Guide · Choosing
How to choose an online multiplayer PC game
There is no shortage of multiplayer games for Windows, macOS and Linux. The hard part is predicting which one will still feel worth opening after the first week. This guide gives you a repeatable way to narrow the field, using information you can check before you create an account.
Quick answer
Start from the time you really have, not the genre you think you like. Then check three things in this order: whether your computer meets the recommended specification, how the game is paid for over a year rather than on day one, and whether the people you would play with are on the same platform and in a compatible time zone. Only after that is it worth comparing trailers, maps or vehicle lists.
Start with your time, not the genre
Genres are a weak predictor of whether a game will last for you. Two shooters can ask for completely different commitments: one is built around ten-minute rounds you can drop in and out of, the other around long sessions with a fixed team. The same is true of strategy games, racing games and vehicle combat games.
Before you look at any game, write down two numbers: how long a typical session can be on a weeknight, and how many sessions you can realistically fit in a week. A game whose matches routinely run long, or that punishes players for leaving part-way through, will frustrate someone who has forty minutes after the children are in bed. A game that rewards daily logins will feel like a chore to someone who plays twice a month.
Most publishers describe their match format on their own websites or in their store listings. Look for wording about match length, whether there is a single-player or practice mode, whether progress is saved between short sessions, and whether you can leave a match without a penalty. If none of that is stated, a tutorial or practice mode is usually the quickest way to find out.
Understand how the game is paid for
The price at the door is only one part of what a game costs. Over a year, a game with no upfront price can cost more or less than one bought outright, depending entirely on how you play and what you choose to buy. The table below compares the common models in general terms. It does not describe any specific game.
| Model | What you pay upfront | What you may pay later | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time purchase | The listed price, usually in a store that shows Canadian dollars | Expansions, seasonal content or cosmetic items | Whether online play depends on a separate membership or on servers the publisher may close |
| Subscription | Often the first billing period | A recurring charge until you cancel | The renewal date, the cancellation route and whether the price is shown before or after sales tax |
| No upfront price, with an in-game store | Nothing to install and start | In-game currency, premium memberships, bundles and sometimes items with random contents | What the store sells, whether it uses a virtual currency, and the rating's content descriptors |
| Bundled in a game library service | The service's own subscription | Purchases inside individual games | Whether the game stays available if it leaves the library |
Whichever model applies, two habits help. First, look at the total you would be comfortable spending in a year and divide it by twelve; that is your monthly ceiling. Second, check whether prices are shown in Canadian dollars. If a store charges in another currency, your card issuer may add a conversion fee, and the amount on your statement can differ from the one you saw on screen. The spending guide goes into virtual currencies and random items in more detail.
Check the hardware honestly
A game that runs poorly is not a fair test of whether you like it. Compare your computer with the publisher's recommended specification, not just the minimum, and pay particular attention to the graphics card and available storage. Large online games often need tens of gigabytes once updates are included, and they keep growing.
A laptop that meets the recommended figures on paper may still run hot or throttle on battery power. If you play on a laptop, plan to test while it is plugged in and on a hard surface. Our guide to reading system requirements shows how to find each figure on your own machine.
Your internet connection matters as well. Online games are generally more sensitive to latency and dropped packets than to raw download speed. A wired connection or a good position relative to your Wi-Fi router often makes a bigger difference than a faster plan. The initial download is the exception: a large installer and its first round of patches can take a long time on a slower rural connection, so plan to start it well before you want to play.
Look at the community you would join
An online game is partly the people in it. A few things are worth checking before you register:
- Where your friends play. If you want to play with specific people, confirm that the game supports your platforms together and that you can group up easily.
- Server regions. Players in Canada are often matched to North American servers. If your group is spread across continents, check how the game handles that.
- Communication tools. Text and voice chat can be useful or unpleasant. Find out whether chat can be limited or switched off, and how reporting works.
- Language. If you or someone in your household prefers to play in French, check that the game and its support pages are available in French before you invest time.
Build a shortlist and test it
Once you have a sense of your time, budget, hardware and social needs, the following procedure turns a vague list of possibilities into a decision you can test cheaply.
- List up to five candidates. Include games friends recommend and games that match your preferred session length.
- Cross off anything your computer cannot run at the recommended level. Be strict; a borderline result usually means compromises later.
- Read the payment model for each remaining game. Note whether there is an in-game store, what currency it uses and whether it sells random items.
- Check the rating and descriptors. This matters most in shared households. See our page on families and younger players.
- Pick one game to try first. Register with a dedicated email address if you prefer to keep game mail separate, and secure the account straight away.
- Play the tutorial and two or three ordinary matches. Judge controls, performance and match length, not just the opening moments.
- Decide, and uninstall what you will not keep. Large games take up storage and may update in the background.
A practical tip: keep a short note of why you crossed each game off. If the same reason keeps appearing, such as match length or hardware, it tells you more about what to look for next time than any review score.
Signals that deserve caution
What to watch out for
- Websites that look like a game's official site but are not run by the publisher, especially ones asking you to download an installer from an unfamiliar address.
- Offers of in-game currency or items in exchange for your login details. These are a common scam pattern; Get Cyber Safe explains how to secure your accounts against them.
- Pressure to decide quickly, such as countdowns or limited-time bundles, when you have not yet played the game.
- Pages that blur the line between advertising and independent opinion without saying which is which. A trustworthy site, including an affiliate site, tells you when a link is paid.
After the first week
The real test comes after the novelty fades. Ask yourself whether you open the game because you want to, or because it reminds you to. Ask whether the matches leave you feeling it was time well spent. If the honest answer is no, uninstalling is a perfectly good outcome; you have learned something about what suits you, and you have not committed money you would rather have kept.
If the answer is yes, it is a good moment to revisit your spending rule and your account security, since you now have something worth protecting.