Highlights

  • Multiplayer games with rich lore immerse gamers in beautifully crafted universes, keeping players engaged outside of screen time.
  • Apex Legends captivates with unique characters and backstories, while Helldivers 2 offers chaotic cooperative shooter fun with satirical lore.
  • Games like League of Legends and Among Us expand on their lore through TV shows, enhancing the immersive experience for players.

In the modern video game era, multiplayer titles reign supreme. Whether it be a first-person shooter, a battle royale, or a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), there are not many gamers that brand themselves as exclusive to single-player titles.

Related
The 10 Best Third-Person Multiplayer Games

As multiplayer games continue to dominate gaming markets across the globe, there are a few stand-outs for those who prefer a third-person perspective.

With so many massively popular multiplayer titles in the industry right now, developers are beginning to flesh out their games with rich lore that can hopefully maintain the interest of their player base. Gamers are now able to fully immerse themselves in their favorite gameworlds through beautifully crafted universes that keep providing new and interesting pieces of lore that keep players engaged with these games outside their screen time,

Apex Legends

Metascore Rating: 89

Gunfight involving five Champions

An extremely popular battle royale, Apex Legends has captivated gaming audiences with its high-octane gameplay and its gratifying movement. The game's popularity is heightened by its wide array of playable characters that players can choose from before dropping into the various maps.

Each champion has their own unique abilities that can contribute to a team's playstyle, as well as their own biographies that give some interesting backstories to some of the players' favorite "champions". There are long-lost siblings, ex-best friends, an egotistical party animal, and an immortal, robot-mercenary obsessed with revenge... chaotic, right?

Helldivers 2

Metascore Rating: 82

Helldiver shooting towards large explosion

Arrowhead Studios delivered a cooperative third-person shooter that shook the internet. People became obsessed with the chaotic shooter that satiated the destructive needs of millions across the globe, allowing them to mow down and obliterate hundreds upon hundreds of bugs and robots with their friends.

5:00
Related
Best Multiplayer Games On Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass features a trove of multiplayer titles, both competitive and co-op. These are the best of them.

The satirical, tongue-in-cheek nature of Helldivers' lore massively helped in the game's booming popularity. With the farfetched propaganda and the heroic music that soundtracks the players' stroll around their ship, it feels as if Arrowhead have transported players into the game's intergalactic war, fighting under the "managed democracy" of Super Earth and battling against the infectious invaders of the planet's supposed territories.

League Of Legends

Metascore Rating: 78

Three champions engaged in combat
League of Legends

Platform(s)
PC , macOS
Released
October 27, 2009
Developer(s)
Riot Games
Genre(s)
MOBA
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer

With over 150 million registered players, it is safe to say that LoL is one of the most famous games of all time. A multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that utilizes over 150 different characters to create unique gameplay scenarios for each side of the battle.

Much like Apex Legends, LoL uses "champions" that each have their own unique backstory that helps endear these characters to the players. Riot Games has attempted to further extend the depth of this lore with the release of the Netflix series "Arcane" in 2021. The show is an exploration into the origins of two of the game's champions: Sisters Jinx and Vi.

Among Us

Metascore Rating: 85

Among Us Logo With Crewmate and Imposter Characters
Among Us

Released
June 5, 2018
Developer(s)
InnerSloth
Genre(s)
Party Game
Platforms That Support Crossplay
Mobile Devices, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

Following in the same vein, Among Us is also venturing into the world of television in an attempt to expand on its lore. The hugely successful social deduction game will see its iconic "crewmates" in an animated television series voiced by some very big names, including Elijah Wood, Patton Oswalt, and Liv Hewson.

Whilst there is very little known about the direction of the TV show at this point, creators InnerSloth will be hoping to provide some essential backstories to the mysterious, non-verbal yet loveable crewmates of Among Us.

