Considering that AAA video games will nowadays easily rid you of $70 and gaming hardware is expensive to acquire, it is easy to believe that gaming is an inherently expensive hobby. But it really doesn’t have to be, if you know the right way to go about it.
With the internet, all kinds of monetization models, various subscription services, and so much more, gaming is now more easily accessible than ever before. So many ways now let you to game for free, or at least at a very low cost. We’ll jump into some ways that allow you to play without breaking the bank.
Play Free-to-Play Games
This is really a no-brainer tip, but nevertheless probably the most important one: play free-to-play games. Sounds easy enough, right? The number of games out there that use the free-to-play business model has been growing steadily and has taken over a massive chunk of the gaming industry.
Whether you’re playing mobile games, jumping into game worlds on PC, or gaming on consoles, free-to-play games are essentially ubiquitous at this stage and can be found on any platform and in any genre. From hyper-casual hits on mobile to AAA multiplayer games on PC, you’ll find free-to-play games left and right. Make sure to check out the corresponding category on your online game shop of choice.
Especially on your mobile app store and on PC, you’ll find a very long list of free games that won’t cost you a cent to play.
Use Subscription Services
Streaming services like Netflix have revolutionized how we watch TV. Instead of buying individual movies and TV shows, we are now accustomed to having a vast library of content available on demand for a relatively small monthly fee.
This allows us to watch anything in the extensive catalog without making individual purchases. This trend has found its way into the gaming space as well and can be a great way to save big.
Gaming subscription services such as PS Plus, Xbox Game Pass, Apple Arcade, etc. all include free monthly games or access to a large game library for a monthly fee. If you like to try out different games and give all kinds of titles a shot, these services can be a very effective money saver. But it’s not just the dedicated gaming subscriptions you can take advantage of.
You might actually already have a subscription that also grants you free games. Are you using Netflix? The streaming service has a growing library of mobile games that you can play at no additional cost as part of your standard subscription. The same goes for Amazon Prime.
The e-commerce giant offers its Prime subscribers free games and gaming content every month. So, make sure to always check these out and claim whatever piques your interest.
Take Advantage of Deals and Promotions
Another very straightforward way of saving money on games is by taking advantage of deals, sales, and any kind of promotion. These happen throughout the entire year on any type of game from all genres. Use deal aggregator sites to never miss out on the best deals and current sales for your preferred platform and games.
Sites such as GOG, IsThereAnyDeal, and GG.deals are all perfect for finding video game deals.
More great offers can be found on Humble Bundle. Here, you can buy bundles of games for a very low price, which usually end up offering incredible value for money.
There are also regular promotions that allow you to test out games for free or download premium games for free for a limited amount of time. Special events such as Steam Next Fest let you play free game demos, for instance, and some games can be played for free as part of an open beta test.
This is also the case in the realm of traditional games. Online casino providers are known to offer special promotions to both new and existing customers that allow them to try out their games for free. A lot of these sites curate the best online platforms offering free spins as a bonus to their customers, with which they can play certain slots for free before placing a wager. This way, players can get more out of their wager and try games to see if they like them first.
Do you still think gaming has to be an expensive hobby? Use these simple ways to save money on popular games and play for free – or at least almost for free – to enjoy this hobby without breaking the bank.
