Holiday Themes for Some of Your Favorite Games

Article first published as Holiday Themes for Some of Your Favorite Games on Technorati.

So your lights are strung and the inflatable Santa is prominently displayed in your front yard proclaiming the arrival of the holiday season.  Of course for a lot of gamers the holidays are best enjoyed in front of their gaming pc or console.

It seems everything has a holiday theme this time of year and for gamers it's no different.  Admittedly some of the offerings seem a bit out of step with the overall holiday theme but for connoisseurs of the pastime it's a perfect fit.

As gaming becomes more mainstream it's not surprising to see developers acknowledging the holidays as it takes its place among other more serious entertainment mediums. Gaming platforms have become more powerful and with them have come more immersive titles that allow an experience impossible just a few years ago.  Far removed from their pixelated predecessors we can now experience the holidays in Highly textured realms both familiar and festive.

After all why not spread a little holiday cheer while battling hordes of baddies?  Nothing says Christmas to a gamer like mowing down zombies adorned with Santa hats and sharpened candy canes!

Holiday themes are becoming something of a tradition themselves in gaming.  Special maps in FPS titles and holiday snow seems to be showing up in some of our favorites.  It's a trend that started a few years back but seems to be more prevalent now.

If dispatching zombies are your thing then you won't want to miss Killing Floor's Twisted Christmas with special holiday themed maps and weaponry designed to dispatch bad Santas and vengeful gingerbread men alike.  The event runs from December 7th till January 4th and is free DLC for owner's of the game. 

If you'd rather dispatch your online competition in a fast moving FPS then check out the Australian Christmas event in Team Fortress 2 which is free to play on Steam.  A number of special weapons and holiday themed items will be available through December 22nd.  Be sure to check out the Mann Co. store for special discounts up to 75% through January 2nd.

Into Real Time Strategy games?  One of the best is on EA's Free to Play network.   Lord of Ultima is a web based online browser based RTS game.  As they did last year, they're getting ready to turn the green hills of Caledonia white with holiday snow and festive decorations.  Be sure to check out the Christmas trees in the center of your marketplaces. 

One of the earlier special holiday themed game modifications was way back in 2004 with a special map for Id and Splash Damages' Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory which was a free to play follow-up to the then popular FPS title Return to Castle Wolfenstein.  The map included holiday decorations on Santa's workshop as well as a barn setting complete with reindeer. 

The holiday season is creeping into more and more of our favorite titles.  Even if you're not the type to be donning a Santa hat between Halloween and New Years you can still enjoy the special offerings in some of your favorite games. 

So warm up the game rig, tune in to your favorite holiday music station and enjoy the season fragging with some friends in a winter wonderland.