Games

Upcoming Free Games

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November 25, 2024

Gaming is expensive. Whether someone prefers consoles or PC, they will need to invest a fair amount of cash just to set up their stations. Once the hardware is ready to go, owners will need to turn to their platform’s libraries to pick up some software. Nowadays, Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus grant access to massive selections of games for monthly fees; however, most AAA titles do not debut on these subscription services. Consequently, players could find themselves regularly dropping $69.99 to experience the latest exciting projects.

Free-to-play games sound fantastic on paper and can serve as a way to keep someone entertained in between premium products. Plenty of titles showcase this model’s potential, and this selection is set to expand significantly over the coming months and years. What are the most highly-anticipated new free games announced for 2024 or beyond? At the moment, there are not all that many no-cost projects with confirmed release dates; however, several games are in the pipeline, and they could very well debut over the next few months.

Updated November 25, 2024 by Mark Sammut: This month produced a couple of noteworthy freebies, with Supervive, Kota’s New Journey, and Strinova all debuting within a few days of each other. It is still way too early to say if any of these projects will stick around, although Supervive has gotten off to a pretty good start (and the same can be said for Strinova). December 2024 has a couple of big upcoming free games, with the first week producing two particularly huge titles.

Removed:
Supervive
Added:
Paradise

Delta Force

Table of Contents

Reviving A Franchise That Has Been Dormant Since 2009

Systems

Released: December 5, 2024
Developer(s): TiMi Studio Group

While perhaps not as well-known as Call of Duty or Battlefield, Delta Force was a relatively big name in the FPS scene during the late-1990s and 2000s. The franchise seemed destined to come to an end with 2009’s poorly received Delta Force: Xtreme 2; however, a revival is happening courtesy of a free-to-play game that should launch fully in 2005. Even though multiplayer will take center stage and determine Delta Force‘s longevity, the game will also incorporate single-player content, including bringing to life two distinct eras set in 1993 and 2035.

That said, the campaign could be a non-free DLC.

Originally subtitled as “Hawk Ops,” Delta Force has garnered quite a bit of steam through 2024, including an Alpha Test period in August 2024. Obviously, the game is still in development and a lot could change before its official launch, but the version that was showcased demonstrated quite a bit of potential. Certain elements, like the inclusion of operators, are divisive, although they will hopefully be tweaked and improved in the coming months.

Marvel Rivals

(Super)Hero Shooter

Third-Person Shooter

Action

Multiplayer

Released: December 6, 2024
Developer(s): NetEase Games

Coming to PC and consoles, Marvel Rivals brings together some of the most famous comic characters and throws them into an Overwatch-style game, with matches pitting two teams of six against each other. Heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Hulk have been confirmed, and there will even be a couple of villains (or anti-heroes) like Venom, Loki, and Magneto.

All-in-all, the confirmed roster is impressive and covers a reasonable range of properties, even if most of the inclusions are mainstream (except for Magik and Peni Parker, both of which are surprising picks). From the footage shown so far and the beta impressions, Marvel Rivals‘ gameplay should be hectic, fast-paced, and fun, with the characters’ unique abilities seemingly shining through.

At Gamescom 2024, Marvel Rivals revealed its December 2024 release date, which should help bring the year to a close on a high note. Along with that information drop, two more playable characters were added to the roster: Captain America and Winter Soldier.

Path Of Exile 2

Sequel To One Of The Best Free Games

Early Access Release: December 6, 2024

Grinding Gear’s Path of Exile enjoyed its 10th anniversary in 2023, and the game is still among the best free-to-play options on the market. Presented as an alternative to Diablo, the isometric action RPG delivers stellar customization, gameplay, and a lot of content that can be enjoyed without requiring any cash investment. Path of Exile prides itself on not being pay-to-win, and the developer has generally stuck to that commitment. Now, the sequel is on the horizon, and it is shaping up to be an exciting expansion of an already beloved hack and slash dungeon crawler.

Generally, when an upcoming free project vows to deliver the stars and moon, skepticism should be the natural reaction; however, Grinding Gear’s words are backed by years of generally good work. Therefore, when Path of Exile 2‘s Steam description promotes a six-act campaign and extensive endgame content in the form of 100+ maps with unique boss fights, there is a chance that the final product might actually deliver on these promises. The sequel will also feature 12 base classes, 36 Ascendancy classes, a skill gem system, and hundreds of unique equipment.

Mini Royale

A Small-Scale Battle Royale

Mini Royale

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Released: 2024
Developer(s): IndigoBlue

While still popular, battle royales do kind of feel like a thing of the past. At this point, the genre is dominated by a couple of evergreen releases, and any new names seem to struggle to make a dent when they must compete against established names like Warzone or Fortnite. Many developers have tried to leave their mark by going big, but maybe they should have opted to move in the opposite direction. Mini Royale drops 50 toy soldiers into a child’s messy room and challenges them to survive. While the gameplay does not seem too far removed from the status quo, Indigoblue’s game stands out due to its whimsical premise and charming map, at least going by the one that has been shown off so far.

Polarizing Battle Royale Games With Innovative Mechanics

To stand out among competitors, some battle royale games introduced unique mechanics.

