When you think of the PlayStation 4, multiplayer games might not be the first thing that comes to mind. After all, the system is home to some of the best single-player adventures of the generation. But we’d be remiss if we skipped over the fantastic multiplayer games the system has to offer. Some of the most successful multiplayer games of all time are available on the PS4, from competitive shooters like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone, to cooperative adventures like A Way Out, and tons of options in between.
In this list, we’ll go through the absolute best multiplayer games the PS4 has to offer. So when you’re finished with single-player masterpieces like God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Uncharted 4, why not give some multiplayer games a try?
These are the best multiplayer games on PS4.
Further reading:
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Kicking things off is the mega-successful Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout from developer Mediatonic. It was available as a PS Plus game for the month of August 2020 and quickly became the most downloaded game on the service in history. But it doesn’t seem to just be a fad — Fall Guys is a great game, with a unique twist on the battle royale formula. Instead of blowing each other away with guns, Fall Guys focuses on quirky mini-games with the goal of eliminating your opponents. It’s easy to jump in and play and doesn’t require any grinding, like some multiplayer games do. It will continue to feature new content to keep things fresh, like quirky new costumes and fresh mini-games to keep things from getting old.
Read our full Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout review
A Way Out
You’ve probably seen or heard of A Way Out from Hazelight Studios, due in part to the head of studio Josef Fares — who had a bit of a meltdown at The Game Awards 2017. Though, his passion is clear when you play this game. A Way Out is unique in that it’s only playable cooperatively, and the game is designed in such a way that wouldn’t be possible solo. In it, you play as one of two characters, Vincent Moretti and Leonard “Leo” Caruso, with the goal of escaping from prison — as the name suggests. It offers a healthy blend of gameplay mechanics, from stealth to action-oriented segments — all of which need to be coordinated as a team.
Read our full A Way Out review
Rocket League
Psyonix
Much like Fall Guys, Rocket League exploded in popularity due to its inclusion as a PS Plus game. In fact, Fall Guys aimed to mirror the success of Rocket League, which is now home to millions of players since its release in 2015. In what can only be described as soccer with cars, Rocket League is an easy-to-pick-up-and-play multiplayer game that offers a ton of reasons to keep checking back in. Pulling off those incredible trick shots never gets old, and even if you don’t want to play, it’s still a ton of fun to watch. With it going free to play soon, even more players are bound to hop in and try.
Cuphead
What else can be said about Cuphead? It’s one of the most visually interesting games not just on PS4, but of the entire generation. And it’s got superb gameplay to match — giving you a tough-as-nails action platformer to enjoy. It recently finally made its way to PS4 after being locked on pretty much every modern platform (it even came to Tesla cars before PlayStation!). Playing with a buddy — while not required — can surely help as getting through this game is no easy feat. If you’re looking for a challenging action platformer, look no further than Cuphead.
Read our full Cuphead review
Fortnite
Even if you aren’t a fan of Fortnite, there’s no denying its cultural impact on not just battle royale, but on gaming as a whole. But aside from its viral in-game events, Fortnite is a lot of fun to play, especially with friends. There’s something immensely gratifying about coordinating with your team, making the right calls, and ultimately coming out on top as the last squad standing. Plus, Fortnite is arguably the king of cross-promotion and tying in other famous franchises, like Marvel, DC, and a handful of movies that were shown in-game. It will be interesting to see what Fortnite looks like in the future, as it continues to evolve over time.
Read our full Fortnite review
Borderlands 3
Sometimes, you just want to run around with friends while taking out hordes of enemies. That’s what Borderlands 3 excels at — and it ups the ante in the insanity department, for sure. The enticing thing about it is that you’re constantly motivated to play, as each time you do, you gain XP to level up your character, along with loads of loot. This entry was cooking for a very long time, but many think the wait was ultimately worth it, thanks to the way its streamlined the formula and added quality-of-life improvements. Much like a lot of games on this list, it’s easy to jump in and play without investing too much effort into grinding and learning the ropes.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls
A lot of the games in which you gather “loot” (many of which make an appearance on this list) owe a lot to Diablo — particularly Diablo III. The series has been popular for quite some time, but its launch on PS4 threw it into the hands of millions of players. Squading up with your friends in Diablo III is easy and so much fun. And thanks to its multiple difficulty modes, the game is as hard or easy as you want it to be — so casual players can run through, while the more invested fans are able to challenge themselves with the harder modes. If you’re into playing fantasy action games with friends, we highly recommend the mega-popular Diablo III.
