Platforms for Free Video Games

Playing video games can be an expensive hobby. There’s the price of the console, individual games (at least there are bundles nowadays), and the prices of peripheral devices (controllers and accessories) so that players could make the most of their gaming experience. On the other hand, sometimes, gamers only want to play Free Video Games that won’t slim down their wallet.

Free games are available from browser games to freeware and flash games. Some you can download, but others are playable directly on browsers. While some are genuinely good (you wouldn’t believe they’re free), most of them are mediocre or bad. At any rate, let’s talk about free games.

Newgrounds’ Free Video Games

Newgrounds.com has a great collection of browser games, from full-blown RPGs to clicker and games to pass the time. Site visitors can filter genres and select what’s best. Players can sign up and track their achievements on games along with other perks. One of them is the ability to upload original artwork, music, or games. Plus, there are forums and a good community. Keep in mind that Bastion and Superhot switched to the paid version and available for download on Steam. A prototype of Superhot is playable on the site; however, the full game requires money. At any rate, some of these browser games are traceable if you search online.

Also, Facebook games are browser games, but with the rise of mobile apps, most of them have moved to app store, and some are still playable in a browser.

Free Download Games

itch.io and Steam have free games to download, but depending on their success, they may end up as a pay-to-play. Anyhow, itch.io is similar to Newgrounds where creators can upload their work, though it’s more restricted to games, other game assets, including music, and other things like comics. Some of the games there are pay-what-you-want, which means players can choose how much to pay (or sometimes, not pay at all). Others games are free-to-play or pay-to-play entirely free, or you need to pay.

As for Steam, there are various free games floating in their online store. Some games might be heavier in processing power and much bigger offers in other sources. Of course, an account has to get created and the desktop application installed to make use of their services, but that’s a minor inconvenience. Promotions, events, and sales are common in Steam’s online catalog, sometimes even making some games free-to-play when they supposed to be pay-to-play. However, the latter is a rare event and only lasts for a limited time. After the time limits have passed, the game converts to pay-to-play to continue playing.

Free Games vs. Piracy

Piracy is wrong because the ones who created whatever gets pirated cannot capitalize on profits, and essentially, it’s stealing. Freeware is published and distributed complimentary, and the creators intended them to remain free. Whether it was to appeal to a wider audience or they don’t feel it deserves for gamers to cough up some doe, that’s how the creators intended for the game to be distributed. Itch.io’s pay-what-you-want model ensures that the games can still make some money, but only at the discretion of the consumer. It pays off when the game is well made and becomes popular since more people would probably be willing to pay for it just to support the creators. In the end, that’s the consumer’s preference and choice. If they want to buy or go through some effort just to get an expensive game for free, it’s on them.

As always, go and enjoy your games!