How to Play Full Games for Free in 2022 Across Gaming Platforms

Mobile gaming has risen to the pinnacle of the gaming industry by both being infinitely accessible through the free-to-start model and very lucrative. With the freemium model having taken off in gaming apps and now even in triple-A titles, truly free games are becoming more and more difficult to find.

In many of the top computer games that don’t cost to start, there are elements of the game hidden behind paywalls and microtransactions, such as cosmetic items that certainly impact the player’s experience.

It’s now a rarity that you can get to play a game to its full capacity free of charge. For many, advertising strips are still preferred to the new methods of time walls and paywalls with microtransactions infused.

Still, there are some true bastions of free gaming out there, on PC, mobile, and to a much, much lesser extent, console. So, if you want a truly free gaming experience, here’s where you should look.


Usually costly games offered in full for free

Some gaming platforms understand the benefits of offering games for free. Not only does doing so get players to use the platform but the goodwill and desire for reciprocity generated tend to lead to them becoming premium customers. Players also get the chance to try new styles and genres, which can also help boost sales. So, it was very wise of Epic Games to continue to run its weekly arrangement of giving away a game for free. The free games have ranged from novel indie titles to best-sellers, so the platform is certainly worth signing up for.

Similarly, browser gaming has historically been a way to play for free, but many of the usual spaces for this have either dried up, turned to a subscription service, been overloaded with ads, or been given the microtransactions treatment. Oddly enough, it’s the usual pay-per-play, VegasSlotsOnline, a casino slots platform that’s taken to free gaming completely. With titles from all of the most popular developers, players can try out up to 7,780 free slot games, from Golden Goddess to China Shores.


There are some islets of truly free gaming on mobile

Mobile’s best-kept secret is that you can play some games completely free of charge to their fullest without being blocked by time or paywalls. Very few of these noble games exist, but they are out there, with one of the highest-rated being Watabou's passion project, Pixel Dungeon.

The creator has committed to never monetize the app game, saying, “I’m making this game for fun,” which is great news for mobile gamers. Featuring nostalgic pixel art and traditional roguelike gameplay, the sheer difficulty will give you hours of fun.

Another classy creation that’s the same in both offering wholly free gaming and pixel artwork is GameStart Pixel Battle. It takes the form of a side-scrolling platformer akin to classics from the 80s and 90s, with you needing to battle your way to discover the entity that’s sabotaging other games.

As you progress, you unlock new levels, playable characters, and abilities. Like the game above, this Eliphant creation is rated very highly by app store reviewers.


The rarity of completely free games on consoles

Unlike smartphones and computers, consoles don’t have much functionality beyond gaming – bar watching DVDs or streaming – but their values are inherently locked to the quality of the games that they can play. Given the high cost of entry for the luxury items, then, it’s somewhat bizarre that more completely free games aren’t available. Of course, there are free-to-start games, but most infuse microtransactions, loot boxes, and in-game payments, keeping content behind paywalls.

Perhaps the only completely true exception to this rule is the rather epic Astro’s Playroom. After shelling out for a PlayStation 5, you get this cutesy game free of charge. There are many areas to explore and levels to complete, and even though, at its core, it is a showcase of all of the things that the DualSense controllers can do, it’s still a fun and complete game that you get for free. Halo Infinite looked to offer something nearly similar on the Xbox with its no-subscription-needed online modes, but it was swamped by microtransactions.

While few in number, you can find some games that are free in their entirety, and those listed above are the best platforms and individual titles that are keeping the free-to-start titles from being allowed to be called “free” games.

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