While many great paid DLCs out there are well worth their cost, there's nothing better in gaming than free updates packed full of new content. Some games are free-to-play, but rely on microtransactions and DLC to thrive, while others cost money in the first place, and then have paid expansions on top. However, some games are bought once and receive free content updates for years, at no additional cost.
18 Best 6-Player Co-Op Games, Ranked
Co-op games come in all shapes and sizes, and these great titles support 6-player groups.
In some cases, this is because the game needs to remain the same for all online players, such as those with persistent worlds. In other cases, the best games with free updates are labors of love with the player experience at heart.
No Man's Sky
Explore 18 Quintillion Planets Across 255 Galaxies
No Man's Sky infamously had a very poor launch, but in the years since, Hello Games has released free update after free update, turning it into the premier space exploration game. This redemption arc has earned the studio tonnes of respect, especially as the game has been in a great spot for a few years now, and yet the free updates never stop.
Even while working on their next game, Light No Fire, any new tech they come up with gets fed back into No Man's Sky, meaning the game looks and plays like it was released just yesterday. Some of the standout updates include the ability to build and fly Corvette ships, a rework of underwater exploration, and the introduction of sprawling NPC settlements. These are just a few examples, and only players who were there in the beginning will appreciate how far the game has come.
Project Zomboid
A Gritty, Realistic Zombie Survival Game That Asks 'How Will You Die?'
Project Zomboid is over a decade old, doesn't cost too much, and yet still receives large updates for free, technically still finding itself in Early Access. In this brutal zombie survival game, players aren't expected to live for long, but while alive, characters have traits, skills, and both mental and physical health. Mechanics such as crafting and stealth are also incredibly in-depth, making players feel like they are trapped in a real zombie apocalypse rather than a video game.
Best Shared Open-World Games
These fantastic open-world games offer enormous worlds that are shared with other players from around the world.
Updates to Project Zomboid include new towns, building improvements, basements, an overall visual update, combat reworks, new modes, and much more. While progress can be slow at times with part of the player base on a beta branch, there's no denying that tonnes of content has been added for free over the course of the game's long life.
Foxhole
Persistent World Wars That Can Last Months
Foxhole is an MMO like no other. Over the course of a few weeks or even months, it sees two factions of real players engage in massive wars, set in an alternate world similar to the two World Wars. Every bullet, vehicle, and piece of equipment is made and transported by players, who are all on equal footing. There are no levels to grind, as when your soldier dies, you simply spawn as another grunt.
As players need to be equal in the hope of even wars, this means there can be no microtransactions or paid DLCs. Therefore, all updates are completely free. During the course of the year, there are smaller updates introducing new buildings, vehicles, trench mechanics, map tweaks, and more. However, every now and again, there are game-defining updates, such as the introduction of naval warfare, and next on the list is the Airborne update, which will see planes and parachutists dominate the skies.
Dwarf Fortress
Help Your Dwarf Colony Survive A Reactive & Deeply Simulated World
Dwarf Fortress is a game with a long and storied life that was initially funded by donations until it made its way onto Steam. In fact, players can still access the free version with no fear of microtransactions or paid updates. The game is constantly being worked on and improved, meaning if players do opt to pay for the Steam version, they will get their money's worth, and in terms of continued development, there is apparently "no end in sight," according to the store page.
For those who don't know what Dwarf Fortress is about, it sees players take control of their own civilization of dwarves and build a fortress to help them survive. It claims to be one of the most deeply simulated games ever made, with everything being randomly generated so that civilizations can rise and fall while unique stories unfold.
Stardew Valley
The Coziest Farming & Life Sim
Since its release in 2016, Stardew Valley has been the coziest game on the market, allowing players to spruce up a rundown farm handed to them by the character's grandfather. It's not just a farming sim game, however, as players can walk around the open world, chatting and romancing NPCs or going to fish and clear caves.
8 Best Survival Games That Let You Play Your Own Way
Survival games come in all shapes and sizes, but the best examples of the genre are often the ones that offer players the most freedom of choice.
In almost a decade of existence, it has received numerous updates, featuring quality of life improvements, as well as lots of new content. For example, the introduction of Ginger Island gave players way more to do and explore, and there have also been new farms added, as well as seasonal events.
Valheim
A Norse Mythology Survival Game
Valheim is a survival and crafting game set in the world of Norse mythology. Starting in the Meadows and working their way into the Black Forest and progressively harder biomes, players discover new creatures and resources in a vast, open world that is randomly generated. Exploration with friends can take place on foot or ship, but players will also want to build a base, as the forest occasionally strikes back.
All updates have been completely free, and the game is devoid of microtransactions on top of a reasonable price. The larger updates have fully fleshed out late-game biomes, adding new monsters, building pieces, and even the occasional NPC with their own quest line. Once the Deep North update arrives, players who haven't jumped into Valheim since it took the internet by storm will be in for a shock at how much has been added, especially as they progress further.
Longest Open-World Games
Even the most sophisticated gamer will be bewildered by the sheer scale of these games. These are the open-world games that take the longest to beat.