One of the reasons for Steam’s dominance in PC gaming is its steady sales. Known as the Steam Sales, there are two large sales each year, in the summer and winter. The Steam ‘Monster’ 2015 Summer Sale (June 11-21) is now available and includes some great deals on some popular games.
Since it runs parallel to E3 2015, you’ll be checking out the latest video game announcements and have to keep refreshing the Steam page to get the latest and greatest deals. That’s why we’ve designed this handy guide to help you save time and get the best deal throughout the selling process.
1. Don’t buy anything on the first day
It may seem counterintuitive at first, but early trades are usually not the best ones. Don’t buy a game unless it’s the last day of a sale, except for daily sales, flash sales, or community selection discounts. Instead of seeing 20% ​​or 25% off on day one, games marked as Daily Deals, Flash Sales, or Community Choices are typically discounted between 66% and 75% off, making them the best option.
2. Manage your schedule
Daily deals last all day, while flash sales and community-picked discounts last eight hours. Plan your shopping accordingly to avoid last-minute purchases and avoid a surge of late buyers that can lead to painful checkouts.
3. Exercise your right to vote and get paid
Well, that’s almost it. Valve often asks the community to vote on which games they’d like to see discounted. Voting gets you exclusive Steam cards from the sale. You can then sell these cards immediately on the Steam Market, as their value will decrease as the sale proceeds. Selling Steam Sale Cards quickly can help you accumulate some funds to offset the cost of the games you want.
4. If it’s not upfront, it’s not cheap enough
As the sale continues, Valve will refresh its homepage to ensure only the best deals grab your attention. While discounts are available on most games, digging deeper to get an initial batch usually results in a measly discount at best. Rather than digging for deals, it’s better to grab the last day because the game will either get a better discount or at least the price won’t increase during the sale. Regardless, always remember that if it’s not on the first page, it’s not discounted hard enough.
5. Nothing to regret
So, did you miss out on a heavily discounted game? Don’t worry, the last two days are usually a repeat of the best deals. Typically, the item you missed out on will be the price you wanted when the sale ended.
6. bring some friends
Steam sales are a great time to get discounts on multiplayer games. This is especially true with friends. We’ve seen situations in the past where buying four copies results in one being free, and now is the perfect time to get your multiplayer fix for cheaper if you bring a friend along.
7. Wishlist to help you win
You may not be sitting in front of a computer 24/7, maybe you have your own life. We won’t judge. Regardless, it’s a good idea to add the game you want to your Steam wishlist. If they’re on sale (and you haven’t changed your settings), you’ll receive an email notification, making purchasing a breeze.
Are you looking forward to the Steam Summer Sale? Let us know what games are on your wishlist in the comments.
