Nearing the end of the Xbox One‘s life cycle, one thing is clear: Although there are some excellent single-player Xbox One games, the console is defined by its multiplayer titles. Games like Halo 5 and Sea of Thieves cement Xbox One as the place to play with friends. Including the two previously mentioned games, here are the best multiplayer games currently available on Xbox One.
For this list, we looked for multiplayer games that are best experienced on Xbox One. That includes Xbox One exclusives, of course, but also games that are enhanced for Xbox One X. Most of the best multiplayer Xbox One games are available on Game Pass, too. If you want a few more options, make sure to check out our guide on the best multiplayer games on PC.
Further reading
Gears 5
M
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
The Coalition
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release
September 10, 2019
Gears 5 is the best Gears of War game in a while, fully taking advantage of Xbox One and Xbox One X to deliver beautiful visuals and multiple open-world sections in the campaign. Given the last few Gears of War games, it’s tempting to jump right into the multiplayer modes, ignoring the story entirely. Gears 5 has a campaign worth experiencing, though. It supports co-op with up to three other players, no matter if they’re online or sitting next to you. That’s not to detract from Gears 5′s excellent multiplayer, just to supplement it. The standard multiplayer game modes are present, from an Arcade quickplay playlist to ranked team deathmatch. Gears 5 stands out with its Horde and Escape modes. Horde has been around since Gears of War 2, and it’s just as good in Gears 5. Survive 50 waves of enemies with up to four friends, and victory is yours. Escape mode is new to the series. It’s a three-player cooperative mode where your squad must escape a Locust hive before a Venom Bomb explodes. Escape is a lot different than Horde, with scarce resources and an overwhelming number of foes. Half the battle is knowing when it’s correct to shoot and when it’s correct to run.
Read our full Gears 5 review
Sea of Thieves
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Rare
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release
March 20, 2018
Sea of Thieves is a loose multiplayer experience. There are quests, and those quests are tied to player progression, but it’s between map markers where Sea of Thieves shines. It doesn’t matter if you’re piloting a ship on roaring waters, where each crew member has a role to play, or scouting a small island for buried treasure: Sea of Thieves is a canvas for memorable gameplay moments with your friends. The cooperative experience is second to none, but that doesn’t mean the high seas are safe. Part of the Sea of Thieves experience is going toe-to-toe with other pirate fleets, trying to shoot a cannon through their sails while keeping your ship on track. Sea of Thieves sits somewhere in between Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. It offers enough action to keep players engaged without any sort of strict structure.
Read our full Sea of Thieves review
Minecraft Dungeons
E10
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Mojang Studios
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios, Mojang Studios
Release
May 26, 2020
As one of the bestselling games of all time, Minecraft needs little introduction. However, the RPG-enhanced Minecraft Dungeons is by far the friendliest game for multiplayer adventures. Your friends don’t need to know anything about Minecraft to jump in, party up, and explore a story packed with diverse zones, tough bosses, upgrades, and lots of loot (plus DLCs if everyone likes it). There’s also an in-depth difficulty system for each zone, so you can set the difficulty for wherever your party is at. Dungeons is available free on Game Pass, too!
Red Dead Redemption 2
M
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Rockstar Games
Publisher
Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games
Release
October 26, 2018
Red Dead Online is the multiplayer portion of Red Dead Redemption II, which currently tops our list of the best games on Xbox Game Pass. That’s why we’re including it. If you prefer a more modern take, Grand Theft Auto Online is just as interesting. Like GTA Online, Red Dead Online is just Red Dead Redemption II with friends. Instead of playing as Arthur Morgan, you can create your own character, tackling quests and bounties in the Wild West with your own customized group of outlaws. It’s not just a loose, tacked-on multiplayer mode. Red Dead Online has a story of its own. Set a year before Red Dead Redemption II, you play as a silent protagonist recently broken out of prison by a group of bandits. If you prefer a more open approach, Red Dead Online has a slew of activities outside of the main story, from taking on bounties with a posse to going toe to toe with other players in the Showdown Series.
Apex Legends
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Shooter
Developer
Respawn Entertainment
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Release
February 04, 2019
Short of Fortnite, Apex Legends might be the most popular battle royal game right now — it’s certainly one of the best. As Titanfall 2 showed, Respawn has a knack for fast-paced, fluid multiplayer, and Apex Legends puts that on full display. Gameplay-wise, Apex Legends doesn’t change the formula much. It introduced respawns to the battle royale format — something Activision expanded upon in Call of Duty: Warzone — but outside of that, it’s all about looting and shooting. Respawn got those two bits right. Loot is doled out generously, and with the new crafting system, you can create any gear you’re missing. As for shooting, it comes down to feel. A concoction of graphics, sound design, and animation come together to create guns that feel weighty yet responsive. Plus, there’s a roster of unique Legends, each bringing their own flair and abilities to the Apex Games.
Read our full Apex Legends review
Monster Hunter: World
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom
Release
January 26, 2018
Monster Hunter: World was already a gorgeous online world filled with multiplayer opportunities, but the expansion/revision IceBorne added a whole lot of new content and quality-of-life changes that make the game more accessible than ever. If you’ve never felt the rush of tracking with a team, attacking, and eventually conquering enormous monsters that could kill you with a swat — well, it’s worth the ride. In-depth exploration and crafting options allow you to pick your favorite weapon/armor types and keeping upgrading as long as you play … and since World is always adding more endgame monsters, that could be a long, long time.
