Not sure what game to buy next? On this list, you'll find the best PC games we're playing right now—recent singleplayer hits, thriving esports,
and a few modern classics that would improve any game library. We'll continue to update this list as new games release, removing older favourites and replacing them with our latest obsessions. Rather than an ever-expanding list that reaches deep into the past, we're shooting for a practical answer to the question: 'What new PC game should I get?
#1. Rainbow Six Siege
RELEASE DATE: 2015 | DEVELOPER: UBISOFT Montreal
Counter-Strike's sexier cousin. Siege might lack the sharp hit detection and purity of CS: GO, but it's a more accessible and modern FPS that rewards clever timing and coordinated teamwork as much as the aim. Siege's learning curve is a result of all the stuff (characters, gadgets, elaborate maps, and guns) that's been added since December 2015, but eventually, you find yourself picking operators, map spots, and roles that you're comfortable with. Ubisoft continues to support Siege, dropping four major updates per year along with regular fixes.
#2. OVERWATCH
Released: 2016 | Developer: Blizzard
With Overwatch's colourful characters and bright, inclusive world, Blizzard brought the world of team-based hero shooters to an entirely new market. Teams of six take the roles of tank, DPS, and healer to battle over objectives, not just who can get the most kills. It's a game that rewards—if not requires—teamwork. And with a growing cast of now 27 heroes to choose from, there's a character to fit just about any play style.
#3. Fortnite Battle Royale
RELEASE DATE:2017 | DEVELOPER: EPIC
What started as a sterile PUBG imitation has evolved into the Minecraft generation’s arena shooter. Fortnite’s building system rewards good aim and an eye for architecture equally, extending battle royale shootouts from green pastures to impromptu skyscrapers slapped together in a minute. With ridiculously frequent updates from Epic Games that introduce new weapons, traps, tools, and skins, Fortnite is easily worth the price of admission, and even then, worth the time it takes to master such an obtuse, irregular building system.
#4. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
RELEASE DATE: 2017 | DEVELOPER: PUBG Corp
100 murderous hopefuls skydive onto an abandoned island, grab whatever weapons and ammo they can find, and fight to the death. Rinse and repeat. Though the concept wasn't new (PlayerUnknown himself is responsible for multiple battle royale modes and mods), PUBG made the battle royale genre into the phenomenon that it is today. As a third- or first-person shooter, PUBG is more realistic and less arcadey than Fortnite. The joy of it is how it forces players to move and take risks as an ever-shrinking forcefield funnel surviving players toward each other until a winner climbs out of the wreckage. Every instant of every game is a flood of important decisions to make, and any one of them—even a minor one—could lead to your doom.
#5. Rocket League
RELEASE DATE:2015 | DEVELOPER: PSYONIX
The best and only synthesis of hockey and soccer than you can play with rocket-powered battle cars. Where most esports rely on gunplay or clicky top-down wizardry, Rocket League is all physics and speed. Simply put, you're trying to smash a giant soccer ball into a goal with a car. But the cars can jump, and flip, and fly into the air once you get the hang of it (which will take a while). Even after three years, Rocket League players are still inventing new moves and tricks—if there's a skill ceiling, no one's bumped it yet. It's intimidating and your first matches will probably be rough as you learn to steer and backflip and ride the walls, but since there are so many other new players at any given time, as well as training modes and bot matches, you can still get up to speed even if you're entering the arena late. Note that while you can play Rocket League with a mouse and keyboard, and some good players do, most prefer a controller.
#6. Hearthstone
RELEASE DATE:2014 | DEVELOPER: BLIZZARD
Despite the recent departure of game director Ben Brode, he of the flannel shirt and megaton laughter, Hearthstone nonetheless finds itself in good health right now. The release of The Witchwood expansion in April, combined with the annual rotation of the Standard format, means that this is a great time to dip into Blizzard's collectable card game. Decks like
Odd Rogue and
Even Paladin are relatively cheap to craft and easy to play, while if you prefer slower, more complex matches,
Cubelock and
Taunt Druid are the kind of decks that you're recommended to make a cup of coffee before queuing. For those of you with ladder anxiety or a limited budget, Hearthstone's most recent two sets have also included some brilliant solo stuff. Dungeon Run in Kobolds & Catacombs and Monster Hunt in The Witchwood let you jam cards against a series bonkers AI bosses without the pressure of a turn timer or a real person spamming salty emotes.
#7. League of Legends
RELEASE DATE:2009 | DEVELOPER:RIOT GAMES
MOBAs are hard, rewarding competitive games because they demand teamwork, quick reaction times, and knowledge of beginning, middle, and endgame phases that vary with the role you play. And if you're going to play one, LoL is the best place to start. League of Legends has had remarkable staying power as one of the most popular games in esports for a couple simple reasons. One, it strikes just the right balance of depth and approachability for a MOBA. A gargantuan roster of heroes means you could spend years learning the ins-and-outs of the game, but mechanically it's less demanding than Dota 2 and more involved than Heroes of the Storm. Two, Riot Games hasn't been afraid to make significant changes to the map, characters, and other systems over the years, so there's always something new to learn.
If you can play with a team of friends—it's far more fun (and effective) to coordinate on a headset than deal with randoms over text chat. If you bounce off of LoL, Dota 2 is of course extremely popular as well, and both are free-to-play, so give it a shot.
#8. Battlefield 1
RELEASE DATE:2016 | DEVELOPER: DICE
The World War 1 setting let DICE cut down on the vast customisation offered by Battlefield 4, resulting in a tighter, more action-oriented shooter that still features all of the spectacles the series is known for. Each round of BF1 is a cacophonous mix of action and tactical manoeuvring, elevated by DICE's peerless sound design. Everything from the ping of your bolt-action rifle to the thunderous roar of a tank sounds amazing and helps create panic and tension throughout. In terms of sheer, chaotic, player-driven spectacle, Battlefield is the best.
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