Top 10 Open World Survival Multiplayer Games

Top 10 Open World Survival Multiplayer Games



Surviving these worlds can be difficult, unless you can make some friends. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Open World Survival Multiplayer games.



For this list, we’ll be taking a look at survival games that have not only a multiplayer component, but large and/or open-ended environments. We’re only focusing on survival games that have multiplayer in them, leaving the single-player titles for another day. Also, since we are talking about the brutality of surviving, a mature warning is in effect.

#10: “The Forest” (2018)

Fresh out of Early Access, The Forest managed to break into the survival gaming hype back during its peak, offering a fresh, new take on the genre as a whole by sliding in some more horror themes. While The Forest did start off as a single-player only game, it has since added multiplayer, with a much stronger emphasis on cooperative play than other survival games, as you… all, seek to find your sons. Giant plot hole aside, the survival aspect is solid, while venturing into cannibals’ camps and monster-infested caves with friends’ help to lessen the terror. There’s no reason a multiplayer survival game has to be everyone for themselves.

#9: “Conan Exiles” (2018)

The famous barbarian has seen a surprisingly good amount of attention in the videogame industry -especially when you compare its fan base to other fantasies. Given the setting, the world of Conan fits right into the survival genre, with some unique features not seen before in other games -granting a higher level of interaction with the world and its denizens, even allowing you to enslave various NPCs. Feeling more like an MMO with the level of interaction and… detail of character customization (Character customization, sliders for genitalia size), you’d almost forget you’re still trying survive this landscape with others.

#8: “DayZ” (2013) (ALPHA)

The open-world survival genre popularity seems to stem from one game in particular: DayZ. Starting out as an ARMA 2 mod, the game and the genre grew large quite fast, the latter already in full swing when DayZ became a stand-alone title. The unpredictable nature of players mixed in with the hostility set the stage for survival games and their communities to come. Unfortunately, development throughout the years has seen several problems, with the game still in early access five years after the stand-alone release. We still recognize DayZ for what it started, but hopefully we can see it to its finish.

#7: “Dying Light” (2015)

Zombies and open world survival games are a married concept used so often, that critics continue to harp on it. Every now and again, though, there’s a diamond in the rough, and this one came in the form of Dying Light. The combination of free-running and absolutely brutal zombie survival created a breath of fresh air with both. From slashing through hordes in the day, to sneaking your way through the terrifying streets at night, the game somehow manages to elevate both the action and horror, even when a friend or two is brought along for the ride. The game still receives free content updates to this day, so there’s no reason not to give this game a go.

#6: “Fortnite: Save the World” (2017)

You know Fortnite for its battle royale, but have you ever wanted to play that other mode constantly offered on start-up? As the newly appointed commander, it’s up to you to enlist the help of various heroes across the globe, in order to beat back the zombie threat and the mysterious and foreboding storm. Presented in a mission layout, the game takes place in large, open ended environments, as you explore and collect resources to craft weapons, and build… well forts, obviously. Though the gameplay has overall less freedom than most other survival games, the more casual setting and fun side missions will keep you and your heroes plenty busy.

#5: “Terraria” (2011)

Going down one dimension doesn’t necessarily lessen the experience, and in Terraria’s case, it proves true. Riding on that Minecraft hype train, Terraria started out as a fairly simple 2D open world game, with a few survival elements in between. Since its release, however, Terraria has established itself away from being a clone, and creating an audience all its own -thanks in part to its deeper RPG elements than most survival games. The survival aspect is simplistic and caters to more casual players, but it still nonetheless offers those who seek a challenge a fair experience.

#4: “Don’t Starve Together” (2016)

After the huge success of Don’t Starve, the single-player survival game still had players wanting more, wishing to spend time in the Tim Burton-inspired aesthetic world with friends. Released as a stand-alone expansion, the game plays about the same as the original, but with a cooperative spin. While a bit on the smaller side than most other survival multiplayer games, only supporting up to six players, Don’t Starve Together retains the difficult nature of its single-player predecessor, giving you and your friends some added challenge.

#3: “Rust” (2018)

From t-posing ragdolls and colorful bouncy balls, to a nudist’s paradise, Garry Newman is quite the inventive game developer. Made popular by its… aesthetics, Rust started out as what seemed to be “another” survival game, with all the bells and whistles of a typical DayZ clone. Since its Early Access release, however, the game has changed engines, seen major overhauls and improvements, and several bug fixes. Rust wanted to capture the more “raw” and “natural” feelings of survival, and it certainly shows.

#2: “Minecraft” (2011)

To say Minecraft is the precursor to the explosion of the open world multiplayer survival genre as a whole wouldn’t be inaccurate. While the “survival” aspect may not have been the biggest draw or central mechanic, after the game’s hunger mechanic was implemented, several mods, game modes, and games themselves expanded upon it, going further to add more “hardcore” means of survival. However, for those still seeking a casual adventure with friends with less demanding survival elements, a return to Minecraft is always a welcome enjoyment.





Before we unveil our number one pick, we understand this genre is littered with some pretty terrible games, and we should remind our audience of one particular dishonorable mention.



“Metal Gear Survive” (2018)

#1: “ARK: Survival Evolved” (2017)

One word: Dinosaurs. Selling millions upon millions of copies, this game took the survival genre by storm, taking the spotlight for a good time. While many will argue that the developers exhibited certain distasteful business practices, along with a toxic community, the call of the dinos cannot be ignored. You can’t tell us that riding on the back of a dinosaur wouldn’t be cool. The stereotypical hostile PvP environment may deter players, but the sheer amount of content, not even including expansions, makes this game worth checking out, even if the price tag is a bit hefty.