The Best Free Virtual Reality Games

Even if v irtual reality is no longer gaming’s exciting new fad, the hardware is still in its infancy and has plenty of room to grow. Developers are constantly exploring and pushing the technology’s limitations, striving to craft experiences capable of delivering a sense of immersion beyond anything previously produced by the industry.

With the market offering a myriad of headsets at different price points, VR is now more accessible than ever. That said, it is still generally a costly investment that some people might struggle to justify. Beyond just the hardware, building a library of games can get pretty expensive as well, at least if freebies are entirely ignored. However, there are plenty of great free VR games.

Updated August 30, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Unfortunately, free virtual reality games are just not released all that frequently, which makes sense since VR projects in general are fairly hard to come by. Still, this article has been updated with an older option that escape room fans will want to check out as it offers a free stage to work through.

Moon Rider

Rhythm Games Similar To Beat Saber

Beat Saber has seen massive success thanks to its fun and engaging rhythm-based gameplay that sees players slicing and dicing their way to the beat through their favorite songs. It also features a dedicated modding community that is dedicated to filling its libraries with as much as possible. Those who are looking for a free-to-play alternative to the musically-infused smash hit can check out Moon Rider.

As a web-based program, players won’t even need to download anything to get started. Instead, they’ll simply need to head to the website (moonrider.xyz) in their Meta Quest web browser (or using another applicable headset browser). Once there, players will have immediate access to over 15,000 songs that they can play, with a very similar feeling to Beat Saber.

Moon Rider is available as a web-based program, meaning players with all types of headsets can hop into the release so long as they can access a web browser on their device. It’s considered one of the better Beat Saber-like releases out there and plays incredibly well for a browser-based title.

Mine Souls 3

Itch.io Rating: 4.2/5

Itch.io is great for short and sweet fan games, and the platform has quite a few free VR titles. Along with known properties, the site has a wide range of creative games that try to scratch an itch that official and mainline releases cannot reach. Mine Souls 3 is one such project, and as its name suggests, it combines Minecraft and Dark Souls. On the surface, this might just seem like a novelty that won’t hold value beyond a minute or two, but that’s not really the case. These two franchises blend surprisingly well, and there is enough content here to keep someone busy for half an hour. More importantly, Mine Souls 3 oozes charm as it pays tribute to both of its inspirations.

The game can be played like a standard third-person Soulslike, and it delivers a reliable experience through this avenue. However, Mine Souls 3 also supports virtual reality, which shifts things to a first-person perspective. Outside a few somewhat related titles like In Death: Unchained, VR Soulslikes are almost non-existent, and Mine Souls 3 shows that this could be an untapped market. Also, considering Minecraft has expanded into different genres in recent years, who is to say the official franchise won’t eventually go down this route?

The Lab

Steam User Rating: 95%

Any relatively new technology needs to familiarize users with its functionality, which is essentially the purpose of Valve’s The Lab. Consisting of eight mini-games, The Lab drops players into a pocket universe where they can become accustomed to the wonders of virtual reality. None of the games are long or especially deep, but they are all polished and enjoyable in their own right.

The Lab might not have too much value for those who are already deep into the world of VR, but newcomers should consider starting with this free package. Although the game did not receive enough critical reviews to earn an open-critic score, The Lab‘s reception was largely positive. The same can be said for its reviews on Steam.

Cactus Cowboy – Plants At War

Steam User Rating: 89%

Largely created by one developer, Cactus Cowboy – Plants At War was the first free VR game to come to the PSVR 2. Unsurprisingly overshadowed by the hardware’s other launch releases like Horizon Call of the Mountain and virtual reality updates to Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil Village, Plants At War is nevertheless a decent addition to pretty much any VR library. The game has been out on PC for roughly a year too, so someone does not have to own a PS5 to try this release.

A first-person military shooter that trades harrowing realism for army cacti and massive bugs, Plants At War is a single-player experience with charming visuals, a sense of humor, and decent gameplay. While it might not revolutionize the gaming industry, this release is nevertheless impressive considering its small production team.

