Gaming has changed a lot over the last few decades. But one thing that has remained consistent is the love for multiplayer gaming. Cooperative or competitive gaming is baked into the identity of the industry. Even one of the earliest games, Pong, had a multiplayer mode. And we are now lucky enough to live in a digital age, where we can play with our friends or strangers no matter where they are in the world.

There are a lot of contenders for the title of Best Multiplayer Game of 2023. So we have decided to highlight some of our top choices for that title. But we will let you decide which title is the ultimate winner!

Bauldur’s Gate 3

It is impossible that you missed all the hype surrounding Baldur’s Gate 3. Easily the most highly anticipated game of the year. And perhaps the best game release as well. Using the ruleset of D&D 5th edition, the game allows players to live out their Dungeons and Dragons fantasy in a beautiful digital format.

The game can be played cooperatively with up to three other players. And, perhaps most impressively, it also allows for couch co-op. This is something a lot of modern games have ignored as a concept. Much to their detriment.

The multiplayer format for Bauldur’s gate doesn’t change much either. Every player in the party can experience everything the game has to offer at the same time. You aren’t forced to stay together, allowing each player to explore the map as they see fit. The game designers have truly created an engaging multiplayer experience that is not to be missed.

Minecraft

It is impossible to talk about multiplayer games without talking about Minecraft. Even years after its release, Minecraft remains one of the most popular games on the planet. Sitting as the most sold game in history, people of all ages return to the title time and time again.

The beauty of Minecraft is that it offers a lot of freedom in terms of gameplay. And not just within the basic survival or creative modes. There are hundreds of community made game modes to play in either single player or multiplayer format. Bedwars, Skyblock, Survival Island. These are just a few of the many custom modes available. But the true testament to Minecraft’s success is how many joinable smp minecraft servers are still active to this day. Even the most basic game mode in the game is still engaging enough to draw in thousands of players daily.

Warhammer 40k Darktide

In the grim darkness of the 41st Millenium, there is only war. This quote highlights the mood of the popular 40k franchise. A never ending war being played out by humans, aliens, and heretics alike. And Darktide is one of the best games set in this franchise we have seen in a long time.

The premise is simple. A first-person shooter where you and three other players navigate through grimdark maps fighting hordes of mutants, aliens, and heretics. The game can be enjoyed single player, but the true joy comes from pairing up with three other players to blast your way through the endless waves of foes.

Each player can choose from 4 playable classes. The melee focused Zealot. The powerful Psyker. The hulking Ogryn. Or the grizzled Veteran. Each classic has their own strengths and weaknesses. But these weaknesses are negated by working with your team. Each class is designed to complement the others. And with a huge variety of weapons and abilities at your disposal, the game offers a lot of replayability too.

Meet Your Maker

We love any game that tries to blend different genres together. And Meet Your Maker is a title that does this to great effect. Set in a dark sci-fi world, the game has two primary objectives. The first is to build an impregnable fortress to defend your precious genetic material, which acts as currency in this world. The second aspect is infiltrating other players’ fortresses to steal away their genetic material.

While you are building your base, the game is more akin to a classic dungeon management game. You have to build a complex maze filled with traps and mob spawners to try to fend off invaders. But when you are the invader the game becomes a FPS. Forcing you to try to navigate the complex mazes created by others.

The game is primarily a competitive multiplayer game, but it does feature co-op capabilities as well. You and one other player can build a base together, as well as invade other players’ bases as a duo. The game is beautifully designed, with a rich atmosphere and engaging game mechanics. We hope to see more games attempt genre blending in the way this title has in the near future.