Game on for the bargain hunter
Once upon a time, computer and video games were pricey. Really pricey. For a range of reasons to do with distribution, manufacturing and technology, games in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s cost significantly more than they do today, when we’re pretty much spoilt for choice in terms of bargains.
In fact, lots of gamers joke about having a backlog of games they’ve snapped up cheaply and haven’t had time to play. For those of us afflicted with this problem, it’s no laughing matter!
But seriously, it’s a great time to be a gamer, whether on PC or console. So this month we’re highlighting a few of the most popular gaming bargains available, although there are loads more to consider.
On PC, Valve’s online Steam store hosts regular sales but also check out GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games) and the new Epic Games store, which has free giveaways rolling out every fortnight. To keep track of gaming bargains across all platforms, the website OzBargain makes for essential reading, listing Australian deals across popular stores such as EB Games, Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, The Gamesmen and more.
What is it? Humble Bundle
How much? Varies Pros: Few content distribution services demonstrate the radical disruptive potential of the internet better than the Humble Bundle. The site offers bundles of PC games (and other media) for which you can nominate your price. If you pay more than the average punter, you unlock additional titles, plus bonuses (such as soundtracks). These days, it also offers a full regular store as well, plus subscription content. Cons: None, and you can even donate what you pay to charities. humblebundle.com What is it? PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold How much? $79.95 annually (monthly/quarterly packages also available) Pros: Depending on your flavour of console, Sony and Microsoft have equally compelling subscription services that offer free games on a monthly basis (while unlocking online multiplayer for all games). This is a great way to build up a library of titles cheaply. Members also get exclusive discounts on their platform’s digital game purchases.
Cons: “Free” games only playable while your subscription remains active. playstation.com xbox.com What is it? Nintendo Switch Online
How much? From $5.95 (pm) to $29.95 (pa) Pros: For the Switch console, Nintendo has taken a different route from the Virtual Console store available with previous systems. Instead, it’s offering an affordable Netflix-style subscription service with dozens of retro NES-era games to play at any time and new titles added each month. Like Xbox/PlayStation, the service is also mandatory for online multiplayer. Cons: Only NES games at present but hopefully games from more recent systems will emerge soon. nintendo.com.au