RaceRoom Racing Experience

Steam User Rating: 74%

RaceRoom Racing Experience has been around for a long time, and it is firmly established as one of the better sim racing options on Steam. The genre does not have too many free-to-play greats in its ranks, and while RaceRoom‘s non-priced content is not extensive, it does provide more than enough material to allow new players to make an informed decision on whether they would like to invest their time and money. Free users can utilize more than 10 cars and access five tracks, which should help them decide if they like the feel of the game. More importantly, players can take premium cars for a spin before purchasing them, and the game is overflowing with options in this area. There are also plenty of tracks. Along with purchasing tracks and cars individually, RaceRoom also has a few available packs, including a premium option that unlocks nearly everything.

RaceRoom‘s VR is a mixed bag since the performance can fluctuate extensively depending on someone’s setup. Still, it is a nice option to have alongside the standard non-VR version. When it comes to free VR racing games, the selection is almost non-existent, so RaceRoom should help fill that void even if it might not be the best on the market when compared to releases that are priced out of the gate.

Republique VR

Steam User Rating: 73%

Camouflaj’s Republique is an episodic stealth game that debuted in 2013. Garnering a decent overall reception, this title understands its genre, without necessarily bringing too much new to the table. In 2022, Republique VR made its way to PC and PS VR, making it one of the few stealth games on the market.

Initially sold for $14.99, Republique VR and its non-VR version are nowadays free-to-play, and they are both solid experiences. Rather than control Hope, the protagonist, players essentially act as an overlooker who assists the main character by hacking doors and completing puzzles. The gameplay might not be to everyone’s tastes, but it is well executed. The storyline is also quite engaging, and the episodes do not overstay their welcome.

Dagon: By H. P. Lovecraft

Steam User Rating: 95%

Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft is one of the best free horror games on Steam. A loyal Lovecraftian experience, Dagon is short and, for a lack of a more appropriate word, sweet, one that will surely hit the mark for any fans of the author’s works.

While not available at launch, virtual reality support was eventually added to the game, taking an already intense experience and maximizing its fear factor. Now, it should be said that intractability is not Dagon‘s priority, as this title predominantly focuses on presenting Lovecraft’s ideas through a more visual medium.

Developed by Bit Golem, Dagon has garnered near-universal praise, particularly for its dedication to authentically capturing the essence of a Lovecraftian story. Fans of the source material should definitely check this out, and even people who have never read anything by Lovecraft are likely to find something to appreciate in this title.

War Thunder

Steam User Rating: 75%

Launching in 2013 as an open beta, War Thunder is approaching its 10-year anniversary, and the free-to-play vehicular combat game is still very active on Steam. Offering three styles of battles that range from arcade goodness to war sims, War Thunder covers a wide spectrum of preferences, and it handles most of these areas quite well.

Virtual reality support was eventually added to the MMO, introducing a new dimension to an already robust package. Now, it should be said that War Thunder is still primarily designed to be played without VR, and the game’s standard version plays better; nevertheless, this option elevates the immersion to the next level. Through VR, War Thunder becomes a proper flight or tank sim, and a pretty fun one at that. Even if it is treated more like a neat bonus than a required part of the experience, War Thunder‘s VR mode is considered decent.

Shattered Lights

Steam User Rating: 88%

Horror and VR are made for each other, and Shattered Lights showcases this wicked union beautifully. Team Morbid’s title uses non-euclidean geometry to create a fully immersive experience designed around the player’s physical movement. Consequently, the game requires a rather large play area, and anyone looking to try this title should first check they have the necessary space.

Conceptually, Shattered Lights is a relatively straightforward horror game. Players investigate an abandoned medical facility with just a flashlight. The visuals are quite great as well, and they certainly make for an intense playthrough.

Gun Raiders

Meta.com 5-Star Score: 64%

Gun Raiders does not deviate too far from the beaten path when it comes to first-person multiplayer shooters, but it does the basics nicely. On the surface, this might not sound like all that glowing of a recommendation, but that’s not the case as there are not all that many free-to-play FPS VR titles out there; consequently, Gun Raiders fills a void.

Beyond just availability, Gun Raiders controls well, has a few modes to inject some variety, a decent selection of weapons, and a colorful visual style. The game is also receiving frequent updates and patches as it steadily develops into a more complete and satisfying package.

