10 Best Multiplayer PS4 Games of 2026

Fortnite ranks first because it gives a PS4 group the most to do for the lowest cost. The US PlayStation Store lists it as free on PS4 and PS5, with online play required and 99 online players per match. Its store page describes Battle Royale and Zero Build, the build-free version of the mode, plus live events and over a million creator-made games covering racing, parkour, zombie survival and more, so friends who tire of one mode can switch without buying a second game. Unlike the paid games on this list, the store page does not list PS Plus as a requirement for online play. Spending is optional: the Battle Pass costs 800 V-Bucks, and 800 V-Bucks sell for $8.99. The limits are that it needs a connection at all times and that its fast building and shooting can overwhelm brand-new players, although Zero Build removes building.

Rocket League is the best pick for friends in the same room. Its US PlayStation Store page lists it as a free PS4 game with 1 to 4 local players and 8 online players, and online play is marked optional, which the other free games on this list do not offer. The game is a mix of arcade soccer and cars: you can play 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 online, or extra modes such as Rumble, Snow Day and Hoops. The store page also lists free weekly and seasonal challenges, free tournaments matched to your rank, and cross-platform progression that carries your inventory, competitive rank and Rocket Pass tier to other consoles. Spending is optional, with season packs from $1.99 to $19.99. The downside is scope: there is one core activity, and matches top out at 8 online players, so it suits small groups rather than large parties.

Minecraft is the best paid multiplayer game on this list for groups that prefer building to shooting. The US PlayStation Store sells the PS4 Standard Edition for $19.99 and lists support for up to 8 online players with PS Plus and 1 to 4 players locally. Its store page describes Creative mode with unlimited resources and Survival mode, where players craft tools, armor and weapons, and invites you to play alone or with up to seven friends. A free demo is listed for PS4, so a family can try it before paying. For parents, the page links a guide to managing a child's playtime, spending and messaging. The trade-offs are that online play needs a PS Plus subscription, unlike the free-to-play games above it, and lobbies stay small at 8 players. In-game purchases are listed, though the base game is complete without them.

Apex Legends is the pick for friends who want a squad shooter built around teamwork. The US PlayStation Store lists a free PS4 edition, online play required and 60 online players, and its page describes a hero shooter from Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall, with a roster of legends and their abilities, 60-player battle royale matches and limited-time modes. The ping system lets players mark points of interest for teammates without voice or text chat, which helps groups that do not use headsets. The store page lists 18 accessibility features. Apex Coins are optional and start at $4.99 for 500. Compared with Fortnite, Apex has a smaller match size and no creator-made games, and new players need time to learn the abilities of each character before they can help a squad.

Call of Duty: Warzone is the free option for players who want a grounded military battle royale. The US PlayStation Store lists it as free on PS4 and PS5, with online play required and 99 online players. Its store page describes squads dropping in to be the last team standing, the Gulag overtime mechanic, and movement that includes Omnimovement, ledge hangs, diving and swimming. Each season adds new maps, weapons, Operator skins, modes and events, and the current season lists two maps, Zodiac and Hajin. Remote Play is supported. The content rating covers blood and gore, intense violence, strong language and drug use, so it is not a family pick, and spending on add-ons and COD Points is optional but present. Players who want a campaign or traditional multiplayer playlists will need a paid Call of Duty game as well.

Overwatch, which launched on PS4 as Overwatch 2 in October 2022 and is now listed as Overwatch, suits friends who want short, team-based objective matches. The US PlayStation Store lists a free PS4 edition, online play required and 10 online players. Its page describes more than 40 heroes, each with a role, more than 25 maps inspired by real-world locations, and seasons on a nine-week cycle that add maps, modes, challenges and collaborations. Roles help a friend group split up duties, so a less experienced player can take a support hero while others attack. Spending is optional: Overwatch Coins start at $19.99 for 2,000 plus a 200 bonus, and a starter pack costs $9.99. The store also lists loot boxes with random items. Matches are capped at 10 players, so it fits a group of up to five better than a large party.

Destiny 2 is the long-term pick for friends who want to play through missions together rather than compete. The US PlayStation Store lists it as free on PS4 and PS5, with online play required and 16 online players. Its page calls it an action MMO with co-op missions and competitive PvP modes, fireteams with friends, three Guardian classes (Titan, Warlock and Hunter) and crossplay with friends across platforms. The store lists 14 accessibility features. The free game is a starting point: paid packs such as the Forsaken Pack and Shadowkeep Pack cost $9.99 each, and larger expansions cost more. Because the game has run since 2017, new players face a lot of story and gear systems at once, which is why it scores lower on ease of setup than the other free games here.

Grand Theft Auto V is on this list for GTA Online, the open-world mode that most PS4 groups mean when they say GTA. The US PlayStation Store sells Grand Theft Auto V (PS4 and PS5) for $39.99, lists PS Plus as required for online play and supports up to 30 online players with PS Plus. The same purchase covers PS4 and PS5, and the game is in the PS Plus Extra catalog, so subscribers to that tier can play without buying it. GTA Online cash is sold separately through Shark Cash Cards, for example GTA$600,000 for $9.99 on the PS5 listing. It has the biggest open world here and a full story mode for solo play. It also has the highest price on this list, needs a PS Plus subscription for online play and carries a mature rating for violence, so it is not suited to younger players.

Monster Hunter: World replaces Sea of Thieves in our candidate set, because Sea of Thieves is listed for PS5 only on the US PlayStation Store. Capcom's game is a co-op hunting game: its store page describes tracking large monsters across a new continent, using traps, lures, weapons and the environment, then crafting gear from the materials. You can hunt alone or with up to three other players online in drop-in, drop-out co-op, and the store lists support for up to 4 online players with PS Plus. The base game costs $19.99 and the Master Edition, which adds the Iceborne expansion, costs $39.99. It suits a regular group of up to four that enjoys learning a fight. It does not support local split-screen, online play needs PS Plus, and its weapon systems take longer to learn than the shooters on this list.

Dead by Daylight is the horror pick for friend groups. The US PlayStation Store page describes four Survivors trying to escape one Killer, with each character carrying its own progression system, and lists up to 5 online players with PS Plus and online play required. The base edition includes 7 Killers, among them The Trapper and The Nurse, and 9 Survivors. It costs $29.99 for PS4 and PS5 versions in one purchase, and it is in the PS Plus Extra catalog. Larger bundles such as the 10th Anniversary Edition at $49.99 add characters. The format works well for four friends who team up as Survivors against a Killer. It ranks last because matches are small, both PS Plus and a connection are required, and the mature rating rules it out for younger players.