With more live service games focusing on competitive multiplayer, picking the right one to play has become increasingly tough.
So how do you decide which games are worth buying and investing countless hours honing your skills to “git gud”?
To help you along your way, we’re highlighting the best competitive games on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
For more multiplayer recommendations, check out our other curated gaming lists, and comment below with your favorite competitive game!
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MultiVersus
Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
MultiVersus is a novel free-to-play platform fighter in the same vein as Smash Ultimate that’s already showing potential as a competitive game.
It’s also one of the most audacious crossover games, pitting characters like Batman, Shaggy Rogers, Buggs Bunny, and even LeBron James against each other.
In it, players must jump, run, and punch their way to victory using their character’s unique playstyle across 2D stages inspired by different WB properties.
While it’s still unclear just how many characters will make their way to MultiVersus’ roster, based on WB’s vast catalog, the sky is the limit.
Halo Infinite
Platforms: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Aside from expressing grievances over Halo Infinite‘s ranking system and battle pass progression, players have been quite receptive to Xbox’s new FPS title.
Much like its predecessors, Infinite manages to stand out from other arena shooters by doubling down on weapon spawns, map scale, and time-to-kill duration.
While you still can’t play the campaign cooperatively just yet, an update is currently in the works to make the feature available in the near future.
In the meantime, players can explore an expanding list of competitive PvP playlists and tackle daily/weekly challenges to earn XP and level up their battle pass to unlock rewards.
CarX Drift Racing Online
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Moving forward, CarX Drift Racing Online is a driving simulation that emphasizes genuine drifting mechanics in various metropolitan areas and unique racecourse environments.
Players can explore detailed customization options that include custom vinyl and wraps, as well as fine-tune their car’s performance within certain parameters.
Additionally, the game offers extensive online rooms and events that let you compete against other players around the world.
While it may not always do a great job at feeling mechanically realistic, it does feature an assortment of cool-looking cars and supports most steering wheel controllers.
Valorant
Platform: Windows
Valorant is a tactical team-based FPS from Riot Games that draws inspiration from games like CS: GO, Overwatch, and Rainbow Six Siege.
In it, players compete in 5v5 teams where one side is assigned the role of Attacker and the other Protector.
To win, both teams must try to carry out their objective while preventing the adversary from doing the same, usually by eliminating them to end the round.
Like many of competitive games, Valorant features a comprehensive roster of characters called ‘Agents’ that introduce distinctive abilities and strategies to add to your arsenal.
The Cycle: Frontier
Platform: Windows
Next up is The Cycle: Frontier, a competitive PvPvE shooter where players must explore a world gathering precious resources and riches while watching their backs.
This is because your rewards aren’t truly yours until you’ve managed to reach the extraction point in one unscathed piece.
Along with enemy players, you’ll have to keep an eye out for alien creatures and a lethal storm that can damage or otherwise leave your character exposed.
The game manages to strike an agreeable balance between risk and reward while keeping players engaged with rolling content updates each season.
Overwatch
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Overwatch wasn’t the first hero shooter but has managed to dominate the genre while building up its esports community with the Overwatch League.
This is partly due to Blizzard’s obsession with rebalancing the game and, in some cases, completely reworking how each character plays.
Although this approach can prove exasperating for casual players, it presents more opportunities to develop new strategies and team comps while also keeping veterans on their toes.
Combine this with a growing roster of easy to pick up, difficult to master heroes, and its clear Overwatch a solid contender for competitive gaming.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac
Since going free-to-play, CS: GO has seen an uptick in popularity that’s led to a thriving competitive scene surrounding the game.
Consistent content drops add new maps, characters, weapons, and game modes have played a major role in keeping things feeling fresh after all these years.
The best example of this would be the addition of “Danger Zone,” a battle-royale mode that brought in an entirely fresh audience of players.
Now that Valve has removed a majority of the paywalls, the playing field is a lot more level, allowing skill to take priority over deep pockets.
Dota 2
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac
Dota 2 is another Valve title that has managed to stand the test of time and still holds the title of “most-played game on Steam.”
It does so by avoiding many of the pitfalls that often plague free-to-play MOBAs, namely content paywalls and poor balancing.
That’s not to mention the game’s massive roster, which includes over 100 diverse heroes designed to be versatile enough to fill multiple roles.
Letting players devise unique strategies is where Dota 2 truly shines, as the sheer number of characters and equipment options make it so no two matches play the same.
Fortnite
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Mac, iOS, Android
You can’t deny Fortnite’s dominance over both battle royale and free-to-play categories as the game continues to add innovative content across multiple seasons.
The formula is well known by now: players explore a diminishing map where they’ll have to loot, shoot, and build their way to victory.
The addition of Daily Challenges and a constantly shifting map has made the game’s most popular mode also one of the most replayable free experiences around.
Additionally, Fortnite still puts up staggeringly high player number in 2025, making it one of the top picks for competitive players that want a challenge.
Rocket League
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Linux, Mac
Rocket League is bigger than ever after going free-to-play, and now has a mobile game spin-off called Rocket League: Sideswipe.
Best boiled down as cars-meet-soccer, the game is relatively easy for novices to pick up while still providing an immeasurably high skill ceiling for competitive players.