SCP: Blackout

Steam User Rating: 69%

SCP: Blackout comes with the disclaimer that the game is no longer in development, with the creator explaining that the project’s data was lost, eliminating the chance of any future updates. As such, the current version is the final one, and some elements of the package are outdated (including the VR support). Still, SCP: Blackout is still a recommendable free-to-play VR game in its current form, particularly for fans of horror or people who are interested in the SCP Foundation.

The premise is simple and somewhat similar to Control. As a new worker, players find themselves thrown into the deep end when all hell breaks loose after a bunch of entities escape their containment. Blackout contains 10 creatures overall, and while most of them are driven by a desire to “hunt and kill players,” some exceptions exist. When it comes to gameplay, this title keeps things fairly straightforward and should not hold too many surprises for people familiar with VR horror games.

SCP: Blackout
went free-to-play on March 26, 2024, although the project has been around in some form since 2019.

Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay

Steam User Rating: 89%

Released ahead of The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay is a short but charming package that trusts players with fixing a few astromech droids, including BB-8. As tends to be the case with tie-in VR projects, Droid Repair Bay does not offer much gameplay, at least in terms of length and substance. However, the game gets by on charm alone, and it does a splendid job of crafting a lively setting.

Non-fans will not get much out of this release, but Droid Repair Bay is designed specifically for people who just want to exist in the Star Wars universe. Admittedly, at the time of this project’s release, Star Wars was not quite as overexposed as it is nowadays, so the possibility of jumping directly into the universe was more exciting. Still, the content is cute.

Rec Room

Steam User Rating: 90%

For the player looking for a more curated and casual social VR experience, look no further than Rec Room. Less chaotic than VRChat, this game boasts a more gameplay-oriented community. As such it can be a much more relaxing VR experience.

Rec Room does not grant players many ways to express themselves in this game, but what they gain in return is a more refined experience made up of higher-quality games to play with others. A user might even make a few friends along the way.

While the gameplay-geared setting will be nice for players who don’t really want to just sit around and chat, there have been some user complaints about community toxicity. There have been many issues with false reports, heavy-handed moderators, and other problems. Despite this, Rec Room can still be great fun if gamers avoid these negative aspects by playing with individuals who understand how to show others courtesy online.

ChilloutVR

Steam User Rating: 82%

Another alternative to VRChats or Rec Room, ChilloutVR has steadily amassed a following over the last four years, establishing itself as a dependable and relaxing social option. While supporting non-headset sessions, the project loses something when played outside of VR, resulting in a charming but not especially immersive experience. Fortunately, the game supports quite a few accessible headsets, although Quest users will need to jump through some hoops as ChilloutVR is not currently available on the Meta Store.

Like its competitors, this release mainly seeks to provide safe spaces for users to explore and interact with each other. Along with official worlds, users can also create their own zones, with a few of them being available at any given moment. These areas cover quite an impressive range of settings and even genres, and they generally have pretty good visuals.

ChilloutVR
‘s free option should be more than enough for most people, but those who want to specifically focus on uploading content might want to consider picking up an
Unlocked Account
.

Tales Of Escape

Steam User Rating: 62%

Tales of Escape is an escape room simulator with a fantastical edge and a focus on multiplayer. While most of the available escape rooms need to be purchased, players can try out the first one, “Mine,” for free, giving them enough direct experience to decide whether to invest in the DLC. Tales of Escape leans into horror to an extent, with most locations being fairly creepy rather than just standard escape rooms; that said, the game is not extremely scary, at least by the standards of that genre’s VR releases.

Escape room projects live and die by the quality of their puzzles, which have to walk the line of being difficult enough to offer a challenge but not so hard that solving them is frustrating rather than rewarding. Tales of Escape sometimes struggles to strike this balance, with some puzzles being fairly obtuse. Still, it is a decent free VR title for a group of friends who are looking for a brain teaser they can play for an hour.

Tales of Escape
supports VR but does not require it.

Cards & Tankards

Steam User Rating: 92%

Despite seeming like a good fit for the technology, VR tabletop games are in short supply. The floodgates probably won’t open until a massive property like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Magic the Gathering makes the leap and experiences success, but anyone looking for a free VR card game should check out Cards & Tankards. Offering a charming presentation and an accessible system that has just enough depth to keep veterans entertained for a while, this 2023 release succeeds in scratching an itch that has been primarily left unattended.

