GameRanger, known for its support for the Macintosh platform, has launched a service for Windows users to ease the process of playing multiplayer games online. The announcement quotes GameRanger prez Scott Kevill explaining why this is necessary: "Many PC gamers end up avoiding multiplayer because of connection issues or because they simply don't enjoy playing faceless strangers as much as playing with people they know. It's about time something was done about it." Here's where the free GameRanger service fits in:

GameRanger achieves these goals by safely eliminating connection problems with routers, NAT and firewalls, and when coupled with full lobby support for over 500 games, allows you to easily play with the people you want in private or public games. Community and social networking features include profiles, friends lists, instant messaging, in-game voice communication, and competitive ladders/ rankings/ratings for the more adventurous.

Join up and tell your friends to start playing online with classics like Dungeon Keeper 2, Master of Orion II, Sacrifice and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri through to recent games like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Civilization IV: Colonization, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath and Dawn of War: Soulstorm.