The games industry is the largest media sector in the world, representing a net worth well in excess of $200 billion globally. From consoles to mobile apps, there has never been greater variety for gaming fans to explore.
But there’s no denying the fact that, at times, access to these experiences can be costly. With a new gaming PC setting you back over $1000 and even consoles selling for $500+, it can be hard to know what the most cost effective way to enjoy gaming can be.
Fortunately, there are many options for budget conscious gamers to enjoy, and we will cover the best of these below.
Promos and Welcome Offers
One of the longest running cost saving measures out there, both for gaming and for commerce in general, is that of promotional offers and sign-up bonuses. These are designed in such a way that they encourage new patrons to try out a given game or service by providing unique benefits or perks.
Most often, these offers take the form of tangible cost-saving benefits, whether that’s in the form of a free trial, spins or bonus credits. Such offers are particularly commonplace in the iGaming sector, so much so that leading comparison platforms such as OddsChecker specialize in connecting users with the latest offers and bonuses from reputable online casinos.
If you’re a fan of slots or table games, redeeming a welcome bonus can be a great way to reduce costs while accessing your preferred experience. What’s more, it’s possible to shop around to find specific deals that suit your requirements, further reducing potential outlay.
Many OTT subscription gaming services will also offer limited time trials. Not only do these let gamers ‘try before they buy’, but it can translate to meaningful savings in the short term. Apple Arcade, for example, offers a generous one month free trial with full access to its features and game catalogue.
Curated Services
One of the most cost effective ways to get a lot of mileage out of your gaming today is to make use of a curated service. There are an increasing number of these available, from Apple Arcade, to cloud gaming platforms such as Xbox Game Pass, Amazon Luna and PS Now. Even Netflix comes bundled with a gaming section as part of its standard monthly fee.
Finding the right service for you may take some trial and error. After all, not everyone is looking for the next generation triple-A gaming that Game Pass is set up to offer. But for those who are of a mind to access the biggest games out there today, there’s no cheaper way to do so.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives users immediate access to a rotating selection of around 200 Xbox games past and present. Crucially, among these you’ll find day-one releases of modern titles such as Halo: Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077 and even the upcoming Forza Motorsport reboot.
With ninth generation console games often retailing for $70, the intrinsic value offered by a single monthly fee for on-demand access is hard to understate.
Free to Play
Live service games have become an increasingly commonplace part of the modern game industry, and this has led to a minor revolution in the way games are monetized on the front end.
The free-to-play model, the roots of which can be traced to Dota 2, gives players full access to the game in question upfront, free of charge. The way this model works is that it relies on users spending money on microtransactions to customise their characters.
Crucially, this is different from the freemium model in which core gameplay features are concealed behind paywalls. In the free-to-play model, there is no actual requirement to spend money on the game in question. This lets those who want to invest in customising their experience support the ongoing development of the game, while not penalising those who want to play for free.
This works well as it ensures healthy player numbers. It’s even surprisingly lucrative for developers. Fortnite, for example, made $9 billion in microtransactions in its first two years alone.
