Save Money on PC Games: Tips & Tricks
The Declining Cost of PC Gaming
Generally, PC games are now more affordable than their console counterparts, largely due to the prevalence of discounts and promotions.
Significant savings can be realized by those willing to wait for sales and utilize effective purchasing strategies.
The Rise of Frequent Sales
The frequency of game sales has increased dramatically since Steam began hosting its regular seasonal events.
This has created a competitive landscape where numerous platforms and retailers consistently offer discounted prices.
A New Normal: Constant Promotions
The gaming market now operates within a framework of perpetual sales, driven by Steam’s own promotions.
Furthermore, competing stores and bundled deals contribute to an environment where discounts are commonplace.
Steam, along with other digital distribution platforms, frequently engages in price reductions.
This constant competition benefits consumers by making games more accessible and affordable.
Steam Sales
Related: What Exactly Is a Steam Machine, and Do I Want One?
Steam is renowned for its frequent sales events. Exercising patience can lead to substantial savings on PC game purchases. A vast majority of titles available on Steam are regularly discounted, often by 75% or even more.
The platform consistently offers smaller-scale promotions, including daily deals, weekly deals, mid-week specials, and weekend promotions. Occasionally, games are even made available for free play during weekend events. These offers are prominently displayed on Steam’s homepage for easy access.
However, the most significant Steam sales are the large seasonal events, during which nearly all games on the platform receive discounts. By remaining patient, gamers can amass a collection of titles during these sales to enjoy throughout the year—or until the next seasonal event. While Valve doesn't publish an official schedule, patterns emerge regarding sale timing.
The largest of these seasonal sales is the winter holiday sale, typically lasting around two weeks from late December into early January. A substantial summer sale also occurs, alongside smaller promotions coinciding with events like Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Halloween.
A key strategy for maximizing savings during Steam holiday sales is to avoid immediate purchases unless a game is featured as a daily deal, flash sale, or community choice deal. A title might be available at a 50% discount throughout the sale, but could reach 75% off when highlighted in one of these temporary promotions. Therefore, it’s advisable to wait for these featured deals before buying.
If you're willing to delay playing a game, adding it to your Steam wishlist allows you to receive email notifications when it goes on sale. You can also conveniently view your wishlist directly within Steam, quickly checking discounts and prices. This feature is particularly helpful when making purchasing decisions during large sales.
You can efficiently scan through the sales on games that already interest you. (However, comprehensive wishlists like IsThereAnyDeal.com—which will be discussed further in this guide—offer greater long-term benefits.)
Game Bundles: A Cost-Effective Gaming Strategy
Game bundles represent a frequently encountered opportunity within the PC gaming landscape. The practice of offering curated collections of games at discounted prices gained significant traction with the emergence of Humble Bundle.
Humble Bundle initially popularized the "pay-what-you-want" model, focusing on critically acclaimed indie games. While numerous other bundle platforms exist, their value can be inconsistent.
Humble Bundle remains the most reliable source for high-quality game bundles. They consistently deliver compelling collections, extending beyond their standard indie offerings to include weekly bundles featuring a wider variety of titles.
Exploring Bundle Options
Although several websites offer game bundles, discerning worthwhile deals requires careful consideration. Humble Bundle’s reputation for quality and consistent value sets it apart from competitors.
The availability of diverse bundles – encompassing both independent productions and more established games – ensures a broad appeal for PC gamers seeking affordable entertainment.
Alternative Game Retailers
While Steam has historically been a dominant force in digital game sales, it is no longer the sole provider of competitive pricing. Numerous other storefronts frequently offer deals equivalent to, or even surpassing, those found on Steam.
A significant benefit for users who prefer the centralized library of Steam is that many of these alternative retailers sell Steam keys. This allows for purchasing games at a reduced cost from another platform and still adding them to a Steam account, provided the game specifically supports Steam integration.
Popular Retail Options
Amazon's digital games section consistently presents lower prices than Steam for a wide selection of titles, often including Steam keys.
Green Man Gaming is another prominent platform known for providing substantial discounts to gamers.
Furthermore, Humble Bundle operates the Humble Store, which regularly features sales on games compatible with the Steam platform.
The widespread adoption of Steam has created a situation where many players are willing to prioritize convenience over maximizing discounts.
Consequently, competing retailers are compelled to offer attractive pricing to gain market share.
As an illustration, during a recent Steam holiday sale, the Borderlands 2 Game of the Year (GOTY) edition was available for $30. However, the identical Borderlands 2 GOTY edition was offered for only $15 on other digital storefronts during the same Winter sale period.
Monitoring PC Game Sales
Beyond utilizing your Steam wishlist for tracking Steam sales, the sheer volume of offers can be challenging to follow. For a complete overview of current PC game discounts, a quick visit to the gamedeals subreddit provides a convenient resource.
While not exclusively focused on PC titles, the majority of deals featured on this subreddit pertain to PC gaming, highlighting the greater frequency of discounts available on this platform.
Additional Resources for Deal Tracking
Several other websites can assist you in staying informed about the latest offers. IsThereAnyDeal.com compiles current prices and deals from numerous retailers.
This platform allows you to search for a specific game and compare prices across different stores, review its price history, and identify the lowest price it has ever reached.
A particularly valuable feature is the ability to create an account and build a wishlist of desired games. You will then receive notifications when a game's price drops below a specified threshold.
Furthermore, you can refine your search to include only versions of games that activate on Steam, ensuring you consistently receive the best possible price regardless of the purchasing store.
- Price Comparison: Easily compare prices from multiple stores.
- Price History: Track price fluctuations over time.
- Wishlist Alerts: Receive notifications when prices drop.
The Importance of Playtime
While sales offer excellent opportunities for savings, it’s crucial to remember that the primary goal is to actually play the games you acquire.
A common issue is accumulating a large backlog of games that may never be experienced. Avoid purchasing an overwhelming number of games; attractive discounts are likely to reappear in the future.
Image Credit: Jorge Franganillo on Flickr