10 amazing free-to-play games on PS5 (September 2023)

The PS Store is overflowing with the best free-to-play games on PS5 and PS4. Now, you can sit down and enjoy yourself without having to spend a penny — sort of.

Sean Lawson

Published 20 Sep 2023

We have compiled a list of the best free-to-play games on PS5 and PS4 and it won't cost you a thing — if you can stop yourself from making in-game purchases that is. Let us know if we should add any of these games to our best PS5 games list.

Check out these 'free' PS5 and PS4 games on the PS Store

We have tried to incorporate as many different genres and styles of games as we can, so there should be something for everyone on this list. There will most likely be a few titles missing that you may have expected to see, please feel free to point them out in the comments if there are any that you feel should be added pronto. With that said, let's dive into this list of the best free-to-play games on PlayStation.

The Best Free-to-Play games on PS5 and PS4

Check out these 'free' PS5 and PS4 games on the PS Store

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is an incredibly simple yet effective clicker game that plays itself whilst you are off running errands and living your life to the fullest. While this may sound boring and pointless, Idle Champions manages to provide you with a feeling of accomplishment whenever you log back in and stumble upon the small fortune you have amassed in your time away. This gold can then be used to upgrade your heroes and unlock new skills enabling you to blitz through a plethora of levels and make great progress through the adventure you have embarked on.

The Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms trophies are easy to obtain, they are just incredibly long-winded and will take you a good amount of time to unlock. Despite the platinum trophy, 'Platinum Idler,' taking a substantial amount of time to earn, you most likely won't notice this as the game plays itself while you pop in occasionally to reap the rewards. Once more, this is a simple platinum you can earn throughout the year along with other platinums that require more of your attention — oh and this one won't cost you a penny either. Nice.

Fortnite

While arguments for the likes of Apex Legends and Players Unkown Battlegrounds could be made in place of Fortnite, only one of those games has managed to take the world by storm and remain more prevalent than any other free-to-play game out there. What helps Fortnite stand out is its almost cartoonish nature, over-the-top gameplay — you can build a house in the middle of a gunfight — and many crossover events. Where else could you see Goku and Peter Parker trying to unload an insane amount of shotgun shells into one another? Exactly.

The Fortnite trophies are going to be a long-winded and painfully difficult experience for those that are dedicated enough to try and earn the platinum trophy 'Hero of the Storm.' The platinum currently sits with a completion rating of 0.1% and tasks you with completing trophies like 'Talented Builder' which requires you to build 500,000 structures in successful missions — that's a lot of building.

Call of Duty campaign length has been leaked

Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 takes the cake

Call of Duty Modern Warfare II — Warzone 2.0

When it comes to Call of Duty Modern Warfare II, there is stuff we really don't like. However, with its free-to-play complement, Warzone 2.0, those complaints are much reduced as you access one of the most complete and competitive battle royale experiences on the scene. It's lost the simplistic arcadey goodness of the first Warzone edition, but now it plays host to a slightly fairer set of more complex rules.

There won't be many sensations close to narrowing down the field of 100 other players with a crew of four. Loot, shoot, and run is all you have to do, but oh boy is it good stuff. The tension of being pinned down by several rival squads in the final circle of death gas is somehow more palpable than the blinding rage you feel when you lose. The feeling of pulling off a snipe or a clutch is unreal. The vibing you and the crew can do on the back of a truck while you drive through danger... somewhat stupid, but hey — team bonding and all that. Warzone 2.0 is great and it is free. What more could you want?

Fallout Shelter

Fallout Shelter tasks you with building your very own vault that dwellers can come and populate — you even get to choose your desired vault number. You will need to upgrade and build a variety of rooms to provide power, water, food, and a plethora of other services to your vault dwellers. On top of this, you will need to raise the level of your dwellers, as well as their 'SPECIAL' abilities in order to be able to survive the harsh world of the Fallout series. Sending dwellers out on missions can net you a whole host of shiny new items, from powerful weapons and gear to caps and crafting parts.

The Fallout Shelter trophies aren't particularly hard, they are just time-consuming — which isn't that surprising given that this is a free-to-play game designed to keep you around and engaged for as long as possible. There is one trophy that can be a bit of a nightmare, as it is technically missable and a bit buggy, called 'More Than Handy.' It asks players to craft a weapon, outfit, and theme. While it sounds simple enough, multiple people have done this objective and never seen the trophy pop, as there is a pesky little bug with this one that requires you to do all three of these things in a single play session — something that is rather hard to do.

Excluding this nuisance, the platinum trophy called 'Platinum Trophy' — inventive — shouldn't be too much of a problem and you should have a pretty fun time as you build your vault and equip your dwellers, ready to take on the horrors of the wasteland. This is one of the few games that truly can be played quite simply without having to spend a dime, so thanks for that Bethesda.

Astro's Playroom

Astro's Playroom is one of the more unusual entries on this free-to-play list, as it is unlike any of the other games listed here. Astro's Playroom is a game that is included for free with every PS5 purchase — therefore a free-to-play game — and is quite honestly an absolute masterpiece. The game perfectly introduces players to the brand new consoles as well as helps them to get to grips with and understand the various new aspect of both the console and the DualSense. Most importantly, the game is just so much fun and is littered with a plethora of PlayStation-themed easter eggs, from Tomb Raider and God of War to The Last of Us Part 1 and Heavy Rain.

What else could you want? A super easy platinum trophy that is also a ton of fun to work through? Well then, look no further than the Astro's Playroom trophies. The platinum trophy called 'You've Only Done Everything' is a cracking good time, with any missed trophies easily obtainable thanks to the level select option. The game is also pretty short and can be swept through in a matter of hours, which also helps with netting the platinum trophy.

