The best battle royale games throw players into a shrinking arena and let the last man standing win. The simple formula is highly effective and has players come back for one more game. Combine that with squad-based gameplay, and friends will pull all-nighters for “chicken dinners” or “victory royales”.
Battle royale games are on almost every platform and are (usually) mostly free. The best battle royale mobile games offer easy and customizable controls, making them highly accessible and popular.
Key Takeaways
- Most battle royale games have large maps perfect for multiple players and teams.
- Many games in this genre are free with in-game monetization and Battle Passes.
- Some games even have crossplay options, letting gamers from different platforms play together.
- Battle Royale games offer third-person or first-person views; some are top FPS games.
- A few games deviate from the traditional battle royale formula to provide a unique twist in gameplay.
10 Best Battle Royale Games in 2024
Our best battle royale games to play in 2024 list include PC, console, and mobile games so everyone can participate.
10. Hunt: Showdown 1896
- Highlights: PVP, PVE, extraction shooter
- Developer: Crytek
- Publisher: Crytek
- Availability & Cost: $29.99 on Steam, $29.99 on PlayStation, $29.99 on Xbox
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a unique battle royale experience with player vs player and player vs enemy gameplay. Players are going against AI monsters and other hunters in the arena. The game strikes a good balance between PVP and PVE in each match.
The main goal is to take out a monster and survive the match. Hunt: Showdown 1896’s dark and foreboding atmosphere makes it a grounded and tense experience. While not a pure battle royale, the game is still one of the best titles in the genre. It’s one of the best battle royale FPS games you can play in 2024.
9. Slither.io
- Highlights: Kid-friendly, free-to-play, short matches
- Developer: Lowtech Studios
- Publisher: Lowtech Studios
- Availability & Cost: Free on Android, Free on iOS, Free on browser
Looking for the best battle royale mobile games? Slither.io is one of the best ones around. The battle royale has you play as a worm constantly eating other worms and getting bigger. The worms are all players, so the cannibal worm feeds on your opponents.
The goal in this battle royale mobile game is to be the biggest worm. Slither.io is available on browsers and smartphones, making it a perfect game during breaks. The matches are fast, with hundreds of players competing all the time. Getting in and out of matches is quick and easy.
8. Forza Horizon 5: The Eliminator
- Highlights: Arcade racing, open-world, great graphics
- Developer: Playground Games
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Availability & Cost: $59.99 on Steam, $59.99 on Xbox
Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best racing games in recent memory. The Xbox-exclusive arcade racer has a vast open world ready to be explored. The game exchanges guns and gore with exotic cars and engine sounds. While not a dedicated battle royale game, The Eliminator mode fills the gap.
In The Eliminator, 72 drivers race against each other in head-to-head races. All players start with a 1965 Mini Cooper but can swap it for a better ride once the mode is on the way. Instead of guns, grenades, or body armor, Forza Horizon 5 drops better and faster cars on the map. Reach the car before your opponent to switch it. Forza Horizon 5: The Eliminator is a refreshing take on the traditional formula, making it one of the best Xbox battle royale games.
7. Tetris 99
- Highlights: Puzzle game, intuitive, challenging
- Developer: ARIKA
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Availability & Cost: Free on Nintendo Switch
Tetris and battle royale? That combination seems strange, but Tetris 99 makes it work wonderfully. The game doesn’t have players battling it in a blocky arena. Instead, each player plays their own Tetris. Instead of shooting your opponents, you’ll send bad blocks to their game. Clear a line of tetrominoes to send them to one of 99 other opponents.
The goal is simple: be the last gamer standing in Tetris. Thanks to its fast gameplay and unique mechanics, it’s one of the best battle royale games for Switch. Concentrating on your game is the key here, as keeping track of your opponents is nearly impossible. However, it’s always a rush to see the enemies fall one by one.
