There are plenty of great games out there for Oculus Rift and Rift S; the Oculus Store and Steam feature a number of top titles certainly worth your hard-earned money. But before you crack that wallet too wide open, you may want to take a look at some seriously cool free content out there right this second and download it for the big day when your headset finally arrives.

High production value, engaging VR mechanics, native Touch support: the games below have it all. Without further ado, here are our top five free VR games for Rift.

Note: We didn’t include tools or experiences below, only games!

5 – Brass Tactics Arena

Synopsis: This immersive collectible card-battler mixes high fantasy with World War II on a 4×4 grid battlefield that is alive with rampaging giants, intimidating war-machines, and soaring projectiles. The free version has plenty of meat on the bone, and holds a bit more replay value over a lesser-sized demo.

Developer: Hidden Path Entertainment

Released: 2017 – Oculus Store

4 – PokerStars VR

Synopsis: Platforms like the Oculus Store and Steam don’t allow real cash gambling, but that hasn’t stopped the world-wide online poker site PokerStars from developing their own free-play VR poker casinos spanning locations such as Macau, a Monte-Carlo yacht, and a wild west saloon. So while you can’t play Texas Hold’em with this month’s rent, you’ll be able to polish your live poker game, replete with the ability to stack your chips and handle cards just like in Vegas. Just make sure to hide those tells.

Developer: Lucky VR Inc.

Released: 2018 – Oculus Store – Steam – Viveport

3 – The Lab

Synopsis: The Lab is an oldie, but it’s very much a goodie. If you’re looking to jump into free VR games, you definitely shouldn’t miss out on Valve’s first VR title. It’s really supposed to be more of a glorified tech demo than a proper game as such, but there’s something about the simple, but insanely polished mini-games Valve whipped up that has us coming back even two years after it was released.

Developer: Valve

Released: 2016 – Steam

2 – Rec Room

Synopsis: Rec Room isn’t really a bespoke game, but rather a social VR app that contains a number of engaging and fun games within it. You’ll get swept up in the multiplayer adventures, casual sports, and the newest addition Rec Royale, a battle royale-style shooter. The team at Against Gravity are always updating too, so there’s typically always a fresh co-op Quest to conquer.

Developer: Against Gravity

Released: 2016 – Oculus Store – Steam

1 – Echo Arena

Synopsis: Echo VR first started out on the Oculus Store as Echo Arena, a futuristic team sport that features a unique zero-G multiplayer matches. The impetus for the rebranding: Echo Combat, a $10 VR shooter expansion to the free game that puts you in the chassis of a battle-ready bot armed with an array of weapons and abilities. Echo Combat pits you against another team in either payload mode or point capture. While Echo Arena has taken somewhat of a backseat to its trigger happy little brother, it’s still free and definitely worth your time.

Released: 2017 – Oculus Store

Honorable Mentions

Dead and Buried

Store description: Step into a world full of gunslingers and ghosts in Dead and Buried. Grab your Touch controllers and become the best gunslinger in the wild west in this multiplayer action shooter. Battle it out in the old saloon. Rob a runaway train. Team up with other bandits and defend against hordes of ghastly creatures. Finally, you can live out your wild west fantasies thanks to virtual reality.

Developer: Oculus / Gun Fire Games

Released: 2016 – Oculus Store

Lucky’s Tale

Store description: Lucky’s Tale is a delightful platforming adventure game designed exclusively for the Oculus Rift. Join Lucky as he runs, jumps, climbs and spins his way through a bright, colorful world filled with thrilling challenges, wacky creatures, and all the shiny things a little fox could ever want!

Developer: Playful Corp

Released: 2016 – Oculus Store (gamepad and Touch)

Archangel: Hellfire – Enlist Free

Store description: Pilot massive weapons of destruction and fight over post-apocalyptic lands in this free-roaming shooter: It is an explosive clash of god-like mech weaponry and team deathmatch gameplay.

Developer: Skydance Interactive

Released: 2018 – Oculus Store – Steam

Dragon Front

Store description: Play head-to-head online or in Conquest story mode from your Oculus Rift, Gear VR, or Facebook Gameroom account on desktop. This immersive collectible card-battler mixes high fantasy with World War II on a 4×4 grid battlefield that is alive with rampaging giants, intimidating war-machines, and soaring projectiles.

