The short version: among gacha games you can play free on PC, Umamusume: Pretty Derby (93%) and Limbus Company (92%) have the highest English review scores on Steam, each on more than 40,000 reviews. Arknights: Endfield sits at 90%, but it has only been on Steam since October 14, 2026. Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail are on PC too, just not on Steam: both are free through HoYoverse's HoYoPlay launcher and on the Epic Games Store. Every number below was read on Steam on October 24, 2026. Not hands-on tested.
How we picked the 14 games
A game made the list only if it passed three checks. It is free on PC (free on Steam, or a PC version on the official site), a cited source describes its gacha system, and it is already out on PC.
- Free on PC. Twelve are free on Steam. Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail are not on Steam: a US Steam store search returned nothing for either, their official sites point PC players to HoYoPlay, and both are free on the Epic Games Store.
- A cited gacha source. For twelve games, the game's English Wikipedia article describes the gacha system. For NTE we rely on PC Gamer's banner guide, and for Arknights: Endfield on the reviews summarized on Wikipedia (Polygon, CGMagazine), which discuss it as a gacha game.
- Released. Upcoming PC games are covered further down, not ranked.
Left out, and why. Tower of Fantasy, Reverse: 1999, Snowbreak: Containment Zone and Etheria: Restart are free on Steam, but our source check did not confirm a description of their gacha on October 24, 2026, so we did not rank them. Strinova is a hero shooter. We found no free Steam listing for Goddess of Victory: NIKKE or for the original Arknights.
The 14 at a glance
Steam scores are the English-language review summary that Steam shows to an English reader, rounded by Steam. "Last 30 days" is Steam's own recent-review row. RAM and storage are the listed minimum (Epic Games Store listing for the two games not on Steam).
| Game | Steam score (English) | Last 30 days | Min. RAM | Min. storage | On Steam since |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umamusume: Pretty Derby | Very Positive, 93% of 42,692 | 93% of 795 | 8 GB | 11 GB | Jun 24, 2025 |
| Limbus Company | Very Positive, 92% of 52,243 | 86% of 3,848 | 8 GB | 10 GB | Feb 26, 2023 |
| Arknights: Endfield | Very Positive, 90% of 1,135 | no row yet | 16 GB | 60 GB | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Zenless Zone Zero | Very Positive, 89% of 7,810 | 87% of 1,682 | 8 GB | 75 GB | Jun 16, 2026 |
| Wuthering Waves | Very Positive, 87% of 30,754 | 80% of 1,585 | 16 GB | 150 GB | Apr 28, 2025 |
| NTE: Neverness to Everness | Very Positive, 82% of 3,364 | 80% of 972 | 16 GB | 110 GB | Jul 7, 2026 |
| Punishing: Gray Raven* | Mostly Positive, 74% of 1,763 | 82% of 167 | 8 GB | 50 GB | Feb 2, 2026 |
| Honkai Impact 3rd | Mostly Positive, 74% of 4,732 | 93% of 30 | 8 GB | 15 GB | Oct 21, 2021 |
| Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium | Mostly Positive, 70% of 3,139 | 80% of 55 | 8 GB | 60 GB | Feb 10, 2025 |
| Blue Archive | Mixed, 59% of 12,405 | 79% of 290 | 4 GB | 19 GB | Jul 3, 2025 |
| Infinity Nikki | Mixed, 57% of 5,514 | 82% of 135 | 16 GB | 60 GB | Apr 28, 2025 |
| Persona5: The Phantom X | Mixed, 49% of 9,012 | 62% of 168 | 8 GB | 70 GB | Jun 25, 2025 |
| Genshin Impact | not on Steam | not on Steam | 8 GB | 110 GB | HoYoPlay, Epic Games Store |
| Honkai: Star Rail | not on Steam | not on Steam | 8 GB | not listed | HoYoPlay, Epic Games Store |
*For Punishing: Gray Raven, Steam showed its overall review row rather than a separate English row.
Pick by situation
Start with your PC, then the kind of game. Each pick below comes from the table above or from Steam's own player tags.
| If you want | Pick |
|---|---|
| The highest English score on a large sample | Umamusume: Pretty Derby, then Limbus Company |
| A small footprint on an 8 GB RAM PC | Limbus Company (10 GB), Umamusume (11 GB), Honkai Impact 3rd (15 GB) |
| The lowest listed RAM | Blue Archive (4 GB) |
| An action RPG with an 8 GB RAM floor | Zenless Zone Zero |
| Open-world action and a big SSD | Wuthering Waves (150 GB) or NTE (110 GB) |
| Base building and automation next to the gacha | Arknights: Endfield |
| Turn-based or tactical combat | Limbus Company, Girls' Frontline 2, Blue Archive, Persona5: The Phantom X, Honkai: Star Rail |
| To collect outfits rather than fighters | Infinity Nikki |
| A HoYoverse game played outside Steam | Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, through HoYoPlay or the Epic Games Store |
If you are new to the model, our guide on how free-to-play PC games make money explains what a gacha sells and what Steam's "In-App Purchases" flag does and does not tell you.