If done right, Mini Royale could come as a breath of fresh air in a somewhat stagnant genre. The premise should pave the way for a unique range of weapons and items that go beyond the traditional armories found in most battle royales. Beyond that, the developer has confirmed that the map will have small touches that take advantage of the core concept, including a toy train as a means of travel.

Arena Breakout: Infinite

Systems

Developer(s): Morefun Studios
Publisher(s): Morefun Studios

Launching a beta period in May 2024, Arena Breakout: Infinite has been gathering momentum in recent months, hopefully paving the way for a successful early access project. An extraction shooter that shares similarities with projects like Escape from Tarkov, the game aims for realism in its presentation, weapon customization, and gun feedback, which tends to be the case with these sorts of titles.

The beta version shows promise, particularly in its visuals, quality-of-life ideas, and weapon options; however, the game is fairly rough around the edges in places and does not seem to contain too many new ideas. However, betas are specifically designed to promote player feedback, so Arena Breakout could and should improve in the coming months.

Tom Clancy’s The Division: Resurgence

Mobile Third-Person Shooter

Open-World

Tactical

Action

Third-Person Shooter

While Ubisoft canceled Heartland, a free-to-play The Division game that was fairly hyped up for a while, the publisher seems set to release a mobile game set in the same universe. Resurgence looks to adapt the franchise’s MMO structure for Android and iOS devices, delivering similar third-person shooter gunplay, missions, exploration, and loot. Returning to New York, the setting for the first game in the series, the upcoming free game will also feature an open-world that supports both PvE and PvP content, with the latter coming courtesy of the Dark Zone. The former will include a brand-new campaign and storyline that focuses on the early days of the virus’ spread, casting players as early members of the Strategic Homeland Division.

The Division 3: 10 Things The Game Should Learn From Its Predecessors

The Division 3 is in development from Ubisoft, but what vital lessons can it learn to become a better game than its predecessors?

Going on the beta footage released so far, Tom Clancy’s The Division: Resurgence looks pretty promising, especially for a mobile device. While the pre-release gameplay shows some stutter, that could be ironed out by the time the final product launches; even then, the game still looks good in its current state. The Division has kind of a weird reputation. Despite not being as talked about as some other live-service projects like Destiny 2, the franchise has been largely successful, and The Division 2 is still quite active.

Splitgate 2

An Unexpected Sequel To A Good Free-To-Play Shooter

Released: 2025
Developer(s): 1047 Games

1047 Games’ Splitgate was and still is a fun multiplayer shooter that sets itself apart from the crowd by utilizing portals (or wormholes) as a means to get around maps quickly, along with helping combat. While not one of the biggest free options on the market, the original game has a small but dedicated fanbase that has kept it alive since its 2022 official release. Still, the announcement of a sequel came somewhat out of nowhere, especially since an Alpha went live fairly quickly (on August 21, 2024, to be exact).

Even if not a lot of people had Splitgate 2 on their bingo card for 2025, the sequel is still a fairly exciting prospect since this concept has plenty of room to grow. Assuming it hits the ground running, this project could be a worthwhile addition to many players’ game cycle, particularly if they enjoy high-octane PvP shooters with a cool sci-fi twist. While the core gameplay loop should remain fairly similar to the original game, Splitgate 2 looks set to incorporate several exciting evolutions, along with a switch to Unreal Engine 5.

Paradise

The AI Era Is Coming

Open-World

Action

Adventure

Simulation

Early Access Release: 2025
Developer(s): Ultra Games

Love or hate it, AI is here to stay and will almost certainly become a major part of video game design moving forward. Paradise seems set to take advantage of this technology, using it to create an open-world where NPCs are more than just no-name figures with no identity beyond their set cycle. The idea is that AI will enable players to interact with NPCs in far greater detail than usual, with the latter having full lives that are automatically generated.

The concept is ambitious and could pave the way to more realistic worlds than ever before, ones that could (potentially) offer endless possibilities. Beyond this selling point, Paradise does not appear to have much of a story, at least not one that is being highlighted at the moment. Perhaps, the developers are primarily seeking to create a slice of life-type experience where players can just go about their day, enjoying unique activities as they mess about in the world.

Neverness To Everness

Open-World Gacha RPG

Platform(s): PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X and Series S , Microsoft Windows
Developer(s): Hotta Studio

Hotta Studio’s Neverness To Everness has been quietly attracting hype, garnering interest due to its seemingly ambitious combination of action JRPG combat and a GTA-style open-world. It also includes gacha mechanics, which seem to be a requirement for these types of releases in this day and age. Honestly, on paper, Neverness To Everness seems almost too good to be true, especially since the developer is fairly unknown; that said, Hotta released a 13-minute gameplay showcase video that does a pretty good job of highlighting the game’s world and combat. If nothing else, this free RPG at least appears to genuinely exist and seems to be developing nicely.

