Best free-to-play games on PS5 — 12 awesome free games (April 2024)

The PS Store is overflowing with the best free PS5 and PS4 games. So, we've curated a list for you to enjoy without having to spend a penny — sort of.

Best free-to-play games on PS5 — 12 awesome free games (April 2024)
Sean Lawson

Sean Lawson

Published

Update: We have added Roblox to this ranking of the best free-to-play games on PS5 and PS4! Come see where it has landed!
Come check out some of the best best free PS5 and PS4 games (free-to-play games) all of which won't cost you a thing — if you can stop yourself from making in-game purchases. There is a plethora of free-to-play games available and it can be quite overwhelming trying to find the right one for you. So, let us help you with that decision-making process.

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

Before we dive headfirst into these free-to-play titles, we wanted to take a moment to let you know this list was curated by the TrueTrophies team from personal experience, review scores, and community ratings. All the games are playable on PS5 — from games native to Sony's latest console to older PS4 games you can play through backward compatibility. However, a PS Plus subscription will be needed for most of these titles.

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.

Here are the best free-to-play games on PlayStation.

SeanL

12. 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 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.

The Fallout Shelter trophies aren't particularly hard, they are just time-consuming — which isn't that surprising. 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 without having to spend a dime, so thanks for that Bethesda.

SeanL

11. My Hero Ultra Rumble

My Hero Ultra Rumble is a title that came out of nowhere and surprisingly stuck the landed with grace. While the player base isn't as big as some of the others on here, it's still managed to find a home and has garnered some positive attention. You'll take on the role of many different heroes and villains as you battle it out in this fantastic free-to-play title.

The trophies are going to be quite the grind and will take a long time to earn. You have a lot of tedious sound tasks to work through and some of these tasks will depend entirely on your skills in this battle royale. On top of all of that, there is no platinum trophy to earn. However, this is a fun free-to-play title well worth checking out if you're a fan of the My Hero Academia series!

SeanL

10. 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 bevy of new levels.

The trophies are easy to obtain, they are just incredibly long-winded. 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.

SeanL

9. 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 platinum trophies are going to be in for one long and rough journey. This trophy hunt will see players putting in hundreds of hours if they ever hope to be in with a chance of snagging this elusive platinum trophy. The platinum 'Ultimate Fall Guy' has a staggeringly low completion rate of 0.10% on PSN, proving to be a real struggle for all those who 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.

SeanL

8. 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 platinum trophy 'Virtuoso.' The platinum trophy is one of the easier ones on this list, sitting with an overall completion rate of 2.60 on PSN% — 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?

SeanL

7. 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, Chun Li from the Street Fighter Series, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and so many more.

The trophies are no joke, you'll be putting in an ample amount of time if you want to net the platinum trophy 'Brawlhalla-fame.' Currently, the platinum sits with an overall completion rate of 1.10% on PSN. 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?

Kes

6. Call of Duty Modern Warfare III — Warzone 3.0

When it comes to Call of Duty Modern Warfare III, there is stuff we really don't like and it seems a lot of players feel the same way. However, with its free-to-play complement, Warzone 3.0, 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 3.0 is great and it is free. What more could you want?

SeanL

5. 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 trophy list isn't hard, it is — 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.

SeanL

4. A King's Tale Final Fantasy XV

A King's Tale Final Fantasy XV is a prelude to Final Fantasy XV and features that game's protagonist, Noctis, as a child. Restless before bed, Noctis asks his father, King Regis, to tell a fairy tale full of fantasy, danger, and adventure. Regis begins to spin a story of a peaceful day being disrupted when monsters raid the royal capital, Insomnia. This leads players into a beautiful 2-D beat 'em up adventure, that is completely free to play! Now, that's what we like to hear.

The trophies are also pretty simple and shouldn't take a lot of work to earn. You're probably looking at around five or so hours to snatch up everything the game has to offer. Sadly, this is one of those trophy lists that does not contain a platinum trophy. However, with this being a free Final Fantasy title with no microtransaction in sight, we are willing to look over that slight annoyance.

SeanL

3. Roblox

  • Here are the Roblox trophies
  • Release Date: October 10, 2023
  • Developer: Roblox Corp
Roblox is the ultimate virtual universe that lets you create whatever you want, share experiences with friends, and be anything you can imagine. There really is no surprise that this game continually ranks amongst the top ten games in our weekly PlayStation Chart. The game is overflowing with whacky mini-games, lots of creative shenanigans, and even musical events. Does anyone remember Ava Max's random Roblox outing?

Originally, Roblox released onto PS5 without trophies. However, in a later update, trophies were added to this addictive free-to-play game. Sadly, the list is small and doesn't contain a platinum trophy. While all of that is disappointing, we are happy to confirm that the trophy list itself is pretty easy and shouldn't take all that long to sweep through.

SeanL

2. 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 painfully difficult experience for those who are dedicated enough to try and earn the platinum trophy 'Hero of the Storm.' The platinum currently sits with a completion rating of 0.10% on PSN 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.

SeanL

1. Astro's Playroom

Astro's Playroom is a game that is included for free with every PS5 purchase — therefore a free-to-play game — and is 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 aspects of both the console and the DualSense. The game is littered with 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. 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. Currently, the platinum trophy sits with an overall completion rate of 4.50% on PSN.

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.

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? Are there any titles we should add to our list of the best PS5 games? Sound off in the comments down below!
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Written by Sean Lawson
Sean is a Staff Writer who focuses on the geekiest Sony news. He specializes in PlayStation trophies, the best PS Plus games, RPGs, and fighting games. Sean is using this experience to cover Stellar Blade, Dragon Age Dreadwolf, Baldur's Gate 3, and Dragon's Dogma 2 for PS5, all while he still dives into favorite games like Mass Effect, Tomb Raider, and Persona.
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