Meta: Do you want to stay on a budget while buying a game? Then check out its price history so you can find the lowest price.
Finding a game on sale isn’t always the right time to buy it. While you may find the game you want at a massive promotion, what if the game is worth less? This can be checked if you can track the price history of a game. Once you have the information, you will have a better idea of whether you should buy the game or wait for some time.
What price history tracking means for PC games
To understand the benefit of tracking the price of games, you must first understand what price history is. Steam doesn’t show the price of a game across multiple days, months, or years. Third-party tools, such as DealNestHQ, have an option where you can see the highs and lows of a game’s price. This is helpful for a number of reasons, with the main one being that you can estimate whether the current price is good enough.
Is the sales price good?
Once you can check the game’s price history, you will be able to better gauge whether the current promotion or sales price is good or not. Sometimes a game may have a lower price during a previous sale, and then another sale will be applied, which will have a lower discount. This isn’t the correct time to buy the game. You can wait for the game to go to its lower price again, and the DealNestHQ tool will help, as you can track multiple sites without having to put in manual effort.
Sales frequency
Checking a game’s price history has one more key benefit, as you can find out how much the particular title goes on sale. If a game has promotions several times a month, then you shouldn’t rush to buy it, as you can wait for the next sale if you run out of time. A recurring promotion for a game doesn’t guarantee a better sale, but if you are currently getting a higher price, waiting may prove to be more beneficial, as you may snag the game at its historical low with some patience. However, the opposite is also true. If a game is less prone to go on sale, then you may want to grab it if the price is good enough.
How to check a game’s price history (step by step)
The process to check the price history of a game is relatively straightforward, and you can use a third-party tool, such as DealNestHQ.
Find your game
This is the first step, and you must open the page for the game you want to check the price for.
Open DealNestHQ
Search for the game’s title
Open the game’s page
Check the price history
This is the main part, and it isn’t challenging, as you only have to scroll down. Once you scroll far enough, you will find the price history graph.
It will show multiple things:
The all-time low of a game
The price over the course of 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, and since its launch
You will also find the site’s name next to the prices
Why using price tracking tools is better than manual checking
You can manually check multiple sites whenever you want to buy a game, but this isn’t the most efficient method.
Too many sites
This is the main issue when checking prices of a game, as you will have to open too many sites to compare the prices. While this is doable, it can be done once or twice, but if you are a frequent buyer, using a tool is more efficient, as it automates the task.
More information
If you manually check a site, you will only see the current price. Third-party tools, such as DealNestHQ, offer more insights, such as the best price right now. These tools also have the option to see the price history of games, which will let you know what the lowest price of the title was and when it dipped.
Real-time sales
If you have to manually check every site, you may put off the effort and lose out on a good sale. Using a third-party tool allows you to check each site at the same time and compare their prices. This makes it easier to spot the best deal and take advantage of a promotion.
Why do game prices drop over time?
There are several elements involved in a game’s price decreasing. The title may be old, and that's why the price has depreciated, as there isn’t much demand. For newer games, prices are typically dropped during seasonal sales or when publishers are running promotions. The main thing you should be worried about is getting the game at the best price. This means comparing multiple sites and also looking at the game’s price history to make sure it’s the right time to buy it.
Summer and winter sales are usually the best time to buy games, as those are promotion-heavy seasons. However, just opening up a few sites and deciding isn’t the most efficient way to get the best deal. This is why you should use third-party tools so you can check in real-time which site is the best for you.
Common mistakes people make when buying games
Here are some common mistakes gamers make when purchasing a game, and how to avoid them.
Sale price, best price: Many buyers have the misconception that since the game is on sale, it's the price to get the game at
Price history: Some buyers ignore the price history and look at the promotion percentage when deciding whether to buy the game
Multiple stores: A rushing buyer will only look at one store, and if the price seems good, they will buy it without comparing other marketplaces
Conclusion
Buying a game isn’t too challenging, but you must consider all factors before spending your hard-earned money. The price history may be one of the more important elements, as it can highlight the lows of a game and help you estimate whether the price can drop lower. This means you may be able to stay in your budget even more if things work out. Just be sure to use DealNestHQ or a similar tool to keep an eye on multiple sites and the changing prices of games.