6. Garena Free Fire
- Highlights: Open-world, military shooter, vehicles
- Developer: 111dots Studio
- Publisher: Garena International
- Availability & Cost: Free on Android, Free on iOS
Garena Free Fire isn’t mainstream but is massive in certain regions. The game was released in 2017 and became the most downloaded mobile game in 2019. Free Fire is one of the best mobile battle royale games, with over 40 million daily players and counting. Those are impressive numbers for a release like this.
The game has all the classic battle royale staples. Big open map, plenty of guns, and flamboyant paid skins. Get the upgraded version, Free Fire Max; it has better graphics. Free Fire has fast matches, quick gunplay, and customizable controls, making it one of the best battle royale games in 2024.
5. Fall Guys
- Highlights: Obstacle-based, platformer, kid-friendly
- Developer: Mediatonic
- Publisher: Mediatonic
- Availability & Cost: Free on Epic Games, Free on PlayStation, Free on Xbox
Fall Guys is the perfect game to play with kids. There are no guns, explosions, or graphic violence here. It’s a simple platformer game that has a lot of players competing with each other. Each round has a different mechanic. Sometimes, players must race each other, while some rounds have them survive obstacles or falling floors.
The players that do survive move to the next round until the last player standing is the winner. The game plays more like a gameshow than a battle royale. Fall Guys is best enjoyed with friends, kids, or siblings. The simple controls make it one of the best battle royale games for kids.
4. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
- Highlights: Military-themed, tactical, team-based
- Developer: PUBG Corporation
- Publisher: Krafton, Inc.
- Availability & Cost: Free on Steam, Free on PlayStation, Free on Xbox, Free on Android, Free on iOS
Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene used to make battle royale mods for games before making his own fully fleshed-out battle royale. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was among the first fully realized battle royale games on the market. Being first doesn’t matter if the game doesn’t evolve, but PUBG remains as popular as ever, especially among Asian gamers.
PUBG is also available on last-generation consoles and smartphones, making it much more accessible than others. It follows serious military mechanics, but over the years, some wackiness has seeped in in the shape of player skins. If you are looking for a more challenging experience, PUBG might be the best battle royale game for you.
3. Call of Duty: Warzone
- Highlights: Military shooter, arcade shooter, team-based
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software
- Publisher: Activision
- Availability & Cost: Free on Steam, Free on PlayStation, Free on Xbox
The relaunch of Call of Duty’s take on battle royale didn’t go as smoothly, but the game is much better now. The free battle royale game brings classic Call of Duty combat to an open arena where players fight each other for the win. The revamped version brings a better pinging system, a new armor mechanic, and Gulag.
If you love the punchy and arcade gunplay of Call of Duty, you’ll feel right at home in Warzone. There are a lot of guns to choose from in the game. Add weapon attachments, and you will have plenty of options to gun down enemies. With good handling vehicles and water combat, Warzone is one of the best battle royale games on PC and consoles.
2. Apex Legends
- Highlights: Fast-paced, hero shooter, 3v3
- Developer: Respawn Entertainment
- Publisher: EA
- Availability & Cost: Free on Steam, Free on PlayStation, Free on Xbox
Apex Legends is one of the best FPS games and is a well-made battle royale. A team of three players descends on the map with only one aim: to survive. The last team standing takes the victory. The map is smaller in Apex Legends, so the action is always happening. It’s easily among the best free battle royale games.
The free-to-play game from EA has punchy gunplay. Each gunshot has a different feel, especially on consoles. As a result, players flock to the title even years after its release. The game also mixes some hero shooter elements with classic battle royale. Each character has their own abilities and movement mechanics, adding a layer of strategy to the moment-to-moment gameplay.
1. Fortnite
- Highlights: Creative, building, looting
- Developer: Epic Games
- Publisher: Epic Games
- Availability & Cost: Free on Epic Games, Free on PlayStation, Free on Xbox, Free on Android, Free on iOS
Fortnite wasn’t the first battle royale game, but it’s undoubtedly the most popular. The game started as a survival title, but Epic Games quickly shifted focus to its battle royale mode. Today, the game is bigger than ever and sees millions of gamers daily. The free-to-play battle royale game has stylized graphics, and accurate hitboxes and lets players build structures on the fly.
