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Guides

24 Mar 25

Guides

Dignitas, authors

Dignitas

Best Free Online Esports Games to Play in 2025

A short list of the best free online esports games to play in 2025!

The idea of esports faced confusion among people exactly 15 years ago since they struggled to accept video games as competitive athletic activities. People have completely changed their views about esports since they observe the massive prize money offered during esports tournaments. The prize sums exceed tens of millions of dollars thus surpassing what professional athletes receive.

Esports beginners should start with games from the top ten list. The delegation of millions of enthusiasts worldwide occurs because of these games while multianode tournaments become their primary competitive events.

Gambling Tournaments

One interesting area of esports is gambling games. Tournaments are held for these games as well, offering large prize pools. For you, such competitions are an opportunity to showcase your gaming skills and possibly claim a big prize.

For instance, you can play Ignition poker and challenge real opponents in a dynamic and strategic environment. Success in these games isn’t just about luck – it requires careful decision-making, reading your opponents, and knowing when to take risks. If you're new to the game, it's wise to start at low-stakes tables to build confidence and develop your strategy before moving on to high-stakes competitions.

Overwatch 2

The multiplayer first-person shooter Overwatch 2 stands among today's leading group game FPS titles because it organizes esports competitions. Key features include:

  • A wide range of unique characters with special abilities;
  • This game features an up-to-date animated visual design which marks it apart from traditional video games;
  • The game delivers an elaborate story as cut-scenes enhance player immersion throughout the game world.

The game Overwatch launched with its first championship tournament in 2016 after its own original release. Thousands of fans from worldwide watch daily tournaments occurring in the Overwatch League. The developers issued the 2022 version of the game which became the only platform used for tournaments during that year.

Fortnite

Fortnite stands as an exhilarating Battle Royale styled esports game which currently maintains its position equivalent to traditional blockbuster titles Dota 2, World of Tanks, and CS:GO regarding popularity. Fortnite achieved its success through its regular appearances within contemporary social media trends. You’ll also enjoy a bright and smooth gameplay experience on multiple platforms, whether you play on a PC or console.

Some additional features that benefit the game include:

  • Multiple additional modes that diversify gameplay. For example, you can create your own universe;
  • A range of events that keep you entertained during breaks between tournaments;
  • Huge prize pools. In 2019, the total prize pool exceeded $20 million, and this number continues to grow every year.

PUBG: Battlegrounds

Another Battle Royale game in our ranking, PUBG is one of the first games of this format and the pioneer of an entire series. Despite being released ten years ago the game continues to enjoy vast popularity. The mobile version enables free access to all features that match the PC version menu.

PUBG kicked off its tournament events in 2017 after its game launched only nine months earlier. PUBG Global Championship stands as a major tournament that exists today. The contest gave its winning players access to a $2 million prize fund during the previous year. The tournament games draw extensive worldwide viewer interest, which exceeds one hundred thousand spectators.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

It is one of the most unique projects in the competitive gaming genre. This game functions as more than a first-person shooter because it requires true tactical strategy which determines match results through all player actions. Your usage of explosives allows destruction of walls along with enemy-built fortifications because of the high-quality destruction physics in the game. The game stands out through its feature:

  • Numerous tactical approaches which lead to victory. Windows can be secured using boards both to slow down enemies and to access blocked entrances;
  • Slow-paced gameplay. During gameplay players seek mental advantage over each other instead of random gunfights;
  • Large arsenal and additional gadgets. You can use mines, drones, surveillance cameras, and even barbed wire to slow down opponents.

The key global championship for the shooter is the Six Invitational, which was first held in 2018. Today, the competition consistently attracts hundreds of thousands of players from around the world, with the prize pool reaching several million dollars.

Apex Legends

Another battle royale game that made it to our list. Its main distinction is the various gameplay mechanics you can use during combat. You can climb low buildings, slide down inclined surfaces, and make sudden jumps in the air to dodge enemy bullets.

All this makes the gameplay incredibly dynamic and visually stunning. It's no wonder the game is popular among both players and regular viewers.

The first tournament for this discipline was held in 2019. At that time, the competition was watched by more than 300,000 viewers worldwide, with a total prize pool exceeding 2 million dollars. Although it's still a young esports discipline, its audience is growing rapidly worldwide. It's very likely that it will soon become one of the top esports titles.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Back to classic shooters. Call of Duty: Warzone offers several competitive modes. This includes the classic battle royale and team battles. The game is known for its realism, wide range of weapons, military vehicles, and additional equipment. It's worth noting that in recent years, the game has lost some popularity.

This is mainly due to the release of Warzone 2.0, which was rushed. The game came out in a rough state, with bugs, technical errors, and constant crashes. As you can imagine, that’s definitely not ideal for enjoying the game to the fullest.

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