This is a list of some of the most popular freeware and free and open-source software first-person shooter games.
Title | Developer | Release date | Last update | Operating system | Engine | License | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Action Quake 2 | The Action Team | 1998 | 2003 | Linux, Windows | id Tech 2 | Freeware | Team and Deathmatch based very fast FPS |
AssaultCube | Rabid Viper Productions | 2006 | 2022-04-01 (1.3.0.2) | Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Realistic environments, fast arcade game play, many game modes. Single/Multiplayer. |
AssaultCube Reloaded (ACR) | AssaultCube Reloaded Task Force | 2010 | 2021 | Linux, Mac OS (requires manual compilation), Windows | Improves AssaultCube. Single/Multiplayer. | ||
Black Shades | Wolfire games | 2001 | Linux, OS X, Windows, Mac OS, iOS | Wolfire Games | Freeware | Free First-person shooter | |
BZFlag | Chris Schoeneman, Tim Riker | 1993 | 2022-11-20 (2.4.26) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, other UNIX | GNU LGPL | Tank combat | |
Chub Gam 3D: Director's Cut | ChubGamSoft | 1998 | MS-DOS | Pie in the Sky | Freeware | Surreal horror single player game | |
CodeRED: Alien Arena | COR Entertainment, LLC | 2004-11 | 2011-12-29 (7.53) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | CRX Engine | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Science fiction, with single or multiplayer modes. |
Cube | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2001 | 2005-08-29 | Linux, BSD, Mac OS, Windows | Cube Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style multiplayer deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
Cube 2: Sauerbraten | Wouter van Oortmerssen | 2004 | 2020-11-30 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine | zlib License (code), Individual licenses (media) | Quake style deathmatch, includes built in level editor. Single/Multiplayer. |
The Dark Mod | Team Dark Mod | 2009 | 2015-02-08 (2.03) | Windows, Linux, OS X | id Tech 4 engine | CC-BY-NC-SA | First person stealth game in the style of the Thief series games (1 and 2) using a modified Id Tech 4 engine |
Fallen Empire: Legions | GarageGames, InstantAction | 2009-06-30 | 2013-06-27 | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary license | First-Person Shooter with Jetpacks, Multiplayer, CTF, Deathmatch |
Freedoom | Freedoom project | 2024-01-29 (0.13.0) | Linux, OS X, Windows, Android, Mac OS, MS-DOS, others | Doom engine | GNU GPL (code), BSD (media) | A Doom WAD file intended to be used instead of the copyrighted file from the original Doom and Doom II. | |
The Glorious Mission | Giant Interactive Group | 2013-06-20 | Windows | Proprietary license | Online multiplayer. Developed with the People's Liberation Army of China for use as a recruitment and training tool. | ||
Gore: Special Edition | 4D Rulers | 2008-07-04 | Windows | AMP engine | Proprietary license | ||
Hidden & Dangerous | Illusion Softworks, Take-Two Interactive | 1999-07-29 | 2001-11 | Windows | Insanity Engine | Proprietary license | |
.kkrieger | .theprodukkt | 2004 | Windows | Proprietary license | Won first place in the 96k game competition at Breakpoint in April 2004. | ||
Kuma\War | Kuma Reality Games | 2004 | 2006-07 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Tactical episodic shooter. Single/Multiplayer. |
Marathon | Bungie | 1994-12-21 | 2007 | Mac OS (original), ported to Linux, OS X and Windows via AlephOne | Aleph One | GNU GPL (code) | Released as freeware and source code. |
Nexuiz | Alientrap | 2005-05-31 | 2009-10-01 (2.5.2) | Linux, OS X (10.4 or later), Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Unreal Tournament style deathmatch. Single/Multiplayer. |
OpenArena | OpenArena team | 2005-08-19 | 2012-02-20 (0.8.8) | Linux, OS X, Windows | ioquake3 id Tech 3 | GNU GPL | Free software content remake of Quake III Arena. Single/Multiplayer |
OpenSpades | YVT | 2019-01-04 (0.1.3) | Linux, OS X, Windows | GNU GPL | Based on Ace of Spades 0.75 | ||
Point Blank | Zepetto, NCSOFT | 2008-03 | Windows | N/A | Proprietary license | Free FPS created by Zepetto in 2009. Close Beta version. | |