Developer: High Voltage Software

Released: 2016 – Oculus Store

Update (May 21st, 2019): Robo Recall has been removed from the list. It was free with Touch activation on the original Rift, although it now carries a $30 price tag moving forward for both Rift S and Oculus Quest.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Pimples

    PSVR wins again…lol…Sony takes gen 1 in VR the games for Sony’s blow these away…period.

    • impurekind

      What free games are better on PSVR then?

      • R FC

        “The Lab” by Valve, absolutely sublime and lots of hidden stuff when you start looking.

        • fdf

          Are you retarded. That’s available for PC as well. Not an exclusive title.

          • Pimples

            Lol…he is retarded…no doubt

          • JJ

            um no pimples you’re clearly retarded….

            PSVR has no free games, and even if they did they are clearly outnumbered by literally any other app store on that aspect.
            Sony games DO NOT blow the competition away at all. period. Maybe next time try another system before you make claims like that because its pretty general knowledge that sony doesn’t have the best games or best free games at all, and it makes you look really stupid.

          • Sandy Wich

            He’s a Playstation fanboy dude, have you ever been around a group of them? They live in what I like to call, “The ignorance bubble”.

            To them if something doesn’t have a CGI music video at an event, it doesn’t exist.

          • Pimples

            Wow tj I didn’t know I looked stupid….good eye….i just thought since Sony was the clear leader of the 3 main higher end VR with way more sold and the best games.

          • Engineer_92

            Sony is definitely on the higher end of the VR spectrum, but PC VR is still in a league of its own. When its cost prohibitive and millions of people already own a PS4, of course PSVR will outsell. PC VR is more for the enthusiasts when it comes to this 1st generation

          • care package

            Sold way more ya. ‘Best games’ is highly subjective. ‘Clear leader’ in what? Hardware sold?The motion controls that also lack analog sticks is really what makes PSVR subpar to me. Specs are the lowest, but as you would expect. The PS4 just isn’t powerful enough. The games all probably compare to the Quest. Maybe we’ll see some side by side vids soon. Sure PSVR has some good exclusive titles, but man the hit you take everywhere else makes me wonder how they even sold the 4 million. PSVR2 should be worth a shit though.

          • Sandy Wich

            ..You won’t be fitting in here bud. Your intelligence and observation skills are truly horrible.

          • Pimples

            Whoa……how deep you are… your high observations & intellectual skills solved that FAST!! kudos

          • David

            Is this real life? I had the PSVR and it’s complete garbage outside its tiny sweet spot… Have you ever had a ride or Vive on?

          • Dynastius

            R FC was saying that The Lab is another example of a free game that is awesome and works on the Rift, not that it is available for PSVR (it isn’t.)

    • F1ForHelp

      Question.

      What does winning mean?

      • Pimples

        That there is a diet out there that might just work for you.

        • F1ForHelp

          What does that mean? (Not sarcastic this time.)

    • Sandy Wich

      You’re joking, right? Most of PSVR’s content is either 3rd party or timed exclusive. Did you really fall for the symphony music, fireworks and the marketing cut scenes at E3 or Sony’s reveal event?

      Does PSVR have Minecraft VR? Google Earth VR? Mods with Skyrim VR? VRChat? Fallout 4 VR, “with mods”? The Lab? Talos Principle? Robo Recall?.. The list goes on for hundreds of quality games and experiences. But hey, I guess PC-VR users can’t zoom in to Nami’s breasts in One Piece VR, right?~ Oh wait… HoneySelect.

      The only thing PSVR really has is a marketing/timed exclusivity budget to try to trick people into thinking something that sucks in comparison to it’s competition doesn’t. And that’s just software, much less it’s vastly inferior hardware which we needn’t go into detail here.

      I’m not saying that, “on it’s own”, PSVR is bad of course. I’m actually quite amazed they could make VR so entry level and cheap while remaining functional on such outdated hardware. I genuinely believe it’s good enough to at least sell the concept of VR to consumers that they’ll likely buy a superior VR product in the future, but basing your entire reality on what gets a glorified music video at E3 and then pretending nothing else exists is ridiculous.

      And btw, I know it’s been mentioned by other people, but still, this is just a list of free games. Wanna name me a few good free PSVR games? Don’t bother, I’ve already looked.

    • sebrk

      LOL troll

    • J.C.

      I love how riled up everyone got over obvious trolling. He offers no examples, and while he responded to a comment, it wasn’t with anything to back up his original statement.

      • F1ForHelp

        I think people can be mad about it either way.

