Online Games to Play With Friends: 10 Co-op Favorites

For online games to play with friends, the safe bets are Helldivers 2, Deep Rock Galactic and Lethal Company: team-based runs, guaranteed laughs and a real reason to log in together every night. If your group would rather build, Valheim and Grounded take over. Here are 10 online co-op games, from tactical shooters to horror with your mates.

What makes a great game with friends

A great online game with friends isn't necessarily the prettiest or the longest. It's the one that creates stories: the teammate who blew you up with an orbital strike, the last-second escape from a monster, the ship that sank with all the loot. The games on this list are built around co-op, voice chat and unpredictable situations.

We mixed styles so every group finds something: co-op shooters, horror you play with your voice, survival you build together and tougher monster hunts. Some work in one-hour sessions, others keep a server busy for months. Where players on IGDB have given reliable play times, you'll find them on each game's card.

1. 

   1. Helldivers 2

   2024

   Up to four players dropped onto hostile planets to defend a very tongue-in-cheek democracy. You call in orbital strikes, turrets and supply drops, and friendly fire is always on. The result: hilarious moments of chaos. The galactic war shifts based on the whole community's results.

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2. 

   2. Lethal Company

   2023

   A co-op horror game where your crew scavenges scrap on abandoned moons to sell to the Company. You only hear your friends when they're close by, which makes every disappearance as funny as it is terrifying. Small budget, huge hit among friend groups, with quotas that keep getting harder to meet.

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3. 

   3. Deep Rock Galactic

   2020

   Dwarven space miners dig through randomly generated caves on the planet Hoxxes IV. Up to four players, each with a class whose tools complement the others. You mine minerals, hold off waves of bugs, then sprint for the drop pod. About 12 hours for the core, but most groups stick around much longer.

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4. 

   4. Valheim

   2021

   A Viking survival game in a world inspired by Norse mythology, for up to ten players. You build a longhouse, craft longships and fight bosses to prove yourselves to Odin. About 19 hours for the main progression, about 25 hours with extras. Perfect for a group that loves to build. More in games like Valheim.

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5. 

   5. Sea of Thieves

   2018

   You form a pirate crew of up to four on an ocean shared with other players. Raising sails, bailing water, firing cannons and reading the treasure map all take teamwork. Other crews can become allies or sink you. Progression is cosmetic only, so everyone plays on equal footing.

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6. 

   6. Phasmophobia

   2020

   Up to four ghost hunters investigate haunted locations to identify the spirit inside. The game recognizes your voice: asking the ghost a question can make it react. As your sanity drops, the risk of a hunt rises. A horror night with friends, best played with the lights off.

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7. 

   7. R.E.P.O.

   2025

   Up to six players retrieve valuable physics-based objects from randomly generated locations and have to bring them back intact. A broken vase is lost money, and creatures are lurking. Between levels you buy upgrades. Voice chat chaos is guaranteed, very much in the spirit of Lethal Company.

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8. 

   8. Monster Hunter: World

   2018 · Main story 35 h

   Hunt giant monsters in a living ecosystem, solo or with up to four players. Every hunt takes prep: weapons, armor crafted from materials you gather, items. Combat is demanding, but nothing beats a group win against a fearsome beast. About 35 hours for the story, much more to gear up. See games like Monster Hunter: World.

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9. 

   9. Risk of Rain 2

   2020 · Main story 7.5 h

   A third-person roguelike for up to four players. Stages, enemies and items change every run, and the difficulty climbs over time. The more items you stack, the more ridiculously powerful your characters get. About 7.5 hours for the main goals, but every run is endlessly replayable.

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10. 

    10. Grounded

    2022 · Main story 25 h

    From Obsidian, Grounded shrinks you to the size of an ant in a backyard. With friends you explore, build a base and survive against giant insects, spiders included. The vibe recalls family adventure movies. About 25 hours for the story, about 48.5 hours with extras. Ideal for a group that likes survival without too much stress.

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Tips to keep your group going

Set a regular slot, even a short one. One night a week of Deep Rock Galactic or Helldivers 2 works better than a long improvised session. For survival games like Valheim or Grounded, a dedicated server or an available host saves everyone from waiting on the same person.

Mix up the mood too. After several shooter nights, a round of Phasmophobia or R.E.P.O. brings the energy back. If you're all in the same room, check out our couch co-op games. For short weeknight sessions, see games for short sessions.

FAQ

What is the best online co-op game to play with friends?

Deep Rock Galactic and Helldivers 2 are among the most loved for groups of four: short missions, complementary classes or loadouts and plenty of memorable moments. For a group that likes laughing while scared, Lethal Company is hard to beat.

What online game can more than four friends play together?

Valheim supports up to ten players in the same world, and R.E.P.O. up to six. They're the best picks on this list for bigger groups. Most of the other games are designed for four players at most.

What horror game should I play online with friends?

Phasmophobia, Lethal Company and R.E.P.O. are the big three. Phasmophobia focuses on investigation and fear, while Lethal Company and R.E.P.O. mix horror with more humor, using voice chat to create absurd situations.