Top 10 Best Online Games Worldwide

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, commonly known as PUBG, ignited the battle royale craze, popularizing some of its most basic rules such as narrowing safe zones, large maps, and a 100-player setup. While other battle royale games have taken a more cartoonish aesthetic direction, PUBG still relies on a sense of realism (or at least as realistic as a 100-person deathmatch with exploding vehicles and sometimes wonky physics can be).

PUBG is one of the most realistically portrayed online games, and it stands as one of the most globally played games. It features teams of two engaging in two matches where 100 people are present, and they must strategically and safely kill each other, with players surviving until the end of the match. If they win, they get the famous 'Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner.'

Online Players: 50 million
Year Released: 2018

Apex Legends is also one of the most popular free-to-play online games globally. The game is developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. Available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, the game's theme revolves around an island where 20 three-person teams or 30 two-person teams hunt for weapons and supplies to assemble themselves and defeat other players in the game.

Apex Legends is a multiplayer game, where up to twenty-three people land on the island, searching for weapons and gear to battle other players while moving outside the playing area, trying to stay safe as they can't be caught up, and when the last surviving team remains, they secure victory in the game. Apex Legends surpassed 25 million players in its first week of release and 50 million players in its first month. By October 2019, it had reached a massive user base of 70 million.

Online Players: 50 million
Release Year: 2019

The total number of players for this online game on PC, tablets, and smartphones is a whopping 350 million! The entire world has been ravaged by the undead, and your chances of survival are quite fragile. Fortnite pits players against the undead in a survival game where you explore the world to sweep through towns teeming with the undead. There are remnants of the past in the icy wasteland that is now your home, but it holds many secrets, and your only chance of survival is to search through it. Hurry, or you might join the ranks of the undead.

Fortnite Battle Royale is a free-to-play online game, where 100 players compete to claim the top spot. The game is one of the most popular with around 5 million concurrent players. In this game, you need to build various types of walls and collect different obstacles or other item sources. You can log into the game as a solo player or with other groups.

Online Players: 39 million
Year Released: 2017

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a first-person shooter game that can be played online as well as offline. In this game, there are two teams playing against each other, and both teams have different tasks to perform while the 'Terrorists' need to secure a location, plant a bomb, and capture some hostages. And the teams must rescue hostages or stop the bomb from detonating, and in each round, players will be rewarded for their best performance.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has over 46 million owners on Steam! As a modern classic first-person shooter, Global Offensive features some of the most tactical and team-oriented gameplay in any action game. It's one of the most played online games of all time, spanning popular genres: action, adventure, sports, and shooting.

Online Players: 32 million
Year Released: 2014

League of Legends is a multiplayer online game developed and published by Riot Games. The game originated from Defense of the Ancients, a custom map available in Warcraft III. The goal behind creating League of Legends was to develop an independent game for the same genre. The game is now available and free for everyone, although if players want to customize and own additional features, they have to pay. The Freemium model has been used by many popular games worldwide.

League of Legends is one of the oldest games, yet it remains one of the most beloved games that people can play and enjoy due to their diverse game modes, animations, and graphics. In this game, players work as a team and need to destroy certain core buildings protected by the enemy team's structures. Players control characters called Champions, and they need to choose for each match, which typically lasts from 20 to 50 minutes.

Online Players: 27 million

Year Released: 2009

6. Minecraft

Minecraft is an electronic game, a 3D game without a specific goal, allowing players to do whatever they want. The game revolves around various creatures, human construction, and food that players need to build something using blocks with the help of (soil, water, lava, stone, tree trunks, etc.) The game is one of the most adventurous games that people can pay for. With over 600 million players, Minecraft is the third most played online game of all time as of today.

A sandbox survival video game developed and published by Mojang, players gather materials to build anything they can imagine. They include structures made from many basic “blocks” as well as textured “sheets.” In the game, players spend much of their time exploring the randomly generated world of the new Minecraft. Players can use a first-person or third-person view and employ tools like a pickaxe to gather materials from rocks and caves, armor to protect against damage, and a sword to attack and defeat monsters.

Online Players: 91 million

Year Released: 2011

7. Hearthstone

Hearthstone is a game provided for free to the most popular users worldwide. The game is developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Hearthstone simulates the current mythology of the Warcraft series by using similar elements, characters, and creatures. The game is now available on various platforms, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The game allows cross-platform play between players from different regions or different platforms.

Hearthstone is a digital card game between two players using a customized deck of 30 cards along with some unique powers and chosen heroes, similar to the rules of all games where players must attack the opponent. The goal is to defeat the opponent's hero. It is a cross-platform game, meaning players can play on a supported device.

Online Players: 29 million
Year Released: 2012

8. The Division 2

The Division 2 is a multiplayer online action role-playing game where players must collaborate to complete objectives. Missions in The Division 2 require coordination among eight players, a new feature compared to the previous installment. Developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, this game is a sequel to Tom Clancy's The Division (2016).

Set in a near-future Washington, DC, after the aftermath of a genetically modified virus called 'Green Poison' is unleashed, players follow a strategic homeland agent as they attempt to rebuild the city. The Division 2 is available on various platforms, including Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game has been enhanced, evident in the gameplay. It's undoubtedly an upgraded version when compared to its predecessor.

Online Players: Not yet available
Release Year: 2019

9. Dota 2

Dota 2 stands among the online multiplayer battle arena (MOBA) electronic games, developed and published by Valve. Played between two teams, each consisting of five players, the objective is to defend each player's base on the map. Each player assumes the role of an engaging character, commonly referred to as a 'hero' in Dota. Each player possesses unique abilities and play styles. In every match, players from both teams must accumulate as much experience points as possible to help defeat opponents in close combat.

Dota 2 is a multiplayer online game developed following the model of Blizzard Entertainment, played between two players, and the game's role is to protect a separate fan base Map. The standard for each player in this game is to gather different experience points. Dota 2 is known for its outstanding gameplay, with many considering it one of the best electronic games of all time. The game is also one of the most played online games on Steam since its release to date.

Online Players: 5 million
Release Year: 2015

10. The Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 is a shooting game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the second installment of Splatoon. The game features a new storyline, where players can play in single-player mode and various online multiplayer modes. The game has received very positive reviews since its release. As of December 2020, reports reveal that Splatoon 2 has sold over 11.90 million copies worldwide.

Splatoon 2 is a colorful third-person or multiplayer game; you can also play in single-player mode. It has a unique style called Turf War. Players can be in a team of 4 players against another 4-player team and engage in several battles. Additionally, a new season of Splatoon is expected in 2020. Splatoon 3, also set to be released for Nintendo Switch in 2022.

Online Players: 5 million
Release Year: 2015