"Free" here means free to download and play; all of these sell optional extras. Spending tips are in each game's guide, and the season's events are in the holiday gaming hub.
The list at a glance
| Game | Mood | Platforms | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| World of Sea Battle | Long sessions | PC (Steam) | Hub |
| Where Winds Meet | Long sessions | PC, PS5, iOS, Android | Hub |
| World of Warships | Long sessions | PC | Hub |
| Genshin Impact | Long sessions | iOS, Android, PC | Codes |
| Warframe | Long sessions | PC and more | Codes |
| Hero Wars | Short sessions | Browser, iOS, Android | Hub |
| Raid: Shadow Legends | Short sessions | iOS, Android, PC | Hub |
| Pokemon TCG Pocket | Short sessions | iOS, Android | Codes |
| Honkai: Star Rail | Short sessions | iOS, Android, PC | Codes |
| Roblox | Family | Phone, tablet, PC, console, VR | Hub |
| Pokemon GO | Family | iOS, Android | Codes |
| Infinity Nikki | Family | PC, iOS, Android | Codes |
| World of Tanks | Friends | PC | Hub |
| Fortnite | Friends | PC, consoles, iOS, Android | Winterfest |
Long sessions: games for whole evenings
World of Sea Battle is our top pick for a long winter break on PC. It is a free sailing MMO from Thera Interactive on Steam, in Early Access since October 21, 2025: you command a ship with a squadron behind it, trade between ports, hunt NPC fleets, fight other captains and build up your own island. The Steam page asks for only 2 GB of RAM and 2 GB of storage, so it runs on almost any laptop, and Valve rates it Playable on Steam Deck. Its Christmas event last year ran from December 23, 2025 to January 5, 2026, and the 2026 one is "in the works". Start with our beginner guide.
Steam Trailer: World of Sea Battle (official channel)
Where Winds Meet is a huge wuxia open world RPG from Everstone Studio and NetEase. Its store listings promise cross-play and cross-progression between PC, PS5 and mobile, so you can play on the TV and continue on the phone. On PC it needs 16 GB of RAM and 130 GB of disk, and the iPhone download is 3.67 GB. Its first anniversary update went live on November 13, 2026 with a free outfit event running until January 14, 2027.
World of Warships fits players who like naval tactics. Free on Steam (6 GB of RAM, 67.2 GB of disk), and its December 2026 update is previewed with a free Tier IX ship on first login. Read the beginner guide before you pick a line.
Genshin Impact needs a 3.65 GB download on iPhone (iOS 13 or later) and is rated 12+. Version 7.2 opened new snowy Snezhnaya areas on November 4, 2026, so the winter mood is already in the game. Codes are on our Genshin codes page. Warframe is a free co-op action game on Steam (4 GB of RAM, 75 GB of disk, Steam Deck Verified), with its snowy "Iceblade of Narin" update on the store page; its official cross-save lets one account carry progress across PC, consoles and mobile. Codes: Warframe.
Short sessions: between dinner and dessert
Hero Wars comes in two versions: Dominion Era in the browser and Alliance on phones (484 MB on the App Store, iOS 15, rated 12+). They do not share progress, so pick one. It is built for short daily check ins, and it is celebrating its 10th anniversary until November 22, 2026. Our Alliance vs Dominion Era guide helps you choose.
Raid: Shadow Legends is a turn based collection RPG on phones (278 MB on iPhone) and on Steam (8 GB of RAM, 5 GB of disk), with one Plarium ID for both. Last year it ran a Yuletide fusion and a New Year gift chain. Pokemon TCG Pocket (798 MB, rated 4+) is ideal for the sofa: open two booster packs a day and play quick matches; codes on our TCG Pocket page. Honkai: Star Rail (3.94 GB) is turn based too, and Version 4.7 runs until December 23, 2026 with a free choice of Acheron, Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae or Jing Yuan; see Star Rail codes.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Gameplay Trailer (official Pokemon channel)Play with family
Roblox is the default family game for a reason: the listing says it runs cross-platform on phones, tablets, PC, consoles and VR headsets, the iPhone app is 227 MB, and there are games for every age. It needs a network connection. Set up parental controls first; our Roblox Christmas guide shows how. Pokemon GO (408 MB, rated 9+) turns a winter walk into a game, and its December 2026 Community Day is December 12 and 13; codes are on our Pokemon GO page. Infinity Nikki is a gentle dress up adventure with snowy villages, free on Steam (16 GB of RAM, 60 GB) and on phones (2.51 GB, rated 12+); see Infinity Nikki codes.
Play with friends
World of Tanks is best with a platoon of friends. It is free on Steam (8 GB of RAM, but 120 GB of disk, so clear space first) and its Holiday Ops event usually opens in early December; last year it gave a free Tier IX Fantome for logging in. Start with the beginner guide.
Fortnite runs on PC, consoles, Android and, in the US and several European App Stores, on iPhone again (2.12 GB, iOS 17 or later, rated 12+), so the whole group can join from whatever they got for Christmas. The Chapter 7 finale is on December 5, 2026 and Winterfest usually follows in the second half of December; see our Winterfest guide.
Quick picks by device
Got a new device for Christmas, or an old one you want to use? Match the game to the hardware, using the numbers from each store page:
| Device | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Old or weak laptop | World of Sea Battle, Hero Wars (browser) | 2 GB of RAM on Steam; Dominion Era runs in a browser |
| Gaming PC | Where Winds Meet, World of Tanks, Warframe | Big worlds that need 75 to 130 GB of disk |
| Steam Deck | Warframe (Verified), World of Sea Battle, World of Tanks, World of Warships (Playable) | Valve's own ratings; Where Winds Meet is unsupported |
| New phone | Pokemon TCG Pocket, Raid, Hero Wars: Alliance | Under 800 MB each on the App Store |
| Child's tablet | Pokemon TCG Pocket (4+), Pokemon GO (9+), Roblox with parental controls | App Store age ratings and official parent tools |
| Console | Fortnite, Where Winds Meet (PS5), Roblox | Same account as on PC and phone |
Before you install: three checks
- Disk space. PC games range from 2 GB (World of Sea Battle) to 130 GB (Where Winds Meet). On phones, the store size is only the first download; most games pull more data inside.
- Age rating. On the App Store, Pokemon TCG Pocket is 4+, Pokemon GO 9+, and most of the others 12+. Check before a child installs.
- Accounts. Link an email or platform login on day one so a new device does not mean a new start. Our new phone guide explains account linking for each game.
FAQ
What is the best free game to play over Christmas?
For long sessions on PC, World of Sea Battle: free on Steam, light on hardware and with a Christmas event last year. On phones, Pokemon TCG Pocket and Roblox are the easiest to share.
Which free games can the whole family play?
Roblox, Pokemon GO and Infinity Nikki. Pokemon TCG Pocket is rated 4+ and Pokemon GO 9+ on the App Store; most of the others are 12+.
What free PC game runs on a weak laptop?
World of Sea Battle asks for 2 GB of RAM and 2 GB of storage on its Steam page, far below games like World of Tanks (120 GB) or Where Winds Meet (130 GB).
Which free games have cross-play between PC and phone?
Where Winds Meet (PC, PS5 and mobile per its store listing), Roblox and Fortnite. Raid shares one Plarium ID between phone and PC.
Are these games really free?
Yes, all 14 are free to download and play, and all sell optional items. None of them requires a purchase to play the main game.