A lot of games rely on a strong multiplayer component to keep their fans engaged, and a great multiplayer feature can help a game continue to thrive for years after its initial release. Titles like Grand Theft Auto Online and Fortnite continue to be immensely popular years after release, and the multiplayer in those games has come to define the players' overall experience.
After a couple of somewhat lean years in 2020 and 202, 2022 has brought many premier games with strong multiplayer elements. They weren't all winners, but there were a lot of good multiplayer games in 2022, with the following being the best of the best in no particular order.
Call of Duty Warzone 2
The original Warzone launched just as much of the world was entering into lockdown for the pandemic, which gave passionate shooter fans a new game to enjoy and take their minds off of the uncertainty in the world. Warzone was anything but a fad though, as players made Verdansk an immensely popular destination for fans of multiplayer shooters. Now, in 2022, Call of Duty Warzone 2 has built on what made the original successful to deliver a dynamic and engaging experience that has something for every type of Call of Duty fan.
The Al Mazrah map in Call of Duty Warzone 2 is the biggest in franchise history, with 18 points of interest that will make every type of player happy such as those who prefer close combat to those who like to get their hands on a sniper rifle and pick off enemies from afar. Matches support up to 150 players, and different in-game tasks and events give players a lot to do aside from just avoiding the gas and other players. These events encourage players to congregate and engage each other, and when a player is eliminated, a revamped 2v2 Gulag and Warzone's Jailbreak system give them a chance to get back in on the action.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring was one of the most heavily anticipated games of 2022, and it certainly didn't disappoint, earning plenty of perfect scores and Game of the Year nominations from gaming publications everywhere. Games that are focused on a single-player narrative typically don't involve too much of a multiplayer component, but Elden Ring found a way to do it within the context of the story, adding a level of suspense to it, and having teamwork that is much more temporary than what a standard co-op mode would bring.
Multiplayer in Elden Ring is designed to be a short-term partnership that helps a player get past a difficult part of the game by summoning help from other human-controlled players. By using items such as Furcalling Finger Remedy, Tarnished's Furled Finger, or Duelist's Finger, players can summon or join other players in a game at a point where a summon sign is placed. Elden Ring's co-op aside, players are able to duel and fight each other, with there being a prominent PvP community that has outlined certain rules for combat. What's more, with Elden Ring opening up the Colosseums, PvP players now have more options than ever.
Evil Dead: The Game
It's not the first game based on the Evil Dead film and television franchise, but Evil Dead: The Game is the one that encapsulates all the films and the television show to give fans a comprehensive experience. Evil Dead: The Game is an asymmetrical multiplayer experience with 4-on-1 matches where players must work together to defeat an overpowered demon roaming the large map. A few things get Evil Dead: The Game bonus points, like the innovative Fear system which causes players to lose focus and do irrational things if their fear meter gets too high, and the way the game naturally rewards teamwork, as splitting up in a match is a good way to achieve quick defeat. For hardcore fans of The Evil Dead, there are player skins from every era and a load of different roles and play styles to use on the launch map or some of the frequent content updates to the game.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed
It wasn't the sequel to the much-loved Ghostbusters: The Video Game from 2009 that many fans want, but Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed provides a fun multiplayer experience in an asymmetrical game that is a lot more fun when played with friends. The 4v1 matches take place in typical places fans would expect in the Ghostbusters universe, like museums and libraries, with a nice abandoned prison map being introduced in the game as well. Aside from trying to catch the human-controlled ghost, players can select Side Hustle missions that will give them more to do than just tracking and catching their opponent.
Unlike many competitive multiplayer modes, the goal of the ghost in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed isn't to eliminate the Ghostbusters; instead, the ghost will try to fill up the haunt meter of the location they are in, allowing them to escape. To do this, the player controlling the ghost will need to spook NPCs and specific rooms to raise the overall haunt level of the area, while protecting rifts that are in different parts of the map. The ghost can only do minimal damage to the Ghostbusters, so the focus is on stealth, surprise, and strategy over being the fastest on the trigger.
