What’s the smartest way to get notified of major PC & console game price drops?

Catching a major price drop on a highly anticipated PC or console game can feel like hitting the jackpot. With hundreds of new titles released each year and digital storefronts constantly running sales, keeping track of every potential discount seems like a full-time job. Thankfully, a wealth of smart tools and strategies exist to help you snag those coveted titles without paying full price. This guide will walk you through the most intelligent ways to get notified, ensuring you never miss a great deal again.

Leveraging Dedicated Game Deal Aggregators

The first and arguably most effective strategy is to utilize websites specifically designed to track game prices across various digital storefronts. These aggregators are powerful databases that monitor prices from Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace, Nintendo eShop, and many more.

• IsThereAnyDeal: This is a gold standard for PC gamers, tracking prices from dozens of authorized retailers. You can build a wishlist, and it will email you when games on your list hit a specific price point or percentage off. It even shows historical low prices, helping you determine if a current deal is truly good.
• CheapShark: Similar to IsThereAnyDeal, CheapShark focuses on PC game deals, often including deals from reputable key resellers. It allows you to set price alerts and browse current sales.
• GG.deals: A comprehensive platform that covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo games. GG.deals offers a robust wishlist, price alerts, and detailed price history charts, making it easy to see trends and find the best time to buy.

Utilizing Platform-Specific Wishlists and Notifications

Most major digital storefronts for PC and consoles offer their own built-in wishlist and notification features. While these won’t alert you to deals outside their own store, they are crucial for catching first-party sales.

• Steam Wishlist: For PC gamers, adding games to your Steam wishlist is essential. Steam frequently sends out email notifications when games on your list go on sale.
• PlayStation Store Wishlist: Similarly, the PlayStation Store allows you to add games to your wishlist and will send you email alerts when they receive a discount.
• Xbox Marketplace Wishlist: Xbox also provides a wishlist feature, and you’ll typically get notifications directly on your console or via email when wished-for games drop in price.
• Nintendo eShop: While the eShop doesn’t have a traditional wishlist email alert, adding games to your ‘Watch List’ will show you current sales directly in the store interface.

Browser Extensions and Mobile Apps

For an even more integrated experience, browser extensions and dedicated mobile apps can keep price tracking at your fingertips.

• Enhanced Steam / Augmented Steam: These browser extensions add significant functionality to the Steam store, including showing historical low prices, price comparisons from other retailers (via IsThereAnyDeal integration), and more.
• Deal-specific Mobile Apps: Many of the aforementioned aggregators (like GG.deals) also offer mobile apps, allowing you to manage wishlists and receive push notifications on the go.
• Price Tracker Extensions: Generic price tracker extensions (like Honey or Keepa for Amazon) can sometimes be adapted for specific game retailers, though dedicated game deal trackers are usually more effective.

Engaging with Gaming Communities and Social Media

Sometimes, the best deals are shared by fellow gamers in active online communities.

• Reddit (r/GameDeals): This subreddit is a highly active hub where users post current game sales from various retailers as soon as they go live. It’s an excellent way to discover flash sales or limited-time offers that might not be picked up by aggregators immediately.
• Discord Servers: Many gaming-focused Discord servers have dedicated channels for deals and discounts. Following your favorite publishers, developers, or gaming news outlets on social media can also sometimes alert you to upcoming or ongoing sales.

The Smartest Strategy: A Multi-Pronged Approach

While any one of these methods will improve your chances of catching a deal, the absolute smartest way to get notified of major PC and console game price drops is to combine several of them. Here’s a recommended approach:

1. Centralize Your Wishlist: Use a dedicated aggregator like IsThereAnyDeal or GG.deals to maintain your primary wishlist for all games across all platforms. Set up email alerts for price drops.
2. Maintain Platform Wishlists: Still add games to your Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox wishlists to ensure you get first-party notifications directly from the source.
3. Monitor r/GameDeals: Regularly check or subscribe to notifications from r/GameDeals for immediate community-sourced alerts on flash sales.
4. Install Browser Extensions: Enhance your browsing experience on platforms like Steam with extensions that provide instant price history and comparisons.

By employing this multi-pronged strategy, you’ll create a robust net that catches virtually every significant price drop, ensuring your gaming library grows without breaking the bank.