Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: A Gamer’s Complete Guide

black-friday-cyber-monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are big sale days for gamers. Whether you’re looking for a new console or to score games at a discount, you should be able to find something to buy in the coming holiday season.

Whether you’re buying for yourself or making Christmas purchases for others, here’s everything gamers need to know to get the most out of the big post-Thanksgiving sales.

What Are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Black Friday promo image

Black Friday is the name of the infamous Friday following America’s Thanksgiving celebration. It marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. As such, tons of products are steeply discounted.

This makes Black Friday the best time of year to shop for anything that you don’t want to pay full price for.

In 2019, Black Friday takes place on November 29.

Cyber Monday is the Monday immediately following Black Friday, a time when online retailers historically noted that their sales sharply increased. As the name suggests, this is the day for online sales.

In 2019, Cyber Monday takes place on December 2.

Black Friday sales take place at physical stores as well as online, with sales for just about everything. Cyber Monday is strictly online-only, meaning sites like Amazon or Newegg are your destinations. Usually, Steam and console digital markets have sales around this time too.

However, in recent years, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have sort of morphed into one large event. You’ll find online deals available well before the actual Cyber Monday date, so you don’t even need to visit physical stores to get the best deals anymore.

The Best Black Friday Gaming Deals

The appeal of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales is that almost every retailer participates. This means you’ll find a variety of gaming items, including consoles, games, accessories, and subscriptions.

However, don’t get carried away; remember that not every price drop is a bargain. Some prices are marked up ahead of Black Friday and then “marked down” again. Use a price comparison tool to make sure you’re actually getting a bargain. And don’t buy something you won’t use or play just because it’s on sale.

Here are 2019’s best Black Friday deals for gamers, sorted by platform so you can find what you’re interested in. If you’re shopping for a console, keep in mind that new PlayStation and Xbox consoles are slated for release in 2020. You may wish to save your cash until then for the upcoming systems.

The Best Black Friday Nintendo Deals

Whether you’re interested in buying a Switch for the first time or want to pick up some of the hottest Nintendo games, these deals are for you.

Nintendo Switch With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle

Nintendo’s premiere Switch bundle for Black Friday 2019 is identical to what the company offered in 2018. For the same sticker price as the Switch, you also get Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a full-price game, thrown in.

However, this deal comes with a caveat. In August 2019, Nintendo released a slightly revised model of the Switch. Its main difference is improved battery life: the original model offered between 2.5 and 6.5 hours on a charge, while the updated system can run for 4.5 to nine hours.

This bundle includes the older system model, so you should be aware, especially if you plan to use the Switch on-the-go.

Nintendo Switch With Spyro Bundle

Unless you really want Mario Kart, we recommend this Switch bundle instead. It’s the same price, but includes the revised Switch model with superior battery life. Walmart also throws in a copy of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, a great remastering of the original Spyro the Dragon titles.

While this game isn’t worth as much as Mario Kart, getting the current model of the Switch makes up for it.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—50% off

Breath of the Wild is one of the Switch’s premier titles, and rarely goes on sale since it’s a first-party Nintendo game. You can grab this Game of The Decade contender for half-off at Walmart on Black Friday, which is even cheaper than other retailers are offering it for.

The Best Black Friday PlayStation Deals

Interested in picking up a PS4 or something new for your current PlayStation? Here are the top deals for the PlayStation platform.

PlayStation 4 Slim – Only on PlayStation Bundle—33% off

PlayStation 4 Slim - Only on PlayStation Bundle PlayStation 4 Slim - Only on PlayStation Bundle Buy Now On Amazon $199.00

The PS4 is home to many great exclusives, and you get three of them out of the gate with this PlayStation 4 Slim – Only on PlayStation Bundle. The Last of Us Remastered is the best way to play the beloved PS3 title. Horizon Zero Dawn is a masterclass in open-world gameplay. And God of War was one of 2018’s best titles, bundling a gripping story with tight combat gameplay.

