With such a packed gaming calendar, it’s hard to resist snapping up new releases instantly, but waiting just a few months can land you a bargain.
Summer, when sales are in abundance, is a good time to strike - and this season is no different. The Steam summer sale kicked off the festivities last month, with an exhaustive range of discounts for PC gamers, and now it’s the turn of console owners to get their fix.
Xbox is currently offering juicy deals on more than 1,000 titles until July 31 as part of its Ultimate game sale. Below, we’ve listed our top picks from the event, along with a summary. And, if you also own a PlayStation, make sure to check out our guide to the current sale on PS5 games.
1. Cuphead - £11.71 (30 per cent off)
What is it? Like someone took a forgotten cartoon from the 1930s and turned it into a fiendishly difficult platformer you can play with mates. For a few quid more, you can get the base game and The Delicious Last Course expansion for £16.09.
2. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — £31.49 (55 per cent off) (Game Pass)
What is it? Bringing the adventure-seeking thrills of Uncharted to the Star Wars universe, Survivor proves that flinging a Storm Trooper off a sky-high platform using only the Force never gets old.
3. GTA V — £17.49 (50 per cent off)
What is it? If you’re among the handful of people who still haven't played GTA 5, why not get primed for GTA 6 next year by grabbing it for a chunky discount?
4. Alan Wake 2 - £32.49 (35 per cent off)
What is it? Along with Baldur’s Gate 3 and Spider-Man 2, surreal horror Alan Wake 2 was one of the most feted games of last year. Fans of David Lynch, Stephen King, and Silent Hill will lap up this psychologically taut procedural.
5. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (Deluxe Edition) - £37.49 (50 per cent off)
What is it? Just in time for its new story expansion, Ubisoft’s open-world Avatar game gets a meaty discount seven months after its release.
6. Mortal Kombat 1: Premium Edition - £35.99 (60 per cent off)
What is it? A new “Kameo” system, which lets you call upon a second fighter for assistance, is the biggest addition in MK1, the latest entry in the gore-covered fighting franchise.
7. Tekken 8 – £41.99 (40 per cent off)
What is it? New gameplay quirks like enhanced “Heat” attacks and recoverable health make this one of the most aggressive and action-packed games in the iconic Tekken series.
8. Red Dead Redemption 2 - £18.14 (67 per cent off)
What is it? Explore a breathtaking Wild West on the brink of upheaval as outlaw Arthur Morgan in this visually stunning, open-world epic. One of the best games of all time.
9. Hogwarts Legacy — £25.99 (60 per cent off)
What is it? Forget about hitting the books, you’ll be too busy brewing potions and taming magical creatures in this blockbuster RPG set in Harry Potter’s old stomping ground.
10. Dying Light 2: Stay Human (Reloaded Edition) — £23.99 (60 per cent off)
What is it? One of our faves from 2022, Dying Light 2 has received a shedload of updates, making its nightmare zombie apocalypse bigger and badder than ever.
11. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 - £39.99 (20 per cent off) (Game Pass)
What is it? A brutal, psychologically-tormented odyssey of revenge and retribution set in 9th-century Iceland. Fans of short and sweet single-player games will find plenty to enjoy here.
12. Robocop: Rogue City - £24.99 (50 per cent off)
What is it? Far from a heartless cash grab (like the shoddy film sequels that followed in Robocop’s wake), Rogue City is a brutal blast of first-person-shooter fun.
13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection - £17.49 (50 per cent off)
What is it? A collection of 13 classic Turtles games, several of which served as the inspiration for 2022’s side-scrolling throwback TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (a co-op gem).
14. Mad Max - £2.99 (90 per cent off)
What is it? As close as any game has come to recreating the fuel-injected anarchy of Fury Road.
15. Remnant 2 - £20.87 (50 per cent off) (Game Pass)
What is it? A Soulslike with guns, and a pet dog that can revive you, Remnant 2 is a bullet-and-melee-storm best played with mates (or randoms) online.
16. Need for Speed Unbound - £10.49 (85 per cent off) (Game Pass)
What is it? With savings on Forza and F1, the Xbox sale is great for petrolheads, but 2022’s Unbound from the ever-reliable Need for Speed arcade racing series sticks out thanks to a massive discount.
17. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition - £43.54 (33 per cent off)
What is it? Night City, a neon-drenched future metropolis of haves and have-nots, is your oyster in this mind-bending tale of warped identities and corporate espionage. Hands down the best-looking game on modern consoles.
