Well, it doesn’t cost THAT much….

It’s a pretty awesome time to be a gamer. Not only do we have epic releases like Skyrim, Arkham City, and Dark Souls to keep us busy, but more games than ever before have picked up on the latest phenomenon in the gaming industry – the “Free To Play” craze.  Hey, I’m not knocking the whole deal. I think it’s pretty awesome that we’ve got access to so much entertainment free of charge.

I also think it’s rather misleading, and I’m not the only one.

Calling them “Free” tends to lull a lot of folks into a mindset where ironically, they’re far more willing to spend than they would be otherwise because they’re not spending that much and hey, it’s free anyway right?

See, the problem with Free to Play games is that they’re almost always free to play to a point. There’s almost always a catch - be it additional content or special items or, in the case of MMOs, functionality beyond the most basic of interactions. The best games offer metric tons of new content for the extra cash. The worst grant you an unfair advantage over your fellow players.

Usually, the “free” aspect lasts just long enough to get you addicted. Once you’re good and hooked the developers kindly place their hand upon your shoulder, lean in and whisper that if you want to keep playing, it’ll cost you. And you, enjoying yourself too much to care, gladly fork over the money not even realizing that you basically were just playing a demo.

Those aren’t even the most dangerous ones.

Games like Team Fortress 2 and the myriad social games on Facebook tease you with hundreds of tiny, seemingly-insignificant micro transactions. Buy an animal for your farm. Purchase some experience for your hero. Buy a hat, because…well, it’s a really cool hat.

One of the many games that does F2P right.

As anyone who’s spent their food budget for a week buying snacks could attest, little purchases add up to big expenses.

So What’s the Point of all This, Then? 

Look. I’m not saying we should stop playing Free to Play games, or that we should get all up in arms against developers. They’ve found a business strategy that not only discourages piracy, but works surprisingly well at turning a profit. Not only that, it encourages them to keep providing decent content for their players. The more they provide, the more people will pay. If they stop putting out good content, well, people stop playing. Hell, I play Team Fortress 2 and League of Legends almost religiously. I love ‘em both and I’m unashamed to say I’ve spent money on both of them. But I did it in moderation.

That’s the thing, see. Keep track of what you spend. Like anything else, don’t be stupid. Know what you’re getting into, and know when to stop. Don’t be one of those guys who spends $16,000 on a sword in an MMO that hasn’t even released yet. Control yourselves- it’s not that hard.

I’m also saying there are different levels of exactly how free a game is. TF2 and League of Legends? You could happily play those two games until the end of time without spending a cent. DC Universe Online and Lord of the Rings Online? Good luck being anything other than a mediocre player without shelling out some cash.

Finally, what I’m saying is that if a developer says their game is “Free to Play…” take that statement with a healthy dose of salt.

Image Credits:  Overclock, n4G, Tf2 Reactions

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