The big publishers have recently recognized the signs of the times. Occasional and budget-conscious gamers are reluctant to dig into their pockets and only buy the video games that they really want to play and not just want to try out. One trend in the video game sector continues unabated: Free to Play games. These video games, also known as F2P, can be downloaded and installed legally and free of charge. Wanting to download games on the Internet is no longer just a wish of many players, but a reality. Real free to play games are characterized by the fact that they can be played really free of charge and costs are only incurred if the player actually intends to invest money in a game. We show which legal games can be downloaded for free.
Download legal games: Not just Free 2 Play Games
Everything was probably better in the past when it came to video games too. As a gamer, you went to the nearest kiosk to buy a gaming magazine that initially came with a floppy disk and later even a CD or DVD. In addition to useful tools and videos, the data carrier also contained numerous demos of real blockbuster games. Over the years, demo versions have become rather rare - until now. What used to be taken for granted is now slowly returning as a trend. The publishers are increasingly relying on the publication of video games; not always before the release of a title, but increasingly as a clever marketing strategy. Demos of games like Mafia 3 or Dishonored 2 have recently been published so that players can test the games and buy them if they like. Demos can be downloaded legally from the web for free. The test versions are then installed and played like a full version - at least until the maximum scope of the demo is exhausted. Demos are sometimes limited in time, sometimes with regard to character development or because of the progress made within the background story. A free download is always worthwhile, even for players who feel rather unrelated to the genre with some titles.
Not a pious wish, but a reality: as Download games legally and for free you can use the so-called browser games, which are still very popular. Although such game systems run in the Internet browser, some titles require the download of special software (client) to play. This software for the client-based browser games can be downloaded completely legally. Technically, browser games can of course not keep up with modern video games, at least in terms of visual presentation. Nevertheless, browser games are welcome alternatives to expensive full-price games, especially for casual gamers and beginners. Browser games are financed by shop systems that are similar to those of free-2-play games. In order to save time resources and advance faster in the game, players can use real money to purchase virtual goods. That sounds superfluous at first, but it is particularly useful if the browser game is extremely entertaining. Among the currently best known and most popular browser games are The Settlers Online, Dark Orbit Reloaded, Drakensang Online or Forge of Empires. If downloads are necessary for one of these games, these are completely legal.
Trend topic Free 2 Play
The fact that Free 2 Play Games are still in vogue is not only evident from the increasing number of users. Many PC titles that have been running more or less successfully on home computers for several years have recently found their way into the console sector. Free 2 Play Games are often technically improved for the console release. A successful example of this is the sci-fi MMORPG Star Trek Online, which has also been played on the Xbox One for several months. Interested gamers download the game for free and get started. Developers and publishers earn money by selling additional digital content, such as costumes or new spaceship models. Publishers use the alternative financing system to push unprofitable games back into the profit zone. Most of the time, the switch from pay-to-play to free-2-play is crowned with success and offers the video game a second chance to prove itself in the competitive market.
The fact that only nameless titles are available in the Free-2-Play segment is more of a relic of opinion from days gone by. Highlight games like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Lord of the Rings Online or the sandbox MMORPG Eve Online have made the leap into the free game sector - and are doing well. The fact that games that can be downloaded for free are generally of inferior quality than their paid competitors is actually only true in a few cases. Also because customers have become very sensitive over the years when it comes to the price-performance ratio of a video game. Accordingly, even providers of free games cannot afford to publish poorly designed content. Especially since every Free-2-Play game would like to retain gamers and that only works with good performance on the part of the game developer. How quickly a developer can get away from the frustration of the community is currently showing Star Wars: The Old Republic impressively. The dissatisfaction within the player community is growing steadily: PvE'ler and PvP'ler are equally disgruntled about the published content of the MMORPG in the Star Wars universe. This usually has noticeable consequences for the developer. Dissatisfied players spend less money on digital goods and subscriptions that are offered that go hand in hand with regular monthly income are certainly not taken out.
Free gaming: The best free-to-play games 0
2017 is also a year of games in which numerous well-known free-2-play games vying for the favor of the players. Many MMOs with an Asian setting are represented among the best F2P games. The most ambitious free downloadable Asia MMOs are without a doubt Aion, Blade & Soul, TERA or Skyforge. Each of these online games shines with a sophisticated combat system and action-packed gameplay that can captivate RPG fans for countless hours of play in front of the screens. Anyone who likes crisp challenges and masterful raid content is with the crazy MMORPG Wildstar well served, reminiscent of the genre leader World of Warcraft.
WoW is also playable for free - at least as part of a trial version, in which you are allowed to level up to character level 20. Also the already mentioned space MMOs Star Trek: Online as well as Star Wars: The Old Republic are on the list of the best Free-2-Play games this year. On the other hand, the main game is of outstanding quality Guild Wars 2that you can legally download as a game and play for free. Even without real money, it is captivating Guild Wars 2 ambitious players for months. In addition to an action-packed combat system, finely balanced character classes and varied events, it is above all the visual presentation that Guild Wars 2 makes it so recommendable as an F2P title.
Tips for carefree entertainment
The still young form of distribution Free-2-Play is being accepted by more and more gamers as a real alternative to paid games. In order to differentiate free-2-play games from their paid competitors, paid games are often referred to as pay-2-play (e.g. MMORPGs with a subscription system) or buy-2-play. An MMORPG that is currently one of the most prominent and best representatives of Buy-2-Play games The Elder Scrolls Online from Bethesda, which will be released in the summer with the expected AddOn Morrowind is expanded. Once purchased, role-players can enjoy the content of the main game without taking out an additional subscription. Only additional content such as mini-extensions cause additional costs. Those who like ESO can also upgrade to premium gamer and subscribe to not only play all of the content, but also access additional amenities.
The advantage of Free-2-Play Games becomes particularly clear at this point: every game can be downloaded and tested legally and free of charge by the player - without obligations and without spending a single cent. If you like, smaller or larger amounts of money can be invested (voluntarily). Serious F2P games allow players to advance free of charge to a comparatively large extent. Often criticized are supposedly free titles, which, however, can hardly be played without the use of real money or where the balancing depends heavily on real money items. Gamers should keep their hands off these games, also known as free-2-pay games. Minors should be checked by their parents and introduced to the games so that an undesirable cost shock does not occur. Incidentally, the fact that parents are liable for their children in this case is a persistent but false rumor. In individual cases, invoices do not have to be paid.
In any case, every player should set a monthly limit that they should not exceed. With the multitude of possible small transactions, even experienced gamers quickly lose track of things. Then it helps to take a closer look at the transaction list in the account management, in which each payment is listed as an individual invoice line. So you can quickly see how much money you have already invested in your favorite title.
Anyone who is careful with the available purchase offers and does not allow themselves to be lured by every discount will also have a lot of fun with the paid content of the free-2-play games. A test is worthwhile anyway: Free-to-Play games can be downloaded for free.
