Big Name Games Going Free

Big Name Games Going Free.Can’t afford all these fancy games? Then stop paying for them. Strategy hit Age of Empires gets the freebie treatment next week, but loads of other well-known franchises are being turned into free-to-play titles supported by optional in-game purchases. Give your bank account a breather and check out these well-known -- and now free -- games.
AGE OF EMPIRES ONLINE -- With over 20 million copies sold, this long-running strategy series has earned Microsoft respect, cred, and gobs of cash. Perhaps that’s why they’re releasing a new version for the smashing price of zilch. The new free game plays out much like older AoE games – create a city, build an army, deal with your neighbors -- but for a few dollars less.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT -- After six solid years of raking in dough from its millions of subscribers, the biggest name in online gaming finally decided to offer up some free goodies for new players back in June. You can play all the way to level 20 -- a good month or so -- before needing to plunk down any gold for that full membership.

GHOST RECON ONLINE -- Long one of the premier names in squad-based military shooters, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon series takes a turn for the free in this upcoming multiplayer effort. Due out later this year on the PC and sometime in 2012 on Nintendo’s Wii U, the online game lets you tinker with cool, futuristic Ghost Recon gear while battling it out in tactically rich, small-scale environments.
TEAM FORTRESS 2 -- First made available as part of EA’s incredible Orange Box retail release (which also contained Half-Life 2, its follow-ups, and standalone phenom Portal), Team Fortress 2 is now free-to-play. That is, in a word, awesome. Packing the same gameplay but adding optional items for those who want a leg up, it’s a great way to get a multiplayer shooter fix without forking over any dough.
EVERQUEST II -- Considering it came out alongside World of Warcraft -- only to get trounced on the charts by Blizzard's behemoth -- it's pretty amazing that this MMO is still going. Last year it added a free-to-play option dubbed Everquest II:Extended, and while you won't get access to everything the game offers, you can take your
character all the way up to level 80 and play through most of the game's expansions without dropping a credit card.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE -- If at first you don’t succeed, lower the price. Such was the thinking behind this online role-playing game, which had a bit of a rough start. But once it went free-to-play, subscriptions took off and it found a new audience of would-be heroes. If you’re looking to take down some pesky bugbears but aren’t swimming in platinum, give it a roll.
CITY OF HEROES -- Gamers will be able to fly around this supercharged online role-playing game for free later this year. And while they won’t have access to the full experience, they’ll be able to pick and choose exactly which features and areas they’ll be able to enjoy and explore.
BATTLEFIELD PLAY4FREE -- Later this year, EA will go toe to toe with Activision as Battlefield 3 takes aim at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. But if all that noise makes your wallet wince, look into this free version of Battlefield instead. While critics haven’t been very impressed, it’s still in its open beta test – and for the cost of nothing, you can fire off a few rounds and see for yourself.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE -- Like D&D Online, the moment this massively-multiplayer game set in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth went from premium to freemium, its waning popularity rebounded. The game’s revenues tripled, too, lending cred to the free-to-play model.
TRIBES: ASCEND -- One of the most beloved multiplayer shooter franchises of all time, the Tribes games still enjoy a sizable following. That following is sure to grow, however, once this free-to-play take arrives later this year. Bearing the same jetpack-happy gameplay but with only optional costs, it’s one to watch.
LEGO UNIVERSE -- The blockiest MMO out there just launched a new free-to-play option, granting players an unlimited amount of time to romp around in two of the game's zones. No microtransactions, either, though if you want to access the rest of the game, you’ll need to pay up.

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