The game constantly evolves with updates to the map, weapons, and even characters. Epic Games is also keen on collaborating with other intellectual properties, so players can expect Batman to go against Iron Man in the best battle royale game in 2024.
More of the Best Battle Royale Games to Play in 2024
Naraka: Bladepoint does away with guns and focuses on melee combat.
Free on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox
A food-themed battle royale with players “dishing” damage with pots and pans.
Free on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox
A Battlefield-flavored battle royale mode in a WW2 setting.
From developers of Paladins comes a whimsical take on battle royale.
Free on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox
The Bottom Line
The best battle royale games are good solo, but they really shine when you bring your own squad. Having voice chat gives a significant advantage and usually brings better coordination and results. Even if you are not getting chicken dinners or becoming champion, there’s a lot of fun to experience in learning the games and playing with friends.
FAQs
What is the best battle royale right now?
Which is the biggest battle royale game ever?
What is the hardest battle royale game?
What was the first battle royale game?
Which battle royale game has the best graphics?
Are battle royale games still popular?
Are battle royale games okay for kids?
Are all battle royale games free to play?
References
- Hunt: Showdown 1896 on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Hunt: Showdown 1896 (Playstation)
- Buy Hunt: Showdown 1896 | Xbox (Xbox)
- slither.io – Apps on Google Play (Play.google)
- slither.io on the App Store (Apps.apple)
- slither.io (Slither)
- Forza Horizon 5 on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Buy Forza Horizon 5 Standard Edition | Xbox (Xbox)
- Tetris 99® for Nintendo Switch (Nintendo)
- Free Fire – Apps on Google Play (Play.google)
- Free Fire on the App Store (Apps.apple)
- Free Fire MAX – Apps on Google Play (Play.google)
- Fall Guys | Download & Play Fall Guys on PC for Free – Epic Games Store (Store.epicgames)
- Fall Guys – PS4 & PS5 Games | PlayStation (US) (Playstation)
- Get Fall Guys | Xbox (Xbox)
- PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS (Store.playstation)
- Get PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS | Xbox (Xbox)
- PUBG MOBILE – Apps on Google Play (Play.google)
- PUBG MOBILE on the App Store (Apps.apple)
- Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Call of Duty: Warzone – PS4 & PS5 Games | PlayStation (US) (Playstation)
- Get Call of Duty®: Warzone™ | Xbox (Xbox)
- Apex Legends™ on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Apex Legends – PS4 & PS5 Games | PlayStation (US) (Playstation)
- Apex Legends | Xbox (Xbox)
- Fortnite | Download & Play For Free – Epic Games Store (Store.epicgames)
- Fortnite – PS4 & PS5 Games | PlayStation (US) (Playstation)
- Fortnite | Xbox (Xbox)
- Fortnite: Play on Android. Get it now with the Epic Games Store for mobile (Fortnite)
- How to Play Fortnite on iPhone iOS or iPad (Fortnite)
- NARAKA: BLADEPOINT on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- NARAKA: BLADEPOINT (Store.playstation)
- Get NARAKA: BLADEPOINT | Xbox (Xbox)
- CRSED: Cuisine Royale on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- CRSED (Store.playstation)
- Get CRSED: F.O.A.D. | Xbox (Xbox)
- Battlefield™ V on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Battlefield™ V (Playstation)
- Buy Battlefield™ V | Xbox (Xbox)
- Realm Royale Reforged on Steam (Store.steampowered)
- Realm Royale Reforged (Store.playstation)
- Get Realm Royale Reforged | Xbox (Xbox)
- Totally Accurate Battlegrounds on Steam (Store.steampowered)