Starcraft

Metascore Rating: 88

Terran base
StarCraft

Platform(s)
Microsoft Windows
Released
March 31, 1998
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Genre(s)
Real-Time Strategy
Franchise
StarCraft

The best-selling computer game of 1998, Starcraft is a giant in the real-time strategy genre. Whilst the single-player is still very strong, its immense popularity came through its multiplayer game mode that was conducted through Blizzard's Battle.net system.

Due to its huge player base throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, the series has gone on to expand into other forms of media, with various novels being published that expand on the complex lore of the Terran, Zerg, and Protoss races. These three playable factions all have dedicated wiki pages that explain their history, physiology, and their culture.

Old School RuneScape

Metascore Rating: 87

Large group of different players in hub
Old School RuneScape

Platform(s)
Android , Linux , Microsoft Windows , iOS , macOS
Released
January 4, 2001
Developer(s)
Jagex
Genre(s)
Free-to-Play , RPG , Adventure

Another iconic title of the early 2000s, this MMORPG still has a massive fanbase to this day. With recurring updates every week, developers Jagex have kept players engaged with the world of Gielinor and the accompanying lore.

2:38
Related
Elden Ring: 13 Bosses With The Best Lore, Ranked

FromSoftware has an excellent reputation when it comes to lore. Here are the bosses with the best lore in Elden Ring, ranked.

With inspiration from a collection of different mythologies and certain nods to the works of HP Lovecraft, the game world is sprawling with interesting tidbits and quirky characters that make it a truly immersive experience.

World Of Warcraft

Metascore Rating: 93

Overhead of town at night with fountain in the middle
World of Warcraft

Platform(s)
PC
Released
November 23, 2004
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Genre(s)
MMORPG
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer

Another iconic title of the early-2000s, this MMORPG still has a massive fanbase to this day. With recurring updates every week, developers Jagex have kept players engaged with the world of Gielinor and the accompanying lore.

There are major religions, a class system, rivaling clans, different languages, and a plethora of expanded media that delves even further into the rich and fruitful lore of the hugely popular game.

Fallout 76

Metascore Rating: 52

Player with a Fat Man Mini Nuke Launcher
Fallout 76

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One
Released
November 14, 2018
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Genre(s)
Action , RPG
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer

The Fallout series have all been single-player titles up until the release of Fallout 76 but this multiplayer role-playing game incorporates all the charisma and charm of the previous iterations into a new setting that leans on the series' rich lore.

Whilst 76 is the newest game in the series, the setting of the game sits first in the chronological timeline, meaning that the events within Fallout 76 give explanations and meaning behind some important pieces of lore in the later games, such as the origins of the Brotherhood of Steel or further exploration into the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV).

Fortnite

Metascore Rating: 78

The Rock as The Foundation

The emergence of Fortnite saw players flocking to play an innovative battle royale that provided fast, fun gameplay with interesting building mechanics. Years later, this multiplayer phenomenon has been coined as one of the most popular games of all time with an ambitious, evolving storyline that only Marvel could match.

Fortnite's live in-game events have immersed players into the chaotic sci-fi storyline, incorporating some outlandish characters, such as Ariana Grande, Batman, and even Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Metascore Rating: 85

Three Star Wars characters looking at camera
Star Wars: The Old Republic

Platform(s)
PC
Released
December 20, 2011
Developer(s)
BioWare
Genre(s)
MMO

Like Fallout 76, this entry comes on the technicality that it shares the same universe as the previous single-player iterations in the Star Wars video game franchise. Whilst still a hugely popular game in its own right, The Old Republic is a vessel for the many Star Wars fanatics to live their Jedi dream through their own personalized characters in the Star Wars universe.

One of the biggest IPs in entertainment history, this MMORPG is full of nods to the classic film franchise, which is a good enough reason for many to play and enjoy the game.

4:01
More
Best Multiplayer Games On PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium (June 2024)

Sony's subscription service has everyone covered, including those seeking online experiences. These are the best multiplayer PS Plus games.