Marvel Snap
The biggest strength of Marvel Snap is how accessible it is - it's a card game where players only obtain new cards by playing the game and leveling up the cards they already have. Because new cards can't be bought, everyone playing is on a level playing field and this makes Marvel Snap very inviting to fans who might otherwise be intimidated by everything a multiplayer card game brings with it. Players obtain new cards by increasing their collection level, and the only way to increase their collection level is by upgrading the cards they already have. It can take some time and practice to get the hang of what a powerful deck looks like in Marvel Snap and what good strategies are, but it is a competitive multiplayer game that works hard to be fun for all kinds of players.
MultiVersus
MultiVersus may seem like another Smash Bros-style game, this time with Warner Bros characters like Batman, Superman, the Tazmanian Devil, and the Scooby Doo crew, but it has achieved more than any clone ever could. MultiVersus is a fighting game featuring some of the most beloved characters from comics, films, and cartoons, with each having a different kind of specialty and move set. Gizmo, for example, is one of the newest additions and is a Support character that specializes in ranged attacks, similar to Gizmo's bow-and-arrow scene from the first Gremlins film. Players can earn and unlock new characters as well as a host of new cosmetic items like skins, taunts, and emotes. MultiVersus benefits immensely from an art style that makes players feel like they're taking part in a cartoon, and constant updates and new content keep the game always looking and feeling fresh.
Rumbleverse
At first glance, nothing about a new battle royale game would seem innovative, but Rumbleverse manages to find a new formula that provides players with an entirely new take on the genre. It's a pro wrestling and a fighting game all at the same time, with the tension and great moments of a battle royale thrown in. Rumbleverse offers melee-based combat, and players won't find a single gun, grenade, or piece of armor anywhere in the city.
Because there are no traditional battle royale-style weapons, players can get into the action from the moment they are shot out of the cannon into the city instead of immediately running to find a weapon, so they're not completely defenseless. There is still loot, but it comes in the form of power-ups, health increases, or skill manuals that will teach a character a special move set. The Fortnite-esque visuals of Rumbleverse make it an inviting game to many fans, while in-game features like boosts after attaining a certain level of total damage inflicted encourage players to engage one another rather than try to avoid everyone.
Splatoon 3
One of the easiest multiplayer shooters to pick up and play, Splatoon 3 feels like that comfortable sweater that serves as the go-to when a player needs something easy, familiar, and fun. There aren't a lot of graphical or gameplay advances in the third game, but it's easy to play and hard to master, giving all levels and ages of players something they can enjoy and feel rewarded with in online matches.
Painting a map and swimming around in whichever vibrant color the player has been assigned is a blast to do, and combat is a whole lot of fun. On the flip side, getting caught in the enemy player's color and suffering from that "walking in sludge" feeling gives just the right amount of tension and urgency to the gameplay. Since there are no microtransactions, Splatoon 3 is a great game for all players to jump into multiplayer shooters for the first time.
V Rising
A survival game that's best enjoyed when playing with friends, V Rising gained a lot of popularity in 2022 on Steam for the fun PvE and PvP matches available to players. Fans can invite their friends to join a clan, which then allows them to share resources and have everyone benefit from things the squad does in a game. Once in the world, squads start building their castle and defending their territory against rival players and clans. As far as multiplayer options go, there is a standard PvP made, but also a Full Loot PvP mode, where players can steal the loot off of fallen opponents. Finally, a Duos mode gives groups of two friends the option to play together without having to deal with those frustrating randoms in a match.
WWE 2K22
After the disastrous launch of WWE 2K20 in 2019, the franchise took an extra year to rework much of the gameplay mechanics inside the WWE 2K series, and it paid off with the release of WWE 2K22. The result has been a much smoother, fluid experience, and matches that flow in a way much more similar to what fans will see on television when watching Monday Night Raw or Friday Night Smackdown.
WWE 2K22 is a fighting game by formula but a unique one, and that makes online competitive matches quite fun. Different kinds of matches give even 1-on-1 play a fresh feeling, as players can compete in standard matches or take part in table matches, TLC matches, Hell In a Cell, and many more. In addition, players can jump into matches with more than two players, and that is where the action turns into chaotic greatness where the victor is more of a survivor than anything else. On top of many improved gameplay mechanics, a strong content update schedule has kept WWE 2K22 loaded with fresh superstars and a good player base.