13 Best PS4 Multiplayer Games You Should Play [2023 Edition]
Hey friend! Have you been looking to get more out of your PlayStation 4 gaming lately? I‘m here to share the top multiplayer PS4 titles that will take your experience to the next level in 2023 by playing with people online or side-by-side with friends.
Multiplayer gaming has exploded: industry revenue topped $178 billion in 2021. And 70% of gamers play multiplayer games at least once a week — up over 20% from previous years!
Why is multiplayer so popular? Playing with real teammates and against real opponents adds new dimensions versus solo play. You‘ll find camaraderie in co-op questing. And a rush of adrenaline besting other players in team showdowns. It enhances the overall enjoyment with friendly banter or satisfying trash talk. You‘ll also find depth mastering game mechanics alongside — not just for — others, showing off new skills as you cooperate or compete.
I‘ll cut right to the best titles for PS4 based on factors like:
✔️ Genre variety
✔️ Co-op, competitive, and hybrid play options
✔️ Active online communities
✔️ Post-launch support
✔️ Ratings and reviews
✔️ Unique PS4 features
Let‘s dive right into the top games to play with friends and others online from your couch!
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
The Call of Duty franchise sets the pace for fast-paced multiplayer first-person shooter fans each year. Infinity Ward‘s latest release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, is no different as 2022‘s best FPS for competitive and cooperative gunplay.
Release Year: 2022
Developer: Infinity Ward
Genre: First-person shooter
Modern Warfare II builds on everything that makes Call of Duty great for parties playing online or side-by-side: quick matchmaking, smooth mechanics, interesting progression across weapons and perks, support for player expression via cosmetics, and regular content updates like new maps and modes seasonally.
Multiplayer checks all the boxes across staple modes such as domination, team deathmatch, search and destroy, and hardpoint. The new "Knock Out" mode —think King of the Hill with a twist — and expanded Ground War and Spec Ops keep matches exciting with buddies month after month.
Immersion gets kicked up a notch with enhanced reload, door breach, and swimming mechanics. The underlying digital weapon platform added in Modern Warfare (2019) expands the armory in fascinating ways for another year running too.
Beyond upgrades, here are some fast facts on Modern Warfare II multiplayer:
💥 Ideal Player Number: Solo – 32+ Players
💥 Price: $69.99
💥 PlayStation Store Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
Modern Warfare II multiplayer shines most on PlayStation 4 with exclusive Onslaught gameplay as part of the initial post-launch roadmap. The PS4 community also stays highly active once yearly Call of Duty player migration starts.
While decidedly grittier and graphic — hence the Mature rating — compared to games later in this list, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II offers a thrill whether playing co-op special ops with just you and a buddy or slaying competitively across sprawling team battles. That makes it first here for energetic first-person shooting fun with friends on PlayStation consoles.
Main Features
- New multiplayer maps and modes added regularly
- Unlocks and customization for weapons/attachments
- Ranked competitive SBMM (skill-based matchmaking)
- Casual and hardcore tuning options
- Cross-platform profile syncing
- Free seasonal content roadmap
Pros
- Cutting-edge lifelike graphics powered by PS4
- Huge active player base across skill levels
- Addictive short-burst gameplay loop
Cons
- Light on innovation beyond MW (2019)
- New perks and equipment feel forgettable
- Activities grow repetitive over time
2. FIFA 23
Soccer — sorry, football — fanatics agree: EA Sports FIFA franchise represents one-stop immersive gameplay on consoles year after year. And FIFA 23 demonstrates why again as officials boards, jerseys, and rosters update for the 2022 season.
Release Year: 2022
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Genre: Sports
Where FIFA shines for groups are modes enabling cooperative and competitive teamplay:
The rich Pro Clubs mode lets friends build custom squads to battle against others long term a la an esports organization — now with perks and bonuses to further detail differentiation.
VOLTA Football offers street-inspired small-side soccer for up to four per console in an arcade flavor — take fancy team selfies together when making spectacular plays!
And staples like seasons, FUT (FIFA Ultimate Team), and online friendlies persist for quick pick-up games where you control club or country with or against mates.
Play gets better year after year aided by next generation hypermotion rendering and physics systems. Particularly Goalkeeper and Attacking AI see another boost in FIFA 23 adding realism and challenge. Plus, women‘s club teams debut, female national teams and the World Cup expand representation in the sport.
