The best mobile multiplayer games 2023

Most of us love a good multiplayer game. The best mobile multiplayer games come in many different varieties and truly showcase the potential of the platform. Multiplayer racing games like Mario Kart Tour and Asphalt 9: Legends show that mobile provides a nice variety of racers. Multiplayer shooters such as PUBG Mobile and Fortnite make it clear that iOS and Android can offer the same intense experiences as PC.

Then there are deck builders, which are arguably even better on mobile, with Gwent and Legends of Runeterra both being more convenient to play on a handheld than their PC counterparts. Mobile multiplayer games cover an astonishing array of genres, doing things that you just wouldn’t have thought possible.

There honestly is no better time than the present to start playing the best mobile multiplayer games with your friends, especially as so many of these games are free to play, or cost a fraction of the price that console and PC games do.

The best mobile multiplayer games are:

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Raid: Shadow Legends

If you think of Raid as an asynchronous multiplayer game, it’s got an awful lot of mileage. You can join a clan with your friends, and work together to defeat a variety of bosses. There’s plenty to keep you busy in Raid, and it’s all the better if you bring a few friends along for the ride.

Play Raid: Shadow Legends for free.

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Mech Arena

Shooters have always been a cornerstone of the multiplayer game world, and Mech Arena is a shooter that it’s really easy to pour tons of hours into. Essentially, it’s a game where you and other players use mech suits to blow each other up – a simple formula, for sure, but many great games have been based on equally basic premises.

It’s an easy one to hop into if you just want to unwind for a little bit by blowing up some foes. Meanwhile, the huge number of customisation options available to you mean that it encourages quite a lot of strategic thinking. By changing up your mech, you can modify it so that it best suits your preferred battle tactics. With all the other players doing the same thing, each battle feels a little different.

Play Mech Arena for free.

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Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact is a title from developer Mihoyo, and it’s a free-to-play action RPG with gacha mechanics. You can join a team with up to four players to take on dungeons and complete seasonal events. Take a look at our Genshin Impact review for more thoughts, our Genshin Impact codes list for some free goodies, and our Genshin Impact character tier list to see the game’s full roster of characters.

Play Genshin Impact for free.

Play for free

Iron Order 1919

So you like playing with others, do you? Well, this is a game that lets you play with up to 101 players at once – and, no, it’s not a battle royale (at least not by any standard definition of term). Iron Order 1919 is a grand strategy game set in an alternative history where the First World War didn’t end in 1918, and the countries involved in the conflict ended up developing mech-suit style vehicles with a sort of steampunk aesthetic.

The gameplay has you carefully looking over maps of the world, and considering the best way to deploy your troops. Meanwhile, you need to decide how you want your nation to advance. Are you going to invest in technological developments, or are you more concerned with armaments? You’re even given a lot of freedom when it comes to how you navigate the war, with options to try and find a diplomatic solution, as well as the option to conquer the world and create an unstoppable empire.

Play Iron Order 1919 for free.

Play for free

Magic: The Gathering Arena

Looking at physical games for a second, the popular card game Magic: The Gathering Arena is a game that’s enjoyed and respected by millions of players around the world. If you always meant to try it, might we recommend that you start with its free-to-play mobile incarnation: Magic: The Gathering Arena?

If you’re worried about learning the complexities of the game, Magic: The Gathering Arena will ease you into it through its tutorials. Meanwhile, you can still build your own collection of cards which is sure to be just as satisfying for some fans as if they were building the collection in reality. Unlike playing in real life, the mobile version lets you find online games whenever you fancy a go, so even if you are an avid IRL Magic player, the app may have its appeal.

Play Magic: The Gathering Arena.

League of Legends: Wild Rift

League of Legends: Wild Rift has quickly cemented itself as one of the best mobile MOBAs thanks to its excellent presentation, mobile-friendly design, and extensive roster of heroes. It’s a more approachable version of its popular predecessor – and it’s every bit as good. If you’re just starting out, be sure to give our League of Legends: Wild Rift champion guide and League of Legends: Wild Rift tier list a quick gander.

Call of Duty: Mobile

True to its name, Call of Duty: Mobile brings the classic COD experience to the platform, with running, gunning, and a pretty clever auto-fire system that makes the game far more playable on mobile. There’s a reason Call of Duty: Mobile won the mobile game of the year at the 2019 Game Awards; it’s honestly quite an astonishing game. If you fancy some sneaky tactics, give our Call of Duty: Mobile tips guide a look-see.

Mario Kart Tour

Just as Call of Duty: Mobile is to regular Call of Duty, Mario Kart Tour is to Mario Kart. Few would’ve thought it was possible to port the authentic Mario Kart multiplayer experience to mobile, but they were wrong. Mario Kart Tour has everything its predecessors do: all of your favourite characters, a plethora of vehicles, and tons of crazy tracks on which you can challenge your friends. Best of all, it’s free! You can even stay up to date with Tour’s newest developments with our Mario Kart Tour challenges guide.

Hearthstone

Perhaps the most popular and well-known card battler on mobile, Hearthstone sees you build a deck with characters and creatures from the Warcraft universe. You’ll play units using a mana system and try to create synergies to defeat your opponent, all the while protecting your hero from attacks. It also has an auto chess-inspired mode called ‘Battlegrounds’ where you face off against eight other players. If you want to give it a try, have a look at our Hearthstone Battlegrounds mobile guide!

PUBG Mobile

It’s a well-known fact that plenty of people used to play PUBG on PC for its hilarious bugs and glitches, so it’s kind of funny that PUBG Mobile is actually a very well-put-together game, channelling the classic battle royale experience for you and your friends. The game also receives regular updates and content, including new guns and vehicles, all of which you can see in our PUBG Mobile update guide.