The open-world and action gachas
Five of the six action gachas on Steam here arrived on the store in 2025 or 2026, and three of them need 16 GB of RAM. Zenless Zone Zero, Punishing: Gray Raven and Honkai Impact 3rd list 8 GB.
1. Arknights: Endfield [newest on Steam, base building]
A free 3D game from Hypergryph, published by GRYPHLINE, on Steam since October 14, 2026. Steam's player tags put Automation and Base Building next to Action and RPG. Reviewers quoted on its Wikipedia page, including Polygon, discuss it as a gacha game. Its 90% score rests on 1,135 English reviews gathered in its first ten days on Steam, so treat it as an early number. Minimum: 16 GB RAM, 60 GB.
2. Zenless Zone Zero [Very Positive on an 8 GB RAM floor]
HoYoverse's urban fantasy action RPG, published on Steam by COGNOSPHERE since June 16, 2026. According to Wikipedia, players summon Agents, its playable characters, through the gacha. Of the four Very Positive action games here, it is the only one that lists 8 GB RAM as its minimum, with 75 GB of storage. Score: 89% of 7,810 English reviews.
3. Wuthering Waves [largest action-game sample]
An open-world action RPG from Kuro Games, on Steam since April 28, 2025. Wikipedia says its gacha banners, called Convenes, give characters (Resonators) and weapons. It has the largest English review count of the action games here (30,754, at 87%), and the biggest storage need: 150 GB minimum, with 16 GB RAM.
4. NTE: Neverness to Everness [supernatural city, 110 GB]
An urban open-world RPG from Hotta Studio, published by Perfect World Games, on Steam since July 7, 2026. PC Gamer's guide to its banners explains how its gacha works. It needs 16 GB RAM and 110 GB. Score: 82% of 3,364 English reviews, and 80% over the last 30 days.
5. Punishing: Gray Raven [hack and slash, 8 GB RAM]
Kuro Games' earlier action game, on Steam since February 2, 2026. Wikipedia says Constructs, its fighters, come from the story, events and the gacha. Minimum: 8 GB RAM, 50 GB. Score: 74% of 1,763 reviews, with 82% over the last 30 days.
6. Honkai Impact 3rd [earliest Steam date, 15 GB]
On Steam since October 21, 2021, the earliest Steam date in this list, published by COGNOSPHERE. Wikipedia says new Valkyries, weapons and Stigmata come mainly from Supply, its gacha. It has a small 15 GB footprint and an 8 GB RAM floor. Score: 74% of 4,732 English reviews.
7. Genshin Impact [on PC, not on Steam]
Wikipedia describes Genshin Impact as free-to-play and "monetized through gacha mechanics", where most characters and weapons come from banners called Wishes. It is not on Steam: the official site offers the PC version through HoYoPlay, and it is free on the Epic Games Store. That listing gives a minimum of 8 GB RAM and 110 GB of storage, and 16 GB and 150 GB recommended.
The turn-based, tactical and other gachas
Two of the three most-reviewed gachas on Steam are not open-world action games. Umamusume is a racing and training sim, and Steam players tag Limbus Company as turn-based.
8. Umamusume: Pretty Derby [highest English score]
A Cygames sim on Steam since June 24, 2025, tagged Racing, Sports, Management and Roguelite by players. Wikipedia says the gacha gives two kinds of units: trainees and support cards. The same article notes that critics called its gacha monetization predatory. Score: 93% of 42,692 English reviews, the highest in this list. Minimum: 8 GB RAM, 11 GB.
9. Limbus Company [largest review sample]
Project Moon's game, on Steam since February 26, 2023, tagged Turn-Based Combat and Turn-Based Tactics by players. Wikipedia says players can spend money on currency (Lunacy) or tickets to get Sinner Identities and E.G.O. It has the largest English review count here, 52,243 at 92%, and the smallest footprint among the Steam games: 10 GB.
10. Honkai: Star Rail [turn-based, not on Steam]
Wikipedia calls it a free-to-play turn-based role-playing gacha game from miHoYo, published outside mainland China by HoYoverse. Like Genshin Impact, it is available on PC through HoYoPlay and the Epic Games Store. Its Epic Games Store listing gives 8 GB RAM as both minimum and recommended, and no storage figure.
11. Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium [turn-based strategy]
An RPG tagged Turn-Based Strategy by players, from SUNBORN, published by Darkwinter Software, on Steam since February 10, 2025. Wikipedia says its units, T-Dolls, come from standard and event banners. Score: 70% of 3,139 English reviews. Minimum: 8 GB RAM, 60 GB.
