MO SADEK
Special to The Leader
The Quest for Cheap Games Begins!
There’s a horrible gut feeling you get after you give someone the last few dollars in your wallet or completing a transaction with your debit or credit card. It’s like all that money you earned or harvested from visits at grandma’s have been devoured by the gaming monster you have become. Fear not friends, for we have come to a glorious age where saving your wallet and fueling your desires can still be done, all while leaving you with enough money to get yourself a calio. Here are a few things to keep in mind while making your game purchases this season.
You Need a Budget!
Whether or not you actually purchase the budgeting software called “You Need A Budget,” or you are making a log of all your gaming expenses, you need to have a limit as to how much you are going to spend. You’re about to embark on a quest to find cheap games, but the small costs of the games will eventually add up. Eventually you’ll a larger hole in your pocket than you ever intended, and a pile of games you bought just because the price was low.
Digital Downloads: Friend or Foe?
With the oncoming digital age, obtaining games is becoming easier than ever because of downloads. Cyberspace allows you to link any account you might have to any game titles you own. This saves you from owning mountains of physical copies, and you can’t lose ‘em! Still, while these benefits sound great, there’s always a price. Digital copies are usually just as, if not more, expensive than a physical copy because of their perks.
What ends up happening is that physical copies of games end up being cheaper by buying them used or dated. However, digital copies are more likely to go on sale because of their many perks. Now, you may be wondering about popular retail websites that always have game sales like Steam, Humble Bundle and the PlayStation Store. Although these sales are frequent, they are constantly fluctuating. So, when making your purchase, see what might benefit you first: either waiting for a good sale on a digital copy or buying a cheaper, used, physical copy.
Read it on Reddit!
One of the greatest resources you have in your quest for glory is probably Reddit, the self proclaimed “front page of the internet.” Over the years, Reddit has grown in popularity, creating a large community of people from all walks of life. Though Reddit is a great source for almost everything, right now you just need some sweet game deals — so head on over to the subreddit called “/r/GameDeals.” Basically, a subreddit is a community topic of interest that can help focus users toward a common area of interest, and GameDeals is a subreddit that specifically focuses on gathering all the internet’s vast knowledge on any discount, bundle or sale pertaining to video games on all consoles, from PC to PS4. This comes in handy during major sale seasons like the winter holidays or the dreadfully boring summer. Subscribing to the GameDeals RSS feed or following the account on Twitter will keep you up to date on every sale as it’s happening!
Bundles Galore!
Why pick one when you can have ‘em all!? This is the mentality of anyone who has ever played Pokémon — or has purchased a bundle. Bundling happens when a developer or publisher decides to take a series of games or a trilogy of games and puts them together at a low selling price. It’s similar to going into a store and getting a double feature DVD set for $5, but with games instead. You can find a lot of these for consoles on game retailer’s websites like Amazon or GameStop, but PCs are different monsters, which we will tackle later. You’ve also probably heard through the grapevine of the Humble Bundle — a unique kind of bundle which, at the moment, is only available to PC users. Sorry, console gamers!
Brand Loyalty Programs
Every console has its own type of loyalty program. Nintendo has Club Nintendo, Playstation has the Plus Program and Microsoft has Gold Memberships, just to name a few. But before you can start reaping the benefits of being a member, you’ll first have to pay the price. However, you can find most memberships on sale or bundled with games or consoles themselves. (Check the GameDeals section on Reddit for stuff like that.) Once you’re in, the fun begins. These loyalty programs will not only ensure that you have the best console experience, but will make you eligible for free games, discounts and special services like online multiplayer, special game events and lots more. Sony has been know to provide its Plus users with a plethora of free games. Anthony Severino from GameRevolution.com added up his savings from free games and bundles he received as a member, and they amounted to approximately $1854.86 … in one year! GameStop also has a loyalty program for customers who purchase or pre-order games as well, so you can earn points while you’re saving money! Look into loyalty programs from wherever you purchase games — a dollar here and there will eventually add up.
For You PC Gamers Out There
If you’re gaming on a PC, it’s probably because of the value you saw in PC gaming. There are tons of reasons why PC gaming is a cheaper option, and one of them is the low price of games. Whether it’s to keep gamers away from stealing games or the flexibity online retailers have with DRM, PC games are dirt cheap. PCs as a platform also have a ton of options for you as a gamer. Here are a few sites you can use to take advantage of that.
GamersGate and GreenManGaming
Both sites are unique in their own ways and deserve their own spaces, but for the sake of this article, they will have to share the spotlight. GreenManGaming and GamersGate are both online video game retailers. What they do is sell video game keys. These are codes that you can use to redeem the games on PCs. Both websites also have loyalty programs that will provide users with perks and discounts on games for previously purchasing content on their websites. For example, GreenManGaming will give users a certain amount of money back when they preorder games or will give them a greater amount of credit towards another game. GamersGate gives you points for every purchase you make, which can eventually accumulate to a great discount or even a free game.
Humble Bundle
The Humble Bundle is exactly what it claims to be. As a game store, it offers great savings to gamers looking to fill up their libraries while preserving their savings accounts. The site, with the exception of the store section, has a “Pay-What-You-Want” model. This allows you to buy a bunch of games for a penny! Keep in mind that Humble Bundle is a non-profit organization that gives a percentage of your transaction to charity. What’s even more unique is that you get to choose how much the developer, website and charity get from your purchase. The Humble Store offers some great, fixed prices and 15 percent of each purchase goes to charity.
One Last Thought
Even though these tips tell you how to save some money, they aren’t necessarily the best for everyone in the gaming industry, like developers. Between people making illegal copies or pirating games, the publishers are suffering major blows. Sometimes developers don’t want to drop prices because they know that once they drop them, people will expect a better price drop in the future, thus discouraging developers from making games in a timely fashion. Imagine no one bought Grand Theft Auto until the price dropped to $20. Rockstar wouldn’t be able to justify creating another huge, awesome and controversial game since it was unable to generate revenue from the first one. So if it’s a game you are really excited about, show your love to the developers and get it despite the price.
Websites to Keep in Mind!
All Gaming Systems
/r/GameDeals
Amazon.com
Gamestop.com
Gamefly.com
PC
Store.Steampowered.com
GreenManGaming
GOG.com
GamersGate
HumbleBundle
IndieGameStand
Groupees
IndieGala
BundleStars