There are several types of video games. Among them are free-to-play games, which are taking up more and more space on the market. Whether on consoles, PCs or smartphones, you can find them everywhere. But concretely, what is free-to-play?
What does free-to-play mean?
Free-to-play is an English term that can be translated as “playable for free”. This term designates an economic model, in the same way as traditional games for which you have to pay a specific sum, games accessible via a subscription, or freemium — halfway between free-to-play games and traditional games.
What are the characteristics of free-to-play?
More than a type of game, it’s a real economic model, since free-to-play games are games for which there is no need to pay the slightest euro to obtain them. They are available in dematerialized version, which you just have to download from online stores, such as Sony’s PlayStation Store or Android’s Play Store. However, these are not completely free games. While downloading these games does not cost anything, sometimes you have to take out your wallet in some cases.
To ensure publishers and developers can still generate revenue, they offer microtransactions and DLCs that help enhance the player experience. In the case of a game like Clash of clans for example, it is possible to buy gems or other resources with real money. Nevertheless, the download of the game remains free on the Play Store and the Apple App Store. The game The Sims 4, available on console and PC, works the same way. The total amount of extensions also far exceeds the price of a classic video game.
Beyond economic considerations, free-to-play games are games that very often require online play. Others allow you to play without an Internet connection, such as Subway Surfers For example.
What’s the benefit for players?
For players, free-to-play is above all advantageous from an economic point of view. Despite an experience sometimes similar to that of a traditional game, the player has nothing to pay if he does not see the point. Free-to-play is also very accessible, as long as you have an Internet connection and the right platform. PlayStation, Xbox, Android, Apple or even Steam offer a large number of them on their respective stores.
Moreover, it is a type of video game very suitable for smartphones and portable consoles. It is therefore possible to play it anywhere. This allows even people who are not interested in classic video games to find a title they like and enjoy quality games, without an initial financial barrier.
What game can you play free-to-play?
Within free-to-play, most video game genres are represented. If the list is long, we often find:
- Card games (Hearthstone)
- Jigsaw (2048, Candy Crush Saga)
- life simulations (The Sims 4)
- FPS (Overwatch 2)
- Sports simulations (eFootball)
- Battle Royale (fortnite, Apex Legends)
- RPG (Dofus, RAID: Shadow Legends)
- Strategy games (Forge of Empires, World of Tanks)
- Racing games (Asphalt 8: Airborne)
What are the best free-to-play?
With the diversity of games on offer, it is possible to find free-to-play games for all tastes. But some stand out more than others, The most popular of them all is undeniably Fortnitewhich has tens and tens of millions of players around the world.
We can also cite League of Legends. Since its release in 2009, the MOBA-like online battle game has seen its community of gamers grow year after year, despite being a game only playable on Windows or Mac. The success of League of Legends is such that the game is one of the most popular in esports competitions and has even had an anime series with Arcane.
On smartphones, where free-to-play games dominate, we can cite Genshin Impact, Clash of clans, 2048 and many more. But the best known is above all Candy Crush Saga, downloaded over a billion times on Android devices alone. On console, impossible to miss Apex Legends, Rocket League or even of Fall Guys.
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