Best Multiplayer Game

To many gamers, games that lack multiplayer features are utterly irrelevant. Their fellow players are a far superior challenge than any AI, and multiplayer features are necessary to most any game's long-term replay value. Many games--console as well as PC--support online multiplayer features now more than ever before, making this style of gaming extremely competitive. It takes a lot to convince a dedicated fan to switch over to a different product. As such, it's no accident that many of the year's best multiplayer games are based on older products. The following five finalists for GameSpot's Best Multiplayer Game of 2003 award are, primarily, excellent games, each in its own right, but they're also either extremely polished, unlike anything else available, or completely free. We don't envy these games' would-be competitors.

America's Army: Special Forces (PC)

Publisher: U.S. Army
Developer: U.S. Army
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Originally released last year, America's Army remains completely free to download and to play, yet it evolved dramatically in 2003. It's still a top-of-the-line, highly challenging, realistic shooter.

Call of Duty (PC)

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
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Though Call of Duty is the first game from the developers at Infinity Ward, it's perfectly obvious that they knew full well how to put together an extremely solid online first-person shooter. Call of Duty's well-executed modes of play and its unique "kill cam" combine to distinguish this game even within the very competitive subcategory of WWII-themed shooters.

Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO (XBOX)

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
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The dreams of many fighting-game fans came true in 2003 with the release of the Xbox Live-enabled Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO. We've been playing games like this for years, but ever since the arcade scene died down, it just hasn't been the same. Playing this game online proved to be a uniquely refreshing experience.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory (PC)

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Splash Damage
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Developer id Software canceled its retail product based on 2001's Return to Castle Wolfenstein, which earned our Best Multiplayer Action Game award that year, and instead released Enemy Territory for free, no strings attached. And this team-based shooter is still as fun as ever.

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (PC)

Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
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Blizzard's expansion pack to the winner of our PC Game of the Year award for 2002 dramatically changed and improved an already superb game, and the company has continued to faithfully support The Frozen Throne and its enormous player community.

And the Winner is...