The 2022 Game Awards have been decided, and PC gamers are now looking to what may be in store in 2023. As they return to the depths of first-person shooters and side-scrollers, there are a few upgrades that can be made to a gaming rig, all for free.
Most PC gamers will see the benefits of these free apps and downloadable software, which are sure to improve the overall gaming experience and quality of life for their PC. Whether it’s to control memory usage, play online with friends or even access games, these are must-haves for all PC owners.
Disagreement
Discord is one of the very first apps a new player should get. It’s a great way to keep in touch with people online, is perfect for voice calls while playing a game, and is even useful for screen sharing for certain titles as groups play together.
As digital gaming has come into its own, new communities have formed around Discord, and the freeware has overtaken social media platforms as the place to be for ongoing experiences. It is easy to use and very accessible to those looking for their own community to join.
CleanMYPC
While PC gamers will look for the best graphics cards and hard drives to enhance their gaming experience, there is a free software to download that will instantly enhance their gaming experience. Sometimes games run slow because a PC is just so bogged down.
CleanMYPC is a fairly self-explanatory kit, which has an intuitive menu and gives the user a surprising amount of control. They can sweep useless files clean and really make your PC much more efficient, which will surely free up space for more games!
F.lux
There are some pretty good gaming glasses that can help users when they stare at a screen for too long. But it’s important to stay healthy when gaming and adjusting screen brightness throughout the day is a convenient way to ensure that headaches don’t occur.
With timers, a huge amount of customization and real-time shifts based on the colors of the screens from warmer to cooler shades, F.lus comes with a number of options that allow you to change the look of your screen. It is a perfect piece of free software for those who are aware of such issues.
TeamSpeak
TeamSpeak and Discord cover some of the same territory, but some players prefer to use TeamSpeak when getting involved in larger games with their community of friends. TeamSpeak is a basic communication software that works as a conference call platform.
It is accessible, streamlined and very rarely lags despite the internet connection. It blends well with other apps and ultimately boasts an ethos of bringing players together to experience these narratives and Battle Royales as one interconnected team. Online games really benefit from this.
GeForce NOW
Sometimes one piece of software can do it all. That’s the case for GeForce Now which is free to download and turns any PC into a full-on gaming rig. This works via the cloud and thus allows players to store all their content digitally, which is a huge deal for those struggling with memory cards.
Also, it hosts a number of games from Steam, Epic Game Store and other platforms, bringing them all together with the collection that players have already created. While current PC gamers may be looking to put together the likes of the Steam Deck, GeForce Now shows that fans shouldn’t stray from a traditional setup just yet.
Bluestacks
Some gamers want to take their Android app collection to the PC and play in a slightly different way. It is not normally possible for all games, but the Bluestacks software makes it a reality. For those who don’t want to play titles on iPad or mobile devices, this is the way to go.
After downloading Bluestacks, it essentially opens an app store in exactly the same way as Google Play. The same titles are also available and interact with a gaming rig no differently than the likes of Steam or other gaming platforms. This is a groundbreaking design that has opened up mobile gaming significantly.
Attention Studio
In the digital age, many players want to film their setup. They may want to interact with their webcam as well, or need a live stream on screen for the likes of Twitch to continue broadcasting their game to the world. OBS Studio is the best way to go for it.
There are so many other free screen recording software on the market, but this one stands out above all else for its intuitive design, many customizable features, and its ability to interact with a lot of other software. It delivers high-quality footage and never lags or becomes visually choppy.
Razer Cortex: Game Booster
There’s a lot of Razer gear that gamers can buy when setting up their gaming rig, from amazing headsets to lighting gear. But while Razer Cortex: Game Booster can work hand-in-hand with some of this gear, no Razer products are needed to download it.
It elevates any PC to the ultimate gaming experience. Not only does it provide valuable gaming offers, but it also enhances the system, ensuring that it is efficient, high-octane and performs at a quality level. A launcher, booster, system booster and the inclusion of the likes of an Xbox Game Bar makes this an excellent concept to get involved with.
Steam
Steam is the quintessential piece of software that everyone must get when they first build their PC gaming rig. While there are other options on the market, from Epic Games Studio to what Razor offers, everything goes through Steam in the end, and it’s a constantly evolving platform.
It supports indie games beautifully, brings a ton of console games to PC, boasts some free experiences to get involved in, and works on a wide range of PCs and alongside a lot of other software. There’s a reason this is at the top of its game.
GameSave Manager
PC gamers know that a lot can go wrong when saving progress. It may be a corrupted file. It could be that the cloud is down, a system has been hacked or the hardware has failed. Regardless, GameSave Manager is an essential app for PC.
It is an extra line of safety that ensures that all is not lost if something goes wrong. Always reliable and secure, it backs up your data, recovers lost files and enables easy transfer. It is a simple example of software to use in a stressful situation.
