What are the best tools to find reliable, working deals & codes for all types of games?

Unlocking Savings: Your Guide to Game Deals and Codes

In the expansive and often expensive world of video gaming, finding reliable deals and working discount codes is akin to discovering hidden treasure. Whether you’re a PC master race enthusiast, a loyal console gamer, or a mobile gaming addict, stretching your budget allows for a wider library of adventures. But with so many storefronts and ephemeral sales, how do you consistently find legitimate savings? This guide will navigate you through the best tools and strategies to ensure you never pay full price again.

Dedicated Deal Aggregators: Your First Stop

These specialized websites are designed to scour the internet for game deals across various platforms and storefronts, presenting them in an easy-to-digest format.

• IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD): Often considered the gold standard, ITAD aggregates prices from a vast array of legitimate digital storefronts (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, Fanatical, Green Man Gaming, etc.). It allows you to track specific games, set price alerts for your wishlist, and view historical low prices, ensuring you know if a ‘deal’ is truly a good one.
• CheapShark: Similar to ITAD, CheapShark focuses primarily on PC games. It’s excellent for quickly seeing current deals, historical prices, and filtering by store or platform. Their API also powers many other deal-finding tools.
• Fanatical & Green Man Gaming: While not aggregators in the traditional sense, these authorized resellers frequently have their own exclusive bundles, sales, and voucher codes that often beat direct storefront prices. They are excellent sources for legitimate keys.

Platform-Specific Sales & First-Party Stores

While third-party sites are great, never underestimate the power of direct platform sales.

• Steam Sales: Legendary for their massive discounts, Steam holds seasonal sales (Summer, Winter, Autumn, Halloween) and publisher-specific promotions. Wishlisting games is crucial here, as Steam will notify you when they go on sale.
• PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop: Each major console platform has its own digital storefront that regularly features weekly deals, seasonal promotions, and publisher sales. Subscribing to their newsletters or checking their “Deals” section regularly is key.
• Epic Games Store: Known for its generous free game giveaways every week, the Epic Games Store also runs significant sales, often coupled with unlimited-use discount coupons that apply to eligible purchases, leading to incredibly low prices.
• GOG.com: Specializing in DRM-free games, GOG also hosts frequent sales, particularly on classic PC titles and indie gems.

Community-Driven Deal Forums & Subreddits

The collective power of gamers can be a formidable force in deal hunting.

• r/GameDeals (Reddit): This subreddit is a constantly updated stream of deals posted by users across various platforms and storefronts. The community vets deals, warns of shady sites, and discusses the validity and value of each offer. It’s an indispensable resource.
• r/FreeGameFindings (Reddit): Specifically for free games, this subreddit alerts you to temporary giveaways on platforms like Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and other promotions.
• Slickdeals, HotUKDeals (and similar regional sites): While not exclusively for games, these general deal community sites often feature excellent gaming deals, especially for physical copies, console bundles, or gift card discounts that can be used for games.

Price Trackers & Browser Extensions

For those who want to automate their deal finding or get more granular data, these tools are invaluable.

• Augmented Steam (Browser Extension): Enhances the Steam store page with price history from ITAD, allows quick comparison with other stores, and highlights if a game has been cheaper. A must-have for PC gamers.
• Enhanced GOG (Browser Extension): Similar functionality for the GOG storefront, integrating price history and comparisons.
• RetailMeNot, Honey, Rakuten: These broader coupon and cashback extensions sometimes find applicable codes for game purchases on specific storefronts, though they are more hit-or-miss for digital game keys.

Essential Tips for Successful Deal Hunting

• Set Price Alerts: Most aggregators allow you to set alerts for desired price points. Use them!
• Check Deal History: Always look at a game’s historical low price before buying. IsThereAnyDeal and CheapShark excel at this.
• Verify Legitimacy: Stick to reputable storefronts listed on sites like ITAD. Avoid grey market key sellers, as keys can be revoked.
• Act Fast (Sometimes): Flash sales and limited-time offers can disappear quickly.
• Read Comments: Community forums often have vital information regarding deal validity, regional restrictions, or if a code is still working.

Conclusion

Finding reliable game deals and working codes requires a blend of savvy tools and community engagement. By leveraging dedicated aggregators, keeping an eye on platform-specific sales, participating in community forums, and utilizing smart browser extensions, you can significantly reduce the cost of building your dream game library. Happy hunting, and may your backlog grow ever larger with fantastic, affordable titles!