PlayStation 5: The 12 best free games in 2023

There are also great games on the PS5 that you can play for free. We’ll show you which ones are especially worthwhile here!

Free2Play games are a dime a dozen and the PS5 now also has a wide catalogue of games that you can play for free. We present a selection of the 12 best free games that you will find on the PlayStation 5 in 2023.

Note that some of the games require an active PS Plus membership or age verification (16+ games, 25 cents). The order is unordered, so this is not a ranking, but a colourful selection of particularly worthwhile games that you can play for free.

Apex Legends

What’s it about? Apex Legends is one of the most successful Battle Royale shooters ever and also cuts a fine figure on the PS5.

The online shooter throws 60 players onto a large map, on which they must compete against each other in teams of three. Only one team can ultimately be victorious. Who wins is decided by tactics, team play, the right weapons and, of course, a bit of luck.

Suitable for whom? Apex Legends is a fast-paced shooter with some special features. In this Battle Royale shooter, you have different heroes at your disposal who differ from each other by their special abilities. Thus, depending on the hero and class, you fulfil completely different roles in your team.

Those who like more challenging shooter gameplay with a focus on teamwork and skill will find hours of fun here with the good selection of heroes, weapons and maps.

Destiny 2

What’s it about? Shooter fans will find numerous free gems on the PS5. One of these gems is the loot shooter Destiny 2. The former full-price game has been playable for free since 2019 has been continuously supplied with updates and expansions for years, so that the shooter remains exciting even as a Free2Play game.

Destiny 2 is an action MMO in a sci-fantasy setting. In the game, you choose between three main classes (Titan, Warlock, Hunter) and fight nasty aliens on different planets. In the course of the game, you collect better and better equipment and try to create perfectly optimised builds.

Suitable for whom? If you like loot games like Diablo, Warframe or Borderlands, Destiny 2 is also a good place to start. The free2play shooter easily offers you a few hours of gameplay.

Beware: If you want to have fun with Destiny 2 in the long term, you won’t be able to get around the paid add-ons. The same applies to anyone who wants more story. Nevertheless, the Free2Play content is more than enough for you to find out whether the addons are worth it.

Warframe

What’s it about? With Warframe another shooter makes it onto this list of the best free PS5 games. In this sci-fi action shooter, you take on the role of space ninjas, the so-called Tenno.

 Warframe is a free-to-play PS5 game.

Aroused from cold sleep, you have to fight for the future of the universe alone or together in co-op with up to four players. Even years after release, extensive updates are still being released, so that fresh content is guaranteed.

Suitable for whom? Warframe is a third-person shooter that convinces with its fast-paced gameplay and the special scenario. If you like fast-paced action and take a little time to warm up to the setting, you will have hours of fun here.

The Sims 4

What’s it about? The Sims 4 also offers you a life simulation on the PS5, in which you create your Sims, build a house for them and determine their virtual career. A job needs to be chosen, a hobby pursued and a family started.

For whom? In The Sims 4, you can expect extremely relaxed gameplay in which you can let off steam creatively. If you enjoy spending hours decorating and furnishing your home, this is the game for you.

 The Sims 4 is the perfect game for you!

It’s still worth getting started: In 2023, The Sims 4 celebrated new player records and is considered the most successful Sims game ever.

Fortnite

What’s it about? Fortnite may not have invented the Battle Royale genre, but it has added a cool aspect to it. In addition to the fast-paced shooting, you can also collect resources, which you can then use to build crazy constructions. And that also works really well on the PlayStation.

When you come under fire, you can quickly build a protective bunker or take refuge on a metre-high tower. But be careful: your buildings and the environment can be destroyed! Every few months, new seasons are released that change or expand the game and the game world again and again.

For whom? Don’t let the cartoon look fool you: Fortnite requires you to use a variety of tactics, weapons, gadgets and building options. Nevertheless, the Battle Royale is also suitable for beginners and offers you fun rounds. If you fail, it’s straight to the next lobby, where you can put your luck and skills to the test again.

Overwatch 2

What’s it about? Overwatch 2 is an updated version of Overwatch. As usual, two teams of five players each compete against each other in the hero shooter. The focus is on the various heroes, who determine victory and defeat with unique abilities and tactical tasks.