Here are fast facts for those seeking soccer kicks together on PSN:
💥 Ideal Player Number: Solo – 22 Players
💥 Price: $59.99
💥 PlayStation Store Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
FIFA 23 brings award-winning multiplayer balling to PlayStation 4. The maturity of the franchise provides proven reliably fun gameplay for all fans while pushing visuals and mechanics to raise the bar yet again. Lace up for another excellent year!
Main Features:
- VOLTA Squads provides co-op street play
- Pro Clubs enhance custom team progression
- FUT Moments relives historic soccer highlights
- Hypermotion 2 and new physics/animaton systems
- Women‘s club and national teams expanded
Pros:
- Established annual game with huge player base
- Diverse play modes suit preferences
- Ever more realistic gameplay
Cons:
- FUT microtransactions still heavy focus
- Can feel formulaic and repetitive
- High skill gap intimidating for newcomers
3. God of War Ragnarök
Son of Odin Kratos returns while Ragnarök looms for Norse gods in God of War Ragnarök. This story-driven action-adventure game concludes the Nordic saga from Santa Monica Studio, winning widespread acclaim for refining its 2018 predecessor‘s combat and exploratory aspects.
Release Date: November 9, 2022
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Genre: Action-Adventure
The headline for Ragnarök is its narrative continuing grizzled Kratos and headstrong son Atreus‘s journey now embroiled in prophetic doom among gods and monsters. Signature scope and spectacle meet intimate character beats fans expect on PS4.
For friends, cooperative play unlocks during the campaign letting each player control Kratos or Atreus respectively. Puzzles require coordinating parent and child abilities to progress while fighting benefits from synced attacks and revival mechanics. Difficulty adjusts balancing the on-screen duo accordingly.
It isn‘t just tacked-on co-op either as abilities, armor, and skills upgrade independently tracking progress should players separate down the road. And the New Game+ mode warrants revisiting the 30+ hour quest together on higher challenge settings.
⚔️ Ideal # of Players: Solo or 2 Player Co-Op Campaign
⚔️ Price: $69.99
⚔️ PlayStation Store Rating: 5/5 Stars
God of War Ragnarök‘s amazing narrative experienced cooperatively combined with the gratifying melee combat the series perfects is playstation at its finest for 18+ gamers. Bring a friend along to up the action and adventure!
Main Features:
- Seamless 2 player co-op campaign integration
- RPG-style skill trees and gear upgrades
- PS4 enhanced visuals and seamless loading
- 30+ hour main story
- Niflheim, Muspelheim, and Asgard endgame areas
Pros:
- Epic set pieces and massive boss battles
- Memorable storyline conclusion
- Addictively brutal combat
Cons:
- Camera can be problematic in co-op
- Upgrades less exciting than prior entry
- Can eventually feel repetitive
4. DC Universe Online
What comic fan hasn‘t dreamed of wielding powers alongside Superman and Batman fighting evil villains? DC Universe Online brings that fantasy to life as a free-to-play MMO where players create unique metahuman heroes or villains advancing iconic character storylines.
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Developer: Dimensional Ink
Genre: MMORPG
DCUO drops players in ruined modern cities like Gotham and Metropolis with catastrophic events transpiring. Shape mentorships with legendary good or evil figures via dialogue options acting as origin stories. Combine powers and abilities to develop your own style while tackling stories solo or with others.
Getting into scuffles means drawing from abilities of super familys: martial arts and gadgets mirroring Batman, elemental manipulations from heroes like Captain Atom or villains like Poison Ivy, even tapping into The Flash‘s speed force or Superman‘s heat vision. Rich skill customization promotes replayablity.
While over 300 episodes drive narrative, multiplayer truly thrives teaming up against iconic rogues galleries in open zones or structured instances. Raid-style operations require 8 players cooperating with specific objectives too!
🦸 Ideal # of Players: Solo or Groups Up to 16
🦸 Price: Free-to-Play (Optional Memberships Expand Gear/XP)
🦸 PlayStation Store Rating: 4/5 Stars
DC Universe Online offers unlimited hours of super-heroic (or villainous) MMO play on PS4 without spending money. While showing its age on the graphical front compared to newer shared world games, moment-to-moment abilities and using environmental elements during battles stay fun for comic lovers.
Main Features:
- Ever-expanding episodes advancing story
- Hundreds of iconic characters make appearances
- Deep powerset customization options
- PvE Raids and endgame leveling
- Cash shop mostly for cosmetics
Pros:
- Create and play dream DC heroes
- Events and content updates every month
- Fun solo or group crimefighting
Cons:
- Age shows in repetitive objectives
- ((table of contents and additional games omitted for length))
