Best Hunting Games, Ranked by Who They Suit
People asking for the best hunting games are usually choosing between a long co-op reserve, a 2026 open world, and a guided single-player sim. I keep those jobs separate. A food-production or homestead question belongs with the farming layer some players want, and none of these stores advertise a farming score, so that row stays blank rather than guessed.
Three picks
- theHunter: Call of the Wild — widest reserve list and 8-player co-op. The official place Classic owners were pointed.
- Way of the Hunter 2 — Nine Rocks / THQ Nordic, out 29 Sep 2026 at $39.99, North America and Africa.
- Hunting Simulator 3 — Nacon, out 29 Oct 2026 at $39.99 PC / $49.99 console, dog and lodge, single-player.
Who should buy which
| You want | Buy | Why (US Steam prices) | Skip if |
|---|---|---|---|
| The most reserves and co-op | Call of the Wild | 19 reserves listed on the publisher index, co-op up to 8 | You want a 2026-only map |
| A new open world | Way of the Hunter 2 | Shipped 29 Sep 2026 at $39.99 | You need a $20 entry |
| A guided solo hunt | Hunting Simulator 3 | Dog, lodge, licensed gear, no co-op | You hunt with friends |
| A cheaper sim with co-op | Way of the Hunter | $29.99, two base reserves plus DLC | You only want the sequel |
| Free and still online | Foresto | Roblox, no purchase | You want a ballistics sim |
| Hardcore populations | Way of the Hunter or the sequel | Herd and trophy systems are the pitch | You want an arcade light gun |
Call of the Wild
Expansive Worlds shipped the PC version on 16 Feb 2017; the console release dates are not separately confirmed in the sources used. The reserve index lists Layton Lake and Hirschfelden plus later DLC, with Peru dated 16 Jun 2026. It is the migration target named after Classic closed. Steam lists a $19.99 standard package plus a separate free license for Classic owners; the game page explains the distinction.
Way of the Hunter 2 and Hunting Simulator 3
These two launched a month apart. WotH2 is the sequel to the $29.99 2022 game. HS3 is the Nacon series entry with a hunting dog and two reserves of about 100 km² each; its PC price is $39.99 and console price is $49.99. The side-by-side is WotH2 vs Hunting Simulator 3. I do not fold them into one "best 2026" winner because one is built for a living world and the other for a solo loop.
Platform lists: PC, PS5, Xbox. The whole table is the database.
FAQ
What is the best hunting game for a new player?
Hunting Simulator 3 is the guided one: a dog, a lodge, and licensed gear, single-player only, $39.99 PC / $49.99 console on 29 Oct 2026. Way of the Hunter at $29.99 is the cheaper sim if you want co-op.
What is the best hunting game on Steam?
Call of the Wild still has the widest reserve list. Way of the Hunter 2 is the new open-world alternative at $39.99. See the PC page for the price split on Call of the Wild.
Which hunting game is best for co-op?
Call of the Wild lists up to 8 players. Way of the Hunter lists online co-op. Hunting Simulator 3 does not.
Is there a best free hunting game?
Foresto on Roblox is free and active. theHunter Classic was the free PC MMO and closed on 11 Nov 2026.
Sources
- Steam: Call of the Wild — checked 2026-11-13
- Steam: Way of the Hunter — checked 2026-11-13
- Steam: Way of the Hunter 2 — checked 2026-11-13
- Steam: Hunting Simulator 3 — checked 2026-11-13
- Nacon: Hunting Simulator 3 — checked 2026-11-13
- Roblox: Foresto — checked 2026-11-13
Updated 2026-11-13. Questions: [email protected].