What's best about Astro's Playroom is that it's completely free — which may seem weird to say on a free-to-play list — but, the game features zero microtransactions and predatory gameplay mechanics that coax you into parting with your hard-earned cash. Thanks, Astro.

Fall Guys has lots of guys, falling.

Fall Guys

Now, we couldn't talk about the best free-to-play games and not talk about one of the newest arrivals to the category. Fall Guys sees you taking control of little bean characters — that are absolute abominations — that you can customize in adorable costumes as you compete against hundreds of other players on one of the deadliest obstacle courses known to man. But hey, you can dress up as Sonic characters — so who cares about the danger?

Who doesn't love a good trophy? Well, those who enjoy earning and snatching platinum trophies are going to be in for one long and rough journey to earn that shiny platinum goodness. The Fall Guys trophies have a truly sadistic platinum trophy that will see players putting in hundreds of hours if they ever hope to be in with a chance of snagging this elusive trophy. The platinum trophy 'Ultimate Fall Guy' has a staggering low completion rate of 0.1% on PSN and 0.3% from our TT community, proving to be a real struggle for all those that play.

While the trophies are certainly going to put you through the wringer, there is no denying how whacky and incredibly fun it is to flop around the obstacle course as you try your hardest to achieve victory over everyone else around you — good luck with that by the way, you'll need it.

Rocket League

Ever thought to yourself 'hey, wouldn't be cool if we could play a futuristic game that merges football and cars together?' Of course you have! That's where Rocket League comes in to fulfill your dreams. The game transitioned to free-to-play back in 2020 after spending five years as a paid title — now you can experience the blissful carnage and sheer frustration as you miss scoring a goal, all for free.

Get ready to flip, score, drive, and dive as you aim to score all of the Rocket League trophies and earn the ultimate platinum trophy 'Virtuoso.' The platinum trophy is one of the easier ones on this list, sitting with an overall completion rate of 2.7% — we do wonder if this trophy was potentially easier before it went free-to-play. Regardless, this is a fun little game to mess around with as you attempt to pull off some insane stunts to try and get a goal whilst also earning a couple of trophies along the way. What's not to love here?

Let It Die

Let It Die is our first and only hack'n'slash entry on this free-to-play list, disappointingly. The game also adds a flare of horror, which once more, none of the other entries manages to achieve on this list. Let It Die is one fun and demented time, there isn't really a story or plot to follow along with — until you reach the final boss — you just need to make your way up a very tall, long, and neverending tower. This may sound boring, but we promise it is literally a bloody good time.

Now for the disappointing element of Let It Die which will only really impede those who love a good trophy list — which is probably most of us — and that is that the Let It Die trophies are pretty lackluster. There are a total of 14 trophies and there is no platinum trophy to be found — blasphemy we tell you! To rub salt in our wounds, these trophies are incredibly hard. The likes of 'Hoarder's Curse' and 'Champion of Barbs' only have a completion rating of 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. The final dagger comes from the fact only 0.6% of players have managed to earn 'The View From the Top' which is earned for beating the final boss of the game, blimey. Despite all of this, Let It Die is a fun time that you can download for free and have some slicing and dicing fun.

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact has made its way onto our best RPG list, so it's no real surprise that it has also managed to worm its way onto our best free-to-play games list as well. With a vast world to explore, a grand OST, fun gameplay, and a plethora of characters to unlock, there is something for everyone to dive into.

Like many free-to-play games, Genshin does feature microtransactions, ones that keep you from getting any of the decent characters unless you are inclined to splash the cash. Even if you do put money into Genshin, the odds of pulling a legendary hero are stacked somewhat against you. Because of this, Genshin has received flak online for how it conducts itself and for hiding decent characters and weapons behind a paywall. Regardless, the game is still a fantastic time and if you have the willpower you can play it completely for free, it may just take some time to finish.

With all that in mind the Genshin Impact trophies aren't hard, they are — like most games on this list — just very time-consuming. Don't expect to be grabbing the platinum trophy 'The Path of Discovery' quickly, instead just enjoy the ride as you explore the world of Genshin.

Brawlhalla

Our second fighting game to make the list, Brawhalla is a whacky and whimsical little bit of action that everybody should give a chance. Featuring a roster of colorful characters that you can gear up with and then use to beat your opponents into the ground. Not only is that a treat, but there are also a variety of crossover characters that you can use as well, with the likes of Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series, Ken, Ryu, Akuma and Chun Li from the Street Fighter Series, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shovel Knight, Rayman, and so many more.

Players can earn in-game currency by completing daily objectives and a variety of other ways — the main being spending their real money — this currency can then be used to purchase cosmetics, skins, and characters. The Brawlhalla trophies are no joke, you'll be putting in an ample amount of time if you want to net the platinum trophy 'Brawlhalla-fame.' The main offender stopping people from grabbing this platinum appears to be the gold trophy 'Putting in the Work' which asks players to reach level ten with ten legends, this trophy falls into the category of time-consuming rather than flat-out difficult. The question is, do you have the patience to platinum Brawlhalla?

That's the list! Do you guys play any of these free-to-play games? Are there any here that have now taken your fancy? Sound off in the comments down below!

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Written by Sean Lawson

Sean is a Staff Writer with a focus on the geekiest Sony news. He writes stories about unobtainable PlayStation trophies, the best PS Plus games, as well as RPGs and Fighting games. He is also excited for Tekken 8, Dragon Age Dreadwolf, Baldur's Gate 3, and Dragon's Dogma 2 to launch on PS5. Sean’s favourite games include Mass Effect, Tomb Raider, Tekken, and Persona.