Best free "multiplayer" games

Multiplayer games turn gaming from a solitary activity into a social event, whether you’re sitting next to friends on the couch or joining strangers in an online lobby. The fun comes from the interaction as much as the game itself: plans are invented on the fly, brilliant strategies collapse spectacularly, and somebody inevitably blames the controller. Working together can make victories more satisfying, while friendly competition can turn even a simple match into a serious matter of personal honor. Unlike single-player games, multiplayer experiences create stories that happen between the players as much as on the screen. The jokes, arguments, unexpected teamwork, rivalries, and ridiculous mistakes often become the moments you remember long after the game is over. Sometimes the game is just an excuse to spend time with other people—and that’s precisely the point.