Over the past decade, the battle royale genre has exploded, making it one of, if not the, most popular genre of video games on the planet. Of course, one of their marquee features generally involves tossing dozens of players into a map to scavenge for resources, weapons, and gear, while trying to outlast the rest and become the last one standing. While this gameplay is still at the core of most battle royales, many have added additional features to spice things up, and the best of the best have earned a spot on this list.
To lay some ground rules: we’re only looking at modern battle royales, or games that are currently still available to play. So, while they were good during their time, we won’t be featuring games like H1Z1, Spellbreak, or Ring of Elysium. We’re also not including any games that feature a smaller battle royale mode as a side dish to its main offerings, like Fallout 76’s Nuclear Winter mode or Civilization VI’s Red Death mode.
So, without further ado, let’s commence the battle royale of battle royales in our ranking of the top 10 battle royales.
10. Totally Accurate Battlegrounds
What began as a parody of PUBG has actually evolved into a fun battle royale in its own right. Made by the same team behind Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (or TABS), Totally Accurate Battlegrounds is a silly, physics-based deathmatch for up to 60 players. As you wobble around through its uniquely low-poly map, you’ll discover 90 different weapons, ranging from stacks of cash to “make it rain” on enemies, to a water gun, to a literal hand cannon. It’s actually just a mini cannon you wear on your hands. Add to that amusing ragdoll physics and deceptively good gameplay, and you’ve got an experience that smartly toes the line of parody and genuine fun. Battlegrounds’ goofy, nonsensical humor may not be totally accurate to the other battle royale with Battlegrounds in its name, but that’s obviously the point.
Initial Release: Jun 5, 2018
9. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt
Before Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 arrived, a spin-off to the long-in-development RPG sequel was released in the form of bloodthirsty battle royale, Bloodhunt. Set in the beautiful European city of Prague, Bloodhunt lets you dart across its moonlit rooftops and battle through its cobbled streets in order to become the last bloodsucker standing. A fun combination of both melee and ranged weapons, plus a host of vampiric abilities to wield, gives Bloodhunt a distinct feel when compared to other games in the genre, along with its PvPvE wrinkle, as an AI-controlled vampire hunter roams the map as well as your opponents. This also adds an interesting layer of stealth to the mix, as you attempt to mask your true identity from the humans. Your time to jump in is limited, though, with Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt’s servers shutting down for good in April 2026 — so sorry if you’re reading or watching this after that date.
Initial Release: Apr 27, 2022
8. Tetris 99
Tetris 99 finds new life in the perennial puzzle hit. By pitting 99 players against each other in a race to clear lines, Tetris 99 can be stressful enough, but your playfield is surrounded by all other 98 players so that you can keep track of every Tetris game simultaneously. The anxiety-inducing nature of it all aside, Tetris 99 smartly lets you impact other players’ games with your own Tetrimino prowess, sending screen-filling junk blocks into other players’ games to hopefully knock them out and seek out a win. And despite initially launching as a limited-time game for Nintendo Switch Online players, Tetris 99 has become a permanent staple, receiving a continuous stream of themed events and DLC to ensure this new T-spin on an old classic stays fresh.
7. Naraka Bladepoint
Guns, guns, guns. So many battle royales are centered on the idea of firearms, so while the idea of another battle royale was an initially tiresome thought, Naraka: Bladepoint ended up being the refreshing take on the genre thanks to its sharp melee action. Mastering the intricacies of its combat and movement systems is a challenge by itself, but throw up to another 59 players into its ever-shrinking map, and the skill ceiling gets raised as that circle gets smaller.
With over 20 characters loaded up with skills, vast arsenals, and tide-turning ultimate abilities, Naraka: Bladepoint can take a little time to get your head around, but master its melee-based combat and pixel-perfect parry maneuvers, and the satisfaction will soon follow. If you fancy a challenging battle royale free of build wars and machine guns, Naraka: Bladepoint provides a genuinely clever spin on the genre’s familiar formula.
Initial Release: Aug 11, 2021
6. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Who says battle royales can’t be hilarious? Fall Guys draws inspiration from shows like Takeshi’s Castle and Wipeout, as 60 players, or rather 60 amusingly costumed beans, go head-to-head in an assortment of game show-esque minigames. Each round sees a number of players eliminated after any host of obstacle courses, team competitions, and wacky tests of will and endurance, until only one player is left standing, or falling, and crowned the champion. Mediatonic’s take on the genre was a massive hit out of the gate, but the developers haven’t rested on their laurels - each subsequent season of play brings with it new minigames, new twists on existing ones, and a host of cosmetics to unlock. Fall Guys is utter, organized chaos in the best way, and whether you’ve nabbed your crowns or been consistently knocked off a Slime Climb run, it’s a consistently delightful experience unlike any other battle royale.
Initial Release: Aug 4, 2020
5. Battlefield REDSEC
In theory, the large-scale warfare of the Battlefield series is a perfect match for the battle royale genre. Each aspect of the long-running EA shooter, from its verticality, vehicles, and penchant for environmental destruction, is suited for an ever-shrinking map begging to be navigated and broken apart as is your want. But, 2019’s short-lived Firestorm mode, which launched exclusively to owners of Battlefield V, proved this theory wrong as it struggled to hold a captive playerbase, with its servers eventually shuttering.
