Steam is the perfect place for players yearning to get their hands on some fantastic multiplayer titles. Not only doesSteamoffer an abundance of great Triple-A releases, but it also showcases some of the best up-and-coming Indie games around. Many of these stellar titles come complete with a multiplayer aspect, whether it be PvE, PvP, or both.
Anyone looking to get their hands on thebestmultiplayer PvP Steam gameshas a veritable treasure trove of titles to pick from. With so many choices, it can be pretty daunting to find the cream of the crop, especially since the options offer a ton of variety. Still, that means there should be something for everyone.
Updated July 15, 2025 by Mark Sammut:February 2024 has not produced too many notablePvP Steam games, but Valve’s platform is already stacked with options in this area.
The article focuses on competitive multiplayer games sinceco-op Steam games are covered separately.
After a successful pre-launch test period,The Finalsmade its official debut toward the end of 2023, ending the year on a high note. While not garnering a universally positive reception, themultiplayer shooterhas been largely well-received, and its potential for future expansion has led to quite a bit of excitement. The game seems to be maintaining a healthy playerbase without bleeding too many users, and while the number of active people will likely decline as the months roll by, thecurrent data suggestsThe Finalswill not be fading into the void that consumes so many failed online shooters.
What makesThe Finalsspecial? Well, two major things set the title apart from the crowd. Firstly, the action is framed around an in-universe virtual game show, including commentators that add flavor to matches. Secondly and more importantly, destruction is a central mechanic. As teams compete to earn cash, they can destroy the map’s buildings to craft new escape or infiltration routes, adding an element of flexibility and progression that keeps things feeling fresh. The gunplay is generally solid, and the three classes are unique enough from each other to cater to a wide range of players.
There are a lot of multiplayer sports games floating around Steam but few of them are as high-octane asRocket League. Those looking for something unique and competitive should immediately fall in love withRocket League’s brand of high-speed soccer-based action.
Players will team up and hop into rocket-laden vehicles in an attempt to score goals against other players, using special items and a fun control system to fling their vehicles into a massive ball.Rocket Leagueis a great alternative for players craving something sporty without sacrificing wild over-the-top action. As far asfree multiplayer Steam gamesgo, few games have been as successful asRocket League.
From Software’sDark Soulsseries has been so popular with gamers over the years that it has managed to spawn its very own sub-genre, dubbed Souls-like. Players looking for some tough-as-nails experiences can hop intoDark Soulsor any of the Souls-like games floating around Steam. Many of From Software’s releases featured some type of multiplayer mechanic, with players able to join (or invade) others in certain areas.
Elden Ringtook this formula and amplified it, thanks to its vast open world. With so many bosses and areas to explore, it’s easy for players to find rival players to invade or cooperate with others who may be struggling in a specific area.Elden Ringoffers one of the better multiplayer experiences found in a From Software game.
Bandai Namco’s iconic 3D fighting franchise has produced one of its best entries ever inTekken 8, and it is among the genre’s most complete representatives as well. As is the case with these types of games nowadays,Tekken 8’s legacy will live and die on the longevity of its multiplayer, even if the single-player story is a lot of fun in its own right.
Featuring addictive and deep combat along witha stacked roster,Tekken 8should keep both competitive and casual players entertained, and the online options do a decent job of accommodating both sides of the equation. Now, the game is not perfectly balanced, which is to be expected for a fairly new sequel in this series. As such, the local and online multiplayer can produce the occasional frustrating moment, although the core action is strong enough to justify pushing through these issues.
Bungie crafted a fascinating and entertaining world withDestiny, bringing thousands of players together thanks to its addictive gunplay and looter-shooter gameplay elements. Unfortunately,Destiny 2wasn’t as well received after its initial launch. However, it’s still maintained an impressive cult following and currently stands as one of the best free-to-play offerings on the Steam platform. Although some are turned off by the grind of it all,Destiny 2offers the same amazing gunplay as its predecessor. With so many weapon types to choose from, as well as three distinct classes to pick between, there is a lot of variety found throughout the Sci-Fi FPS release.
Developers continue to improve and add to the long-standing release, with Seasonal content and DLC content dropping often. Those who enjoy both PvE and PvP elements will find a lot to enjoy withDestiny 2.
At this point,Rusthas been around in some form for more than a decade, although its full debut happened in 2018. Despite its age, the survival game is still wildly popular, with theSteam version typically having over 60,000 active players. Consequently, new players interested in giving Facepunch’s project a try will not struggle to find people to interact with; however, they might wish to avoid that scenario at first. Even though it has become more accessible in recent years,Rustis still cutthroat, with the game punishing inexperience and little mistakes.
As a single-player option, the open-world title regularly challenges players' capacity for survival through its crafting, exploration, and base-building.NewRustplayers should consider creating a solo serverso they can get used to the mechanics and gameplay without the threat introduced by other users. However, for the properRustexperience, PvP is a must since it injects a constant sense of danger and insecurity.
Horror fanatics should find themselves drawn toDead by Daylightthanks to its lineup of recognizable monsters and survivors. The release draws heavily from pre-established Horror tropes but also features some “branded” killers and survivors thanks to its crossover events. Those who want to play with a group will find themselves fighting for survival against a player-controlled killer, forced to repair generators and sneak around terrifying locations to avoid capture. On the flip side, players looking to “hunt” can take on the role of the killer and attempt to slay all the survivors before they complete their tasks and escape.
The free-to-play cat-and-mouse game is seeing constant updates, with new killers and survivors (each with their own abilities and skills) added often.
Before there wasOverwatch, there wasTeam Fortress 2, one of the most iconic multiplayer games ever created. Valve’s “class-based shooter” sees two teams of players choose from an array of classes like Soldier, Heavy, Scout, Pyro, Spy, Engineer, Medic, Sniper, and Demoman as they battle against one another in a variety of game modes, like Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, Payload, and more.
The title is still as popular today as when it was released, and it has quite a bit of user-created content, with custom game modes and maps. When it comes to thebestPvP Steam games,Team Fortress 2has longevity and quality on its side.
There are a handful of great vehicular combat titles out there but few feel as visceral, exciting, and engaging asWar Thunder. This free-to-play release has players hoping into tanks, planes, and more to combat one another across a series of expansive maps.
Players will cap points in the main game modes but can also engage in things like air battles and deathmatch. With tons of vehicles to unlock and customization options,War Thunderoffers a ton of replayability and will keep vehicular combat fans on the edge of their seats as they thrash through destructible environments.
One of the mostpopular extraction shooters,Hunt: Showdownhas managed to maintain decent momentum over its lifespan, and it is still fairly active more than four years after its full debut. The game serves as a prime example of a PvPvE multiplayer package, and it executes the concept pretty well. While it varies somehow depending on the mode, the general loop involves players entering a fairly open sandbox where they have to take down enemies to claim bounties, all the while dealing with other hunters who are looking to do the same thing.
Hunt: Showdown’s brilliance lies in the way PvE feeds the PvP aspect, creating a relationship that largely highlights the latter. Thanks to the game’s fantastic sound design, players need to always keep their ears open for the sound of engagement to track down the movements of their competitors. Hunts are constantly intense.
