Major seasonal sales like the Summer Sale and Holiday Sale are highlights for any PC gamer, but they can be overwhelming. With millions of users hitting the store at once and thousands of titles discounted, it is easy to lose track of your budget or buy games you will never actually play. Here are ten rules for navigating the chaos and getting the most out of your next Seasonal Steam Sale.
1. Wait an Hour After the Sale Starts
Major sales typically launch at 1:00 PM Eastern time. With roughly 40 million concurrent users on Steam, the store often experiences significant lag or page load errors during the first hour. Wait at least an hour—or two for good measure—to let the servers stabilize so your payments process without issue.
2. Prioritize the Wishlist
Your wishlist is your best tool for efficiency. Once the sale begins, your wishlist will reflect current discounts. Use the sorting tool at the top of your list to organize games by the highest discount percentage to quickly spot the best deals on titles you are already interested in.
3. Check Your Discovery Queue and Interactive Recommender
If you have cleared your wishlist, head to the Store homepage. Use the Discovery Queue to find titles relevant to your play history, or utilize the Interactive Recommender tool to filter games by specific tags, popularity, or release date to find hidden gems that match your taste.
4. Check for Bundles
Check individual game pages for "Complete the Bundle" options. If you already own one game in a collection, you can often secure an even deeper discount on the remaining titles. These bundle-specific savings are often better than standalone discounts.
5. If You’re Not Sure, Cool Off
Don't fall for the impulse-shopping trap. If you are not 100% sure you will play a game soon, let it marinate in your mind for a day or two. Check reviews and consider your current gaming time before committing to the purchase.
6. If the Sale Stinks, Don’t Bother
Steam no longer uses rotating flash sales; the discounts you see on day one are typically the discounts for the duration of the event. If a specific game isn't discounted enough for your liking, skip it. There will always be another sale.
7. Cross-Reference with SteamDB
Before buying, check the game on SteamDB. This database shows the historical price and discount history of every game, letting you know if a title has been cheaper in previous sales so you can decide if it is worth waiting for a better deal.
8. Check Third-Party Storefronts
Steam isn't the only place to buy PC games. Legitimate third-party retailers like GreenManGaming, GameBillet, and Fanatical often run their own sales. You can use IsThereAnyDeal to track historical prices across these official storefronts to ensure you are getting the absolute best price.
9. Commit to Your Purchases
Steam’s refund policy allows for returns if you have owned a game for less than two weeks and played for under two hours. However, try not to use this as a "demo" system. Only purchase games you intend to keep to ensure the platform remains generous with its policies.
10. Ask Your Friends Before Buying Gifts
It is a nice gesture to buy games for friends, but it can create an awkward obligation if they aren't interested in the title. Always check if they actually want the game before hitting the purchase button.