Real deal or fake discount? How to judge a game sale
A big red percentage tells you how far the price moved, not whether it is a good price. These checks take about a minute and will stop most bad buys.
1. Check the base price, not just the percentage
"80% off" only means something if the original price was real. A store can list a game at a high regular price for a short time and then discount it, so the percentage looks large while the sale price is ordinary. When you see a big discount, ask what the game normally sells for across several stores, not just the one showing the deal.
On LootGauge, the deal finder shows both the sale price and the store's normal price, and lets you compare the same game across stores. If another store sells it for the same amount without a "sale" label, the discount isn't special.
2. Compare with the game's past lows
Most PC games go on sale again and again. The best guide to whether today's price is good is what the game has sold for before. CheapShark, which supplies our data, shows a game's cheapest recorded price on its own game pages and offers free price alerts by email. If today's price is well above a past low and you aren't in a hurry, setting an alert is usually smarter than buying now.
3. Watch editions, bundles and DLC
- Edition confusion. "Deluxe", "Gold" and "Complete" editions are often discounted more heavily than the base game, but their regular prices are higher too. Compare the price of the edition you actually want.
- Bundles with games you own. A bundle is only a bargain if you want most of what's in it. Many stores adjust bundle prices for items you already own, but not all do, so check before paying.
- Season passes and DLC. Make sure the item on sale is the game itself and not an add-on that needs the base game.
- Old versions. Re-released or "remastered" games sometimes sit next to the old version in a store. Check which one the deal is for.
4. Know who is actually selling the game
Buying directly from a digital store (for example Steam, GOG or the Epic Games Store) or from an authorised key seller that the publisher supplies is the low-risk option. Authorised sellers buy keys from publishers or distributors, so the keys are legitimate and refunds go through a business you can contact.
"Marketplace" style key sites let anyone resell keys. Keys there can come from region-locked stock, bulk-bought bundles, or occasionally stolen payment cards, and publishers sometimes revoke them. Every deal on LootGauge comes from stores that CheapShark tracks, which are established retailers rather than open marketplaces, but you should still check the store's region and refund rules before paying.
5. Learn the timing of sales
Large PC stores run seasonal sales several times a year, and big publishers often hold their own sales. Games released in the last few months usually see small discounts (10 to 25%) at first, with deeper cuts later. If a game you want just launched, a small launch discount is rarely its best price, but waiting means missing launch-week fun, and that's a fair trade-off to make on purpose.
One-minute checklist
- Is the sale price lower than the normal price at other stores?
- Is it close to the game's lowest recorded price?
- Is it the edition you want, and not a DLC or an old version?
- Is the seller the store itself or an authorised key seller?
- Does the key work in your region and with the platform you use?
- Do you know the refund rules? See our store and refund guide.
Ready to look? Start with the deal finder or today's hand-picked list in Deals of the day.