Best tools for tracking cross-platform game deals & price drops on my wishlist?

Navigating the World of Game Deals

For avid gamers, snagging a coveted title at a discounted price is almost as satisfying as beating the game itself. However, with countless digital storefronts across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo, keeping tabs on price drops for your ever-growing wishlist can feel like an impossible quest. Thankfully, a suite of dedicated tools and strategies exists to help you become a master of game deal hunting.

Whether you’re looking for a specific indie gem or a AAA blockbuster, knowing which tools to leverage can save you significant money and time. This guide will explore the most effective platforms and methods for tracking cross-platform game deals and ensuring your wishlist is always up-to-date with the best prices.

Dedicated Game Deal Aggregators: Your All-in-One Solution

The cornerstone of any serious deal hunter’s toolkit are dedicated game price aggregators. These websites crawl numerous digital storefronts, compile pricing data, and allow you to set up alerts for specific games.

IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD)

Often considered the gold standard, IsThereAnyDeal.com tracks prices across major PC storefronts like Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Humble Store, and many others. You can import your Steam wishlist, create custom lists, and receive email notifications when a game reaches your desired price point or hits an all-time low. ITAD also features historical price charts, helping you decide if a current deal is truly worth it.

CheapShark

CheapShark.com is another robust aggregator, focusing primarily on PC game deals. It offers a clean interface for searching games and setting up email alerts. While its coverage might be slightly less extensive than ITAD for smaller stores, it’s excellent for quickly finding the best prices on popular titles across major PC platforms.

Leveraging Platform-Specific Wishlists

While aggregators are fantastic for cross-platform tracking, don’t underestimate the power of native wishlist features on individual storefronts. These are often the quickest way to get direct notifications from the platform itself.

• Steam Wishlist: The Steam platform offers robust wishlist functionality. Add any game, and Steam will send you email notifications when it goes on sale.
• PlayStation Store: Create a wishlist on your PlayStation account, and Sony will alert you via email when games on your list receive price drops or enter sales events.
• Xbox Store: Similar to PlayStation, the Xbox Store allows you to ‘Follow’ games, which acts like a wishlist, notifying you of sales via email or console notifications.
• Nintendo eShop: Nintendo’s eShop has a dedicated “Watch List” feature. Add games here, and you’ll receive email notifications when they go on sale.

Combining these native wishlists with a cross-platform aggregator ensures you’re covered from all angles, catching deals directly from the source as well as aggregated findings.

Community-Driven Deal Sites & Forums

Sometimes, the best deals are unearthed by dedicated communities. These platforms often highlight flash sales, regional discounts, or bundle deals that might not always be picked up by automated trackers immediately.

Reddit’s r/GameDeals

This subreddit is a goldmine for real-time game deal alerts. Users actively post sales from various storefronts, including smaller indie bundles and less common regional deals. It’s an excellent place to discover deals you might otherwise miss, but requires more active browsing.

HotUKDeals / Slickdeals (Gaming Sections)

Similar to Reddit, large deal aggregator sites like HotUKDeals (UK) or Slickdeals (US) have dedicated gaming sections where users post and vote on deals. These communities often provide valuable insights into deal quality, regional restrictions, and potential glitches, offering a more curated selection than a raw price tracker.

Browser Extensions & Mobile Apps

For even greater convenience, consider integrating deal tracking directly into your browsing experience or carrying it with you on the go.

Browser Extensions

Extensions like the ‘Enhanced Steam’ (not officially affiliated with Valve) can integrate price history and deal alerts directly into Steam store pages. While primarily for PC, similar extensions sometimes exist for other platforms, providing immediate context on a game’s pricing as you browse.

Mobile Apps

Many of the major deal tracking websites (like IsThereAnyDeal or CheapShark) offer companion mobile apps, or there are independent apps designed specifically for game deal alerts. These provide push notifications directly to your phone, ensuring you’re alerted to price drops even when you’re away from your desktop.

Tips for Maximizing Your Savings

• Be Patient: Most games, especially digital ones, will eventually go on sale. If you’re not in a hurry, waiting can save you a lot.
• Check Price History: Tools like IsThereAnyDeal show historical price charts, helping you determine if a current sale is truly a good deal or if it’s likely to go even lower.
• Utilize Bundles: Keep an eye out for game bundles from sites like Humble Bundle or Fanatical, which offer multiple games for a fraction of their individual price.
• Holiday Sales: Major sales events (Black Friday, Summer Sales, Christmas/Winter Sales, publisher-specific sales) are prime times for the deepest discounts.
• Regional Pricing: Be aware that prices and sales can vary significantly by region.

Conclusion

Tracking cross-platform game deals no longer needs to be a daunting task. By combining the power of dedicated aggregators like IsThereAnyDeal and CheapShark with native platform wishlists, active community forums, and convenient mobile apps, you can become a highly efficient and successful game deal hunter. Arm yourself with these tools, and you’ll be well on your way to building an impressive game library without breaking the bank.