Warframe
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
Warframe is a game that has grown quite a bit since its initial release on PC back in 2013, yet the core of the fun has remained the same. You take control of a Tenno warrior, a space ninja endowed with incredible agility, strength, and potent abilities. Your job is to help rid the galaxy of vicious alien threats, and the gameplay makes that a pastime that’s easy to pump countless hours into. That’s because as a space ninja you have a full suite of parkour movement as well as a wide range of weaponry. Oh, and since this is space and you’re dealing with powerful enemies, Digital Extremes (the developers of this free-to-play title) threw in some interesting firearms for good measure as well.
You can play solo or with other players as you tear through procedurally generated missions which each offer different objectives to test your skills on. There’s even a PvP section called the Conclave to show other Tenno who’s boss. The best part? You never have to spend any money if you don’t want to. While some additions do require Platinum, Warframe’s premium currency, you can get some as random gifts in-game or even trade with other players to get yourself some.
Warframe is fun, fast-paced, and offers a ton of content already. Plus, there’s a new open-world area that will be introduced in the near future so you may want to start downloading this one to your Xbox One ASAP.
DC Universe Online
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
We’ve all imagined what it’d be like to be a real superhero fighting alongside Batman and Superman (or a villain running amok with the Joker). While few games let us actually play a solid experience with any of DC’s greatest (mainly the Arkham games delivered), Daybreak Game Company thought it was time to let us live out our actual dreams and build the heroes we always dreamed of.
DC Universe Online is an action MMORPG that tasks players with creating and naming their very own DC character, deciding on their look, abilities, and even mentor (you can choose from select heroes and villains). It then drops you into the universe as you team up with other players to take on fan favorites in their actual cities. When lumped in with the action-oriented combat in place of a simple hot bar, you have a genuinely fun experience that will have you wondering why DC never put your character in the comics in the first place.
Neverwinter
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
Neverwinter is an MMORPG based on Dungeons & Dragons and developed by Cryptic Studios (City of Heroes/Villains, Champions Online, Star Trek Online). Seeing as how it’s tied to the beloved D&D, you already know that it’s going to offer you an insanely deep experience that really gets you into the spirit of role playing. You can choose one of a handful of classes then set out on an adventure to make them your very own as you travel to new worlds and take out impossible threats like powerful sorcerers and even dragons.
The best part? It’s all free. There are even a ton of expansions that are free right from the start, removing the pressure of wondering if you have access to any content. If you’re looking for a deep, more classic MMO, this is something that will certainly fit the bill. And don’t let the free tag scare you off. There is no pay-to-win, though there are microtransactions, and the quality feels fitting of a paid game. Dive in and see if you have what it takes to make dragons bend to your might.
ROBLOX
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
Some may give this free-to-play title only a passing glance since it can come off as just another Minecraft clone if you don’t take the time to really look at it. What it actually is, though, is a tool for budding content creators as well as a source of limitless fun. Oh, and it’s very family friendly, so it’s a perfect Xbox One title if you have kids.
So what do you do in Roblox? Whatever you can imagine. Players can search through user-created content to find tons of different games built in the Roblox universe. This includes adventures, RPGs, shooters, racing, platformers, you name it. While it does require a bit of legwork to find the really good stuff, there’s definitely a lot out there. And, if you don’t find anything you may want, you can make your own and share it with the world.
Gigantic
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
Part MOBA, part third-person shooter, Gigantic is all fun. Like pretty much all MOBAs, Gigantic is free-to-play, and this one is fairly new having just officially released a couple of weeks ago. It maintains the team-focused play that players would expect from the genre, but mixes things up by throwing in giant guardians.
Instead of some god, totem, or whatever valuable item waiting at the end of an arena that you must defend, your guardian fights right along with you, kicking ass and taking names. Your task is to destroy the enemy guardian, but beware of the opposing team as they’ll also be trying to shoot you down and lead their own team to victory. It’s fun, fast-paced, and beautifully designed, so if you have an Xbox One definitely add this to your download queue.
AirMech Arena
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
AirMech Arena has been out for some time, launching on the Xbox One back in May 2015. Yet, you’d be surprised how many people either never heard of it or just never bothered to give it a chance. If you’re into RTS titles or MOBAs in any way you may want to give this one a gander.
AirMech Arena has the standard MOBA mode in that you have to destroy the enemy base while working with your team to out flank them with your respective troops and weaponry. But there are also modes like Survival which pit you against waves of enemies, Capture the Flag, and there’s solo play as well which gives you challenges to complete while playing against the AI. Where the gameplay shines, though, is in its strategy. You don’t only attack with your AirMech. You can build outposts that serve specific purposes and even generate different types of soldiers to help you out on the ground. Expanding your military might and the influence of your base is one way to exert dominance on your foes, and it’s a ton of fun.
If you want something challenging with a bit of depth, AirMech Arena might be just the free-to-play experience that the doctor ordered.
Hawken
Best Free-to-Play Games on Xbox One
Hawken is a free-to-play first-person shooter that trades soldiers for pilots who utilize massive mechs to wreak havoc upon their opponents. What makes Hawken so fun is the fact that the mechs, which most would expect to feel like slow yet powerful tanks, are actually quite agile. They can run and jump just like you’d expect in most shooters, but they pack quite the punch.
Normally, players would avoid something like this, though, because free-to-play shooters simply scream pay-to-win. The developers over at Reloaded Games avoid this by focusing their microtransactions primarily on cosmetics that don’t change how you play. You can purchase weapons in order to not grind for them, but only after gaining access to them through play. Also, all weapons and gear are available through gameplay without paying a single cent.
If you’ve been hungry for a shooter but aren’t keen on parting with your money (or just don’t have any to spare at the moment) you may want to check this one out.
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