Free-to-play games are a godsend for the gaming community: not only do they allow for a larger established userbase, they also allow players to become as invested as they want to be. While this system is well-established on PCs, developers are still experimenting with the formula on consoles. However, if these five F2P games receive a transplant, they could very well flourish.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyVIsEgk68Q&hd=1
Blizzard’s F2P card game has already made the jump to iOS devices and PCs — what’s stopping it from heading to consoles? TCGs like the annual Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers (and even UNO) have done well on Xbox Live, so who’s to say Hearthstone’s WoW-themed decks wouldn’t set the world on fire?
Phantasy Star Online 2
Phantasy Star Online 2 is one of those games English-speaking MMO-goers have been begging for for years now. The title received a PlayStation Vita release overseas, so the action-RPG formula is perfectly suited for home consoles. The original Dreamcast release prompted people to use their dial-up modems, so it’s safe to say that the demand is still alive and well.
Spiral Knights
Three Rings’ Spiral Knights is one of those games that feeds on gamers’ desire to improve oneself. Much like Borderlands, it’s all about taking down the biggest monster, securing the best loot, and sharing the experience with a buddy. Paired with the Zelda-like perspective and problem solving, and you’ve got a formula console gamers are already well-versed in.
Team Fortress 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_c3iQImXZg&hd=1
Valve’s F2P FPS Team Fortress 2 may have already made its way to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 via The Orange Box, both of those releases date back to 2007. An updated version with all of the balance tweaks, new modes, and hats is long overdue. It could very well be the biggest FPS sensation since Call of Duty!
League of Legends
The granddaddy of all F2P games, League of Legends has a whopping 67 million monthly players. The MOBA genre has been bound to PCs due to its in-depth control scheme, but companies like Valve are looking to make the genre viable on consoles with devices like the Steam controller. If it can work for DOTA 2, it can work with LoL’s 100+ Champions.
