How to download free PC games without programs
You currently do not have the option to purchase a paid video game. You are therefore looking for solutions to play free titles, which may not require the installation of additional software (to avoid filling your PC with icons, services and programs that could prove useless). So you have done some research on the web, but to no avail. Eventually, you got here. That’s the way it is, isn’t it?
Do not worry! Given this premise, you will be happy to know that, in the guide you are about to read, you will find various information on how to download free PC games without programs , regardless of the operating system in use on your computer. I will analyze both some possibilities already present on Windows and macOS and all the other services that can help you achieve your goal.
Courage: you just need to sit comfortably and dedicate a few minutes of your free time to reading the information you will find in the next paragraphs. I am sure that by the time the tutorial is finished, you will have found some free games to download to your computer. Are you ready? Very good! I just have to wish you a good reading and above all a good fun!
Index
- How to download free PC games without programs
- Microsoft Store
- Mac App Store
- GOG
- io
- Game Jolt
- Single games
How to download free PC games without programs
To explain how to download free PC games without programs , I will examine both the solutions integrated into the operating systems and the portals that will allow you to download free games without too many “headaches” (in short, no various launchers). Below you can find all the details of the case.
Microsoft Store
If you have a computer equipped with Windows 10 or later, you can rely on the Microsoft Store digital store . Don’t worry: you don’t need to install any programs, as they are already natively integrated into the operating system. In case you don’t know, this is a virtual store that allows you to download applications and games quickly and easily, since download and installation take place automatically after choosing which application or game to download.
Put simply, the experience is similar to that offered on smartphones and tablets , which is probably what you are looking for, since you do not intend to go through many different programs to play (I understand, now the PC world is full of launchers). In any case, I didn’t refer to the mobile world only because of the type of digital store, but also because the Microsoft Store actually also offers free titles originally designed for mobile devices .
To give you a concrete example, from the Microsoft Store you can download Asphalt 9: Legends , Gameloft’s iconic arcade racing game that has made its fortune on smartphones and tablets. Obviously then there are also many other interesting titles, for example Angry Birds 2 . Usually finding these titles is very simple: after pressing on the shopping bag icon at the bottom of the taskbar (or in the Start menu ), you just need to simply slide the Home tab down and you will find a line called Free games in first floor . By clicking on the Other information button, you will be able to check out a good number of free titles.
Clearly the sections of the Microsoft Store are variable, so the information I have given you may vary depending on the period. However, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding these titles. Alternatively, you can always press on the Games tab at the top, in order to take a look at the appropriate section. Here you can find lines such as Most popular games for free , as well as click on Show all to view the available productions properly.
In short, already in this way you will find a good number of titles, among which you will probably notice particularly popular games such as Fallout Shelter and Roblox (in this regard, you might be interested in consulting the page of my site dedicated to the title of Roblox Corporation , where you can find many tutorials that might be right for you). In any case, you have surely noticed that many video games of this type have the words Free + .
The latter simply indicates the fact that there are in-app purchases , so in simple terms you go for the classic monetization methods of video games for mobile devices (you can play for free, but there are items that you can buy via micro- transactions). The titles that have, however, only the wording Free are totally free . Once you have chosen the title you want to download, press the Get button and wait for the download and installation to complete. When finished, just click the Play button and start playing.
I remind you that you will be required to log in with a Microsoft account to download apps and games from the store. You shouldn’t have too much trouble complying with this requirement, as not a few people log into the OS with this type of profile. However, if you have any doubts you can refer to my tutorial on how to create a Microsoft account .
Mac App Store
How do you say? Do you have a Mac and have you heard that it is possible to download free games easily on macOS too ? They didn’t lie to you: I’ll tell you what you can do right away.
Well, in this case the best way not to go through too many programs is to point to the Mac App Store , or the official digital store that Apple usually integrates natively within Macs. The latter allows you to download both applications that video games, whether they are free or paid. Using the macOS store is very simple: just start the Mac App Store using its icon with a stylized “A” and go to the Play section on the left.
Next, scroll down the screen and locate the Top Free Games section , then pressing the Full List option to expand your choices. In this way, you will be able to view a list of many free titles to download on the screen. To proceed, you just have to choose the game you like, click on the GET button and confirm your will with the INSTALL button .
You may be asked to verify your identity by entering your Apple ID or Touch ID password, as well as to log in with your Apple ID . For any doubts related to the latter, you can consult my guide on how to create an Apple ID . In any case, everything works in a similar way to what I have already explained to you in the chapter dedicated to the Microsoft Store : even in this case there are many games originally designed for the mobile world , so you will probably come across titles that have in-app purchases .
Do you need some names? Among the titles that might interest you are Head Soccer and Pokémon Quest , just to name two. However, of course, the advice is always to explore the store in search of the games that are right for you.
GOG
If you are planning to go beyond digital stores built into operating systems and are looking for a portal that simply allows you to download games without going through programs, surely GOG could be for you. In case you don’t know, this is the official digital store of CD Projekt , or the software house that has created titles of the caliber of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt .
Why is this virtual store different from other classics? It doesn’t require you to go through a launcher . Furthermore, the portal is highly appreciated by the community due to the issue of the absence of DRM , or protection systems relating to the protection of copyright. This potentially allows users, once a game ‘s installer has been downloaded , to be able to use it safely even without an Internet connection . There are not a few who use this method simply to play in places where it can be a problem to connect to the Internet.
