Video games can quickly become an expensive hobby. From buying the latest console to staying up to date with your online subscriptions, there’s no shortage of ways to lose track of your budget. If you know where to look, however, it’s possible to turn gaming into one of the most frugal hobbies on the planet. Free-to-play games are a great option, for one.
Whether you’re seeking a deep RPG or a fast-paced shooter, these 12 free-to-play games are an affordable way to get your gaming fix. Some have been on the market for nearly a decade. But 2022 is shaping up to be another great year for all of them. In fact, many are more popular now than they were years ago. That means it’s a great time to check out these long-standing favorites.
From Fortnite and Genshin Impact to Lost Ark and Rocket League, here are the best free-to-play games to start playing in 2022.
Fortnite

Epic Games hasn’t said much about its future plans for Fortnite. Based on historical trends, however, we’ll likely see a few dramatic changes to the island, the introduction of new characters and more high-profile partnerships. Everyone under the sun seems to have jumped into the battle royale, but if you’re one of the few holdouts, consider joining the action in the coming months.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Global Offensive also comes with a steep learning curve, as a large portion of the community has been playing the game for years and there’s little room for error. But if you don’t mind a challenge, few competitive games can provide you with as much fun as CS:GO. The coming year should be another great one, too, as plenty of tournaments and updates are planned over the next 12 months.
Guild Wars 2

While the entire base game is free, anyone who gets hooked on the action can pick up expansions to further explore the colorful world of Tyria. This year’s long-awaited expansion is titled End of Dragons, and it’s bringing a gigantic, two-player combat mount, a new region to explore and several elite specializations for you to further develop your character. It’s a great game for casual players, too, as it lets you discover the world at your own pace and has plenty of activities that are well-suited for short play sessions.
RuneScape

If you’re looking for an MMO that’s a bit more modern and carries plenty of quality-of-life updates, consider diving into RuneScape. Old School RuneScape, meanwhile, is a grindfest that’ll give you your daily dose of nostalgia and provides enough content to literally keep you playing for more than a decade. And despite the two games already carrying thousand of hours’ worth of content, Jagex is constantly pumping new quests and mechanics into both titles. They’re both excellent free-to-play options.
In fact, a new limited-time event was just launched for Old School RuneScape, making 2022 the perfect time to dive into the fun.
Apex Legends

Its world has changed radically since it first launched in 2019. There are several new Legends, map updates and gameplay tweaks keeping things fresh. Free battle pass tracks give you plenty of gear to unlock while you play, although dedicated fans can pick up a premium track for additional items. Regardless of how much money you drop, you can rest assured 2022 will be another great year for this established FPS.
Lost Ark

A variety of cosmetics and exclusive gear are available for purchase, although countries that currently have access to Lost Ark claim it’s incredibly friendly to players who don’t want to spend any cash. So, if you’re looking for a shiny new game to sink your teeth into this year, look no further than the latest from Smilegate and Amazon Games.
Warframe

As a fast-paced, third-person shooter, you’ll need to hone your reflexes in order to survive the hundreds of enemies infesting every map. You’ll never run out of content to explore, either, as plenty of new content is planned for 2022. In fact, the end of 2021 brought about one of the biggest expansions in Warframe history, so you can sleep easy knowing the title is still getting full support from Digital Extremes. It is, by far, a legendary free-to-play title.
Halo Infinite

343 Industries is keeping a very close eye on the game, and plenty of changes are planned over the next few months. Aside from those updates, you can also look forward to new battle passes that will bring new rewards and cosmetics for completing various in-game challenges. Perfect for veterans and newcomers alike, Halo Infinite will continue to be ridiculously popular for the foreseeable future.
Rocket League

Going free-to-play is only partially responsible for the game’s popularity – the other ingredient is its regular collaborations, limited-time game modes and communication from developer Psyonix. Rocket League saw no shortage of impressive partnerships last year (including one with Mercedes Benz), and we’re curious to see what the game has in store for 2022.
Destiny 2

There’s a vibrant PvP scene in the world of Destiny 2. But there’s plenty of story content, open-world environments and cooperative PvE for the entire community. You don’t need to have purchased the latest expansion for that. We’d recommend downloading the game for free and seeing what it has to offer before springing for paid DLC, although the Destiny faithful will tell you that picking up the expansions is worth every penny.
PUBG: Battlegrounds

There’s just something about PUBG that just makes it fun. You can definitely enjoy the chaos solo, but gathering a few buddies together before parachuting into the world of Erangel makes it even better.
Genshin Impact

MiHoYo kicked the year off with The Alps Waypoint Lighting Ceremony. It’s clear the team isn’t running out of content for the coming year. Genshin Impact is a perfect fit for anyone seeking a high-quality RPG that doesn’t carry a $60 price tag… just be careful not to get carried away if you spend money on its deep gacha mechanics.
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