Neverness To Everness is slated to debut on mobile devices, PC, and PS5, which is quite a diverse platform slate. Nowadays, iOS and Android devices are capable of running AAA-level games, even ones that are being created in Unreal Engine 5. Obviously, it is still way too early to predict whether this project will be a success or not, but the early signs are positive enough to warrant keeping an eye on Neverness To Everness. It would be cool to have another great free action JRPG that is not developed by MiHoYo.

Arknights: Endfield

Landing On PC

Debuting in 2019 on mobile devices, Arknights is nowadays well established as one of the industry’s most famous projects. It was even successful enough to warrant an anime adaptation, and the franchise looks set to continue its expansion with a spin-off game set on a new planet. Endfield Industries has taken measures to bring civilization to Talos-II, but the world and its locals have been less than welcoming. Set following a disaster that greatly hurt this movement, players step into the shoes of PFRD operatives tasked with taming the alien planet.

Arknights: The 7 Best 5-Star Operators, Ranked

While six stars are some of the most valuable characters to have in the game, the best five stars in Arknights can also make the difference in battle.

Arknights: Endfield looks set to be fairly different from the mainline entry. For one, the spin-off will utilize real-time strategy combat, although exact details on the system’s mechanics have yet to be provided. It is also unclear whether the game will employ gacha mechanics, although that seems likely. More importantly, Endfield will be available on PC, an ecosystem that Arknights has yet to target specifically.

Perfect New World

Boundless MMO

Systems

Developer(s): Ironcore Game Studio

An Eastern MMORPG that completed an Exploratory Closed Beta Test in June 2023, Perfect New World has a ways to go before reaching completion, but Ironcore is working on implementing a wide range of changes inspired by user feedback. Cast as Soul Tamers, players will strive to find Prime, a journey that involves exploring a seemingly fairly attractive fantasy world filled with dungeons, enemies, and NPCs. Obviously, the MMORPG will support co-op/multiplayer, and PvP is also part of the overall experience and is being tweaked following the closed beta.

Perfect New World‘s combat system seems to lean into real-time hack and slash territory, with fast-paced action being the name of the game. As with most MMORPGs, players will be able to pick from a range of classes that come with their own skill trees. Although there is nothing too unique about these ideas, they could combine to create a fun addition to the free-to-play market.

FragPunk

Hero Shooter With Cards & Style

Systems

Developer(s): Bad Guitar Studio

Hero shooters are weird. On the one hand, the genre feels overexposed and tired; conversely, there are only a small handful of viable options on the market, basically all of which fall within the free-to-play scene. New contenders do not come around often, but when they do, they rarely seem to attract all that much excitement. Marvel Rivals was the first hero shooter since Overwatch 2 to seemingly garner any significant momentum, a movement largely driven by its recognizable roster.

7 Hardest Hero Shooter Games, Ranked

It takes many hours of practice to be competitive in these hero shooter games, and mastering them can take years.

Still, FragPunk looks kind of great. While its initial reveal did not garner that much enthusiasm, a fairly successful open beta managed to garner some momentum in the project’s favor, hopefully setting the stage for what will prove to be a worthwhile addition to an exhausted gameplay formula. So, what sets FragPunk apart from its contemporaries? The main selling point is Shard Cards, which are assigned to teams for each round. These have a wide impact on matches, providing both advantages and disadvantages; more importantly, they shake up the routine to provide consistent variety. Rounds are short too.

Beyond that, FragPunk seems to play well, at least going by the closed beta impressions. The 12 heroes all come with unique abilities and have pretty fun designs, which is important for this type of release.

Karlson

Made For Speed-Runners

Karlson

Systems

Dani has two successful free games under their belt: Muck and Crab Game. Both titles focus on physics-based gameplay, and they are fairly impressive considering they largely stemmed from the mind of a single person. Dani’s next project is Karlson, a first-person shooter that heavily incorporates parkour and speed-running. The eponymous character is a prisoner who must wall-jump and blast their way through a series of levels en route to a glass of milk.

The creator’s resume and social media presence ensure Karlson would get some attention, but the game also presents a convincing case for meriting this hype. A version of the project can be downloaded for free on Itch.io, and it is quite good.

Special Mention: Deadlock

Not Confirmed To Be Free-To-Play, But Seems Likely

Systems

After roughly a year of rumors and undisclosed playtests, Valve finally acknowledged that Deadlock is a thing in August 2024. Despite having a Steam page and featuring a respectable active player count, the game is not currently available to try, with the only people playing are ones with special invitations. Furthermore, Valve has been very tight-lipped about the project, only revealing the bare minimum. Still, the available knowledge paints an exciting picture of a game that looks set to combine two popular free genres: MOBAs and hero shooters. The latter is fairly oversaturated nowadays and there is not much of a call for new representatives, but Valve certainly has the reputation and resources to craft an exception.

Now, Valve has not revealed that Deadlock will be free-to-play, so this mention is based purely on market and historical evidence. Except for Half-Life: Alyx, Valve seems to have mostly focused on free games over the last decade, at least whenever the developer decides to create something new. More importantly, Valve’s multiplayer projects tend not to be buy-to-play, and there is no reason the publisher should change course and try something different at this point. Also, Concord‘s swift termination might not encourage many publishers to go down the premium hero shooter route.

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