While it seems counterintuitive, the hottest trend in the video game industry is giving away games for free, then offering a deeper-level of interaction — for a fee.

Whether it’s new titles, like “Smurfs’ Village” on iPhone or old standards like “EverQuest,” publishers are in a race to offer free-to-play games — sometimes known as “freemium” games — and in many cases, it’s making them a fortune.

Read more at CNBC.com