Apparently convinced that it can no longer make loads of cash from a 13-year-old PC game, publisher EA has combined motivated marketing with measured magnanimity and released real-time strategy classic Command & Conquer: Red Alert for free. Where? Right at the bottom of this Red Alert 3 promotional page, which also dangles a free copy of Red Alert 2 in front of your nose. To get it, all you need to do is pre-order the game's third, deliciously cheesy installment.

And hey, if you're not sure what all this Conquer and Command stuff is, now's as good a time as any to shake Hitler by the hand and irrevocably wreck the timeline.

[Thanks, WiNG]

It surely can't be that easy, can it? Of course not. Sure, according to a press release issued today, Comcast is offering a free Wii system to new subscribers who sign up for its "Triple Play" cable TV, phone, and internet package from now through August 17, 2008. It's also offering some fine print to go along with the deal.

Here are the catches. First off, in order to qualify for the freebie (freewii?) you must sign on for two years of Triple Play service in advance, incurring the usual outlandish termination fees should you decide to cancel before 24 months are up. Next, Comcast states that the offer is not available in all service areas and (surprise!) quantities of the Wii consoles are limited. Still, if you don't mind jumping through a few hoops (or were already considering a new cable/phone/internet provider), this may be your ticket to Wiidom.

[Via Engadget]

With Xbox 360 players getting a Halo 3 musical number for free last Thanksgiving, the gods of rock have now smiled down on PS3 owners as well. Tucked away in the latest PlayStation Underground newsletter comes word that PS3 armchair rockers will be able to download a free God of War-themed track for Guitar Hero III to rock out to on Thursday, June 5.

No other details have been revealed, including what selection exactly will be released. Even so, free is free, though honestly we're racking our brains trying to come up with a single piece of God of War music that's memorable enough to warrant a living room encore.

Update: It has a name! "The End Begins (to Rock)." [Thanks, Dan; via Guitar Hero Community]

We know it's a little early to be throwing phrases like "Game of the Year 2008" around, but when we discover flash games of this caliber, we can't help but voice our heartfelt infatuation. With its stunning character design, addictive gameplay, and breathtaking soundtrack, You Have To Burn The Rope is a smorgasbord of top-notch writing, programming, and design.

We must insist you try it out, and let us know your opinions, strategies and fastest speed run times for the game in the comments section. Though it may detract from the game's titular twist, we feel we must warn you -- you will
come across a rope during your journey through YHTBTR's lovingly-crafted world, and it absolutely must be burned. Anyone who tells you differently does not have your best interest at heart.

[Via Kotaku]

Play: You Have To Burn The Rope
Watch: The pulse-pounding teaser trailer
Read: The comprehensive walkthrough

While Bungie is probably hoping that everyone will get excited about their quickly approaching Legendary Map Pack, we'd wager that a larger percentage of the Halo 3-playing populous are instead anticipating the price reduction on Bungie's last expansion, the Heroic Map Pack. In their latest weekly update, Bungie announced the discount would come sooner than expected -- as of 2 a.m. this coming Tuesday, the pack will be free to download on Xbox Live Marketplace.

For those living under rocks (or PS3s), that means you've got no reason not to purchase the formerly $10 set including Standoff, Rat's Nest, and the highly customizable Foundry. Unless you hate free things, or, even less likely, you never purchased Bungie's third ringworld romp.

[Thanks, Sam.]

It's no secret that religious messageware Left Behind: Eternal Forces failed to find an audience amongst gamers (we think it's the whole "prayer is more powerful than guns" thing) so it's with a raised eyebrow and a quizzical look – and maybe even a Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor huhhh – that we greet news of Left Behind Games' "Million Game FREE Giveaway." It's simple: just stop by this website, make your order, and "increase [their] installed base of users to benefit future sales and expand distribution."

We should warn you though that it's not free free; there's a digital delivery or shipping surcharge of $5 or $6 respectively. Can't say we're filled with optimism for the plan, but apparently they know what they're doing ...

[Thanks, jc]

Microsoft wants to say "sowwy" for the intermittent Xbox Live issues plaguing the service over the holiday, and they'd like to apologize with a free Xbox Live Arcade game. Major Nelson posts a letter from Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live, which has a lot of customer service filler in it until the line about a free XBLA game for "all our Xbox Live members around the world" -- India is going to be psyched!

The letter says specific details are forthcoming, so now we're left wondering if there'll be a couple options or if it's just gonna be free Frogger for everyone. If that's the case, then someone is gettin' thrown under a car! Get it? Sigh.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Although taking a beating in sales alongside another high-profile PC shooter, Crysis will still hang onto its Christmas cheer. Developer Crytek is celebrating the holiday season with free presents for Crysis owners. The big box under the tree is a Tournament Map Pack, including:

• Power Struggle - Desolation
• Power Struggle - Isolation
• Power Struggle - Training
• Instant Action - Excavation
• Instant Action - Terminal

The map locales span the globe, with settings in the Americas, French Polynesia and North Korea. Crytek stocking stuffers include a 1600x1062 Christmas-themed wallpaper (pictured) and expanded documentation for the Sandbox2 editor. "But Crytek," you complain, "documentation sounds like books, and I hate reading." At this point, Crytek (or the personification thereof) sits you down on its laps, taps on his Alien Molecular Accelerator, and reminds you not to be ungrateful. And while you're at it, he says, be sure to buy three copies of the game to boost sales.