12. Blue Archive [lowest RAM floor]
From NEXON Games, on Steam since July 3, 2025, tagged Tactical RPG by players. Wikipedia says new students are recruited through the gacha with in-game currency that can be bought. It lists the lowest RAM of the twelve Steam games, 4 GB, and 19 GB of storage. Score: Mixed at 59% of 12,405 English reviews, but 79% over the last 30 days.
13. Infinity Nikki [outfits, not fighters]
A game from Infold Games tagged Open World, Relaxing and Life Sim by players, on Steam since April 28, 2025. Its gacha is different: per Wikipedia, it sells clothing items and accessories rather than characters. Minimum: 16 GB RAM, 60 GB. Score: Mixed at 57% of 5,514 English reviews, and 82% over the last 30 days.
14. Persona5: The Phantom X [Persona characters, Mixed]
Published by SEGA, on Steam since June 25, 2025. Wikipedia says characters from Persona 5 and Persona 3 are summoned through its gacha. It is the lowest-rated game in our Steam group: Mixed at 49% of 9,012 English reviews, with 62% over the last 30 days. Minimum: 8 GB RAM, 70 GB.
What the recent reviews say
The Mixed games are rated better lately. Over the last 30 days, Infinity Nikki is at 82% (57% all-time), Blue Archive at 79% (59%) and Persona5: The Phantom X at 62% (49%). Honkai Impact 3rd (93% against 74%), Girls' Frontline 2 (80% against 70%) and Punishing: Gray Raven (82% against 74%) are also up. Honkai Impact 3rd's recent row has only 30 reviews, so treat it lightly.
Some of the leaders moved the other way. Wuthering Waves is at 80% over the last 30 days against 87% all-time, and Limbus Company at 86% against 92%. Steam does not say why scores move, and neither do we.
Free anime RPGs without character gacha
If the gacha is what puts you off, two anime-style RPGs on Steam do without it for characters, according to Wikipedia.
- Duet Night Abyss. On Steam since January 19, 2026, from Pan Studio, published by Hero Games. Wikipedia reports that the developer confirmed on August 26, 2025 the removal of character and weapon gacha, with monetization moving to cosmetics. Score: Mixed at 56% of 1,274 English reviews. Minimum: 16 GB RAM, 32 GB.
- Ananta. Not out yet: Steam lists it as coming on January 15, 2027, published by NetEase Games. Wikipedia says it was confirmed in 2025 that it will not use gacha for characters, and that it is unknown whether a gacha will be used for cosmetics such as outfits, vehicles and homes.
What this comparison does not show
This list compares what Steam and cited sources publish. It does not compare how generous each gacha is.
- Pull rates and pity. We found no official page with these numbers for most games, and third-party guides disagree, so none are given here. Each game shows its rates in-game before you pull.
- Spending. Steam's "In-App Purchases" flag says something is sold, not how much a player needs to spend.
- Quality. A review score is not a verdict on the game. We have not played these games for this article.
- Requirements. The minimums can change. For a side-by-side of official requirements across free PC games, see our free PC games system requirements table.
For free games outside the gacha genre, see our map of the best free-to-play PC games.
Frequently asked questions
Is Genshin Impact on Steam?
No. A US Steam store search returned no listing on October 24, 2026. The official site offers the PC version through the HoYoPlay launcher, and it is also free on the Epic Games Store. The same applies to Honkai: Star Rail.
Which gacha game has the best reviews on Steam?
Umamusume: Pretty Derby, at 93% of 42,692 English reviews on October 24, 2026. Limbus Company is close behind at 92% of 52,243.
Which gacha games run on 8 GB of RAM?
By their listed minimums: Umamusume, Limbus Company, Zenless Zone Zero, Punishing: Gray Raven, Honkai Impact 3rd, Girls' Frontline 2 and Persona5: The Phantom X list 8 GB. Blue Archive lists 4 GB. Outside Steam, the Epic Games Store listings of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail also give 8 GB.
Are there free anime RPGs without character gacha?
Yes. Wikipedia reports that Duet Night Abyss removed character and weapon gacha before launch, and that Ananta, coming to Steam on January 15, 2027, will not use gacha for characters.
What are the pull rates and pity in these games?
This article does not list them: official figures were not found for most games, and guides disagree. Check the rates screen inside each game before you pull.
Sources and method
Steam store pages for the twelve Steam games, read on October 24, 2026 (UTC), as an English-language visitor in the US store: review summary rows, last-30-day rows, system requirements, release dates, developers and publishers. Steam player tags are set by players, not by the publisher. Official sites and Epic Games Store listings of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, read the same day. Not hands-on tested. Last verified: 2026-10-24.
- Wikipedia: Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero, Wuthering Waves, Arknights: Endfield, Infinity Nikki, Punishing: Gray Raven, Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium, Blue Archive, Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Limbus Company, Honkai Impact 3rd, Persona 5: The Phantom X, Duet Night Abyss, Ananta, read October 24, 2026.
- PC Gamer: Neverness to Everness banners and gacha explained.