      • Actually two of the minigames on Sony’s “VR Worlds” disk were very impressive, namely London Heist and Scavenger’s Odyssey. They were AAA quality, made by Sony’s studio. Playroom VR was another really amazing experience, full of single player and same-room multiplayer games. If you live alone, it might be less compelling.

        It’s not like there is nothing on the most widely used VR headset on the market today. Sony has over double the install base of Oculus. Actually, PSVR’s install base is almost as larger as all of their competitors combined.

      • ben

        you dont know when people are trolling when you look at articles about specs with the comment section being like: ughhh how much will it cost this (insert different headset here) is sooo much better for a lower price.

    • NooYawker

      PSVR has some great exclusives but there are no free games.

    • Jistuce

      Whatever helps you feel good about your shoddy tracking and silly video switchbox, man.

      • pimples

        Use the net….psvr blew the rest away in 2018….sony IS VR!!

      • pimples

        Sony is VR….they have ran away with it and everyone is afraid to accept it…lol

        • Jistuce

          Sony’s not VR. We are VR. (Saban et al, 1997)

        • Rand

          I have played Skyrim on both a friends PSVR and on my Oculus Rift, I was unimpressed with the PSVR… my friend however is now buying a Oculus Rift and currently is selling his PSVR to his cousin. I have no regrets with my system at all.

    • HomeAudio

      Yes – you are right. Sony blow these away in matter of number of sold headsets. You are completly right. Unfortunately PSVR experiance is very poor comparing to PC VR… and it is little sad that so poor hardware is selling so well only because of price :(

    • Playstations VR is pretty bad. I wouldn’t even call it VR. It’s an extremely ugly screen with no 3d right up on your face. It does have a few standout games, but outside of RE7 and Astrobot there is nothing I feel like I’m missing out on.

  • Luke

    super article I didn’t even know about brass tactics and Archangel for free….

  • I still find Robo Recall better than Echo VR. It has an almost perfect design for Oculus and Touch controllers.

    • Firestorm185

      indeed, I’m hoping a sequel is or will be in the works soon.

  • Frédéric Marcotte Piché

    In case the redactor of this article reads the comments (he/she probably shouldn’t :P)
    Echo VR Matches are 3V3, in either Arena or Combat, not 5V5.

  • Ghazini

    I hope Epic Games make a Robo Recall 2

  • Robo Recall is definitely the best. The Lab leaves me wanting Portal 3 in VR. But to put Lucky’s Tale under “Honorable Mention” is just wrong! I don’t usually like platformers and I loved that game! It leaves me looking forward to the future of Mario and other platformers in VR.

  • Very amazing! Thank you for sharing it.
    VR Social

  • JesuSaveSouls

    These games have been free all along.Hope vadar comes available for us common oculus users.Jesus died for you too,He is alive !

  • impurekind

    Despite all the hype for Robo Recall, I would actually say that Dead and Buried is a superior game to actually play on Rift. This is coming from someone that only has two sensors, so consider that if you disagree. The guns don’t even point at the correct angle in Robo Recall whereas they do in Dead and Buried, which is a huge deal imo. And it’s certainly a far frikin’ better than some crappy poker game.

  • Shawn MacDonell

    Has Robo Recall been confirmed to be free for Rift S owners?

    • benz145

      We’re double check with Oculus on this.

      • Merex

        Yes it’s free, free on quest also

        • Mia Sbunny

          How is Robo recall free? I got my Rift S in June and even now, Robo recall is still 30 euro’s in the Oculus store for me?

        • John

          It’s not free, why does everyone keep saying that it is? It’s $30. It came free in a promo a while ago, if you bought a touch controller pack for the Rift 1. It’s not free for Rift S or either Quest.

  • James Cobalt

    I presume Robo Recall is only free in select bundles? It’s not free on the store.

  • Finaldeath

    Should remove Lucky’s Tale from the list as well since it isn’t free. Picked up the Rift S a few days ago and the store tells me Lucky’s Tale costs $15. Pretty annoying as a new vr owner that picked up the Rift S a few days ago how they made some of their best free games paid and how they have so many exclusives that are locked to certain headsets like Oculus Homes which look like a better version of what the Rift has but is only available on the Go and games like Vader Immortal that is only on the Quest. Leaves no good free app/games for Rift S, even the non free game selection is meh. Tempted to return this thing and pony up the extra cash for a Vive Pro since Vive seems to have more game support than the Rift S does.