However, you clearly understand that this method can be abused and of course copyright must be protected . In this context, the arrival of some titles with DRM , linked for example to the Epic Games Store and the GOG Galaxy launcher, has been “criticized” by a good number of users . However, be careful not to “misinterpret” the voice of the community: contrary to what one might think, in reality it is still possible to download many DRM-free titles from GOG . An official response is in fact came from the support of GOG following a request of a user.
In short, despite everything, you can still use the official GOG website without too much trouble to download free games without other programs: you just need to create a profile . To do this, click on the SIGN IN and CREATE items , located at the top and fill out the form on the screen that appears on the screen. More precisely, you will be asked to type in a username , your e-mail address and the password you want to use to access the service, as well as put the check mark in the boxes that follow, then pressing the SIGN UP NOW button .
Once logged in, click on the Store button in the menu bar, at the top left, then placing a check mark in the Free box , which you find in the sidebar. By doing so, a list of completely free video games will appear on the screen that you can download to your computer: after identifying the one you prefer, click on the appropriate box and press the Add to cart button .
At this point, then press on the cart icon , present at the top right, then selecting the GO TO CHECKOUT item . Perfect, now all you have to do is click on the PAY FOR YOUR ORDER NOW button . Since the title is free, no payment method will be required and the game will be added to your GOG library right away.
To download the game, press the GO TO MY ACCOUNT button , present on the completed order page, select the box of the game involved and press the DOWNLOAD OFFLINE BACKUP INSTALLERS item : in this way, some files to download will be shown, useful for the installation of the video game. In case this is cross-platform, compatible installation files will be displayed according to the operating system used on the computer.
Perfect, now you can download the game without going through additional programs (by pressing the highlighted blue button instead, you will have to go through the GOG Galaxy launcher, which I mentioned earlier). In any case, for completeness of information, you should know that GOG periodically gives paid video games for a short period of time. What I advise you to do is periodically visit the site and / or activate all the boxes proposed during the account registration phase, useful for receiving communications in case of discounts or promotions of this type.
For the rest, if you need some precise information on the free titles on GOG, among the most popular of all time there are Shadow Warrior Classic Complete and POSTAL: Classic and Uncut .
itch.io
Are you a person who really appreciates “diving” into the world of small indie productions made with dedication and passion? Well: itch.io might be the right place for you.
In case you don’t know, it is a digital store, recently also landed on the Epic Games Store, which allows you to download many free titles, even without registration and without programs .
In fact, just go to the appropriate official portal and take a look at the vast catalog available. There are both free and paid video games, but in general you can find really everything . The community of enthusiasts in fact appreciates this website also due to the fact that generally these are productions that do not aim for some kind of commercial result , but simply to entertain people.
It will then be the public to decide the eventual success of a particular video game. This context therefore allows developers to express their creativity to the fullest. Of course, often the budget is particularly tight, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some “pearls” . Probably in the research phase you will find unfinished demos , experiments that are nothing short of “atypical” and who knows what else, but this is precisely the beauty of the independent community: total creative freedom .
To download a title from itch.io , just click on the appropriate box and click on the Download now button (or similar). That’s all: the appropriate game files will then be downloaded (for example an .exe file or a .zip file ). In some cases, if it is a title with a “free offer” price , you can choose whether to support the creator with a small amount or whether to click on No thanks, just take me to the downloads to proceed.
If you want to get a better understanding of the nature of itch.io titles right away , you may want to try Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021 among others (which includes the demo of interesting indie titles such as Toree 3D , which was later released at 0 , 99 euros on various platforms, including Nintendo Switch ).
Game Jolt
I know: it is probably a name that sounds a bit “dated”, but Game Jolt is still a good “source” of free PC titles to download without programs.
There are in fact a few to describe it as a sort of “predecessor” of the aforementioned itch.io . Just connect to the official website to understand why: there are many “minor” indie titles , both free and paid, that can be downloaded without registration or launcher . This means that also in this case it is possible to discover an “undergrowth” of productions made directly by the community, which could hide some “pearls”.
To download a game from Game Jolt, just click on the appropriate box and press the DOWNLOAD button . In some cases, you may be asked if you want to pay a small amount to support the developers of the title, but if you don’t want to do this you can proceed by clicking on the No thanks, take me to the download item . In short, all very simple.
Do you want some advice on titles to try? You might want to check out QT (if you know PT by Hideo Kojima, you’ll have more than a few laughs, but you may also discover incredible “secrets”). By trying the latter, you will immediately understand that even on Game Jolt there is total creative freedom.
Single games
In addition to the digital stores I referred to earlier, there are also individual games that can be downloaded for free directly from the respective manufacturers’ websites. These video games, in general, belong to the multiplayer category and have micro-transactions related to digital elements within them.
An example are MOBAs , such as League of Legends , which can be downloaded for free without the need for additional software directly from the official website . If you want to know more about this video game, you can refer to my guide on how to download League of Legends .
Also, considering the different types of free online video games, I want to point out the MMO genre . Video games of this type are often distributed for free with non-mandatory micro-transactions. There are several: for more details you can consult my tutorial on the best MMORPGs . Not always this type of titles can be downloaded without launchers or additional programs, but these are the genres in which it is more likely to find solutions of this type.
In short, now you know several possibilities that can allow you to reach your goal, providing a “starting point” for your gaming sessions . Furthermore, in case you have to “rethink” the issue of launchers, I suggest you also consult my guide on free download games for PC , in which I have also gone into the details of other digital stores. I just have to wish you have fun again!
