What are the best free MMOs on PC? There’s been an explosion of free-to-play options in recent years, especially in the massively multiplayer online space. We’re here to help you find genuinely enjoyable free MMO experiences and avoid the cheap cash-ins.
Even if your bank account is best friends with the number zero, our list of the best free MMORPGs currently available on PC promises endless hours of gameplay at absolutely no cost. From space games to anime games, let’s take a look at some of the best free PC games that are available to play without breaking the bank.
The best free MMOs available to try right now are:
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Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact offers a lot of everything. It’s an expansive open-world game with some of the least intrusive free-to-play mechanics going, relying on a gacha banners system that allows players to unlock popular Genshin Impact characters. After you’ve chomped through the main story, you’re ready to get into the real game, which is exploring the vast, pristine world of Teyvat while upgrading weapons and artifacts to refine your Genshin Impact builds. Wherever you go there are bounties to complete, rewards to earn, and events to take part in.
While there’s no multiplayer PvP in Genshin Impact, you can play through the enormous open world with up to three friends in co-op, whether you just want to relax and unwind by a lake or slay your way through a few dungeons. There’s cross-play, too, so it doesn’t matter if your friends aren’t playing on PC. If you’re looking to dive in, our guide on how to download Genshin Impact should be your next stop. We’ve also got a Genshin Impact tier list to help you craft your party, as well as a complete collection of currently active Genshin Impact codes to give you a head start.
Black Desert Online
If we were to rank the games in this list based only on quality, this one would be right up near the top – but since it’s only here based on a technicality, it didn’t seem fair to put it right at the top. What’s the technicality? Well, while you can play the game for free, you’re limited to only a week’s free trial. If you want to dip your toe, then please do go ahead, but you can’t play it indefinitely like the others.
Ever since its 2018 overhaul, the Black Desert Online player base has had their enthusiasm for the game reinvigorated. With one of the best character creators we’ve ever seen, a wonderfully beautiful world to explore and nuanced trade, combat, and diplomacy systems to get your head around. It’s a finely crafted MMO that the developers have worked hard to make as appealing as possible and if you want to take advantage of the free trial, read our Black Desert Online beginner’s guide to make the most of your free window of time.
Play the Black Desert Online free trial.
Star Trek Fleet Command
Ever wanted to enjoy the life of a Star Fleet admiral? Well, this game essentially gives you that very opportunity. You start out with just a simple home base and one ship, however, once you complete more and more missions, you unlock resources that enable you to expand until you have a huge armada. As you become a more powerful force in the galaxy, you’ll then find more and more dangerous missions becoming available to you.
From delivering essential supplies to battling Borg cubes, you’ll get to the point where you’ve got loads of ships doing different things across the quadrant. Fans will enjoy seeing many familiar faces and vessels as they progress through the game, but even if your knowledge of Trek lore is relatively surface-level, it can still be enjoyed as one of the best 4x games. Navigating the universe along with thousands of other players and deciding whether you want to work with them, or against them, is a huge part of the fun and it’s well worth joining this thriving community.
Play Star Trek Fleet Command for free.
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Enlisted
Storm the beaches of Normandy and battle across Europe in this free-to-play WWII shooter. Enlisted offers players the chance to fight and strategize as they take on a number of key campaigns from the conflict, where each new location offers unique weapons, vehicles, and aircraft to aid you in your battle.
You’ll build and improve your AI squad to incorporate a variety of specialists, from flame troopers to tankers, and with the ability to switch between each soldier under your command, every avenue of combat from tank to aerial support is open to explore.
This MMO is designed to please even the pickiest history buff with its impressive level of detail, particularly the fact that you’re limited to the equipment that was historically available for each specific campaign to get the job done.
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World of Tanks
There are over 800 tanks in World of Tanks, and if you revisit this page in the next hour that number will likely have grown. Essentially, if you are a fan of military hardware, you are a fan of World of Tanks. Unlike War Thunder, however, World of Tanks does not ask you to pour hours of research into learning the armor ratings and layout of every vehicle in the game; instead, World of Tanks takes a more arcade approach.
