Battle royale games represent some of the best online multiplayer games around. The unique premise of dropping players into random locations and forcing them to scavenge and loot in order to survive battles with other players is truly engaging.
One of the best things about battle royale games is the incorporation of a gradually shrinking map. This means that the play area is constantly decreasing in size, thereby forcing player encounters. In other words, you can’t hide forever.
These games are super fun and engaging, and they have a huge fan base among gamers. If you’re on the hunt for battle royale game recommendations for the PS5, we’ve got you covered with this article.
Here are ten of the best battle royale games for the PS5.
Fortnite
- Genre: Survival, Battle-royale, Sandbox
- Developers: Epic Games
- PlayStation Release Date: December 6, 2018
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
If you haven’t heard of Fortnite, I’d like to know what rock you’ve been living under, and how the weather is in no man’s land.
Jokes aside, Fortnite is a pretty big battle royale game. It comes in three modes: Save the World, Creative, and Battle Royale. I’ll be looking at the last one.
Fortnite: Battle Royale is a free-to-play third-person battle royale action game that came out in 2017. It comes from the team at Epic Games, the studio responsible for creating the Unreal Engine used by many games.
The game is multiplayer-only, and as a player, you have only one goal – to be the last one standing.
One hundred weaponless players drop in on an island where they must scavenge for traps, resources, tools, weapons, and other items for survival. You can also obtain resources like metal and wood and use them to build a stronghold.
You can choose to attack other players or avoid combat entirely by hiding in one of the buildings. However, you can’t hide for long since the game’s map is constantly shrinking, thereby reducing the playing area and forcing encounters with players that are trying to make you a statistic.
Fortnite‘s gameplay is fun, and anyone can have a genuinely good time playing it. Not only is it one of the best battle royale games for PS5, but it’s also one of the most popular games of all time.
Apex Legends
- Genre: Battle-royale, First-person shooter
- Developers: Respawn Entertainment
- PlayStation Release Date: March 29, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Apex Legends was originally published for PS4 in 2019 and later for PS5 in 2022.
Like Fortnite: Battle Royale, this is also a multiplayer-only game where players are dropped on a constantly-reducing map for exploration and survival. In Apex Legends, sixty players are split into 30 two-person teams or 20 three-person trios in which each fighter has their own unique skills and abilities.
There are two modes, Battle Royale and Arenas. In the former, players land in a location where they search for items, resources, and weapons, preparing for the battle ahead on a gradually shrinking play area. Remaining outside this area is deadly, so you must keep moving.
Meanwhile, in the Arenas campaign, three-player squads battle each other in a 3v3 deathmatch. The team with 2 points ahead and a minimum of 3 points wins.
Although Apex Legends is mobile-compatible and runs well on devices, you can’t compare playing it on your phone to playing it on the PS5. I mean, what mobile phone can beat the 4K 60 fps visuals, the much bigger screen, and the separate controller of the PS5 version? It’s completely in another league.
Games like Apex Legends are a hell of a lot of fun, and worth checking out if you like fast-paced combat and interesting weapons.
Worms Rumble
- Genre: Action, Battle-royale
- Developers: Team17
- PlayStation Release Date: December 1, 2020
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Ok, I know what you’re thinking- but the game is not as yucky as the title makes it sound.
From the studio Team17 comes this 2020 battle royale real-time action video game, Worms Rumble. The game is a spin-off of the Worms series, and it’s one of the best battle royale games on the PS5 by a mile.
In this game, you take on the role of an anthropomorphous worm and participate in deadly battles against 32 players in various game modes like Last Worm Standing, Last Squad Standing, or Death Match.
You can use classic weapons from the Worms series, like the bazooka and banana bombs. There are newcomers like the hammerhead and sentry launcher too, all of which are super fun to use thanks to the PS5’s Dualsense triggers.
Battles take place in areas filled with tunnels and hidden passages that can be both beneficial and disadvantageous to your gameplay. There are side events you can engage in and you can win prizes and points which you can use to buy upgrades for your earthworm, together with the game’s currency.
The game came out with just three maps and ten weapons – a barebones start but still enough to keep you engaged for a while. Its unique weapons and addictive gameplay make it incredibly compelling.
