Also, some of our picks are available on PC Game Pass, Microsoft's subscription service.įirst released in the '90s, Sid Meier's Civilization series is still going strong in 2021, thanks to continued support for its most recent release, Civilization VI. We've included links to those stores, too. We've linked to Steam listings where possible for these games, but it's worth noting that you can often find better deals on storefronts such as Fanatical and GOG. And if you happen to have a Steam Deck, a lot of these games are playable on Valve's impressive handheld PC. That said, many of the games on this list don't require the latest and greatest graphic cards-they merely help these great games look even better.
PC gaming is quite different from consoles, as your mileage with each game on this list will vary based on your rig. Our list of the best PC games spans across a wide variety of genres, so we imagine at least a few of these games will pique your interest. Some of these, like Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3, are recently released gems, while others are multiplayer or live service games that have stood the test of time, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft. Rather than a comprehensive list of the best PC games of all time, we placed our focus on the best PC games to play right now. The PC gaming ecosystem is easily the largest in the industry, with tens of thousands of games available to play and no real generational divide.