Multiplayer games are a massive industry worldwide. Of course, all computer or video games are a huge hit, with fans and players on every continent, but multiplayer games really do have that special something extra. There’s nothing quite like logging on and meeting up with your best friends for a couple of hours of carefree adventuring or maybe planning a battle strategy to help you overcome an invading army.
The real question is; what are the hottest games of the moment? Of course, every gamer will argue that their favourite game is the best one around…but numbers don’t lie. Looking at global gaming trends is the only way to know for sure. Join us as we take a look at the top four most popular multiplayer games right now, officially ranked.
PUBG (Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds)
PUBG began its initial rollout in March 2018, developed by well known streamer Player Unknown (real name Brendan Greene). While this game was originally launched on PC only, it has since been launched on Android and iPhone, and has become one of the most popular games on those devices as well.
PUBG is a battle royale game, meaning that it is a free for all and whoever gets out alive is ultimately crowned the winner. Starting off with absolutely nothing, a total of a hundred players spread out over an 8km square island and have to scavenge for everything that they might need: weapons, food, shelter. You have three options when it comes to how you prefer to play the game: you can choose solo, duo or squad. Solo, of course, means you operate completely alone, duo means that you operate in a team of two and squad will be a team of four. Of course, there are a number of pros and cons to each option. Going it alone means that you don’t need to watch out for anyone else, but having team members means that there will always be someone around to watch your back and even revive you if necessary.
The game kicks off when you parachute down to the unknown island that will become both your home and battleground. You begin by gathering all the things you need to survive, from both the urban and rural environments laid out before you. As you progress, less and less parts of the island become playable, forcing all of the players into direct confrontation with each other.
PUBG comes to you from the man who invented the entire battle royale genre (the name was taken from the film of the same title). Player Unknown is a legend among gamers, developers and streamers alike, so it is no surprise that his game is so well loved.
Valheim
Everyone loves the history of the Vikings ,a noble people who were strong, loyal and ferocious in battle. The world has long been fascinated by everything about them. That was clearly the case for the developers of Valheim – a classic Viking survival game that is currently the second most played multiplayer game in existence.
While Valheim is, of course, listed here as a multiplayer game, it also boasts a single player mode which lets players explore the vast world on their own. If you prefer a slower pace when you play games, then the solo mode is for you. However, if you like to be kept on your toes and prefer a much faster paced challenge, then the much-loved multiplayer mode is yours. The traditional aspects of a survival game all come into play in Valheim: you’ll need to build a sturdy base to keep yourself safe from the elements, hunt and gather all the food that you eat and gear up to keep yourself safe. While playing on public servers is fun, most gamers recommend that you should pay to play on a private server if at all possible. This will save you so much time and frustration as you won’t need to set up the world every single time that you play.
DOTA 2
DOTA has come a long way. Who knew that what began as a humble mod for Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, and was so loved that it branched out into a game all its own, would end up as a top ranked game with a sequel! Developed by Valve studios, DOTA 2 is played in 2 teams of five players each. Each team is tasked with defending their Ancient (the A in DOTA) to the death, if they must. The goal is to be the last team standing with your ancient still safe. Each core player begins the match as somewhat vulnerable. Thankfully, during their trials they are able to build up both their strength and their other abilities, such as healing. As the heroes become stronger they level up, unlocking more and more ways for them to grow and protect both their teammates and the Ancients in their care.
Heroes must look after themselves in the game, as using their abilities lowers their mana. This does build up again over time, but the player needs to enter a cooldown period before taking on anything strenuous, just like normal humans would need to do. There are many different modes and heroes for you to try, so it’s not surprising that the game is so popular.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive
Number four on our list, Counter Strike; Global Offensive is of course, a very well known beast of a game. While the Counter Strike franchise launched in 1999, CS:GO has been with us since 2021. It’s quite an achievement, then, that the game is still as high up on this list as it is. Let’s take a look at why CS:GO is so well loved.
This tactical shooter emphasizes teamwork in a big way. Also extremely important are the ability to strategize and wield a gun. Luckily for those gamers who like to change things up, a wide array of cosmetic skins are available for both weapons and the players themselves. These can be acquired either by purchasing them outright, or in random drops.