Ahhh, it's good to be a geek or fanboy these days, especially if you're into video games and are kinda short on funds.
Now, don't go rolling your eyes just because I mentioned video games.
Consumers are pumping more money into games these days than they are into any other media, including movies and television, so somebody is out there playing these things. It's not only 14 year olds, either. The average age of gamers, according to some statistics, is 30 to 45 year olds.
Don't think of them as "games," anyway. Think of them as interactive movies where you're the hero, or maybe a virtual book where you can be any character and take the story where you want it to go.
Just don't roll your eyes.
In the past, you forked over $30 to $60 for a game, and if it was an online massively multiplayer type affair (MMO), you'd have to lay down another $15 a month for the privilege of getting carpal tunnel syndrome with your friends in a virtual world.
Now, it may seem like a completely insane thing to do, but game developers have moved away from that cash-cow business model, and are actually giving their milk away for free to pixel-hungry gamers.
The new model is called Free-to-Play (FtP), and basically developers spend years and lots of resources working on A-list titles, only to release them to players to download and play online for free.
What's the catch, demand all you "nothing-is-for-free" cynical folks out there?
OK, there is a catch but it's minor, really.
While the games themselves are free to download and play, depending on the title, there are certain restrictions. Some give you far, far less inventory space to carry stuff. Others restrict the kind of characters non-paying players can play or what zones or dungeons they can delve into. These games offer a "premium" subscription model (often $15 a month) to unlock it all, or let you buy what you want a bit at a time with your credit card through an in-game cash store. Other games give you access to everything but do offer cosmetic character enhancements or faster levelling items for modest fees.
This week, a company called Gazillion released Marvel Heroes, a FtP game that lets you play all of Marvel's classic comic book heroes including Spiderman, Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America and more.
And there's no eye-rolling about comic books, either. You've seen at least one of the latest comic-inspired blockbuster movies, so pipe down over there!
Marvel Heroes is totally free-to-play, and everything can actually be found in-game, but again, they offer the usual faster levelling potions, additional costumes and the like for cash at their store. If you liked games like Diablo, then this one is right up your alley as it was made by some of the same folks.
Fans of DC Comics characters like Batman and Superman can get their fix for free too with DC Universe Online, which recently made the switch from subscription to FtP model.
As if we've not crossed way over into the Geek Side enough already, let's talk about Dungeons and Dragons and hang onto those eyes.
Recently, Neverwinter Online was released for geeks and gamers to enjoy that classic fantasy setting for free.
For this one, you get to create a wizard, rogue, cleric or fighter and what else?... go into dungeons and fight dragons for epic loot.
I've previously mentioned the awesome and large-scale online war shooter Planetside 2 as another great FtP game for those who aren't into comics or elves and just want to blow stuff up.
But, considering you can try these titles out while investing no money - other than what's needed for a computer that can handle them - what have you got to lose?
Go to marvelheroes.com, nw.perfectworld.com, dcuniverseonline.com or planetside2.com to check out any of the games mentioned in this column.