That is not to say there is a lack of sophistication, but rather that the core of the game has always been its fast-paced, arcade action. Like Call of Duty, World of Tanks is easy to learn but impossible to master. Clashes are won by fine margins and lightning-quick reflexes, while a compelling XP system and tech tree keep players coming back for more. Perhaps it’s not very realistic, but its speed and intensity make it one of the best tank games to play. There’s also a mobile version, World of Tanks: Blitz, which gives you a separate, handheld iteration of the game.
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War Thunder
Planes, tanks, and ships battling it out forever and ever and ever. That is the ultimate goal of War Thunder. It is a F2P title that specializes in vehicular warfare, with three similar but largely separate games under its title: Ground Forces, Aviation, and Naval Battles.
War Thunder’s frankly ridiculous number of vehicles all manage to stay unique thanks to the game’s realistic damage model, which simulates almost every single aspect of ballistics, from shell type and speed to the thickness and angle of the armor it is hitting. Every single shot is calculated, meaning that real-life tactics like staying hull down or angling your armor to deflect shells are essential skills to master in War Thunder. That realism means it can be a little tricky to get started, so be sure to read our pilot’s manual, AKA the War Thunder beginner’s guide.
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Crossout
As varied as it is satisfying, Crossout is a post-apocalyptic MMO action game that gives you the chance to scavenge and craft the materials to build more fearsome vehicles of battle beyond the imagination of any ten-year-old. What more could you possibly want from your online multiplayer games?
In what is essentially a free-to-play Mad Max: The Game, you customize a unique and wide range of vehicles with dozens of bespoke parts and use them to destroy your enemies in high-octane, action-packed skirmishes. You can play in both PvE and PvP modes, even fighting against player-created bosses.
You also have plenty of weapons at your disposal: rocket launchers and machine guns favor the most offensive and in-your-face players, whilst stealth generators and drones give you a greater choice in your approach. All your explosive efforts go toward your choice of five factions, too, earning you new blueprints, missions, parts, and, storage space. Shooting and building things has never been so lucrative. It can be a little tricky at first, so make sure you read our Crossout beginner’s guide.
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World of Warships
World of Warships switches out the twitch shooter elements of World of Tanks for a slowed-down and much more tactical style of play. Warships are leviathans: they crawl and creep across the map, and each one possesses enough power in a single barrage to wipe out anything else.
The change of pace makes for action that is more calculated and nerve-wracking. It can take a long time for shots to meet their targets, which means that every moment is spent trying to avoid incoming fire or anticipating where your foe will have moved to. World of Warships is also more cinematic than its on-tracks sibling thanks to the sheer scale its warfare is conducted on. Oh, and it has got some lovely sunsets too if that is what you want from a free-to-play war game.
With regular updates adding everything from Halloween cosmetics to Pan-Asian Destroyers to World of Warships, it’s not an MMO that will get stale any time soon.
Play World of Warships for free.
Supremacy 1914
There aren’t many strategy games that match the scope of Supremacy 1914, which sees you taking control of one of the nations that were involved in the First World War. A game can have as many as 500 people in it and will take a very long time to play out – and don’t worry, it won’t be too predictable, because you don’t necessarily have to follow the path of established history.
Every country plays a little differently (with different resources available, giving them all different strengths and weaknesses) and so you might want to try lots of different games playing as the different countries, or you might want to take your time becoming a master of your favorite one. Either way, it’s very easy to get sucked into Supremacy 1914’s deep intricacies.
Call of War: World War II
Much like Supremacy 1914, Call of War: World War II puts you and an enormous selection of other players on the world stage where you navigate your way through a global conflict – although while that game was focused on the First World War, this one, as you have already probably gathered, is about the second.
Do you want to follow the path laid out for you by history, or do you want to do things differently? Do you want to focus on growing your country’s economy and forging healthy alliances with your neighbors, or do you want to be a conqueror? There are many options available to you, and you’ll find yourself becoming very deeply invested in the games which will span huge periods of time (in the real world) – but don’t worry, you don’t have to do it in one sitting. Games can last for days and days, with the longest going on for 411 days.
Play Call of War: World War II for free.
Conflict of Nations: World War III
If you’re somebody who liked the sound of Supremacy 1914 and Call of War: World War II, but prefers games based around modern warfare, then this is one MMO you’re gonna love. Conflict of Nations: World War III is set in a hypothetical future where the global tensions of our time have escalated to such an extent that the world is in a state of all-out war, with each nation vying to become the biggest international super power.