Read our full Diablo 3 review here
Street Fighter V
Capcom has done an amazing job of supporting Street Fighter V since its launch in 2016. At the time, it was pretty barebones with its offerings, but has since gotten numerous iterations and expansions to round out the content. Not many fighting games look and feel as good as this one, and its level of polish is noticeable, as is its developer’s commitment to making a fun fighter with the fans in mind. Battling it out against your buddies is a blast, for sure, whether you’re playing online or locally (or against players on PC through cross-platform play). Better yet is that we just received word that Street Fighter V will be available through PS Plus for the month of September, so there’s no reason not to try it if you’re a member!
Rainbow Six Siege
It doesn’t get more tactical than Rainbow Six Siege — a game that has evolved tremendously since its humble beginnings in 2015. Getting together with a squad who knows how to play is exhilarating, as it’s important to coordinate with your team to come out on top. Siege is reminiscent of the old Rainbow Six titles but adds a modern touch with constant updates and content drops to keep it fresh. There are a slew of maps, modes, operators, and reasons to keep checking in — and the good news is that Ubisoft has stated its support will continue into the next generation.
Read our full Rainbow Six Siege review
Overcooked! 2
Does screaming at your co-op partner in anger sound like a good time? Even if it does get to that point, Overcooked! 2 is a blast — and more so with friends. It takes the already fun mechanics of the original and adds new interactive levels, costumes, and recipes to experiment with. But things get hectic quickly in Overcooked! 2, so you’ll need a level head and a great team to keep your kitchen from burning down. Despite the chaos, this is another multiplayer game that is easy for players of all skill levels to enjoy.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Call of Duty: Warzone may very well be the best battle royale out there, effectively blending the movement and feeling of Call of Duty with the battle royale formula introduced in games like PUBG. It works so well because you pretty much need a squad to succeed, and good teamwork is rewarded. Despite being an evolution of the popular battle royale games that came before it, it still does enough on its own to stand out. The nuance in the weapons (and their attachments), the way you can use sound to outplay your enemies, the perk system, and the way it feels all work hand in hand to make it the most solid battle royale out there. And with the constant updates added by Infinity Ward, this game always feels fresh.
Read our full Call of Duty: Warzone review
Bloodborne
Hear us out with this one. Bloodborne is primarily a single-player game, but playing with friends in the Chalice Dungeons or in regular co-op is one of the highlights on PS4, and it doesn’t get enough credit. It’s a little obtuse figuring out how to actually get cooperative play going, but once you do, you feel almost invincible when running through a new area — due to the addition of another player or two. The world of Yharnam — despite being filled with monsters — is still a lonely one, so bringing a couple of friends along totally changes the game and is better for it. You can effectively get through the game by having someone help, which is nice considering how difficult this game can be.
Read our full Bloodborne review
Grand Theft Auto Online
Grand Theft Auto Online is the multiplayer component of the extremely successful Grand Theft Auto V. It takes the world introduced in the single-player portion, but adds an in-game economy for you to live your most luxurious life — and perform heists with your friends in the process. GTA Online is absolute chaos and is a great game to play if you’re looking to just mess around. Of course, you can take things seriously, as well, and those who do are rewarded with tons of cash. There’s no shortage of things to buy, like planes, yachts, apartment buildings, and nearly every weapon you can think of.
Overwatch
While hero shooters have come and gone for the most part, Overwatch stands tall as one of the most successful of its kind. With over 30 distinct characters — known as heroes — to choose from, each match feels distinct, offering tons of ways to play. Want to run around as a tank? No problem. Or how about a more fast-paced approach? Overwatch has you covered. The gameplay itself is solid, of course, but the main hook is its characters, who all have their own identities and backstories. Each character’s style is exemplified when playing as a team — which is practically essential if you want to come out on top. Make sure to communicate effectively, play the objective, and use heroes that complement your team. Overwatch ticks all the boxes, featuring fun, fluid gameplay, a colorful cast of heroes, and tremendous support from its developer. It’s no wonder it’s so popular.
