For some, there’s nothing better than stepping into a virtual world filled with nightmare fuel. Whether it’s Zombies, Ghosts, or perhaps a trip through a monster-infested forest, the horror genre works excellently with multiplayer. Tackling scary challenges and battling alongside friends can be a tense and exciting experience not for the faint of heart.

However, there are several horror-themed multiplayer games, many of which charge a premium. It’s a crowded space, and deciding where to spend money and which games to skip is challenging. Fortunately, there are several frightening and intense multiplayer games available for free. Some of these games offer jump scares, while others present diabolical puzzles or scenarios in which it’s unclear who should be trusted.

Updated April 23, 2024: We've added a video version of this list here for you to check out, so you can take a closer look at some of the great free games you can play to get a scare with your friends.

9 SCP: Secret Laboratory

A Reddit Classic

This first-person shooter experience takes place in a science facility where things have taken a nasty turn. Choose to play as an entity trying to escape the labs, a security forces member trying to lock everything down, a chaos insurgent working against the security forces, or Class-D personnel who are humanoid experiments trying to get free.

With powerful firearms and several melee weapons to choose from, SCP: Secret Laboratory sees players search the darkened and sterile laboratory for each other or a way out. The eerie lighting design perfectly sets the mood, with ambient and sometimes red-colored areas for dramatic effect.

8 Project: Playtime

All Work And No Play...

Similar to games like Hello Neighbor and Five Nights At Freddy's, Poppy Playtime came out as a free horror game that gained a cult following. So much so that the creators came out with a free multiplayer horror game in the same universe.

It's similar to the Poppy Playtime title with a creepy monster that stalk you across the abandoned toy factory that you find yourself in. But, you and your friends don't just have to survive, you also have to create a giant toy from party you find in the level. It's like a work sim, but with horrible monster that is controlled by another player.

7 Dead Frontier 2

An Homage To A Great

With a look inspired by the over-the-shoulder third-person Resident Evil games, Dead Frontier 2 offers both player vs. environment and player vs. player action. There is an emphasis on gathering and conserving resources with options to trade with other players (if you can trust them).

The moody and dark urban environments make for a tense, continually changing experience, but co-op with a friend can help offset powerful enemies. Another feature allows players to customize and create unique characters along with specific skills that alter how the game is played.

6 No More Room In Hell

Get Your Axe Ready

Based on the highly mod-friendly Source engine, No More Room In Hell is a cooperative zombie shooter that pits up to eight players against the infected horde. The first-person perspective adds unease as the undead can come from any direction. With over 30 weapons (including a chainsaw), players can decide how to approach battles and how many resources to conserve.

Objectives sprawled out through the maps change for every playthrough and offer plenty of replayability. With proximity chat and voice, players need to stay close and coordinate carefully because there is little chance of success once separated.

5 Stay Out

Immediately Break The One Rule

Still in early access, Stay Out is free-to-play and offers a haunting environment to explore in the third person. This massive multiplayer RPG focusing on firearms pits you against creatures and other players trying to survive the alien surroundings. Survival, self-defense, cooperation, and an eye for valuable loot are the keys to success.

Contrary to other first-person shooter games, Stay Out requires players to manage their stamina, so constant run-and-gun strategies don’t apply. Investigate locations like cities, vast wilderness, and other surprising places.

4 Secret World Legends

Save The World With Friends

What would the modern world look like if evil supernatural forces were attempting to take it over? Experience an epic story-driven campaign that can be shared with friends where characters with unique abilities battle other-worldly foes.

Secret World Legends is a third-person adventure that features stellar special effects, creepy monster designs, and mature story beats. With full voice acting and over a hundred hours of content, it offers supernatural horror fans loads of entertainment. For those who enjoy myths, legends, and deep lore, this title provides plenty of meat for players to feast on.

3 Codename Cure

Squad Zombie Mayhem

Team up with four other players, each with a unique class, and work to neutralize infected zombie zones or try out survival mode in Codename Cure. Choose character classes like Assault, Technician, Support, and more. Each class comes equipped with different weapons and abilities, such as the Technician’s sentry gun.

There are two game modes, and each offers nail-biting intensity. The objective mode requires players to set and detonate explosives in certain areas and then extract them. Survival mode tasks players to remain alive as long as possible while battling waves of zombies.

2 Escape From School

Don't Skip Class

This first-person escape room-style game provides a more cerebral horror experience. Waking up in an empty classroom, players must investigate and uncover both puzzles and hidden elements in Escape From School.

Coop play is available for up to four players, and combining brain power may be the key to putting all the clues together. With a unique 3D polygonal character art style with more realistic environments, this game offers a mixture of esthetics while retaining a dark, moody, and unsettling atmosphere.

1 Unfortunate Spacemen

Quite Unfortunate Indeed