Cards & Tankards is intended to be a social experience that mimics the joys of playing a match at a local store. Although best in VR, the game can be played normally and even offers AI opponents for anyone who wants to practice.

Surgeon Simulator VR: Meet The Medic

Steam User Rating: 76%

Surgeon Simulator is a charmingly grim game, and Meet the Medic takes things to the next level. While nothing more than a demo for the HTC Vive, Surgeon Simulator VR: Meet the Medic offers a lighthearted and fun way to spend a few minutes, particularly for fans of Team Fortress 2.

Most of the best free VR games are designed to showcase the technology’s potential, which is exactly what this demo accomplishes. It might not be something people will endlessly revisit, but Meet the Medic is good for a laugh. While the content is silly, the game’s controls are intuitive, making this small title worth a download.

Propagation VR

Steam User Rating: 94%

For the more horror-inclined, or for fans of Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, there is this survival shooter. Unceasingly creepy and dripping with a sinister atmosphere, Propagation VR will have the player standing their ground against an onslaught of terrifying enemies ranging from zombies to mutant monstrosities.

Equipped with nothing but a pistol, a shotgun, and their own two fists, the player will have to utilize all the tools at their disposal to survive. Once it gets going, this game is non-stop action that will keep players on their toes till the credits roll. VR is such a great fit for horror, and Propagation is one of the few free projects that demonstrate that fact.

Propagation
supports co-op, but that feature needs to be purchased.

DCS World Steam Edition

Steam User Rating: 85%

The best VR games find ways to put the most content into as little space as possible–one of the many reasons why VR games have the player standing in place. That being said, no other experience adheres to this idea better than a flight simulator.

This game will put the player in charge of an aircraft in its complete majesty. The controls are complex, but what the player can pull off with these controls is fantastic. One can drop bombs, fire missiles, and evade enemies, among other things. And if that wasn’t enough, there is mod support as well.

Despite being fairly old, getting VR capabilities really rocketed this flight simulator back into the view of mainstream consumers. This genre naturally lends itself very well to the potential of VR controls, and this was confirmed by many players claiming it is the most fun they’ve ever had in a VR game both due to the refined controls and excellent immersive qualities.

Epic Roller Coasters

Steam User Rating: 62%

Delivering exactly what is advertised, Epic Roller Coasters allows players to experience the thrill of theme parks from the safety and comfort of their own homes. This concept is so perfectly suited to virtual reality that the game launched fairly early in the technology’s lifespan, and it has remained a fixture ever since. It is even available on the PS5’s PSVR2, a headset that has very few free options at the moment.

Now, it should be noted that Epic Roller Coasters only comes with one free level, so it is closer to a demo than a fully fleshed-out free-to-play experience. If someone enjoys the included track, they can purchase a wide range of DLC, with single-map options being available on Steam or the Meta Store. There are even some SpongeBob Squarepants-themed tracks. The PSVR2 version offers bundles that contain a collection of maps, carts, and weapons. The latter are featured in a secondary mode that combines roller coasters with a shooting gallery.

Epic Roller Coasters is fun and delivers on its promise. While not perfect, the experience is pretty darn good, and the bundles contain enough variety to keep someone engaged for a while. The free level is not necessarily one of the game’s strongest offerings, but it should provide enough of a taste for someone to determine whether this is something they might wish to invest in.

PS VR2 Demos

Launching on February 22, 2023, Sony’s PlayStation VR2 got off to a mixed start, both critically and commercially. While the technology is by no means bad, the hardware has struggled to promote itself as a must-own companion piece to the PS5, perhaps a consequence of its somewhat middling launch library. That said, games like Gran Turismo 7, Moss, Thumper, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, and Resident Evil Village are good-to-great virtual reality experiences that should keep PS VR2 owners busy for a while.

While the system does not have many free VR games, Sony also provides a couple of demos and trials for people who are unsure whether a premium project is for them. The following PS VR2 games have free trials or demos:

Even though most of these samples are, unsurprisingly, very short, they generally provide enough exposure to allow potential customers to decide if the full experience could be for them. For instance, Resident Evil Village is not only one of the best virtual reality games on the market, but also one of the most intense, and it can be difficult to grasp the survival horror’s fear factor without directing experience.