There’s an enormous list of countries to choose from and there are various options for how you want to help them navigate this dystopian world. Obviously, you might want to focus on your military and the territories that you could soon bring under your control, or maybe you’d instead prefer to focus on boosting the economy, or advancing technological developments. Either way, it’s your chance to test your mettle on the global stage.
Play Conflict of Nations: World War III for free.
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Neverwinter
The name and setting of Neverwinter have a long and storied history online, beginning in 1991 with the first graphical single-player MMO, before revolutionizing the realm of player-made modules under the stewardship of BioWare with Neverwinter Nights. The rather more modern Neverwinter pulls from both – setting groups of D&D characters loose in the famous city while allowing players to write their own stories, with additions like Ravenloft characters being added to the game. There are some inventive community adventures on offer if you’re willing to dig.
Not that you will have to reach for those if you do not want to – expansions have taken Neverwinter players to some of the most beloved corners of the Forgotten Realms, including the Underdark and Icewind Dale. Plus, there’s also Baldur’s Gate 3 if you’re looking to explore more of this glorious world.
Romans: Age of Caesar
If you enjoy grand strategy games, then you’ll really like this MMO. In Romans: Age of Caesar, you and thousands of other players are working together to rebuild the Roman Empire, and you’ll be responsible for helping to develop and maintain a city with up to 16 different players.
Together, you’ll work to defend your community from attacking barbarians, while gathering resources that will allow you to further expand your city. You’ll eventually start carving out trade routes and building relationships with the cities run by other groups of players – ultimately it feels very much like you’re part of a very real virtual empire.
Play Romans: Age of Caesar for free.
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Star Trek Online
Character creation tools in MMOs let you shape everything from your avatar’s jawline and eyelash length to the exact density of their chest hair, but even they have got nothing on the options available in Star Trek Online. Tired of playing as a human? Great, here you can be a Gorn, Rigellian, Romulan, Klingon, or any other of the 30 race variations available.
Questing and progressing in Star Trek Online plays out like episodes from the TV series: one moment you are wandering through space, the next you are having to do deals with or shoot lasers at, one of the many franchise belligerents. Be it in spaceship battles or on the ground where gameplay takes the form of a third-person shooter, Star Trek Online does a brilliant job of bringing the storylines and tone of the TV shows into an F2P MMO. It even gets updated regularly like a TV show, with expansions like Victory is Life adding the crew from Deep Space Nine to the game.
Play Star Trek Online for free.
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Star Conflict
Star Conflict dumps players in the role of an elite space pilot on a quest to track down and fight for alien treasures scattered throughout its expansive sandbox. Essentially, the game’s progression is all about acquiring a bigger and bigger collection of ships, from agile fighters to floating behemoths, before finally handing you control of your own fleet.
PvE quests and raids see you and your friends facing off against squadrons of aliens or space pirates, while PvP is a looming threat wherever you venture. An impressive tech tree and catalog of ships means there’s always a reason to keep playing, as you’re never far off a new weapon type or ship module. Thanks to Star Conflict Oculus Rift support, this is also one of the only free MMOs you can play in VR.
Wizard101
These days, you can find tons of free MMOs online, but Wizard101 is one that originated back in 2008 and has remained popular over the years since then. In it, you play as a student of the Ravenwood School for Magical Arts and have to decide whether you want to enroll in the school of Fire, Ice, Storm, Myth, Life, Death, or Balance. Each school sets your character on a different path that will see them developing different sets of magical abilities, all of which will have an effect on how you battle enemies.
It’s also a game that has a surprisingly deep and nuanced storyline. You’ll find yourself coming up against the forces of former necromancy teacher, Malistaire. While at first, he may appear to be the ‘evil wizard’ archetype, you’ll soon find that his motivations are much more interesting, with more and more of the story revealed as you explore and discover new areas.
Final Fantasy 14
Making an MMO out of the beloved Final Fantasy series was never going to be easy. As if to prove that point, Square Enix made a royal mess of Final Fantasy 14 the first time around and had to take another swing at it, eventually turning one of their worst games into one of the best MMOs on PC. Its latest expansion, Dawntrail, is a testament to this, scoring a strong 9/10 in Ken’s FF14 Dawntrail review.
