Single player experiences are great when you want to unwind or get immersed in a fantastic story; but if your idea of relaxing is hopping into the server with some buddies then here’s a selection of some of the best online games to play with friends in 2025.
Sources: Xbox / Epic Games / Redbeet Interactive
Online Games To Play With Friends
If you want some free titles to play with your friends, there’s some of the most common picks on console and PC up for grabs:
- Fortnite has been a juggernaut in the industry despite some derision from detracters thanks to smart decisions and generally tightening up some already great mechanics. Some of the biggest collabs in the game have seen the likes of Marvel, StarWars, LEGO and Dragonball diving out of the battle bus. It being free on all consoles as well as featuring cross play allows for your friends to link up with you even if you’re on different systems. The variety in the game allows for even your less skilled friends to have an impact in the server.
- Raft is a unique survival game where you must explore an endless ocean harassed by an eager shark.
- Sea of Thieves is another sea-bound adventure that sees you take on the role of a band of pirates.
- It Takes Two is a perfect game for a couple to play through together.
- Don’t Starve Together is just that – a survival game where you must try and survive an increasingly dangerous landscape
- Deep Rock Galactic is a mining game with a twist – the dwarfs you control must fight of waves of bug-like enemies to get their resources home.
Driving Games with Friends
Driving games are a great break if you’re looking to do something that’s not quite as reaction intensive. Speeding down the highway with friends in real life won’t end quite as well, but on the virtual race track where you can push some supercars to their limit is a great way to spend a weekend.
- Games like Forza have crews that allow you to compare times against your friends and work towards goals as racers. Racing games have relatively varied ways of playing with friends thanks to different modes. Races, time trials and lap times are all ways to keep it competitive while just chatting. Thanks to things like Xbox Game Pass and general multi platform support, driving games are often available on all platforms.
Survival Games
Survival games can be a little hit and miss. Everyone knows what its like to log off for the night and find out that one of your friends stayed up all night and has made massive progress while everyone else was offline. But generally they’re great ways to just hang out in proximity to friends, and sometimes be on your own little singleplayer experiences while still being in a community. Ark Surival, 7 Days to Die, Minecraft and even games like Raft are great online games to play with friends.