Chivalry 2
- Genre: Hack and slash
- Developers: Torn Banner Studios
- PlayStation Release Date: June 8, 2021
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online multiplayer/co-op
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Why be someone’s knight in shining armor when you can play Chivalry 2? People may disappoint you, but this game won’t.
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer action game published by Tripwire Interactive. It is a sequel to the 2012 hack-and-slash game, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.
In Chivalry 2, you participate in medieval wars using melee weapons to attack opponents. Basically, you have three attack sequences: vertical slash, horizontal slash, and a direct stab, which can all combine to form a sick combo move.
You have various weapons like swords, axes, and bows and arrows at your disposal. However, if you ever run out of munitions, you can use your opponents’ dismembered body parts to fight. Be cautious of how you handle your weapons because you can easily shoot an arrow or swing a sword at your teammates.
Compared to its predecessor, Chivalry 2 has some significant improvements, like a redesigned animation system and highly detailed battles. It also uses Unreal Engine 4 to produce beautiful 3D visuals.
It doesn’t exactly follow the strict template for what determines a battle-royale game, but this is the closest that you’ll get to a medieval battle-royale-esque experience. In fact, the game has been dubbed ‘The Knight’s Slaughterhouse’ in some circles, which should give you some insight into what to expect.
Overall, Chivalry 2 is a fantastic game and you need to add it to your wishlist. If you’re looking to play the best battle royale games on PS5 and you’re happy to stretch the definition of ‘battle royale’ a little, this is the game for you.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt
- Genre: Battle royale
- Developers: Sharkmob
- PlayStation Release Date: April 27, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter. It is a part of the World of Darkness franchise and an adaptation of the pen-and-paper RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade.
The game uses a third-person perspective and takes place in the city of Prague. Vampires are battling each other, and to aggravate matters, an entity called The Division is hunting them.
You take up the role of a vampire and can either fight on your own or with a three-person squad. As a vampire, you have unique abilities that allow you to climb walls, teleport, or jump long distances, but you also have access to various weapons and firearms if you want to go ‘hands-free’.
To increase your health, you can suck blood from NPC civilians. However, you must be cautious, or else your ability to conceal your nature from humans, known as ‘The Masquerade’, will be lost, and soon AI-controlled hunters will be after you.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is an excellent game filled with diverse characters. It features a vast and highly detailed map that gives you enough locations to explore. If you’re looking for fast-paced gothic vampire action, look no further, this game has what you need.
Call of Duty: Warzone
- Genre: Battle royale, First-person shooter
- Developers: Infinity Ward, Raven Software
- PlayStation Release Date: March 10, 2020
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Call of Duty: Warzone is a free multiplayer battle royale FPS that comes from Raven Software, Infinity Ward, and Activision. It was published in 2020 for the PS4 and in 2022 for the PS5.
The game has affiliations with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and links to other entries in the Call of Duty franchise, too. The gameplay involves 150 players landing on a selected location where they carry out objectives depending on the game mode.
There are two primary modes.
There’s the Battle Royale mode, where players battle each other in a shrinking region until there’s only one team or player remaining, and Plunder, where the only objective is to gain money by completing contracts or killing players to obtain their money. The money you earn can help purchase more equipment and resurrect team members.
Warzone features hand-designed buildings, realistic graphics, and enhanced performance provided by the PS5’s 120fps support. The game is well-rounded and polished, and definitely one of the best battle royale games for PS5.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
- Genre: Battle royale
- Developers: PUBG Studios
- PlayStation Release Date: November 12, 2020
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
If you play mobile games a lot, you’ve probably heard of this game. But did you know there’s a PS5 version? Yes, I’m talking about better visuals on a bigger screen, with a world that’s just begging for you to explore it.
PUBG: Battlegrounds was originally published in 2018 for PS4 and then in 2020 for PS5. The shooter is the first game in the PUBG Universe and took inspiration from the Japanese action-thriller movie Battle Royale from 2000.
The gameplay is almost the same as that of Call of Duty: Warzone but this time, instead of 150 players, you see 100 players dropping on the shrinking play area. Players have eight different maps to explore for materials and weapons.
