Predicting the future of games is a risky business, but several changes are already well under way on PC. They affect what hardware people buy, where they play and how games are made. Looking at them helps make sense of where the platform is heading. PC gaming in your hands The Steam Deck showed that … Read more
Cheating has been part of online PC gaming for as long as there have been online games. Aimbots, wallhacks and speed hacks ruin matches for everyone else, and they push developers into an arms race with cheat makers. Players cannot stop cheating alone, but they can make a difference, and protect themselves in the process. … Read more
Massively multiplayer online games ask for something most games do not: hundreds of hours. Before choosing one, it helps to know how they charge, how they treat solo players and what the endgame looks like, because these differences matter far more than graphics once you are a month in. Final Fantasy XIV Square Enix’s MMO … Read more
First-person shooters are one of the genres where the PC shines most: precise mouse aim, high refresh rate monitors and a long history of competitive play. The best choice depends on whether you want competition, a story or something to play with friends. Competitive tactical shooters Counter-Strike 2 is the long-standing reference: round-based matches where … Read more
Strategy games have been at home on PC for decades, thanks to the mouse and keyboard and the long sessions they invite. The genre covers very different experiences, from fast real-time battles to empires managed over centuries, so the best place to start is the pace you enjoy. Turn-based empire building Civilization is the classic … Read more
“RPG” covers very different games, from turn-based party adventures to action games with character builds. The best way to find one you will finish is to start from the kind of experience you want rather than from a ranking. Big story-driven adventures Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian, 2023) is the modern benchmark for player choice. Based … Read more
Independent studios make some of the most inventive games on PC, often with teams of a handful of people. They are usually cheaper than big releases, run on modest hardware and are short enough to finish. The difficulty is not quality, it is finding them among the thousands released on Steam each year. Games that … Read more
Some of the most played games on PC cost nothing to download. Free-to-play does not mean low quality: several of the biggest competitive games in the world use this model. What it does mean is that the game makes money in other ways, and it helps to know how before you start. Competitive shooters MOBAs … Read more
2024 was an unusually varied year for PC games. Some of the biggest hits came from small teams or unexpected places, while long-awaited releases and a huge expansion kept bigger studios in the conversation. Looking back, these are the games that defined the year on PC, and nearly all of them are still worth playing … Read more
Basketball has a short, well-documented history compared with many sports, which makes it easy to explore. The game was invented by James Naismith, a teacher at the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts, in December 1891, with peach baskets as goals. Key milestones to know Visit or explore the Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial … Read more