Pokémon Go

Speaking of AR games, what list would be complete without Pokémon Go? Search for your favourite Pokémon, train them, and battle for control of local gyms, in your bid to catch ’em all, as those darn kids say. Pokémon Go is a wonderful way to get out into the real world and interact with other people. Niantic has even made it easier to play Pokémon Go at home, so there really is no excuse for you not being a Pokémon master yet.

Love playing games out and about? Check out our list of the best games like Pokémon Go.

Gwent

Otherwise known as The Witcher Card Game, Gwent is a spin-off of the card-battler from the absurdly popular game, The Witcher 3. Combining lore from The Witcher book series, and characters from the games, Gwent creates a card-battling experience that any Witcher fan will get a kick out of. It’s also a great deck-builder in its own right, with excellent monetisation, and pretty decent balancing. Check out our Gwent review if you don’t believe us! Also psst, do you want some tips to beat your opponents? Cast your gaze upon our Gwent guide.

Fortnite

The one, the only, Fortnite. The world-famous battle royale is on mobile, complete with elaborate cosmetics, a shed-load of guns, and more dance emotes than you could ever hope to master in real life. Whether battle royale is your thing or not, Fortnite is a free-to-play shooter of great quality, with plenty of players to fight against, and a fair bit of fun to be had. If you want tips to get started, see our guide on how to play Fornite on Android.

Asphalt 9: Legends

Bringing the shiny realism of popular racing games to mobile, Asphalt 9: Legends is an impressive car game. The auto-drive system makes it easier to play on mobile, but with controller support, you can also take the wheel and drive just like any other racing game. It also has pretty cool collisions, car customisation, and plenty of nitro for boosting fun; perfect for burning rubber with your buddies.

Clash of Clans

As one of the most popular strategy games ever conceived on mobile, Clash of Clans revolves around building up a town and an army, then repelling invaders in a tower defence-esque game mode. Clash also still has a fairly active multiplayer scene, with plenty of clans to join, and conflicts raging across the globe. Pretty impressive when you consider the game was released nine years ago.

Legends of Runeterra

Riot Games’ card-battler, Legends of Runeterra only recently came to mobile, but it’s already left a big impression, with inventive mechanics, and a huge number of cards and Champions to choose from. It’s also another example of a free card-battler with a reasonable crop of starter decks, easily enough for you to face off against a friend. Check out our Legends of Runeterra review if you want to hear more! Or see our Legends of Runeterra tier list if you need help choosing Champions.

Mobile Legends

As another of the great arena-battlers currently on the platform, Mobile Legends channels the classic MOBA experience, with a healthy crop of heroes to play as, and plenty of in-game upgrades to build stats during play. Mobile Legends is another free-to-play also, but features a trial system, allowing you to give some heroes a go before you decide to get them. If you want some help picking heroes, check out our Mobile Legends tier list!

Clash Royale

A sequel to the classic strategy game Clash of Clans, Clash Royale changes up the formula from tower defence to short, intense matches between players, utilising elements of card-battler and arena games. It’s also got a very active multiplayer scene, letting you battle with players from across the globe to rise in the rankings and earn rewards. And once again, it’s also free.

Teamfight Tactics

Inspired by Dota auto chess and its associated games like Dota: Underlords, and Hearthstone Battlegrounds, Teamfight Tactics brings the eight vs. eight battle mode to the League of Legends universe. This turn-based strategy game sees you build a roster of champions who must then battle in the arena, testing whose army is the best. It’s an imaginative game mode, but most of all, it’s free. Take a look at our TFT tier list if you’re interested in trying this game out.

Runescape Mobile

Many of you might remember playing Runescape when you were younger, but it kept going, kept improving itself, and has now made the move to mobile. Form a band of adventurers with your friends and go complete quests or face foes in co-op combat.

Garena Free Fire

As we reported recently, Garena Free Fire has hit 80 million users, and that’s pretty impressive, but if anything it should give you an indication of how fun the game is. In a similar vein to Fortnite, you drop onto an island where you must survive against 49 other players, scrounging what you can, and making your stand. But it’s also lots of fun to play in a squad with your friends. Take a look at our Garena Free Fire redeem codes for some free goodies.

Old School Runescape

This game is perfect for those of you who want the unadulterated nostalgia trip of descending back into ye olde world of Runescape, complete with pixelated models and those weirdly squeaky combat sounds. Old School Runescape is a trip down memory lane, perfect for friends who you might have played the game within its original iteration. It’s also still a pretty decent MMORPG in its own right, with fun quests and a real quirky vibe.

Brawlhalla

Do ye like fighting? If so, Brawlhalla is the game for you. This free-to-play fighting platformer lets you face off against up to eight foes from around the globe, garnering glory as you kick ass and take names. We also have a handy Brawlhalla characters list to help you choose which one you want to use.

Sky: Children of the Light

While not multiplayer in the strictest sense of the term, Sky: Children of the Light is a fantastic online social game where you can make friends with complete strangers and go on adventures together. It’s a unique social experiment on mobile, and one well worth seeing for yourself. Check out our Sky: Children of the Light review for more thoughts! We also have a handy Sky: Children of the Light guide to help you get started.

Among Us

Trust no one in this four-ten player murder mystery game. In Among Us you’re tasked with figuring out who the imposter, or imposters, are among your group. The innocent players complete a series of tasks in order to get a spaceship up and running, while the imposters attempt to stop the launch from happening. Check out our Among Us guide for some handy tips and tricks.

And that’s everything we’ve got for you! If you’re more of a co-op person, be sure to look at our list of the best mobile two player games, or if you prefer just being in the same world as others, why not try our best mobile MMORPGs list?