Best Free-to-Play Shooters on PS5 Right Now

The PS5 is unusually kind to free-to-play gunfights. A casual spin through the PlayStation Store reminded me just how many shooters now greet you with a Download button instead of a price tag.

• Many headline shooters now ship 120 Hz modes for smoother input and less motion blur on compatible TVs.

• DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers add a satisfying click to every pull.

• Tempest 3D Audio makes flankers easier to track without a premium headset.

Which of these freebies still have bustling lobbies in June 2025? Which ones actually feel built for Sony’s current hardware rather than patched leftovers? I downloaded, played, and kept notes so you don’t have to.

A casual spin through the PlayStation Store reminded me just how many shooters now greet you with a Download button instead of a price tag. You can check out the best free games on Playstation 4 here

My shortlist favors games that:

• Still chart on PSN,

• Offer PS5-native upgrades like 4K/60 or 120 Hz,

• Avoid pay-to-win gear, and

• Receive seasonal content.

After a week of testing—and a few too many late nights—eight free PS5 shooters cleared that bar.

8 Free PS5 Shooters Worth Your Bandwidth

1. Fortnite

The granddaddy of free battle royales still earns its spot.

On PS5 the game runs up to 120 fps once you flip Performance Mode on and toggle the in-game switch.

I spend most evenings in Zero Build—no frantic wall-spamming, just clean gun-skill. The short “first-install” download lets friends jump in while textures stream. Epic’s cosmetic shop refreshes daily, but nothing you can buy changes TTK, so you can ignore it.

2. Call of Duty: Warzone

Verdansk finally returned on April 3 2025, and the map feels tailor-made for PS5’s 120 Hz output—fast-tracking a rooftop sniper no longer stutters.

Respawns are near-instant thanks to the SSD. Gyro aiming (optionally) bridges the gap with mouse users in cross-play.

The free client includes the full battle-royale playlist plus Plunder; tie-ins with Modern Warfare III mean any weapon grind you finish here carries over. Monetization is limited to skins and the seasonal Battle Pass (entirely optional).

3. Apex Legends

Respawn’s movement-centric hero shooter unlocked a dedicated Performance Mode in Season 20, which can push 120 fps on PS5 if your display supports HDMI 2.1.

That frame-rate bump makes wall-bounces and tap- strafes noticeably smoother than last gen.

I recommend new players start with Mixtape’s rotating TDM modes before braving Battle Royale or Ranked.

Legends are still gated, but weekly challenge tokens unlock newcomers at a steady pace. Every gun in the ground loot pool is viable without crafting real-money skins.

4. The Finals

Embark’s arena FPS lives and dies by destruction: walls, floors, and even entire towers crumble mid-match. A November 2024 patch added PS5 Pro enhancements—higher resolution without sacrificing the 60 fps baseline, which also trickles down to standard PS5 with better texture filtering.

Adaptive triggers tighten or loosen depending on weapon weight, a small touch that sells immersion. Each round lasts about ten minutes, perfect for “one more” sessions, and the only monetization is a purely cosmetic store and a season pass.

5. Overwatch 2

Blizzard’s hero-shooter made the biggest goodwill play in Season 10: every hero, old and new, is now free at account creation. That means you can hop straight into 5 v 5 Quick Play on PS5 and sample 40-plus kits without the previous grind.

Gyro aim is optional, cross-play is on by default, and seasonal story missions add co-op variety if PVP feels daunting.

Cosmetic bundles are pricey, but you can earn a steady drip of Overwatch Credits just by completing weekly challenges.

6. Destiny 2: New Light

Bungie’s base game still gives you dozens of hours for nothing: Vanguard Ops strikes, Crucible PVP, and Gambit’s PvEvP bank-the-motes chaos are all unlocked the moment you finish the opening Cosmodrome quest.

I especially like spinning up Control matches at 120 fps (Destiny’s tight aim assist shines at that refresh). Endgame raids do require expansions, yet cross-save means any loot you earn carries to PC or Xbox if you jump platforms later.

7. Warframe

Digital Extremes’ space-ninja opus may be nine years old, but on PS5 it runs at 4K/60 fps with adaptive triggers adding resistance to every rifle burst or heavy-blade swing.

The entire star-map, dozens of cinematic quests, and more than 50 Warframes are free. I’ve finished four story arcs without spending a cent.

Platinum purchases unlock cosmetics and time-savers, but every prime weapon or Warframe is craftable through in-game drops if you’re patient.

8. Rogue Company

Sometimes you just want short rounds and small downloads.

Hi-Rez’s third-person, objective-based shooter weighs in at roughly 16 GB and offers a 4K/60 visual mode or a 120 fps performance option on PS5.

Matches usually wrap in under ten minutes, making it my “waiting for friends” game. The starter roster covers all key roles, and reputation points earned after each match unlock additional rogues without opening your wallet.

Final Take

Trying out new shooters used to mean choosing between time and money. On PlayStation 5 in 2025, the money barrier is gone—quality isn’t.

Whether you crave battle-royale tension, hero-shooter tactics, or a co-op looter grind, at least one of these titles delivers a polished experience at zero cost. Pick two this weekend, enable 120 Hz in the console menu, and let the DualSense do the talking. I’ll see you in the lobby.