Divinity: Original Sin II
M
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure
Developer
Larian Studios
Publisher
Larian Studios
Release
September 14, 2017
Divinity: Original Sin II is an old-fashioned, isometric RPG, and it’s great. If you’re looking for deep lore, tactical combat, and nearly endless story opportunities, Divinity: Original Sin II is for you. If you want a lot of action and don’t care much for digging through dialogue trees, there are better options on this list. Divinity: Original Sin II isn’t a game for everyone. For the players who enjoy this style of game, though, there’s nothing quite like it. It’s an excellent single-player experience, but to get the most out of Divinity: Original Sin II, it’s best to take three friends along for the journey. You play as a Sourcerer, someone who can cultivate Source to cast spells. Rivellon, where all of the Divinity games take place, is under attack by the Voidwoken, attracted to the power of Source. To fend off the invasion, The Divine Order starts persecuting Sourcerers, outfitting magic users with a collar that mutes their Source powers. Your journey begins on a ship stuffed to the brim with Source-muted characters on their way to Fort Joy, where the Divine Order purges Sourcerers of their Source. All of this happens in the first 45 minutes of the game, and there are another 50 or so hours dedicated to just the main quest. Divinity: Original Sin II is a journey, and if you’re at all interested in RPGs, it’s a journey you and your friends should take.
Cuphead
E10
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Platform, Adventure, Indie, Arcade
Developer
Studio MDHR
Publisher
Studio MDHR
Release
September 29, 2017
Cuphead’s opening theme starts with “Cuphead and his pal, Mugman,” and there’s a reason for that. Cuphead has a single-player mode, but its co-op mode stands out. It’s not a free pass — bosses have twice as much health in co-op mode, so expect the same level of challenge — but having a player two can make getting through run-and-gun levels a lot easier. Players can revive each other in co-op mode, meaning a poorly timed parry isn’t an immediate game over. This is one for the couch, though; Cuphead currently doesn’t support online play.
Halo Infinite
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Shooter
Developer
343 Industries
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release
November 15, 2021
Halo Infinite is the most modern, polished Halo game available. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best — The Master Chief Collection could have easily taken this spot — but if you’re a newcomer to the series, Halo Infinite is the best place to start. The campaign is decent — not on the level of Halo 3, but passable — although lacking co-op at launch. As any Halo fan knows, though, multiplayer is where it’s at. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer offers everything a Halo multiplayer mode should. It’s fast and surgical, though never above some off-the-wall game modes. This balance allows anyone to get in on the action, no matter if you want to climb the competitive ladder or just shoot some stuff for a while. The 343 studio swaps in new multiplayer game modes constantly, too. The standard competitive and casual Slayer and Swat modes are present, but you’ll also see Fiesta and the new Lone Wolves mode, among others, from time to time.
Read our full Halo Infinite review
Killer Instinct
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
Genre
Fighting
Developer
Iron Galaxy Studios, Double Helix Games
Publisher
Microsoft Studios
Release
November 22, 2013
It’s easy to forget that Killer Instinct released alongside the Xbox One in 2013. The game has been going strong for the past seven years. It has a decent roster of characters, but Killer Instinct is still a far cry from Tekken 7 on that front. Killer Instinct stands out with feel. Actions are responsive, with very little in the way of wind-up frames. Once you master a character’s moveset, Killer Instinct achieves a flow state that even the best fighting games struggle to rival. Plus, it runs at 60 frames per second or higher, even on the base Xbox One. As a first-party title, Killer Instinct comes with the usual Xbox treatment, too. It supports Play Anywhere, so you can jump between PC and Xbox One, as well as challenge players on different platforms. Definitive Edition is available on Game Pass, too. Over the free version, it includes the full roster of characters, including Rash from Battletoads and Artbitor from Halo, as well as the first two Killer Instinct games, scaled for Xbox One.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Gearbox Software
Publisher
2K Games
Release
March 25, 2022
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands amplifies every aspect of the games that proceeded it. Combat is more bombastic, the quests are more varied, and there are more guns than any other Borderlands game. If you haven’t taken to the previous games, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands won’t change your mind. If you have, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands turns the dial up to 11. Rare guns and over-the-top combat only take you so far, though. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a thoroughly enjoyable experience in single-player mode, but the loop of looting and shooting can get stale fast depending on your tolerance. Like a lot of other games on this list, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands shines in multiplayer. Wiping the sweat from your brow after an intense combat encounter or tracking down a rare, legendary weapon is much more enjoyable with a group. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands adds some significant changes to the co-op mode over previous games, too. Most notably, the game reframes the plot around a DnD style campaign hosted by Tiny Tina, whose narration can change the environment and mechanics on the fly in wild and creative ways.
Read our full Tiny Tina's Wonderlands review
Deep Rock Galactic
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5
Genre
Shooter, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Ghost Ship Games
Publisher
Coffee Stain Publishing
Release
May 13, 2020
This creative co-op game (free on Game Pass) supports up to four players and has understandably received much praise for its tight, mission-driven adventures that combine mining quests (get in, navigate caves, mine jewels, fight hordes of monsters to get out) with some basic RPG elements for leveling. Each class of space dwarf gets its own abilities to help cross cave systems and kill the baddies, and each mission has its unique challenges to deal with as a team (without lasting too long or being overly complex). Also, every environment is 100% destructible, allowing for many inventive methods of exploration!
Risk of Rain 2
T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Hopoo Games
Publisher
Gearbox Publishing
Release
March 28, 2019
If you’re a fan of roguelikes but wish there was an excellent version you could play with friends, wish no longer! Risk of Rain 2 is designed for just that: You and your friends (solo play also supported) land on an alien planet and go through various alien zones, exploring, fighting, and deciding just how long you want to keep pushing for this session. There are a ton of innovative characters to unlock, more than 110 items to discover with combining effects that yield powerful abilities, and generally just a lot to discover. Plus, since every iteration starts over, there’s no fear of losing friends who may progress faster than you.
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