Here are some of the best online resources and websites dedicated to freeware and free PC games. Some are dedicated to freeware games only and offer downloads to homebrew games, clones, and older commercial games that have been released as freeware. Other sites offer a mix of content, including online browser-based games (HTML5 and Flash) and downloadable games.
These are a great place to start if you’re looking to find some free PC games online!
Best for Out-of-Print Games: Home of the Underdogs
Home of the Underdogs is a freeware and abandonware site offering a vast number of titles for download. It’s a virtual gold mine for many classic out-of-print games, with a library of over 5,000 titles. The list is fairly impressive, and the site is updated quarterly. Home of the Underdogs has gone through a number of fan-supported redesigns and relaunches, leading to multiple sites hosting some (but not all) of the games found on the original.
Technical information about emulators.
Great source for learning about underrated PC games.
Some outdated game links.
Outdated interface and design.
Home of the Underdogs doesn’t provide game downloads. Instead, it offers details on thousands of games and a search option to find where you can obtain the games.
Best Variety of Online Games: Kongregate
Kongregate has a large library of free online games in a variety of genres, including action games, tower defense, MMOs, and more. It requires a Facebook login, but once you gain access to the site, you can play for hours without an ad interruption.
Large variety of free online games.
Hours of ad-free gaming.
Categories for hot new titles and top-rated games.
Requires a Facebook login.
Some site features are hidden behind a yearly sub.
Best for Fan Remakes of Classic Games: Acid-Play
Acid-Play is one of the more reliable free gaming websites around. It offers more than 860 downloads. All games listed on AcidPlay.com are reviewed and given a percentage rating. The reviews and ratings are a great guide for determining the quality of the free game.
Fan remakes of classic games.
Reliable search feature.
Defunct blog.
Poor categorization by genre.
Best for Unique Indie Games: Reloaded Abandonia
Reloaded is a free computer game site dedicated to remakes of classic and retro video games and community-made freeware games. Layout and navigation are very nice, with screenshots and descriptions of all games listed in its directory.
Games you won’t find anywhere else.
Detailed reviews of indie titles.
Covered in ads.
Some broken download links.
The site also offers information and links for many older retail games that have been seemingly abandoned by the original copyright holders.
Best for Pure Freeware: Caiman.us
Caiman.us is a pure freeware website. You won’t find any demos or shareware here. It has more than 4,000 games and is one of the most frequently updated freeware gaming websites.
Helpful links to other gaming websites.
Well-categorized catalog.
No recent updates.
Inactive forums.
Best Commercial Site for Free Games: Steam
While many think of Steam as the primary online platform and store for purchasing PC games, it also offers hundreds of free-to-play games. Some may be free during an early access period while still in development. Others are fully released titles offering in-game microtransactions. That being said, a vast majority of the free-to-play PC games offered on Steam don’t require any payment for access to full functionality and gameplay.
All games are compatible with commercial game controllers.
Thriving user community.
Steam client can’t capture gameplay footage.
Customer service and technical support get mixed reviews.
With more than 500 games listed, there’s bound to be something for everyone: RTS games, shooters, or online shooters, to name a few. Popular titles available through Steam free of charge include Dota 2, Team Fortress, Path of Exile, and more.
Best for Free MMOs: MMOGames.com
MMOGames.com is a great place to visit if you’re a fan of massively multiplayer online games. You’ll find fully-featured free-to-play MMOs, along with open betas to games currently in development. The site also has a news section so you can stay updated on the latest MMO happenings.
Great place to find free MMOs.
News section keeps people up-to-date on industry stories.
Includes access to betas for upcoming MMOs.
Downloads can be hefty.
Take Game
Take Game offers a solid list of titles. The home page gives a brief introduction to the site and lists the top monthly games and latest additions. It doesn’t contain freeware games exclusively. Shareware and some abandonware titles are also included.
New games every day.
Multilingual support.
Amateurish web design.
Broad game categories.
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