How to set up instant alerts for wishlist game deals across Steam, Epic, & consoles?

The thrill of snagging a coveted game at a fraction of its original price is unmatched. But manually checking every storefront on a daily basis is a chore no one wants. Thankfully, a wealth of tools and services exists to do the heavy lifting for you, delivering instant notifications right to your inbox or phone whenever a game on your wishlist hits a sweet discount across Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

The Quest for Discounted Games

Before diving into specific tools, it’s essential to understand the general strategy: centralizing your desired games into wishlists and then leveraging third-party services or platform-native features to monitor their prices. This proactive approach ensures you’re always in the loop without constant vigilance.

Leveraging PC-Specific Tools: Steam & Epic

For PC gamers, the landscape is rich with options. Both Steam and Epic Games Store offer native wishlist features that can notify you of sales, but combining them with dedicated deal trackers unlocks a new level of precision and cross-platform visibility.

Steam

• Steam Wishlist: The most basic option. Add games to your Steam wishlist, and Valve will email you when they go on sale. While reliable, it’s not always instant for every price drop.
• IsThereAnyDeal.com: This is arguably the gold standard for PC game deal tracking. Connect your Steam account, and it automatically imports your wishlist. You can then set up custom price alerts (email, browser push) for specific percentages off or target price points across dozens of PC storefronts (Steam, Epic, GOG, Humble, Fanatical, etc.).
• SteamDB.info: While primarily a database, SteamDB also features a robust price history and can send alerts for games you follow. It’s excellent for seeing historical low prices to determine if a current deal is truly good.

Epic Games Store

• Epic Wishlist: Similar to Steam, Epic’s built-in wishlist will notify you via email when games go on sale.
• IsThereAnyDeal.com & GG.deals: These aggregators also track Epic Games Store sales, allowing you to centralize your PC wishlist tracking regardless of the storefront.

Navigating Console Deals: PlayStation, Xbox, & Nintendo Switch

Console sales can be trickier to track universally, as each platform has its own digital storefront. However, several specialized sites excel at monitoring these ecosystems.

PlayStation (PS4/PS5)

• PSDeals.com: This site is indispensable for PlayStation deals. You can import your PSN wishlist (or create one on the site) and set up email alerts for specific games. It tracks sales across different regional PlayStation Stores.
• Your Console’s Wishlist: Both PSN and Xbox allow you to add games to a wishlist directly on the console or via their web stores, often sending emails for sales.

Xbox (Xbox One/Series X|S)

• Xbox.com: The official Xbox website and the Xbox app allow you to wishlist games. You’ll receive email notifications for sales.
• TrueAchievements.com / TrueTrophies.com: These achievement tracking sites also offer robust game deal tracking and email alerts for Xbox and PlayStation respectively.

Nintendo Switch

• DekuDeals.com: The undisputed champion for Nintendo Switch deals. It tracks the eShop, physical retailers, and bundles. You can create a wishlist, set desired price points, and receive email alerts. Highly recommended for Switch owners.

Multi-Platform Deal Aggregators: Your One-Stop Shops

For gamers with diverse libraries across multiple systems, multi-platform aggregators are a godsend. They consolidate information from various storefronts and platforms into a single, manageable interface.

• GG.deals: An excellent comprehensive tracker that covers PC (Steam, Epic, GOG, etc.), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. You can create a master wishlist and receive email alerts for desired price drops across all platforms. It also shows historical price data.
• CheapShark.com: Another popular aggregator focusing primarily on PC digital storefronts, but it also has some console tracking capabilities. It’s great for quickly seeing the current lowest price for a game across many different stores.

Setting Up Instant Alerts: Never Miss a Drop

The core functionality of these services lies in their alert systems. While the exact steps vary slightly by platform, the general process is consistent:

1. Create an Account: Register with your chosen deal tracking service (e.g., IsThereAnyDeal, GG.deals, DekuDeals).
2. Build Your Wishlist: Import existing wishlists (from Steam, PSN, etc.) or manually add games you’re interested in.
3. Configure Alerts: For each game or your entire wishlist, specify your notification preferences:
   • Price Threshold: Set a desired percentage discount (e.g., 50% off or more) or a specific maximum price (e.g., $19.99 or less).
   • Notification Method: Choose email alerts, browser push notifications, or sometimes even mobile app notifications if available.
   • Store Preference: Some services allow you to prioritize certain stores or exclude others.
4. Stay Organized: Regularly review and prune your wishlists to keep them relevant.

Pro Tips for Savvy Deal Hunters

• Be Patient: Most games eventually go on sale, often multiple times a year. Setting alerts allows you to wait for the best possible price.
• Check Historical Lows: Always compare the current sale price against the game’s historical low. Sites like SteamDB and GG.deals provide this data.
• Consider Bundles: Services like Humble Bundle often include popular games in curated collections, offering incredible value. Your deal tracker might not catch these specific deals, so keep an eye out manually.
• Utilize Browser Extensions: Some services offer browser extensions that integrate price tracking directly into storefront pages, showing you price history and deals as you browse.
• Regional Pricing: Be aware that prices and sales can vary significantly by region. Ensure your chosen tracker supports your local currency and stores.

Empowering yourself with these tools transforms you from a casual browser to a strategic deal hunter. By setting up instant alerts, you’ll never again miss out on that must-have game at an irresistible price, ensuring your gaming library grows without shrinking your wallet.