Unlike other MMOs, Final Fantasy 14 doesn’t force players down the route of having to grind endlessly with multiple characters to see which combat class they want to play as. Instead, you just need to make it to level ten and the ability to switch between the game’s eight combat classes is magically unlocked. It is also one of the very few cross-play MMOs, which means you can inhabit the same world as PlayStation users. You lucky thing.
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Raid: Shadow Legends
Raid: Shadow Legends offers a more strategic, management-focused take on the genre, as its gameplay largely revolves around collecting heroes and optimizing your squad. The turn-based combat encourages clever and calculated play, which will test the skills of both newcomers and more experienced players.
Raid also allows for online battles too. You can team up with other players and take on challenging missions or fight against a rival player’s AI-controlled squad. Both of these lead to high-quality rewards that can be used to further develop and improve your team. Raid is cross-platform, so if you sign up on Android or iOS, then you can share your progress on PC, too.
Play Raid Shadow Legends for free.
Sky: Children of the Light
Releasing originally on iOS with an Android version following shortly after, Sky: Children of the Light eventually made its way to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation in the years that followed. In early 2024 it entered early access for PC finally, and we can now include it in our list of the best free MMOs on PC. Phew.
In Sky, players are equipped with a cape that enables them to fly around a vast kingdom. There are now nine unique realms with various areas to explore, and each realm represents a different stage of the human life cycle. The realms are the Isle of Dawn, a desert which is the first available realm, the grassy Daylight Prairie, the Hidden Forest which is perpetually raining, the snow-covered Valley of Triumph, the bleak and abandoned Golden Wasteland, the stony towers of the Vault of Knowledge, and the final realm, the Eye of Eden, which can only be accessed when you’ve completed the rest of the main story.
You’ll encounter spirits which will help you to unlock items in exchange for an in-game currency known as Winged Light. This Winged Light is what will help you to level up your cape, meaning you can fly further, explore more, and progress through the game. There’s a heavy focus on the social aspect of this MMO, as you can meet and befriend fellow players, unlocking chat, gifts, and cosmetic items as your friendship level increases.
Maplestory
Maplestory is unlike anything else on this list, as the adorable anime game is a 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG. Over a decade old, Maplestory has over 260 million players across the world, and features the same content you would expect from an MMORPG – dungeons, bosses, powerful gear, and interaction with other players – it just comes with a completely original aesthetic for the genre.
If you’ve not heard of Maplestory before now, it might be worth knowing that there have been spin-off games, such as the single-player Nintendo DS game Maplestory DS, and even a TV anime adaptation. Bearing this is mind, and the fact that the PC port is developed by Nexon, the team that seems to turn anything to gold, there’s no reason not to at least give this cute free MMO a try.
World of Warcraft
This is one of the games that put the MMO genre on the map. While it was originally only playable to anyone who was willing to pay the subscription fees, these days you can get quite a lot of gameplay out of it without paying a thing (similar to Final Fantasy XIV). If you’ve always wanted to give it a try, this is a fantastic opportunity to do so (and it’s one of those games that every PC gamer should try at least once).
But if you’re someone who doesn’t know a thing about Blizzard’s beloved MMO, here’s what you need to know: it’s set in the world of Azeroth which is populated with humans, orcs, elves, and undead factions, along with countless other creatures. As an older MMO, it also has much more of a retro aesthetic, which really helps it stand out alongside newer titles. You can read our WoW The War Within review for an insight into some of the more recent additions to the game.
Palia
Palia is a completely free MMORPG that has taken the world by storm during its open beta so far. The surprise hit sees you create a character as you enter the adorable town of Palia – through a rift in the sky, no less. You’re the only person to have arrived via this particular method of travel, will no real memory of why or how, but luckily you’re not the first human to turn up recently, meaning the town’s local inn is pretty full. Never mind, there’s a massive plot for you to pitch a tent, chop down trees, mine stone, and all manner of other classic life and crafting game tasks before you head off to meet the others like you who have appeared in this world.
You can download Palia for free from the Epic Games Store or direct from the Palia website.