Read our full Overwatch review
Minecraft
Is a “best of” multiplayer list complete without the one and only Minecraft? We probably don’t need to explain what Minecraft is since it’s one of the most successful and popular games in existence — but what we will say is that it’s a tremendously fun game to play with friends. Whether you’re in survival or creative mode, having a buddy with you can seriously make the experience so much better. You can delegate tasks, or simply have someone to watch your back while you’re in The Nether. Minecraft can be tough, but it’s no match to a squad that knows what they’re doing.
Destiny 2
There’s something special about Destiny 2. Perhaps it’s the way it sort of rose from the ashes after its rocky launch, or maybe it has to do with the way Bungie has supported it throughout the years. Whatever the case, Destiny 2 set the precedent of what a shared-world shooter should be. It might not be for everyone, simply due to the amount of time it takes to do everything it has to offer, but those who love it have been sucked into its world and addicting gameplay loop. Arguably the best thing about it is its Raids — but good luck completing them by yourself. This is where you’ll need to coordinate with your team and learn the ins and outs of the Raid if you want to get through it successfully.
Read our full Destiny 2 review
Final Fantasy XIV Online
We often refer to games like No Man’s Sky when thinking about redemption stories, but Final Fantasy XIV Online might just be the most improved AAA game of the past decade. It released in its original form in 2010, and at the time, the idea of a fully fledged MMO on a console was still unheard of. However, it was met with negative reception, and an awesome revamped version launched in 2014 called A Realm Reborn. Since then, it has featured numerous expansions — each one better than the last. What we have now is an MMO with one of the best stories of the series, featuring poignant parallels to current events, along with solid gameplay and visuals. It’s an MMO, so it’s designed to be played with friends, though its most recent expansion, Shadowbringers, is referred to as the most friendly version for newcomers. Either way, Final Fantasy XIV is one of the generation’s best and has come a long way since its beginnings in 2010.
Read our full Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers review
Rayman Legends
Rayman Legends is criminally underrated — and is arguably the best cooperative 2D platformer in recent memory. The Mario games tend to steal the show, but Rayman Legends should not be overlooked, due to its stunning visuals, music, and sense of personality throughout. Playable with up to four players, this game features dozens and dozens of levels to choose from (the entirety of Rayman Origins can be played within!), and gameplay that is easy to grasp, even for newcomers. It rivals some of Nintendo’s best in terms of how it feels to play, bolstered by the fact that it’s one of the most beautiful looking and sounding 2D platformers of all time. It’s a crime Ubisoft hasn’t made a new one recently, but here’s hoping for a follow-up on next-generation systems.
Read our full Rayman Legends review
Monster Hunter: World
The Monster Hunter series is practically designed to be played with friends — and no other game in the franchise handles multiplayer as well as Monster Hunter: World. Thanks to its more than 15 million copies sold worldwide, it went on to become the bestselling Capcom game of all time, meaning there is no shortage of players to match up with online. It’s immensely gratifying to finally take down a giant beast with your squad of hunters — and even more so when you reap the rewards from completing the quest itself. The game’s recent expansion, Iceborne, sent players to the frozen Hoarfrost Reach, featuring new, snow-themed monsters to take down and a ton of quality-of-life improvements. If action RPGs and the endless quest for loot are your thing, you have to try Monster Hunter World.
Read our full Monster Hunter: World review
Apex Legends
The video game industry will likely remember the launch of Apex Legends for years to come, because it came out of nowhere. It featured barely any marketing and was shadow-dropped on consoles and PCs, leading to an explosion in popularity right from the start. Much like Overwatch, Apex Legends features a diverse cast of characters, each with wonderfully written backstories to make them memorable. Its gameplay matches the quality of the characters — featuring one of the best battle royale modes to date. Much like other successful multiplayer games, Apex has gotten tremendous support from developer Respawn since its launch and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Read our full Apex Legends review
