Free Tactical Games on Steam
Steam currently has 5,321 Tactical games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best free games ranked by popularity and ratings. Data for this list is calculated from reviews and player counts reported directly by Steam and will be updated in real-time. Free Tactical game rankings were last updated on 11/7/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best tactical games on Steam
- Best tactical Steam Deck games
- Best tactical Steam games for Mac OS
- Best tactical Linux games on Steam
- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
- Best rated Steam games
1. Counter-Strike 2
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
Counter-Strike 2 holds the #1 spot for "best free Tactical game on Steam" with a Player Score of 87. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,378,230 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,284,886 positive reviews and 1,093,344 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Counter-Strike 2 on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
2. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
Play PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS for free. Land on strategic locations, loot weapons and supplies, and survive to become the last team standing across various, diverse Battlegrounds. Squad up and join the Battlegrounds for the original Battle Royale experience that only PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS can offer.
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS has achieved a Player Score of 59, placing it in the #2 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,454,782 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,444,819 positive reviews and 1,009,963 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 12/21/2017 |
| Franchise | KRAFTON, Inc. |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | KRAFTON, Inc. |
| Steam App Id | 578080 |
3. Apex Legends™
Apex Legends is the award-winning, free-to-play Hero Shooter from Respawn Entertainment. Master an ever-growing roster of legendary characters with powerful abilities, and experience strategic squad play and innovative gameplay in the next evolution of Hero Shooter and Battle Royale.
Apex Legends™ has achieved a Player Score of 67, placing it in the #3 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 960,379 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 650,940 positive reviews and 309,439 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Apex Legends™ on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 11/4/2020 |
| Franchise | Apex Legends Official |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Electronic Arts |
| Steam App Id | 1172470 |
4. Team Fortress 2
Nine distinct classes provide a broad range of tactical abilities and personalities. Constantly updated with new game modes, maps, equipment and, most importantly, hats!
Team Fortress 2 has achieved a Player Score of 88, placing it in the #4 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,123,104 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 993,736 positive reviews and 129,368 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Team Fortress 2 on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
5. THE FINALS
Join THE FINALS, the world-famous, free-to-play, combat-centered game show! Fight alongside your teammates in virtual arenas that you can alter, exploit, and even destroy. Build your own playstyle in this first-person shooter to win escalating tournaments and lasting fame.
THE FINALS has achieved a Player Score of 75, placing it in the #5 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 191,193 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 144,508 positive reviews and 46,685 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play THE FINALS on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 12/8/2023 |
| Developer | Embark Studios |
| Publisher | Embark Studios |
| Steam App Id | 2073850 |
6. Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL is the ultimate free-to-play cross-platform strategy card game with fast-paced Duels, stunning HD graphics and a new, dynamic soundtrack! Get ready to challenge Duelists around the world!
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has achieved a Player Score of 74, placing it in the #6 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 78,114 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 58,703 positive reviews and 19,411 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Release Date | 1/19/2022 |
| Franchise | Yu-Gi-Oh! |
| Developers | |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1449850 |
7. OBS Studio
Free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming
OBS Studio has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #7 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 28,374 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 27,068 positive reviews and 1,306 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run OBS Studio on the Steam Deck.
| Release Date | 3/21/2022 |
| Developer | OBS Project |
| Publisher | OBS Project |
| Steam App Id | 1905180 |
8. Magic: The Gathering Arena
Magic: The Gathering Arena empowers you to discover your strategy, meet the planeswalkers, explore the multiverse, and battle friends around the world. Start playing for free, challenge your friends, unlock cards, and feel the magic of the original fantasy CCG!
Magic: The Gathering Arena has achieved a Player Score of 63, placing it in the #8 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 14,530 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 9,327 positive reviews and 5,203 negative reviews — making it "Mixed" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Magic: The Gathering Arena on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 5/23/2023 |
| Developer | Wizards of the Coast LLC |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast LLC |
| Steam App Id | 2141910 |
9. Crosshair V2
Crosshair V2 is a crosshair overlay technology that improves aim, response time, and hip fire accuracy for gamers. Choose from a variety of sizes, shapes, and neon colors to find the crosshair that gives you the greatest advantage in your favorite game.
Crosshair V2 has achieved a Player Score of 87, placing it in the #9 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,632 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,055 positive reviews and 577 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, there is no confirmed information regarding Steam Deck support for this game.
| Release Date | 1/27/2023 |
| Developer | CenterPoint Gaming |
| Publisher | CenterPoint Gaming |
| Steam App Id | 2250040 |
10. World of Warships
Immerse yourself in thrilling naval battles and assemble an armada of over 600 ships from the first half of the 20th century — from stealthy destroyers to gigantic battleships. Change the look of your ship, choose upgrades to suit your play style, and go into battle with other players!
World of Warships has achieved a Player Score of 77, placing it in the #10 spot for the best free Tactical games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 143,673 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 111,284 positive reviews and 32,389 negative reviews — making it "Mostly Positive" on Steam.
It can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play World of Warships on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Release Date | 11/15/2017 |
| Franchise | Wargaming Group Ltd. |
| Developer | Wargaming Group Limited |
| Publisher | Wargaming Group Limited |
| Steam App Id | 552990 |
More Free Tactical Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best free Tactical games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 468,956 | 8/21/2012 | 87 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 141,968 | 12/21/2017 | 59 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 69,079 | 11/4/2020 | 67 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 39,078 | 10/10/2007 | 88 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 15,565 | 12/8/2023 | 75 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 12,907 | 1/19/2022 | 74 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 7,489 | 3/21/2022 | 93 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 6,426 | 5/23/2023 | 63 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 5,283 | 1/27/2023 | 87 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 5,221 | 11/15/2017 | 77 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 4,548 | 12/9/2022 | 75 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 3,731 | 6/17/2023 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 3,043 | 2/21/2024 | 51 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 2,180 | 4/6/2020 | 68 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,921 | 2/19/2020 | 79 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,686 | 4/29/2021 | 83 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,684 | 8/20/2024 | 72 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,542 | 4/5/2021 | 77 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,529 | 8/22/2024 | 74 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,257 | 4/4/2018 | 60 | Free | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Player counts and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 7). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 7). Counter-Strike 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). Apex Legends™ on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 5). Team Fortress 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). THE FINALS on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 2). OBS Studio on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). Magic: The Gathering Arena on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, October 20). Crosshair V2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, October 31). World of Warships on Steam. Steam Store.