Gaming is a booming industry, with millions of pounds spent on new releases each year. However, the cost of the latest games promises to burn a hole in pockets.
For example, Hogwarts Legacy, the open-world RPG set in the Harry Potter universe, will set fans back £59.99. For sports fans who need to get their hands on the latest Fifa game, even pre-owned copies can cost upwards of £40.
But thankfully there are options out there for parents who need to save money on birthday gifts or subscription services for avid gamers looking to watch their wallet. Here’s a few to get you started.
Discounted video games
For those who like to pick up specific games, then the cost of buying them all can quickly add up. However, waiting around for a couple of months can see the price drop dramatically, saving you a few quid straight out of the gate.
If you simply must get the latest release, then check out websites like CD Keys or even supermarkets first. CD Keys sells digital codes for games and top-up cards and often can have savings of up to 90%.
It is completely legitimate and offers instant delivery of codes so there’s no waiting around for the postman. As well as games, CD Keys offers top-up cards for the likes of the Playstation and Xbox stores as well.
Supermarkets
Meanwhile, supermarkets have been known to offer some amazing deals on games, especially those that are a little older. Tesco was recently spotted to be selling games such as Gran Turismo 7 and F1 22 for less than a fiver.
While price cuts like these are not a regular occurrence, Tesco in particular often gives money off games for Clubcard holders. While Sainsbury’s shoppers should check on the shelf first before heading to partner store Argos, as sometimes there are huge savings to be had.
Pre-owned
Don’t shy away from second-hand trading in your existing games and buying new ones. Stores such as GAME and CeX will buy your physical games off you for either cash or in-store credit.
Often, the in-store credit is higher than the cash price and can be put towards taking home a new game. Stores will also sell preowned titles that have been played by someone else first.
These are always tested by experienced staff before they’re offered back out for resale so you can rest easy knowing you’re buying a genuine product.
Subscription services
If you like to play a lot of different games, then picking up a number of titles each month can be expensive. However, following in the footsteps of streaming services like Netflix, many game companies offer their own subscription services that offer unlimited access to games for a monthly fee.
These services may not always have the latest releases, but many have some top-tier games that will be fun to play. As with most subscription services, these are a rolling monthly fee, which means you can swap between the different services depending on which games you want to play.
Possibly one of the highest-rated subscription services, Game Pass is available for PC and for Xbox players. Introductory offers include your first month for just £1 and then £7.99 thereafter.
The titles available to players differ depending on the platform choice, whether you’re on a console or on a PC. But particular highlights include access to the entire Halo franchise and for the younger ones, Minecraft, too.
Exclusive to those on Sony’s consoles, even the cheapest tier of PlayStation Plus offers some incredible deals with three full games for free each month. Higher tiers offer access to the PlayStation Plus library with hundreds of titles or access to vintage games to relive your younger years.
While a little different to the other two, for people who only own a Switch console the options are limited. Switch Online subscribers have access to an exciting library of NES and SNES vintage games, with an expansion pack upgrade that throws in Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64 and GameBoy Advance games, too. Perfect for those looking to relive their childhood gaming favourites or share their passion with younger minds.
Don’t count out mobile gaming as an option to whet your appetite. There are tonnes of excellent and exciting games to choose on Apple Arcade and the benefit is that absolutely none of them include microtransactions, which means you have access to the whole game without worrying about accidentally buying upgrades.
EA is one of the biggest publishers going with huge titles under their belt. EA Play includes unlimited access to EA games on consoles or PC, including Dead Space, Madden and The Sims 4, and sometimes subscribers get to play games before their official release date.
EA Play is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or costs £3.99 a month for the standard tier.
Amazon Prime subscribers can get access to exclusive rewards via Prime Gaming including free PC games, in-game content for some huge titles and a free subscription to your favourite Twitch streamer each month. Prime Gaming costs £8.99 per month for a standalone subscription or is included in regular Amazon Prime subscriptions.
One of the more expensive subscription services, Ubisoft+ is for PC users and has a huge library, with more than 100 new and classic games from one of Europe’s biggest publishers. We’re talking about every Assassin’s Creed title through FarCry, WatchDogs and Splinter Cell.
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