BUDGET GAMES
Playing the latest games requires a powerful computer, so it’s not really what you’d call a budget-friendly hobby. If you’re just curious, or not bothered about 4K and 60fps, however, you can get a surprising amount of performance out of a modest PC. Games charging $60 on launch, however, can put some people off. But there are ways to get amazing gaming experiences for a lot less cash.
The Humble Bundle ( www. humblebundle.com) offers a regular bundle of games at a discount, with some of your money also going to a good cause. It’s a pay-what-youwant arrangement, with a minimum amount. Paying more often unlocks more games, and it’s a good way of building up a library of titles without spending a fortune. There’s a subscription that gets you every bundle as it’s released, or you can pick and choose. Also worth checking out is Good Old Games ( www.gog.
com)— a site that began as a repository of older games, but has caught up with sales of new titles, too. If there’s a PC game you remember from your misspent youth, and you feel like playing it again, there’s a good chance GOG has it in a format that will work on a modern machine.
The digital distribution marketplace is really heating up following the launch of stores by Bethesda and Epic. Once, Steam completely ruled this realm, with only Ubisoft’s Uplay to challenge it. That’s all changed, however, as even streaming platform Twitch is now selling games, so discounts are coming in harder and faster in an attempt to win your dollar away from competitors. With frequent sales and special offers, it has never been easier to pick up a recent game at a bargain price.