Furthermore, it supports a variety of configurations such as 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 soccer along with several alternate modes that riff on other sports.
If you’re looking for a competitive game outside of your typical MOBA or battle royal, Rocket League is a great option.
Rainbow Six Siege
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Rainbow Six Siege is another multiplayer game that’s been around for what feels like forever and continues to evolve.
This is somewhat surprising considering Ubisoft’s bad rap for sending multiplayer games out to die.
Fast forward to seven years after the game’s launch and Siege has managed to grow a substantial and active playerbase, and even spawn a spin-off, Rainbow Six: Extraction.
Much like CS: GO and Valorant, Siege sees two teams of five facing off against each other across modes like bomb defusal, hostage rescue, or asset protection.
FIFA 22
Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
As with most video game sports franchises, FIFA has had a foothold in the competitive gaming arena since day one.
Every year, a fresh batch of contests arrives, inviting proficient gamers to vie for cash rewards and acknowledgement after dedicating innumerable hours to training.
While the series’ has had its fair share of highs and lows, its in a much better state these days.
While this can be attributed to a shift in development culture at EA, as more contemporary installments like FIFA 21 and FIFA 22 pack in more content and elements day one.
League of Legends
Platforms: Windows, Mac
League of Legends has garnered a reputation as one of the most fierce MOBAs around, featuring swift gameplay and 140+ Champions across five classes.
Although the game has been around for over a decade, it still remains at the top of Twitch and YouTube’s viewership charts, a dependable indicator of its extensive popularity.
And while the game’s freemium model may be a turn off for some, Riot does promote limited time access to most of LoL’s content.
Furthermore, the developer is always trying to find new ways keep players comintg back, resulting in one of the most high-level strategy games on the market.
Team Fortress 2
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac
There was a time when Valve dedicated a large chunk of its resources towards Team Fortress 2, a luxury that has since been affored to Dota 2.
However, that doesn’t mean TF2 is a defunct by any means, as it still receives intermittent QoL updates and character/weapon rebalancing from time to time.
The game’s strongest selling point is its dedicated community, which continues to create new user-generated maps, skins, and hats.
Although we never got to see more classes added beyond the original nine, each one offers a different experience that affects the flow of matches.
Destiny 2
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
As far as competitive looter shooters go, Destiny 2 has struggled throughout its many seasons, with the recent Witch Queen among one of the better updates.
In it, players pick from Titan, Warlock, and Hunter classes before setting out into the world to explore and save the universe from multiple alien factions competing for power.
The game features an assortment of planets to visit, each with distinct biomes, enemies, and activities to grind for experience, crafting materials, and loot.
Outside of the main storyline, Destiny 2 offers open-world exploration, public events, competitive PvP modes, six-player raids, and more.
Apex Legends
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, Android
No stranger to competitive lists, Apex Legends is what you get when Titanfall multiplayer gets blended together with hero shooters and battle royales.
Each round sees up to 60 players unleashed on a vast map filled with random weapons and equipment that can be the difference between a victory or a loss.
On top of that, each character or ‘Legend,’ comes equipped with a unique set of abilities that determine their preferred playstyle.
Since releasing, the game has also become a famous esport with organized cash tournaments held online and around the world.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, iOS, Android
Call of Duty: Warzone is the franchise’s second attempt at rallying behind the popularity of competitive battle royales, with Black Ops 4: Blackout being the first.
However, this time around, it’s a standalone game that’s free-to-play even if you don’t own a copy of Modern Warfare, which is fantastic news considering the game also supports crossplay.
Where Warzone differs from other battle royales is its addition of the Gulag, a prison where players spawn after they’ve been eliminated and duke it out for a chance to respawn and rejoin their team.
Combine this with the ability to bring back teammates by spending in-game cash at Buy Stations, and your squad’s chances of winning are significantly increased.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, iOS, Android
There was a considerable stretch of time where PUBG dominated as the most popular battle royale game, leading towards its early adoption as an esport.
While console and PC lobbies remain populated to this day, the release of a free-to-play mobile version has been a deciding factor in the game’s continued relevance.
That shouldn’t be considered a slight against PUBG, as it’s one of the few skill-based shooters to use projectile ballistics in favor of hitscan damage.
Even if its a bit rough around the edges, PUBG is a solid choice for those who crave realism and chicken dinners.
Mortal Kombat 11
Platforms: Windows, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch
Mortal Kombat 11 is arguably the best installment in the series and continues to function as a fun and challenging competitive fighter.
The game features a roster of over 25 combatants as well as returning Fatalities and Brutalities alongside new Fatal/Krushing Blows.
What’s more, you would be hard-pressed to find another competitive fighter that features combat as satisfying and substantial.
While there are a plethora of other fighters we could recommend, MK 11 remains a top pick that’s well supported by developer NetherRealm.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Despite its reputation as a renowned party game, Smash Ultimate continues to solidify its presence in the competitive gaming world.
Although a substantial portion of its playerbase was inherited from previous iterations, Ultimate has drawn in crowds from other less-popular fighters.
With a roster of 89 characters and a medley of stages and music based on various video game properties, Smash Ultimate has something to offer for everyone.
Furthermore, the game supports competitive local and online multiplayer with up to eight players.