How to Spot a Real Game Deal (and Not a Fake Discount)

A “75% off” sticker on a video game is one of the most common marketing tricks in the industry. Stores and publishers routinely raise the “list price” right before a sale so the discount looks bigger, and the base price of a game can vary by 50% across stores. Knowing what a real deal looks like is the difference between saving €50 and saving €5.

This guide gives you the rules, the tools, and the habits that make sure you never pay more than you should for any game.

The two things every game price hides

1. The “list price” is fiction

Almost every PC game has a “list price” that no one has ever paid. Publishers set the list price high, then run “sales” that bring the price down to a more reasonable number. When a game is advertised as “75% off”, the price is usually returning to its normal level, not falling below it.

The Steam store is honest about this: every game has a list price and a current price. The “discount” is real as a percentage, but the list price was chosen to make the percentage look good. Compare against the game’s all-time low (IsThereAnyDeal shows this) and the percentage is often 30%, not 75%.

2. Stores price the same game differently

The same game can be €5 cheaper on one store than another, and the difference changes with each sale. Steam, Epic, GOG, Humble, Fanatical, and the Microsoft Store all sell the same games at different prices. The “best” price for a game rotates.

The tools that make this easy

IsThereAnyDeal (ITAD)

IsThereAnyDeal tracks the price of every game on every major store, with a full price history. Paste a game title or Steam URL and you get:

• The current best price across all stores
• The game’s all-time low price
• A chart of the price over time

Rule: never buy a game at a price higher than its all-time low. Set a price alert on ITAD and wait.

SteamDB

For Steam-specific deals, SteamDB shows the current price, the all-time low, and a chart. SteamDB also shows whether the “discount” is real (the game has been at or below this price before) or fake (the list price was just raised).

CheapShark

Similar to ITAD, with a slightly different interface and a different set of stores. Use whichever you prefer.

The rules to never overpay

Rule 1: Check the all-time low

Before buying any game, check the all-time low. If the current price is at or near the all-time low, buy. If it is significantly above, wishlist and wait.

Rule 2: Set a price alert

ITAD lets you set an alert for any game. You say “tell me when this drops below €20” and you get an email when it does. The same works on Steam: add to wishlist, you get an email on sale.

Rule 3: Wait one week after launch

Newly-released games are almost never on a real sale for the first month. If a game is €60 on day one, it is €30 within three months. Wait unless you really want to play it day one.

Rule 4: Buy during the major sales

There are four major PC game sales per year:

• Spring sale (late March to mid-April)
• Summer sale (late June to mid-July)
• Autumn sale (late October to early November)
• Winter sale (late December to early January)

If a game goes on sale during one of these, it is usually the best price of the year. If you can wait, wait for the next major sale.

Rule 5: Don’t buy from the Epic Games Store unless it’s free

Epic gives away free games every week (often €20–€40 value), which is great. Beyond the free games, the Epic Store’s pricing is usually 5–10% worse than Steam or other stores. Use Epic for the free games, use Steam (or wherever) for the paid ones.

Rule 6: Bundle sites are gold

Humble Bundle, Fanatical, and Groupees sell curated bundles at deep discounts. The bundles are themed (Humble Indie Bundle, Humble Strategy Bundle) and often include games you would never have tried otherwise. The leftover value from a $15 bundle is often $200+ of games. Check these sites every month.

A worked example

You see a game advertised as “60% off, was €60, now €24”. Do you buy?

1. Paste the game into IsThereAnyDeal.
2. Check the all-time low. If €24 is at or near the all-time low, buy.
3. If the all-time low is €12, wishlist and set a price alert for €15. Buy when it hits that.
4. If the game’s all-time low has been €18 in the last 6 months, wait for the next major sale. It will likely hit €18 again.

This takes 30 seconds and saves €6 on average, and €20+ on the best deals.

What about bundles and subscriptions?

Humble Choice

Humble Choice is a monthly subscription (€12/month) that gives you a bundle of games you keep. The games are usually worth €80+ for €12. Pause or cancel anytime. The current month’s bundle is worth checking.

Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass

If you have a subscription, the question changes: do not buy a game that’s in the subscription. Game Pass has around 400 games; check before buying.

Family sharing

If you have a family member with Game Pass Ultimate, you can share the subscription on Xbox. On PC, sharing is not officially supported but works with home networks.

The deals that are NOT worth chasing

Seasonal sales that aren’t major

Stores run “weekend sales” and “midweek sales” constantly. The discounts in these sales are usually 20–30%, not the 60–80% of the major sales. If you wait for the major sale, you’ll get a better price.

Pre-orders

Pre-ordering a game locks in the price but rarely gets you the best deal. The game is usually cheaper three months after launch. The only reason to pre-order is to play the game on day one.

“Launch sales” for new releases

New games launch at “list price” for the first month, then drop. Buying at launch is rarely the best deal. The exception: if the game is in a subscription you already have, play it there.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Buying a game at “list price” because of FOMO. The list price is fiction. Wait.
2. Trusting a single store’s price. The same game is on Steam, Epic, GOG, and Humble. Compare.
3. Buying a game because it is “75% off” without checking the all-time low. A 75% off game that was €20 last month is not a deal. It’s a return to the normal price.
4. Paying for a game that’s in a subscription you have. Check the subscription first.

Frequently asked questions

Is IsThereAnyDeal reliable?

Yes. It pulls from the stores’ APIs. The all-time-low data is accurate to within a day. The price alerts are email-based and reliable.

What’s the difference between Steam sales and Steam “deals”?

Steam’s “deals” section is curated by the Steam team. The sales are automatic. Both are real. The all-time low on ITAD reflects both.

What about regional pricing?

Some stores (Steam, especially) adjust prices by region. A game that’s €30 in Germany might be €10 in Argentina. ITAD shows your region’s price. The “real” price in your region is the one to compare.

The bottom line

The rules: check the all-time low, set a price alert, wait for major sales, and never trust a percentage off. 30 seconds of checking saves you €5–€20 on every game you buy. The savings add up.