Stalcraft
Originally a Minecraft mod based on STALKER, Stalcraft brings the popular FPS game into a massively multiplayer format, with co-op, PvP, and PvE elements. As Stalcraft is inspired by Stalker, the game naturally takes place in Chernobyl exclusion zone, where players can explore, build, hunt, and participate in faction wars. Given the multiplayer aspect of the game, Stalcraft allows for a veritable feast of new mechanics and gameplay modes.
Tower of Fantasy
Following in the footsteps of Genshin Impact, this anime style open-world action MMORPG is taking the internet by storm. This is one of those free games where you can see the developer really pushed the boat out. The roster of Tower of Fantasy characters includes a wide variety of weapons with their own unique move sets, and you can even customize characters using creation tools and unlockable outfits.
What helps Tower of Fantasy stand out from the crowd is that its multiplayer elements have been very carefully designed with cooperation in mind. There’s nothing quite like venturing out into Aida with your friends, discovering new things, and taking on new foes. If you’re ready to start your journey, take a look at our Tower of Fantasy leveling guide, as well as our Tower of Fantasy beginners guide for some useful tips and tricks.
Paladins
A first-person shooter game with cartoon visuals and champions: Paladins might have a lot in common with Blizzard’s Overwatch, but it is worth seeking out for more than the fact that it is free. Developed by Hi-Rez Studios, who made the massively popular MOBA Smite, Paladins is built upon a simple class system that categorizes its champions by their main strategy on the battlefield.
Damage, Support, Flank, and Front Line are the champion types players can choose from, which makes deciphering their strengths and weaknesses dead easy. Still confused? Just check out our best Paladin’s champions guide. Playing as a Flank champion like Skye will mean you are best suited to attacking key objectives from behind enemy lines, whereas a Front Line champion excels at holding the line and stopping enemies from getting through. Ultimate meters for each hero also mean that the action never results in a stalemate by ensuring every player has an ace up their sleeve that can potentially turn the tide of the match.
Combine these core elements with constant updates that bring additions such as the Paladins battle royale mode, and you have a shooter that will keep you entertained for years..
Albion Online
Albion Online is an MMO without the constraints of character classes. It’s unusual, but welcome to not get bogged down in creating a class and feeling obligated to stick to it, especially after sinking hours into your build, which in Albion Online, is very easy to do. Instead, you build a character from the ground up, and your role in combat can be changed to complement your team and the situation at hand.
The player-driven economy and risky nature of losing all your loot in a poorly calculated move against your opponents or from an unprecedented enemy ambush is the main draw in Albion, a game that pushes tactics and decision-making to the forefront of the genre.
Path of Exile
An action RPG cut from the same cloth as the Diablo games, Path of Exile combines grim fantasy, compelling combat, and an extensive selection of gear, abilities, and upgrades to keep players grinding away for hours on end. Better still, you won’t just be retreading the same old ground every time you log in either, because every area is randomly generated across all servers – so the dungeon you and your friends are battling through will be different every time you tackle it.
It’s also an MMO that receives a massive content update and competitive shake-up every three months, with its most recent expansion, Expedition, adding heaps of new items and challenges to the game. Path of Exile 2 is now also with us if you’re enjoying the original game, but it sadly isn’t free-to-play.
Path of Exile also manages to shed some positive light on that most loathed of all monetization strategies: microtransactions. The game’s developers are so staunchly against pay-to-win business models that they’ve included only “ethical microtransactions” in their game, by which they mean they add no gameplay advantages to the customer whatsoever.
Guild Wars 2
With a storyline that reacts to the player’s actions, Guild Wars 2’s narrative is unique by MMORPG standards. Instead of traditional quests, players encounter dynamic events that pop up around the game world. Likewise, there are multiple paths to completion for each of these encounters, and intentional or not, your actions in Guild Wars 2 will have consequences.
For example, defending a town from a group of rampaging ogres might cause them to return with deadlier weapons or seek out refuge in a nearby cave – you will have to deal with the fallout of these events, whether that means repelling a stronger attack or hunting down and killing the remaining ogres. The result is a free MMO with the questing diversity of one of the best RPGs of all time: what’s not to love?
