When The average price of a AAA video game easily exceeds €70.Acquiring the latest releases can quickly strain your budget, especially when publishers release numerous "deluxe" editions, season passes, and other expensive downloadable content. However, there are a number of legal, proven, and year-round methods that allow you to expand your game library at a lower cost, or even without spending a penny.
This guide aims to present to you ten sustainable strategies (Recurring sales, charity bundles, flexible subscriptions, community alerts…) so you can organize your research, plan your purchases, and take advantage of the many offers available throughout the PC and console ecosystem to find affordable video games. Take a few minutes to explore these methods: they constitute a toolbox that you simply need to open regularly to optimize every euro invested… all while maintaining peace of mind regarding compliance with the law.
Summary of 10 tips for playing without breaking the bank
Before we delve into the detailed reading, here is a quick glance Here are some tips to add to your toolbox for finding cheap video games. Keep this summary handy: it will help you save a lot of money on your gaming expenses.
| # | Trick | Where is it taking place? | Terms & cost | Why is it sustainable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free game of Epic Games Store | Epic Launcher / website | One free title every Thursday (€0) | Uninterrupted weekly offer since 2019 |
| 2 | Prime gaming | Included with Amazon Prime | 4-8 PC keys per month (subscription €6,99/month) | The games remain valid for life, even after cancellation. |
| 3 | Free Weekends Steam | Steam | Full access 2-3 days + discount | Regular weekends, often combined with 50% off |
| 4 | Sales Steam seasonal | Steam | Up to -90% | Fixed dates announced in advance (spring, summer, autumn, winter) |
| 5 | Bundle Deals Humble / Fanatical | Website | Pay-what-you-want or build-your-own | New packs every 2-3 weeks |
| 6 | Indie scene Itch.io | Itch.io | Pay-what-you-want (often free) | A platform focused on creative generosity |
| 7 | Abos « games at will« | Game Pass, PS Plus, EA Play… | Monthly plan, no commitment | Catalogs updated continuously |
| 8 | Price alerts IsThereAnyDeal | Web / extension | Wishlist tracking + notifications | Price history and personal thresholds |
| 9 | Extension Augmented Steam | Chrome / Firefox / Edge | Deal information directly on Steam | Centralizes comparison and stats Deck |
| 10 | communities r/GameDeals & Discord | Reddit / Discord | Real-time alerts (free) | 3,5 million members = constant monitoring |
Keep an eye out for the Epic Games Store's weekly free game
In addition, research since 2019 The Epic Games Store offers a new free title every Thursday. You simply need to "buy" it for €0 to keep it indefinitely in your library. The selection covers both independent and AA productions, and occasionally a blockbuster.
To make sure you don't miss any offers, turn on notifications Download the mobile app or subscribe to the newsletter; you'll then receive an automatic reminder every week. The weekly schedule has never been interrupted: a free game, from Thursday to Thursday, without exception.
Take advantage of Prime Gaming, included with your Amazon Prime membership.
Your Amazon Prime membership isn't just for fast delivery or video streaming: it includes several free PC keys each monthGames are obtained via the Amazon Games app or Steam/GOG keys, and they remain yours even after cancellation. Be sure to check out the monthly selection; it mixes retro classics, indie titles, and recent AA games.
Trick Titles are often available for several weeks; create a monthly reminder (calendar or automation app) so you never miss out.
Take advantage of "Free Weekends" and free trials on Steam
Several Fridays a month, Valve negotiates with publishers of full access weekends (sometimes extended until Monday). You download the full game, progress freely (including achievements) and then decide whether to buy – at a reduced price – or not.
To be notified:
- Add the coveted game to your wishlist.
- Enable email notifications in your Steam settings.
- Check the tab News > Events sometimes.
These trials are systematically coupled with a temporary discount; if the initial impression is confirmed, you will buy it at a lower cost.
Also keep an eye on the tab Events from the store: announcements often appear 48 hours before opening, ideal for pre-downloading big AAA titles. Finally, some studios repeat the operation with each major update; Rainbow Six Siege in March 2025 and Necessa January are two recent examples.
Plan your purchases during Steam's seasonal sales
Each season has its own sale period on Steam. The exact dates vary slightly, but Valve always announces them several weeks in advance.
- spring sale (mid-March, 7 days);
- Summer sale (late June / early July, 14 days);
- Autumn Sale (around Black Friday, 7 days);
- Winter sale (mid-December → early January, 14 days).
Here too, the best tip is to add the games you're interested in to your Steam wishlist.
Capitalize on "pay what you want" bundles
Buying bundles allows you to legally acquire dozens of Steam keys with a single click. Several websites offer bundles, but I recommend these two:
- Humble Bundle offers themed bundles where you set the price; a portion is donated to charities. Offers change every two to three weeks.
- fanatical declines the concept of “Build Your Own Bundle”: the more games you select, the lower the unit cost (sometimes <1 €).
Keep an eye on the RSS feeds or sign up for email alerts to be notified of new packs.
Explore the independent scene on Itch.io
Itch.io brimming with indie creations "pay-what-you-want" " : you can download for free, test it, then pay a few euros if the game has convinced you.
Filter free games (Free) and sort by popularity or update date; you'll find hidden gems you won't find anywhere else. And by the way, you're directly supporting the developers, without any intermediaries.
Optimize your "unlimited games" subscriptions
- PC GamePass (Microsoft) provides access to hundreds of titles, including release fees. Cancel or pause your subscription as soon as your backlog is full; your saves remain stored in the cloud.
- PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium, EA Play ou Ubisoft + operate on similar principles: a huge catalogue in exchange for a monthly subscription, with no long-term commitment.
sustainable method : alternate subscriptions according to your periods of intensive gaming, instead of accumulating them.
Track prices with IsThereAnyDeal and Augmented Steam
- IsThereAnyDeal It aggregates prices from all official stores; connect your Steam wishlist, set a discount threshold (e.g., -50%), and receive an email as soon as that threshold is reached. The service also keeps a price history so you know if an offer is truly exceptional.
- Augmented Steam, a free extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), injects this data directly into the Steam page: current best price, historical lowest price, Steam Deck compatibility, filters by ratings…
Connect with communities of cheap video game hunters
The subreddit r/GameDeals (3,5M members) centralizes to the second the 100% free or ultra-discounted offers on Steam, Epic, GOG, Humble and others.
Specialized Discord servers (Free Games & Bundle Alerts for example) work on the same principle: one channel per platform, push alerts that can be disabled at will.
Try out the "Free Play Days" periods and other publisher trials.
Microsoft, Ubisoft, EA, and others regularly host weekends or weeks of full access to their flagship games – often to coincide with the launch of a DLC or major update. On Xbox, these events are called Free Play Days Game Pass subscribers can install the title, play freely during the window, and then benefit from a discount if they wish to purchase it.
Have fun and save money!
By combining these ten tips, you'll be able to stock up on cheap video games without breaking the bank. Mark your calendar for Thursday's Epic Games Deals, subscribe to the r/GameDeals feed, set up IsThereAnyDeal alerts, and manage your subscription periods wisely. Your game library will grow exponentially, and your wallet will remain (relatively) at ease.
