Games you can play on a Chromebook: free 3D and open-world picks

A Chromebook is a good laptop for a lot of things, and gaming has never been top of that list. Many Chromebooks have modest hardware, and they run ChromeOS, not Windows, so the usual PC games will not install. But “what games can you play on a Chromebook?” has a better answer than it used to. There are four ways in, and one of them needs nothing but the Chrome browser you already have.

One change first: Steam is gone

For a while Google and Valve ran a beta of Steam for Chromebooks. It is over: the Steam for Chromebook beta program ended on 1 January 2026, and games installed through it stopped being available on those devices. It also needed a higher-spec model to run at all. If an older guide tells you to install Steam on your Chromebook, it is out of date.

The four ways to play

1. Browser games: the easy way

Anything that runs in Chrome runs on a Chromebook, and modern browser games are not just puzzles any more. Browsers can draw real 3D, and some of the best free games now open from a link. Our picks for a Chromebook:

AJ Cities: a 3D open world in Chrome

Our own game, so take this with a pinch of pepper. AJ Cities is a free open-world game set in a walled estate on the edge of Ajegunle, Lagos. It runs in the browser with nothing to install. You can play AJ's story alone with no sign-in, as a man deported from London who has to raise ₦2,500,000 to get past the police at the estate gate, or sign in (18+) and meet other players live. It is played with the keyboard and a mouse or trackpad: W A S D to walk, E to talk, click to punch. See all the controls.

It needs Chrome 87 or newer, with WebGL 2. The game lowers its own graphics when a device struggles. It is for adults: the story deals with crime and police corruption, and there is fighting.

Slow Roads

A free, endless driving game in the browser. The road is generated as you drive, there is no goal and no way to lose. Its developer's notes say players on lightweight devices without a separate graphics chip often need lower settings, which describes many Chromebooks, so turn the graphics down at the start.

Krunker.io and Shell Shockers

Two free multiplayer first-person shooters you play without installing anything: Krunker.io, now owned by the web games publisher FRVR, and Shell Shockers from Blue Wizard Digital, where every player is an egg. Both are made for keyboard and mouse.

Minecraft Classic

The free 2009 version of Minecraft, put online by Mojang for the game's tenth anniversary. Only 32 blocks and no survival mode, but it is free and it is in Chrome.

2. Android apps from Google Play

Many Chromebooks can install Android apps from the Google Play Store, which opens up most phone games. Not all can: Google says the Play Store is available only for some Chromebooks. To check, open Settings, then Apps, and look for “Manage Google Play preferences”. If it is not there, your Chromebook does not support Android apps. Devices managed by an employer may have it turned off.

The big one here is Minecraft. The full Bedrock Edition came to Chromebooks through Google Play in June 2023, at $19.99 at launch, with a minimum of 4 GB of RAM. Check the store for today's price.

3. Cloud streaming

Cloud gaming runs the game on a powerful computer somewhere else and streams the picture to your Chromebook. Your laptop only has to play video, so a cheap Chromebook can show a game it could never run itself. The catch is your connection, and usually a subscription.

• GeForce NOW streams PC games and lists ChromeOS among its platforms, and it also runs in Chrome at play.geforcenow.com. Its free tier gives one-hour sessions, with ads while you wait in the queue, at up to 1080p, for the titles it lists as ready to play.
• Xbox Cloud Gaming runs in Chrome at xbox.com. Most games need a Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate subscription, but Microsoft says select free-to-play games, such as Fortnite, need only a free Microsoft account.

4. Linux apps

Some Chromebooks can run Linux apps, and with them some Linux games. It works, but it takes setup, and the hardware is the same modest hardware. Most people will be happier with the other three.

Getting the most from a modest laptop

• Close the other tabs. A browser game shares memory with everything else open in Chrome.
• Plug in. 3D games drain a battery fast, and some laptops slow down to save power.
• Use a mouse if you can. A trackpad works, but looking around and aiming are easier with a mouse.
• Keep Chrome updated. Updates bring security fixes, and an old browser can stop a 3D game from starting at all.

Which should you pick?

• Want to play right now, free? A browser game.
• Already have phone games you like? Check whether your Chromebook supports Google Play.
• Want the big names and have fast internet? Cloud streaming.

For more ideas, see our free open-world browser games and browser games for low-end PCs, which suit a Chromebook too.

What games can you play on a Chromebook?

Browser games on any Chromebook; Android games from Google Play on models that support it; cloud-streamed games through services such as GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming; and some Linux games with extra setup.

Can you still play Steam games on a Chromebook?

Not through Steam for Chromebook: that beta ended on 1 January 2026. Cloud streaming is the main way to reach PC games now.

Does AJ Cities run on a Chromebook?

AJ Cities runs in the browser with nothing to install. It needs Chrome 87 or newer with WebGL 2, and it lowers its own graphics on devices that struggle.

Is there free 3D gaming on a Chromebook?

Yes. Free 3D browser games such as AJ Cities, Slow Roads, Krunker.io and Shell Shockers run in Chrome.