But redemption for Battlefield Studios comes in the form of REDSEC, the fresh new swing at a battle royale that rights all the wrongs of its first draft. Fort Lyndon is a map brimming with possibilities and a welcome variety of missions to complete within it, each smartly converting the long-loved Battlefield formula of squad-based objectives and sharp-shooting into something that works here. The traditional last-team-standing offering is also joined by the excellent Gauntlet mode, which transplants the game show-like thrills of Fall Guys into the much less colourful, militaristic surroundings of Battlefield 6. It’s surprising tweaks to the established rules of the Battle Royale like this that give Battlefield REDSEC a chance to stand out from the rest — especially the much-compared Call of Duty Warzone — and give it a chance to finally prove that theory of being at home in the genre.
Initial Release: Oct 28, 2025
4. PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds (PUBG)
PUBG is the grandaddy of battle royales and arguably one of the most influential as it effectively established the genre as we know it in 2017, spawning dozens of copycats over the past few years. Created by Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene as a refined version of his DayZ: Battle Royale mod of ARMA 2 (and later ARMA 3), PUBG reached mainstream success and introduced players to many of the staple concepts of the genre.
It’s more realistic than many battle royales, requiring players to carefully manage their inventory and apply weapon mods and attachments manually while scouring the map for resources. While it held a reputation for being notoriously clunky and unpolished over the years, we wouldn’t be here without the likes of PUBG.
Initial Release: Mar 23, 2017
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3. Call of Duty: Warzone
Given the genre’s boom in attention, it’s no surprise that one of the biggest shooter franchises around wanted in on the action. But Call of Duty’s Warzone is not just a quick cash-in. It’s one of the best battle royales around. Warzone builds on the foundation of Call of Duty: Blackout, supporting a staggering 150 players while exploring unique and interesting gameplay changes with each new season, including a clever integration of the popular Call of Duty Zombies mode. Warzone is also a bit more forgiving when compared to other battle royales, as you’re not necessarily sent back to the lobby upon death. Instead, players are sent to the Gulag, a grimy prison area where they face off against other dead players in one-on-one combat for a chance to return to the match. Another feature unique to Warzone is the ability to purchase and use a custom loadout, allowing players to regularly access and utilize their preferred guns and perks as they fight for supremacy in Verdansk. Add to all of this plenty of vertical combat thanks to massive skyscrapers, and vehicular combat, and Warzone delivers one of the most varied battle royales out there.
Initial Release: Nov 16, 2022
2. Fortnite: Battle Royale
Created as a spinoff of Fortnite’s cooperative PvE survival mode Save The World, Fortnite: Battle Royale burst onto the scene in 2018 and catapulted the genre into a phenomenon. Not only is Fortnite responsible for creating the Battle Pass system that so many games, battle royale or not, have implemented since, it’s also paved the way for true crossplay and cross-progression between consoles, PC, and mobile. It’s hosted massive in-game virtual concerts for Travis Scott, Marshmello, Steve Aoki, and more, becoming as much a social experience as a competitive one.
But Fortnite’s biggest Victory Royale has to be its unique storytelling approach. It established a narrative for its island that quickly resulted in each new season being a moment. Points of interest appeared and disappeared as events demanded it, with many seasons culminating in massive events that eventually led to the entire in-game island being sucked into a black hole, putting the game on pause for a few real-world days. Now in its second “Chapter”, Fortnite has established itself as a consistently unexpected but thrilling hallmark of the genre that is still a blast to play, and one that features the biggest pop culture crossovers of all-time. Where else can you see Kratos wearing Thor’s cape while fighting Rey with Hulk Hands as she dances to Dua Lipa?
Initial Release: Jul 25, 2017
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1. Apex Legends
The apex of the genre so far, Apex Legends features unparalleled gameplay, movement, and storytelling. Released in 2019, Apex dropped out of nowhere (aside from some influencer leaks) and caught the world by storm, reaching 50 million players in its first month alone. Building on the legacy of the Titanfall franchise to become something even bigger, while expanding its story with each successive season, Apex has introduced a number of Legends (27 to be exact as of right now), each with their own backstory and unique movesets that keep the meta fresh. Above all else, though, Apex’s movement remains buttery smooth to this day; with the ability to run, slide, and mantle with ease, nothing comes close.
But from the big picture of its story to major selling points like its rock-solid gameplay, Apex Legends has also been an innovator in the genre. Its unique ping system allows players to contextually mark specific locations and loot, revolutionizing the way players communicate with one another without ever needing to say a word. If you’re looking for a highly competitive, ever-evolving battle royale, Apex Legends is the clear choice.
Initial Release: Feb 4, 2019
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What did we miss from our ranking of the top Battle Royale games? Let us know in the comments. Single-player shooters more your thing? Then check out our Top 10 list of the best Call of Duty campaigns.