How to track PC game sales across Steam, Epic & GOG efficiently?

Navigating the World of PC Game Sales

With the PC gaming landscape increasingly fragmented across multiple digital storefronts like Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, keeping tabs on desired titles can feel like a full-time job. Each platform hosts its own seasonal sales, weekly deals, and publisher promotions, making it challenging for gamers to find the best prices. Fortunately, several strategies and tools can help you efficiently track PC game sales and ensure you snag your favorite games at their historical low.

Leverage Platform-Specific Tools

The first line of defense in your deal-hunting arsenal should always be the native features offered by the storefronts themselves. All three major platforms provide robust wishlist functionalities and notification systems.

Steam Wishlist: Steam’s wishlist is perhaps the most well-known. Add any game you’re interested in, and Steam will send you an email notification when it goes on sale. You can also customize your notification preferences to receive alerts for specific discount percentages.

Epic Games Store Wishlist: Similar to Steam, Epic’s wishlist allows you to mark games you want. When a wishlisted game receives a price drop, Epic will send an email alert directly to your inbox. This is especially useful given Epic’s frequent major sales and generous coupons.

GOG Wishlist: GOG.com, known for its DRM-free philosophy, also features a wishlist. You’ll receive email notifications when games on your GOG wishlist enter a sale period. It’s a simple yet effective way to track deals on your favorite classic and modern DRM-free titles.

Harness Dedicated Price Tracking Websites

For a comprehensive, cross-storefront overview, specialized price tracking websites are indispensable. These platforms aggregate deals from dozens of digital stores, including Steam, Epic, GOG, Humble Store, Fanatical, and many more, allowing you to compare prices and set custom alerts.

IsThereAnyDeal.com: Widely considered the gold standard, IsThereAnyDeal allows you to link your Steam, Epic, and GOG accounts to automatically import your wishlists. You can then set up price alerts for specific games, defining your desired price point or discount percentage. It also tracks historical low prices, helping you determine if a current deal is truly great.

GG.deals: This robust platform offers similar functionality to IsThereAnyDeal, providing price comparisons across numerous stores, historical price charts, and email alerts. GG.deals also features a user-friendly interface and often highlights bundled deals and free games.

By using these sites, you avoid manually checking each storefront, saving considerable time and ensuring you don’t miss a fleeting flash sale.

Utilize Browser Extensions and Aggregators

Some browser extensions can integrate price tracking directly into your shopping experience, providing real-time information as you browse game pages on various storefronts.

While specific extensions come and go, many aim to display historical prices, compare current deals across stores, and even highlight current coupons directly on the game’s product page. Searching your browser’s extension store for terms like “game price tracker” or “deal aggregator” can reveal useful tools. Additionally, some gaming news outlets and communities run their own deal aggregators that compile daily or weekly lists of the best sales across all platforms.

Stay Informed with Communities and Newsletters

Beyond automated tools, human curation and community efforts play a significant role in tracking game sales.

Reddit Communities: Subreddits like r/gamedeals are highly active communities where users post and discuss sales from various stores as soon as they go live. It’s an excellent way to discover unexpected deals or get quick opinions on whether a game is worth its sale price.

Gaming News Sites & Newsletters: Many prominent gaming news websites have dedicated sections or newsletters focusing on game deals. Subscribing to these can provide a curated digest of the most significant sales across all platforms, often with editorial commentary.

Best Practices for Savvy Shoppers

• Be Patient: Most games will go on sale multiple times a year. If you miss a deal, chances are it will return.
• Set Price Alerts: Don’t just wishlist; set specific price alerts on tracking sites to get notified when a game hits your desired price point.
• Check Historical Lows: Always verify if a sale price is a historical low before purchasing. Price tracking sites provide this data.
• Bundle Consideration: Keep an eye out for game bundles (e.g., Humble Bundle, Fanatical) that can offer incredible value for multiple games.

Conclusion

Tracking PC game sales across Steam, Epic, and GOG doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By combining the native wishlist features of each platform with powerful third-party price tracking websites, browser extensions, and active community engagement, you can create a highly efficient system. This multi-pronged approach ensures you’re always in the loop, allowing you to build your game library smartly and economically without missing out on those coveted discounts.