From the moment video games first appeared decades ago, players were dreaming of an added social element. Solving puzzles and playing games solo was great, but some players craved multiplayer potential. It took a while for the industry to provide these games, being limited at first due to the lack of global Internet. But, as the Internet became globally available in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the first multiplayer games soared in popularity.
Many players have started their gaming odysseys via multiplayer games. Playing in tandem or with teams suddenly skyrocketed in popularity, as players wanted to show off their gaming skills. It later produced a whole new industry in Esports. There are dozens of popular online multiplayer games you can play today. Whether it’s casino gaming fun with friends or competitive shooters, here are the most popular multiplayer games on the market.
Casino Multiplayer Games
Both offline and online casino games are usually a solitary experience. Because of that, casino developers have long been looking a way to introduce multiplayer games which are now a hit at the top casino sites. You can now find 1000s of games at a real money online casino that offer solo or multiplayer gameplay. They bring out the competitive side in players, with many competing to win massive prize purses while having some friendly banter.
Multiplayer tables are available across a range of games and bet levels. Unlike traditional solo casino games, multiplayer tables have a timer for each player to ensure the action moves at a fast pace. Since their introduction, they’ve grown into a casino player’s favorite. The appeal of these games goes beyond the prize purse, as many players crave the social element of gaming.
World of Tanks
World of Tanks, or WoT for short, is an armoured warfare-themed multiplayer video game. It was developed by Wargaming and features all kinds of combat vehicles, primarily tanks. You can choose from tanks from the early 20th century to modern era vehicles. The best part is that the game works on a freemium business model, meaning it’s free to play.
Players have the option to unlock premium features for a price. Microtransactions are everywhere in video games these days, and WoT is not immune to it. Players take control of an armoured vehicle from numerous eras, doing their best to beat opponents on the battlefield.
World of Tanks has been a huge hit among multiplayer game fans. It has been ported to numerous gaming consoles and has even seen expansions in the board game industry.
World of Warships
The tank multiplayer battle model worked great for Wargaming, so the studio decided to expand the battlefield in aquatic areas with World of Warships. It more or less uses the same model as WoT, but players now control all kinds of warships. You can battle other players on many servers or participate in battles against bots. The PvE battle mode gives skilled players two seasonal competitive modes, and the freemium structure doesn’t feature microtransactions like World of Tanks.
The game was originally released in 2015 on Microsoft Windows. It has since been ported to Android and iOS devices under the name World of Warships Blitz. Console versions followed, and not a decade later, World of Warships has a tremendous fan base that almost touches on WoT’s popularity.
DayZ
From a world of tanks and warships, we move to a world of zombies. The zombie theme has been a great inspiration for video game developers, and Bohemia Interactive, a Czech studio, decided to make a multiplayer game out of it.
The game is set in a fictional post-Soviet republic named Chernarus. It’s also the original setting for another popular game by the studio – Arma 2. A mysterious plague has turned most of the world’s population into deadly zombies. You play as a survivor on huge maps, where you must survive by scavenging for water, food, medicine, weapons, and ammo, while surviving the infected.
You can also collaborate or eliminate other players on the map as you see fit to survive the outbreak. It’s one of the most popular free-to-play zombie multiplayer games, and one of the most challenging as well.
Call of Duty
Even if you’re not a gamer, you’ve surely heard about Call of Duty. Originally, it was a solo game first person shooter that mostly worked in WWII settings. The solo element was accompanied by a multiplayer option early on, and players have been captivated ever since.
Modern Call od Duty games have full-blown multiplayer modes that work with scalable models that accommodate hundreds of players on a map. You can fight against others in teams or solo, and via various modes that include the popular Zombies.
LoL
League of Legends is one of the world’s leading multiplayer games. It was released by Riot Games in 2009, and is a free-to-play multiplier online battle arena. It was inspired by Defense of the Ancients, or DOTA, a custom Warcraft III map. However, Riot decided to develop a standalone game in the same genre, giving players another choice in the same vein.
The game is available for Windows and Mac. Similar to World of Tanks, its freemium model is accompanied by microtransactions, most of which are purchasable skins and other character customization items. As one of the leaders in multiplayer gaming, its popularity extends beyond simple multiplayer games. LoL is one of the leading games at major international Esports tournaments, with prize purses worth millions.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is a testament to how video games evolve. It emerged from a popular custom-made Warcraft II map into a multiplayer juggernaut. The second iteration of the game developed by Valve came in 2013 and established itself as a key multiplayer online battle arena.
Even today, the video game has millions of active players, mostly because of a large-scale Esports scene that sees professional teams playing in regular leagues and tournaments. The culmination of it all is The International, a premier annual video game tournament, with a massive prize money system that goes over $40 million annually. This makes Dota 2 one of the most popular multiplayer games in history, and a lucrative opportunity for the most competitive players.
