Best tool to track game price drops for indie & AAA titles?

Never Miss a Gaming Deal Again

For avid gamers, nothing beats the thrill of snagging a coveted title at a fraction of its original price. Whether you’re eyeing the latest AAA blockbuster or a hidden indie gem, tracking price drops can save you a significant amount of money. But with countless digital storefronts and frequent sales events, keeping tabs on every potential discount can feel like a full-time job. Thankfully, a variety of powerful tools exist to do the heavy lifting for you, ensuring you’re always in the loop when your desired games hit an all-time low.

Essential Features of a Top-Tier Price Tracker

Before diving into specific recommendations, it’s crucial to understand what makes a game price tracking tool truly effective. Look out for these key features:

• Multi-Platform Support: The best tools cover a wide range of storefronts, including Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace, Nintendo eShop, and even third-party key resellers.
• Historical Price Data: Seeing a game’s price history helps you determine if a current ‘deal’ is genuinely good or just a typical sale price.
• Customizable Wishlists/Alerts: The ability to add specific games to a watchlist and receive notifications when their price drops below a certain threshold is invaluable.
• Regional Pricing: Prices often vary by region, so a tool that caters to your local currency and store can be more accurate.
• DRM Information: Knowing if a game uses Denuvo or other DRM can influence your purchase decision, especially from key sites.

Leading Tools for Tracking Game Price Drops

IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD)

Widely regarded as the gold standard for PC game price tracking, IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD) aggregates prices from legitimate digital storefronts and key resellers. It boasts an extensive database, historical price charts, and robust wishlist functionality with email alerts. You can connect your Steam library to automatically track games you own or have wishlisted. ITAD is incredibly comprehensive, covering indie and AAA titles alike across numerous PC platforms.

SteamDB

While primarily a database for all things Steam, SteamDB offers excellent price tracking for Valve’s platform. It provides detailed historical price graphs, regional pricing information, and allows you to create a personalized watchlist. For PC gamers heavily invested in Steam, it’s an indispensable resource for monitoring sales, bundles, and even predicting future discounts based on historical patterns.

Console-Specific Trackers (PSNProfiles, TrueAchievements, DekuDeals)

For console gamers, dedicated sites often provide the best insights:

• PSNProfiles (PlayStation): While known for trophy tracking, PSNProfiles also features a robust sales section and the ability to add games to a wishlist for price drop notifications on the PlayStation Store.
• TrueAchievements (Xbox): Similar to PSNProfiles, TrueAchievements offers comprehensive sales tracking for Xbox games, alongside its achievement focus.
• DekuDeals (Nintendo Switch): This site is a must-have for Switch owners, providing detailed price history, eShop sales, and physical game deals. DekuDeals helps you decide when to buy digital or physical copies.

Publisher & Storefront Wishlists

Don’t underestimate the power of native wishlist features on storefronts like Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Marketplace. Most will send you email notifications when a game on your wishlist goes on sale. While not as comprehensive as third-party tools, they’re a simple and effective first line of defense against missing a deal.

Tips for Maximizing Your Savings

• Be Patient: Most games, especially AAA titles, will eventually see significant discounts. If you can wait, you’ll likely save money.
• Check Different Regions: Sometimes, games are cheaper in other regions (though this can come with activation or DRM issues, so proceed with caution).
• Consider Bundles: Sites like Humble Bundle and Fanatical frequently offer incredible value bundles that can include games you’re tracking.
• Look for Free Weekends/Demos: Before buying, take advantage of free play weekends or demos to ensure the game is worth your money.
• Read Reviews: A deeply discounted game isn’t a good deal if it’s not fun to play. Always check reviews before purchasing.

Conclusion

The days of guessing when to buy games are long gone. With an array of sophisticated tools at your disposal, tracking price drops for both indie darlings and AAA blockbusters has never been easier or more effective. By utilizing platforms like IsThereAnyDeal, SteamDB, and console-specific trackers, coupled with smart wishlist management, you can build an impressive game library without breaking the bank. Happy hunting!