Tibia
This next free MMO is one that’s been on the scene for a long time. Predating World of Warcraft, and even Runescape, Tibia was originally released in 1997 and it’s a testament to the quality of the game that it’s survived for so long. It helps that it has a stylish 2D pixel aesthetic which could just as easily have been made last year as it could last century.
As for the gameplay, it’s a classic fantasy adventure. You choose whether you want to be a knight, a paladin, a druid, or a sorcerer and then you get to make your own way in the world of Tiba – you can battle monsters out on open planes, explore sunken temples at the bottom of the ocean, navigate through bustling city centers, or basically do whatever you want as you level up, find treasures, and uncover all the secrets of Tibia.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
When you are starting out Star Wars: The Old Republic it will not strike you as a unique MMO. You get some story, pick a faction and a class, and do some typically grindy missions for a while. Surprisingly though, that story soon gets better – a lot better – and you quickly find yourself pouring hours into the game just to get to the next cutscene.
While it began life as a subscription-based MMO, SWTOR is now also completely playable for free, although you should expect levelling up to take a little bit longer. If you fancy playing as a slave-turned-Sith or an Imperial Agent, though, it is a worthwhile grind. SWTOR isn’t just an MMO with a Star Wars lick of paint, it’s one of the best Star Wars games around.
Lord of the Rings Online
Wouldn’t it be nice to enter an MMO without having to plunge multiple hours wrapping your head around its lore? Chances are you will already know the basics of Tolkien’s Middle-earth before heading into Lord of the Rings Online – so that is half the battle. If Middle-earth: Shadow of War didn’t scratch that Tolkien itch then perhaps this free MMO will.
The other half is avoiding all the quests, NPCs, and PvP encounters so you can get on with what you’re really there to do: explore all the most famous locations from the franchise – locations like Rohan, Moria, and the Shire. In fact, pretty much every setting in the lore has made it into the game in some form. You can even waltz right through the gates of Mordor contrary to the classic meme, although in typical MMO fashion, you will have to do a whole lot of farming to meet the level requirements of some areas.
EVE Online
Not many space games boast battles so costly and sprawling that they’ve earned two Guinness World Records and had several books written about them. Eve Online is a free MMO and galactic conquest simulator like nothing else, where corporations made up of thousands of players duke it out across an entire solar system. You can start your own venture in this hostile galaxy, but the main draw is petitioning a corporation to hire you and throwing yourself into the life of a space-age peon. EVE has been around for a while, but a recent graphics update has kept it looking fresh, and two EVE Online expansions are set to release this year, making it a perfect time to start your journey.
Runescape
At over 20 years of age, Runescape isn’t far off being able to buy itself a drink at the bar – you don’t get to that age in that industry without being one of the best PC games. By gaming standards, it should be abandoned and decrepit, but with a still thriving community, one of the best free-to-play models around, and updates so regular it’s nearly impossible to keep track of, Runescape still feels as young and fresh as it did in the early 2000s. Quests, new characters, festive events, and entirely new features have come and gone in their hundreds.
Runescape is also one of the friendliest MMOs around, with a community of veterans who are always willing to lend a hand to a noob in need – alternatively, you can use our Runescape beginner’s guide. Even after some graphical upgrades, it’s not the easiest MMO on the eyes, but that does at least mean you can run it on a potato.
Throne and Liberty
Guild Wars developer NCSoft entered the MMO ring with 2024 debutant Throne and Liberty. Set in the fantasy world of Solisium, Throne and Liberty has you – the bearer of a magic-granting star fragment – scouring the lands for other shards and preventing them from falling into the hands of the evil Kazar.
Sporting stunning graphics and a classless combat system, Throne and Liberty lets you tune your combat to your needs while looking fabulous. It’s one of the most exciting new MMOs in years, and one that you should try – it is free after all. Just make sure you lock in one of the best Throne and Liberty builds when you can to get the most out of your character.
There you have it, the best free MMOs currently active and available to play. While PC gaming may have a reputation for being rather expensive, our list proves that you can have a fantastic time without needing to shell out for a single game. Many of these free options appear on our list of the best MMOs of all time, so what are you waiting for? It’s time to dive into a new world (or two) – and for more free gaming recommendations, our list of online games that need no download is well worth a read.