Red Eclipse | Quinton Reeves, Lee Salzman | 2011-03-15 | 2024-05-28 (2.0.9-9) | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows | Cube 2 Engine / Tesseract | zlib License | New take on the first person arena shooter, featuring parkour, impulse boosts, and more. |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. build 1935 | GSC Game World | 2009-02 | Windows | xrCore build 1935 | Proprietary license | 2004 Alpha build of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. Contains content and features cut from the final release. Has a number of bugs but contains a full, playable single player campaign. | |
Savage: The Battle for Newerth | S2 Games | 2003-09-09 | Linux, OS X (commercial), Windows | Silverback Engine | Proprietary license | Hybrid FPS/RTS with both ranged and melee combat | |
Savage 2: A Tortured Soul | S2 Games | 2008-01-16 | Linux, OS X, Windows (commercial) | K2 Engine | Proprietary license | The sequel to the award-winning game, Savage: The Battle for Newerth. | |
Smokin' Guns | Smokin' Guns Productions and Iron Claw Interactive | 2009-01-01 | 2012-06-08 | Linux, BSD, OS X, Windows, others | ioquake3 id Tech 3 | GNU GPL (code/some media) Proprietary license (some media) | Western Quake-like FPS. Single (with bots)/Multiplayer. |
Starsiege: Tribes | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Darkstar engine | Proprietary license | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Multiplayer only. | |
The DinoHunters | Kuma Games | 2006-04-24 | Windows | Source engine | Proprietary license | Also a machinima series. Single/Multiplayer. | |
Tremulous | Dark Legion Development | 2006-03-31 | 2009-12-04 (preview release) | Linux, OS X (unofficial), Windows | ioquake3 id Tech 3 | GNU GPL | Aliens vs Humans multiplayer team combat with some RTS elements. |
Tribes 2 | Dynamix, Sierra Entertainment | 2004 (free release) | Windows | Torque Game Engine | Proprietary License | Futuristic team based combat, released for free to promote Tribes: Vengeance. Single/Multiplayer. | |
UberStrike | Cmune Ltd. | 2008 | 2015-06-17 | OS X, Windows | Unity | Proprietary license | Free-to-play "social shooter" on Facebook, MySpace and Apple's Dashboard Widgets. |
Unreal Tournament | Epic Games | TBA | 2015-03-09 | Linux, OS X, Windows | Unreal Engine 4 | Proprietary license | Crowdsourced and free first-person shooter. |
Unvanquished[1] | Unvanquished Development | 2012-02-29 | 2021-06-21 (Alpha 0.52.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | modified ioquake3 | CC BY-SA 2.5/GPL | Fork of Tremulous with new assets |
Urban Terror | Silicon Ice Development / Frozen Sand | 2000-08-05 (Beta 1.0) | 2018-06-21 (4.3.4) | Linux, OS X, Windows | ioquake3 id Tech 3 | GNU GPL (ioquake3 engine), Proprietary license (mod code, media) | Fast-paced, Hollywood tactical shooter. Originally a Quake 3 mod, now a standalone game. |
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction | NetDevil | 2007-11-28 | 2009-08-27 | Windows | Unreal Engine 3 | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | High-end Free-to-play first person shooter with destructible environments.. |
Warsow | Warsow team | 2005-06-08 | 2016-04-14 (2.1) | Linux, OS X, Windows | Qfusion id Tech 2 | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Quake style deathmatch focussed on high-paced action and trickjumps. |
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory | Activision, id Software, Splash Damage | 2003-05-29 | 2015-08-21 (ET:Legacy 2.74) | Linux, OS X, Windows | id Tech 3, ET:Legacy | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | Intended expansion pack turned freeware. WW2 multiplayer team combat |
World of Padman | Padworld Entertainment | 2007-04-01 | 2011-07-16 (1.5.4 beta Windows/Linux), 2011-01-24 (1.5.1 OS X) | Linux, OS X, Windows | ioquake3 id Tech 3 | GNU GPL (code), Proprietary license (media) | A free Quake 3 like comical FPS game |
Xonotic | Team Xonotic | 2010-12-23 | 2023-06-20 (0.8.6) | Linux, OS X, Windows | DarkPlaces Quake engine | GNU GPL | Fork and direct successor of the Nexuiz Project. |
Team Fortress 2 | Valve | 2007-10-7 | 2019-3-28 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux. | Source | Proprietary license | Also available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, formerly pay to play, sequel to Team Fortress Classic. |