The 20 Best Multiplayer Video Games Ever Released

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If friendships are ruined in the course of gameplay, so be it.

Before you, dearest Esquire reader, log off for the holidays, the weekend, or the night—hell, whenever you’re reading this—you should know that you’re valued by the members of the Esquire Gamer Zone. We can’t speak to how your friends and family feel about you. That’s your business. But we think so highly of you that, after compiling the final boss that was our 2021 Gaming Awards, we sat down and realized that we hadn’t given enough. You deserve more.

So, as a chaser to the awards—which you really should read, if only to see who won Best Himbo—as well as our ranking of the 35 best video games released in 2021, we put together our favorite multiplayer games of all time. This is the season when we spend more time with our loved ones, right? We figured this was an appropriate list, in that case. It is by no means comprehensive, but yeah, there’s a Mario Party on here. It’s just a small gift from us, to you. We’ll see you online.

Oh boy, you melee nerds have your fingers ready to type. That's right, I love Smash Ultimate. In fact, I’m a dirty casual who always gravitates toward the newest Smash game. But Smash Ultimate is just that: the ultimate smash. With a roster that is incomparable to any video game crossover we’ve ever seen, chances are even the most casual gamers will find a character they love and can play. Smash is and always has been a party game for everyone, although the internet may want you to believe otherwise. —C.S.

Clap ‘em cowboy. It's Fortnite time. I played this game when it first came out, then hated it on account of all the dabbing, and am now