One cool feature of this game is how adaptable it is. You can choose between first-person and third-person viewpoints, and you can decide whether you want to play solo or in a team.
Battlegrounds does the battle royale genre justice with grand moments, action galore, and immersive combat. Whether you’re playing alone or with some friends, you’re in for an epic ride.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
- Genre: Battle royale, Platformer
- Developers: Mediatonic
- PlayStation Release Date: June 21, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a multiplayer battle royale platformer from the team at Mediatonic. It was initially published by Devolver Digital for the PS4 in 2020 before Epic Games gained publishing rights and released the PS5 version in 2022.
In this game, you assume the role of one of 60 weird-looking creatures and take part in matches where the winner is the last person standing. The matches are split into rounds, so you must find a way to move on to the next round and remain in the game.
Each round consists of mini-games in which you compete against other players. These games are usually very odd tasks, such as ascending an obstacle-filled mountain, playing tag with fellow players, and balancing on a skateboard.
The game comes with its own currency called Kudos, which can help you buy upgrades and accessories to personalize your character. The costume wardrobe is constantly updated with new outfits of characters from different games like Portal 2, Sonic the Hedgehog, Among Us, and many more.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout took inspiration from TV shows like the Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle, which explains the game’s dynamic and humorous gameplay. It’s the type of game where you can’t help but laugh at your failures, especially if it involves falling into pink slime.
I recommend this game if you’re looking to have a fun time with some friends.
Hunt: Showdown
- Genre: First-person shooter
- Developers: Crytek
- PlayStation Release Date: February 18, 2020
- Buy from: PlayStation, Amazon
- Multiplayer: Online multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Hunt: Showdown is set in Louisiana in the 19th-century era, with three maps consisting of extraction points and boss locations.
The game comes from the team at Crytek. It came out in 2020 for the PS4, and in 2021, Crytek released a PS5 patch, enabling the game to run at 4K 60fps.
In this game, you take on the role of a bounty hunter on a mission to kill powerful beasts and obtain their bounties. While collecting a bounty may seem satisfying, it is also risky since this act reveals your current location to other creatures lurking in the shadows, as well as other players waiting to kill you and collect the artifact.
Unfortunately, you don’t have much ammo, and there is no automatic reload, so you must make every shot count, lest you die and lose all your achievements. Yes, I’m talking permadeath. Clearly, things can get pretty intense, but that’s what makes it great.
Hunt: Showdown is terrifying and addictive at the same time. The game is full of disasters and moments that can stoke your emotions, and its visuals and sound effects are the crème de la crème.
Again, like Chivalry 2, this is not a battle royale game in the traditional sense. However, if I had to put it into a category, that’s where it would be. It is a bit funny that, despite being non-traditional, its battle royale elements are possibly the best-executed versions in comparison to games that are traditionally battle royale.
By ‘elements’, I’m referring to the bit where you’re dropped into a location on the map with a number of other people, and you can work in teams of two or three across that vast map. You can also help revive each other, which is a neat little trick.
If all this sounds exciting – and honestly, it should – you know what to do.
Rumbleverse
- Genre: Brawler, Battle royale
- Developers: Iron Galaxy
- PlayStation Release Date: August 11, 2022
- Buy from: PlayStation
- Multiplayer: Online co-op/multiplayer
- Average Playtime (Main Story/Objectives): N/A
Don’t be fooled by the cartoon characters, Rumbleverse gets as violent as any other battle royale game out there.
The game was published by Epic Games and it features brawler battle royale gameplay that is played from a third-person perspective.
The player is one of forty characters that go to town in one of two drop zones against each other – strictly with melee combat.
This is a unique approach as we often see battle royal games include guns and other firearms, but I’d argue that close contact melee combat gets even more vicious at times. You can also pick up melee weapons such as baseball bats and chairs to smash your opponents.
You can punch, kick, and elbow-drop these opponents as well, but you must know when to block or dodge attacks while keeping an eye on your health, stamina, and strength stats.
Rumbleverse’s action is traditional, but that’s a good thing.
If you’re looking for fighting games with a lot less “rowdiness” about them, we’ve got you covered there as well, so check that post out!
