Where to play games online
This page collects all the ways to play tabletop, RPG, etc. games that we're aware of, along with helpful information about each. If you have a source or tip to add, please let us know so we can update this reference.
Tabletop websites
The following sites provide one or more games to play online through the website.
Dominion (website)
This is the official online version of the game Dominion. Accounts are free and come with the base cards. Additional cards require a subscription.
Board Game Arena (website)
Board Game Arena is built around the idea of tables. When starting a game, a table is created. By default the site picks a random player and invites them to your table. To avoid this, change your opponent settings from Automatic to Manual.
Playing on Board Game Arena requires creating an account. The two account options are:
- Free account
- Due to the high numbers of people playing online, BGA may block free accounts from logging in at times.
- Can start/host any of the free-tier games.
- Can join any game (including "Premium" games hosted by a user with a Premium account).
- Only one account from the same location (Internet IP) is allowed when playing.
- Premium account
- BGA costs are listed in £, which come to roughly $24/year USD for the annual option.
- Can start/host any game.
- Access to video/voice chat. (Note: we haven't tried this)
- Multiple accounts are allowed from the same location.
Yucata (website)
A hobby website that hosts 100+ online games, including:
- Mystic Vale - Note: The site says these rules vary somewhat from the official game.
Yucata says it owns an official license for all the games listed above.
Playing Cards (website)
Currently offers checkers, a small handful of card games, and "other/custom".
This site is notable because it include Cards Against Humanity, under the name "Remote Insensitivity." (NOTE: This reference is provided as a public knowledge resource. Please see the FAQ for our policy on games like CAH.)
The site is free - start a game, then send the "game code" to friends. There are no chat capabilities, so you'll need to use your own for communication.
Tabletopia (website)
Similar to Board Game Arena, with a different account structure:
- Free account
- Up to 2 simultaneous games.
- No access to "Premium" games.
- Silver account
- $5/month.
- Up to 6 simultaneous games.
- Access to Premium games.
- Gold account
- $10/month.
- Up to 10 simultaneous games.
- Access to Premium games.
- Guests (with free account) can play in Premium games hosted by this account.
Mattle Games (website)
Doesn't support choosing your own opponent(s) or inviting friends to a table/game. Players are randomly assigned an opponent.
Includes several browser-based clones of popular games like Azul (Azee), 7 Wonders: Duel (Sevenee), and Blokus (Blockee).
- Both guest and registered accounts are Free.
Tabletop game engines
Software installed on your computer that then connects to a server and/or others to play games. Typically, individual games are added as modules.
Tabletop Simulator (website)
Install Tabletop Simulator (e.g. from Steam), then purchase and/or download games to play on it.
Vassal (website)
A free, open source alternative to something like Tabletop Simulator - "a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games." Individual games are available for download as modules.
Cockatrice (website)
An open source client/server "for playing tabletop card games."
Tablet/mobile/etc. games
Most of these are not free and require that each player have their own copy of the game.
- From Asmodee Digital:
- Carcassonne on Steam / iOS / Android / Nintendo (U.S.)
- Pandemic does not support online multiplayer.
- From Dire Wolf Digital:
Role-playing Games
Roll20 (website)
Other resources
If you didn't find what you were looking for here try these other resources:
- From BoardGameGeek
- List of On-line Games
- From Wizards of the Coast
- From D&D Beyond
