure you still have more for what’s to come.

How will you treat fellow survivors? Will you aid them in their time of need? Or leave them behind? Your choices matter, as each can affect your survival.

#11 Albion Online

Albion Online took a very different track if you will in terms of how they wanted players to act in their game. By that, we mean that in this game, “You Are What You Wear”. The pieces of armor you wear, the weapons that you use and so on will define how you play this game. There are no classes to choose from, or restrictions on what you can do with your character.

If you want to become something, then find the pieces you need to make it happen and be that!

Furthermore, the game has a full-on player-driven economy. Just about everything you see in terms of weapons, armor and items are made by players! So be a part of this unique experience by playing Albion Online.

#10 Dauntless

If you’re looking for more of an action-RPG style thing, then Dauntless might just be what you want. In this game, you’ll play as a Slayer, who is tasked with going around the world and going after massive monsters known as Behemoths.

Fear not though, you won’t have to struggle against these monsters alone. With thousands of other players around you, you’ll be able to team up and take them down with extreme power and precision.

Then, build yourself up to be an even better slayer by making better weapons and armor to take down the threats ahead. So, ready to slay some behemoths?

#9 Planetside 2

Behold, Planetside 2, a free-to-play game where the goal is to truly take over the world. But not just in the sense that you “suddenly rule the planet”. Oh no, this is an actual world that you’ll have to take over in full, and with three empires trying to do that, the fighting never stops.

You’ll choose from one of these three entities trying to rule and then fight in massive-scale battles across a variety of continents.

Battles are just one aspect of war though. You’ll need to control whole territories, get resources and ensure that you can better handle the next fight! The next fight for the planet is always just around the corner, so be ready for that.

#8 EVE Online

EVE Online likes to boast that it’s the “#1 space MMO” out there, and it’s not wrong on certain aspects of that. Mainly in how the game has been around for 20 years, and that 20 years has been full of events and additions that the players have helped shape.

Because in this massive universe, you’ll have 7000 different solar systems to be in and explore. Your decisions will affect the fate of certain things, and with 350 different ships that you can pilot, you’ll have plenty to fly around in.

So we guess the real question is, why haven’t you started playing EVE Online yet?

#7 Lord of the Rings Online

It’s appropriate we’re talking about Lord of the Rings Online right now, as the new TV series The Rings of Power is set to release soon and renew interest in Middle-Earth.

In this MMORPG, you’ll get to pick one of 7 different races and then scour Middle-Earth in search of adventure, glory, or to fight off the evils of Sauron! You can even be a monster in his servitude should you want!

Everything is faithfully recreated to be just as JRR Tolkien described it. So fans of the franchise will feel right at home in Lord of the Rings Online.

#6 Genshin Impact

Yes, it’s time to talk about Genshin Impact, a game that many of you out there are playing no doubt not just because its free, but because of the “characters” you can get in the game. You play just for those characters, don’t you?

…anyway…the actually STORY of the game focuses on a “traveler” who ends up in the world and is separated from their sibling. Now, they must travel the lands in order to find them, and stop a bunch of conflicts in the process. You’ll summon certain “characters” in order to help you with that.

…you’re already thinking about those characters, aren’t you? See? This is why gaming is doomed…

#5 Warframe

Warframe has slowly but surely become a very popular MMO. One where players get to wield mighty exosuits known as Warframes, and take them into battle on a large scale.

Seriously, this game is much bigger than you realize. There are over 50 Warframes in the game, there are over 500 individual weapons that you can wield within it, and they even had their own convention not too long ago!

So take your own suit and try and stop a galactic struggle! Or just go and see how incredibly powerful each of these suits are. Your choice.

#4 Destiny 2

Many people don’t realize that Destiny 2 is free to play up to a certain point, so you’ll definitely want to try it out if you haven’t yet.

The sequel does its best to expand on the original game in a variety of ways. Including having a deeper story, more balance and consistency in combat, and having a wide array of DLC.

It’s taken them a while to figure everything out, but the version you’re getting now is definitely one to remember. As a result, if you haven’t gotten Destiny 2 yet, now would arguably be the best time to do so.

#3 Star Wars: The Old Republic

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…well, not really. More like a decade ago in a developer that you all know about via Bioware, an MMORPG was born.

Star Wars: The Old Republic isn’t the first Star Wars MMO out there, that would be Star Wars Galaxies, but with Star Wars: The Old Republic, you got to go back to a time before the movies, and live in the days of Knights of the Old Republic. Where the Jedi and Sith war was rampant, when there were plenty of places to go and visit, and plenty of species to be.

The game is free now, and it has literal years of content to keep you occupied. Hence, the Force is strong with this one.

#2 Fortnite

Yes, alright, we yield! Fornite is one of the best free and open-world games out there, ok? You don’t have to rub it in.

Fortnite may not have started out the way it is now, but it learned and adapted quickly to what people wanted. And what people wanted were a LOT of skin options, lots of emotes, lots of battle modes, and consistent fresh content. Which Fortnite has delivered in droves.

Just recently they announced the Destiny crossover, and you have a bunch of Dragon Ball characters in the game now! Add that to Star Wars, Marvel and DC Comics, Naruto and so on, and this game is likely never going to run out of options for you.

#1 RuneScape

We admit, RuneScape is a bit of an odd choice to have as the No.1 game. But would you really like to know WHY it’s the NO.1 on this list? Because RuneScape knows what it wants to be, and it does all it can to be that without compromise.

This was never meant to be the greatest MMORPG ever, but it still is a darn good one. With a very loyal community that has made it a sensation for a very long time now. It’s always updating, there’s something always going on, and you have a lot of freedom to do what you want!

Isn’t that what we all want in video games?