[Thanks, Jeff]

(This post does not apply to those of you without gainful employment).

We know some of you spend long hours "working" just to make enough scratch to feed your "family." You have busy "lives", important "jobs", and not a whole bunch of extra "time" to think about free video games. On the other hand, we have no "responsibilities", no "pants", and nothing to do but look forward to days like today when, thanks to Microsoft's largesse, previously not-free games are now, for a limited time, free.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live, Microsoft has made the board game-turned-Xbox Live Arcade title Carcassone free for forty-eight hours. We're about fourteen hours into that period, so consider this a reminder to tie a ribbon around your finger to remind you to download the game later.

Next month GameTap will offer the adventures of Agent 47 (except for Blood Money) for free on the service in sequential order. Although they say the original game is available Nov. 1, technically it's available for free now. The series' gameplay became far more forgiving as things progressed, so depending on your tolerance for repeating a level over and over again, you may want to wait until Contracts becomes available Nov. 15 for the softest experience.

• Now - Hitman: Codename 47 is available for free play.
• Nov. 8 - Hitman 2: Silent Assassin available for free. GameTap begins Hitman Retrospective on their Watch channel.
• Nov. 15 - Hitman: Contracts available for free.
• Nov. 21: Hitman movie starring Timothy Olyphant premieres in theaters.

GameTap says they have more in store on this, but that's the basics for now. We are curious to see how one of the GameTap retrospectives holds up to the GameTrailer ones we've become enamored with.

Just in time for the winter, Nintendo has offered a free Wiimote Jacket to keep its controllers cozy. And by "cozy," we mean, "potential-lawsuit free." All of the demo controllers at Nintendo's "Fall Media Summit" had been fitted with the silicon sock. In my use, the extra layer added bulk, but the result felt about the same as -- and occasionally better than -- an unprotected controller.

The sleeve attaches tightly to the sides of the Wii Remote, only adding a few millimeters around the waist. More thickness at the bottom -- perhaps for pounding in that annoying straighten-the-papers WarioWare game -- adds about another centimeter of girth.

But the bulb-shaped top is significantly bigger than the naked Wiimote. Its spongy feel should absorb a lot of energy; I could imagine unintentionally hitting a table or younger sibling without causing injury. I was concerned that the bigger shape would ruin horizontal, NES-style games, but I ended up liking it a little more than the plain Wiimote. My left hand has always felt cramped next to the D-pad, and the Jacket gives it more to hold.

The Jacket also includes a port cover for use without the Nunchuk. I was mildly annoyed by moving the flap to plug in attachments, but gamers could cut that part off of their own Jackets. (See the gallery for a closer view.)

We've shrugged at Nintendo's 18-million dollar move seemingly to preempt American lawsuits. But even minimalist-preferring adult gamers may like the cover's extra size.

Remember that Yaris XBLA game to be released free on Wednesday? Gametrailers user, warchiefgrim, uploaded a clip. We hope this video convinces you to save the precious bandwidth of the internet and pass on the game; even "free" costs too much.

Things we learned:

• The 4-Door Sedan Yaris comes in such focus-group-approved colors as "Jade Sea Metallic," and "Flint Mica."
  
• Northbound on 101 goes straight up (and straight down) as often as it goes north.
• The Yaris is powered by the constant desire to catch a cat toy mounted on its roof. Sadly, the toy is always just out of reach.

See the video, and add your own observations after the break.

If you ask rich people how they got rich, we doubt most of them will say it was by playing a lot of video games. Nevertheless, a new book promises to show you the path to untold riches for doing just that.

Get Rich Playing Games is the brainchild of the ridiculously busy industry consultant, journalist and author Scott Steinberg (full disclosure: I worked with Scott on the Videogame Style Guide and Reference Manual). The book details three main paths to gaming mega-bucks: developer, executive and journalist. Wait, journalist? Doesn't he realize what the average game journalist gets paid? Trust us, you'd have better chances getting rich trawling for change in your local fountain.

The 177-page book is available as a $17.95 paperback or a free PDF eBook because, let's face it, no one ever got rich by paying for stuff.

ShackNews leads us to free ad-supported PC games for this lazy holiday in the US. You'll be able to play full versions of FarCry, Raving Rabbids, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and Ghost Recon, though you'll need a US Ubi.com account to install the games. We aren't aware if the ads are just in loading screens, or if you'll find empty McDonald's fry boxes washed up on FarCry's pristine shores. Here are the links: