Once upon a time, “free” PC games game in two flavors: Bad flash titles and shareware demos of highly varying quality. The idea of games that were free-to-play didn’t literally start with mobile gaming, but mobile games popularized this method of distribution and game development.

There are two basic types of “free” games, and we include both on our list. First, there are games that are literally free, with no content, skins, or alternate modes locked away. Second, you’ve got games that are free to play, but that place some kind of restriction on the game experience. The popularity of the F2P model means there are a great many different spins on this idea, and we’ve included titles that encompass a great many different play styles and types of games. Links to download instructions are included with each slide.

One of the great things about PC gaming is that there’s no need to pay much money to get access to thousands or even hundreds of thousands of hours of quality entertainment. I’ve taken over this post recently from the inestimable Grant Brunner, and since my tastes run a bit differently than his do, it may take a little while to blend together a solid mix of old and new games. I’ve made a couple of additions to the list, however, and we’ll see what you guys think.

If there’s a new free or F2P game grabbing your attention, meanwhile, let us know what it is. We’ll get it checked out and see about including it next month.

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