Suitable for whom? Those interested in competitive matches with other players will find a solid hero shooter in Overwatch 2, which is also confirmed in our test . Invest some time in the different heroes and their play styles so that you can properly exploit their strengths within your team.

Fall Guys

What’s it about? 60 Colourful Beans compete against each other in chaotic competitions until only one winner remains. In Fall Guys you can jump, trip and run or compete in one of the numerous mini-games.

In each round, some of your human opponents are eliminated until a winner is determined in the final. Developer Mediatonic also regularly supplies the Party Battle Royale with new seasonal content.

Suitable for whom? Fall Guys is a wonderfully chaotic experience that can be considered a party game for in between. Colourful visuals, flippant characters and unpredictable gameplay make for a fun and light-hearted time in multiplayer, even on the PS5.

Genshin Impact

What’s it about? In Genshin Impact you can explore the fantasy world of Teyvat. The completely open world offers you not only varied areas, but also action-packed battles. The focus of the gameplay is on the search for better equipment, with which you can always face new challenges.

Suitable for whom? Gesnhin Impact is a double-edged sword. In the first 20 hours of play you get a wonderful open-world that we can recommend to every anime fan.

For the end game, however, you’ll have to prepare yourself for an exhausting grind with numerous dailies, weeklys and often repetitive farming sessions, each of which will only grant you minimal progress.

Rocket League

What’s it about? In Rocket League you race a car through multiplayer arenas and try to catapult a gigantic ball into the opponent’s goal. This offers a fast-paced and mostly heated mixture of arcade football and chaotic driving fun, which is particularly fun when playing with or against friends.

Suitable for whom? Anyone who has always wanted to ram a gigantic ball into a goal with crazy stunts has found their fulfilment here. Both for fun rounds in between and charged-up competitions, Rocket League offers the right setting, as long as you bring along the necessary sportsmanship.

Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0

What’s it about? With Warzone 2 another battle royal shooter has made it onto this list. 150 players compete in a gigantic battle arena that gets smaller and smaller as the round progresses. You fight for your survival in a team or solo. If you get caught, you are not immediately eliminated, but can fight your way back into the match in the so-called gulag.

Within a match, you can complete special missions that provide you with the necessary change to request powerful killstreaks. Furthermore, you can find supply crates on the large maps, which provide you with new weapons and fresh equipment and thus expand your tactical possibilities.

For whom? Warzone 2 does without a complex inventory management and clearly focuses on the fast-paced run&gun gameplay. This allows you to have brisk rounds, which are further loosened up by the second chance in the gulag. If you like the typical gameplay of a CoD, you will get the right Battle Royale implementation here.

Sky: Children of the Light

What’s it about? Astro’s Playroom is a pre-installed PS5 game that is supposed to demonstrate the functions and advantages of the Dual Sense Wireless Controller. The little free adventure is a charming platform game in which you control cute robots through creative levels and even have to defeat bosses.

Suitable for whom? With its creativity, cute graphics and successful soundtrack, Astro’s Playroom still demonstrates the strengths of the PS5 in a playful way that you definitely shouldn’t miss out on. The biggest weakness of the platformer is the fact that interactive credits kick in far too early, after five to six hours.

Sky: Children of the Light

What is it about? Sky: Children of the Light is difficult to describe. With your character, you wander through the beautiful and artistic game world. You don’t have to fight or face difficult puzzles, instead the graceful and dreamy roaming of the world is elevated to the central game element.

You will also meet other players again and again who are on their own journey and with whom you can communicate in a minimalist way. Some locations in the game world only open up when you are roaming around in a group, making the game a smooth co-op experience.

Suitable for whom? Those who have already been able to lose themselves in titles such as Flower and Journey will also embark on a dreamlike and contemplative journey in Sky: Children of the Light. The minimalist narrative style and the beautiful visuals of the game also offer a very special gaming experience on the PS5.

Now we need your opinion: Which of the free games presented have you already played and which would you recommend? Are there any Free2Play games missing that should be added here urgently? And how do you generally like the range of free games on the PS5? Feel free to write us in the comments!