Blizzard recently released a new patch for StarCraft that made the iconic real-time strategy game, along with its expansion StarCraft: Brood War, free for all PC and Mac gamers.
The move adds StarCraft to the list of free classic PC games that can be downloaded without any strings attached. These games may be old, but they are still very much well worth your time.
StarCraft
The original StarCraft continues to be one of the world's most popular real-time strategy games, which prompted Blizzard to create a modernized version of the game. StarCraft: Remastered features vastly improved graphics and sounds compared to the 1998 classic, with 4K support and additional narratives to better flesh out the story of StarCraft.
To rekindle the interest of old players and to invite new players to try out the game, Blizzard made the PC and Mac versions of StarCraft free. The game can be downloaded through the official StarCraft website with no strings attached. The only restriction is that players are not allowed to pick apart the game's files and use its source code for personal purposes.
Command & Conquer
The original Command & Conquer, another iconic real-time strategy game, was made free in 2010 for its 15th anniversary. Other C&C games have also been made free, namely Command & Conquer: Red Alert and Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun with its expansion Firestorm. While StarCraft focused on futuristic space battles, the Command & Conquer franchise featured more realistic warfare, albeit with themes such as time travel.
The Elder Scrolls
The DOS-based The Elder Scrolls: Arena was released in 1994 and was made free by Bethesda in 2004 in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The game, which is known for its starting difficulty, can be downloaded for free through the Elder Scrolls website.
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, released by Bethesda two years after The Elder Scrolls: Arena, contained several features that later became staples in the franchise. The game was made free on its 15th anniversary in 2009.
SimCity
The first SimCity was released in 1989 for Macintosh and Amiga computers, and quickly grew in popularity as both a city-building simulator and as an educational tool. Electronic Arts donated the game's source code to the One Laptop Per Child Program, which opened SimCity for free redistribution.
The game, however, has been renamed Micropolis, which was its original working title.
Wolfenstein 3D
Wolfenstein 3D by id Software is viewed as the grandfather of first-person shooters, as players took on the role of an Allied spy who had to fight his way through Nazi captors after being imprisoned in Castle Wolfenstein.
Bethesda, which now owns the rights to Wolfenstein, released a free, browser-based Wolfenstein 3D in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2, initially released by Valve as part of the Orange Box compilation, is a multiplayer game that allows players to utilize different classes as they work together to beat their opponents.
Team Fortress 2 is now a free-to-play game, featuring microtransactions for players to acquire customizations and items. The game might already be showing its age, but it is still a fun one to play.
