Best Games to Play with a New Online Friend
You just met someone online — maybe in a game’s chat, maybe through a mutual friend — and you want to actually play together. But the first game you pick matters more than you’d think. The wrong choice is a sweaty, high-stakes grind where one bad round sours the vibe. The right one is forgiving, fun, and gives you something to talk about while you figure each other out. Here are the best games for exactly that — playing with someone you don’t know well yet.
What makes a good “first game” with a new friend
Before the list, the principle: the best ice-breaker games share a few traits.
- Co-op over hyper-competitive — working together builds rapport faster than sweating a ranked ladder.
- Easy to learn — nobody wants to spend the first session reading menus or getting stomped.
- Naturally chatty — good downtime and shared decisions give you reasons to talk.
- Forgiving of skill gaps — you probably aren’t the same rank, and that should be fine.
With that in mind, here are the picks, grouped by the vibe you’re after.
For chill, low-pressure teamwork
Stardew Valley — Co-op farming is the ultimate relaxed hangout. There’s zero pressure, endless little goals, and plenty of room to just chat while you water crops and plan the farm. Perfect if you want easy company over adrenaline.
Deep Rock Galactic — Four dwarves, a mine, and a genuinely friendly community (“Rock and Stone!”). It’s cooperative by design, scales to your group size, and the teamwork is built right into the objectives. Approachable but deep enough to keep going.
For shared chaos and big laughs
Helldivers 2 — Spreading democracy with a squad is equal parts teamwork and hilarious friendly-fire disasters. The shared “did you SEE that” moments bond people fast. (If you fall in love with it, here’s how to build a recurring dive crew.)
Lethal Company — Cheap, chaotic, and terrifying in the best way. Scavenging together while something stalks you produces instant panic-laughter — one of the fastest ways to turn a stranger into a friend.
Overcooked! 2 — A kitchen, a timer, and inevitable shouting. It’s pure cooperative comedy, and surviving the chaos together is a bonding experience whether you win or lose.
For quick, friendly competition
Rocket League — Easy to understand (it’s car soccer), hard to master, and matches are short. Casual 2v2 is a great low-commitment way to play together without the toxicity that plagues sweatier shooters.
Fortnite — Free, cross-platform, and endlessly accessible. Whether you go for a Victory Royale or just mess around in a creative mode, there’s a mode for any mood and almost no barrier to entry.
For open-ended hanging out
Minecraft — The classic for a reason. There’s no fail state and no pressure — just build, explore, and talk. It bends to whatever energy you both have that night, which makes it perfect for a new friendship still finding its rhythm.
First, you have to find the friend
All of this assumes you’ve got someone to play with — which is the actual hard part for a lot of people. If your friends list is thin, that’s where PaxJax comes in. Instead of hoping a good random sticks around, you can:
- Match with players by game and region so you find people who play what you play.
- Jump into game chat to meet people who are online and looking right now.
- Send an Invite to Play to fire up a first session in a tap.
Meet someone you click with, and one of the games above is the perfect way to make it stick. (More on turning first sessions into a crew: how to build a real squad.)
A new friendship online usually starts with one good game. Pick something forgiving and fun, keep the pressure low, and let the rest follow — the best gaming friends almost always start as strangers who picked the right first match.