If you don’t have a PS4 yet, this is a great introduction. Just note that The Last of Us and God of War are not kid-friendly.

PlayStation VR Multi-Game Bundle—33% off

If you already have a PS4, PlayStation VR provides a great way to try proper virtual reality without a complex PC setup. This bundle includes the headset and required PS Camera, in addition to five full VR games.

These aren’t all hits—Everybody’s Golf VR is pretty limited, and PlayStation Worlds is basically a collection of demos. But Skyrim VR, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and Resident Evil 7 are all acclaimed titles, so there’s a lot of value here.

Keep in mind that this bundle does not include the PlayStation Move motion controllers. Not every PS VR game requires them, but many do.

PlayStation VR Game and Accessories Bundle—29% off

PlayStation VR Game and Accessories Bundle PlayStation VR Game and Accessories Bundle Buy Now On Amazon $249.99

If you’re not interested in some of the games from the above bundle, or want to get the Move controllers, this PlayStation VR Game and Accessories Bundle is for you. While it’s more expensive, it includes two PlayStation Move controllers, which a lot of VR games use. These controllers are pretty expensive on their own, so this bundle is a good buy if you plan to play a lot of VR titles.

Blood & Truth is a first-person shooter created by the same studio as one of the games in PlayStation VR Worlds. It’s a solid VR experience, but not for younger audiences.

PlayStation Plus 12-Month Membership—25% off

PlayStation Plus 12-Month Membership PlayStation Plus 12-Month Membership Buy Now On Amazon $44.99

PlayStation Plus is the premium subscription service for PS4 players. It allows you to play online multiplayer, plus grants free games and other bonuses each month.

It doesn’t go on sale often, but you can now pick up a PlayStation Plus 12-Month Membership for about as cheap as it comes.

PlayStation Hits Games—50% off

As you’d expect, a ton of PS4 titles are on sale for Black Friday. There are too many to list here, but of note are the PlayStation Hits line of games. These are best-selling PS4 titles, and you can get them for half-off their already bargain prices.

God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Persona 5 are each must-play games that offer dozens of hours of gameplay. You can pick up all three for half the cost of a new release. Be sure to check the PlayStation Store for digital game deals, too.

Persona 5 Persona 5 Buy Now On Amazon $9.99

DualShock 4 Controller—39% off

DualShock 4 Wireless Controller DualShock 4 Wireless Controller Buy Now On Amazon $38.99

Need another PS4 controller for local multiplayer games? This is a great chance to grab a DualShock 4 Controller at a good price.

PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset—32% off

PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset Buy Now On Amazon $66.56

Headsets are great for hearing critical game audio or playing at night without disturbing others. You can pick up the official PS4 Gold Wireless Headset at a solid discount this Black Friday. It features virtual 7.1 audio, a built-in microphone, and is compatible with the PS VR headset.

The Best Black Friday Xbox Deals

If you’re an Xbox One player, you’ll love these deals on upgraded consoles, new games, and subscription plans.

Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle—34% off

Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle Buy Now On Amazon $199.00

This Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars Bundle includes the Xbox One S console and the recent Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game. While it doesn’t have 4K game support, the Xbox One X is a great system for casual players and makes for a great all-around entertainment machine.

If you’re not a Star Wars fan, you can get a bundle for the same price that includes NBA 2K20 instead.

Xbox One X 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Deluxe Bundle—30% off

Xbox One X 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle Xbox One X 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle Buy Now On Amazon $199.00

If you want the best, choose this Xbox One X 1TB Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Deluxe Bundle. It includes the Xbox One X, which is the more powerful console revision capable of 4K gaming. Like the above option, you can also choose to bundle the console with NBA 2K20 for the same price.

Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition—40% off

Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition Buy Now On Amazon $149.00

Those who want a new Xbox at the cheapest price possible should consider this Microsoft Xbox One 1TB All-Digital Edition. It doesn’t include any bundled games, and is the new “All-Digital Edition” of the Xbox One. This means it has no disc slot, so you can only buy and play digital games.

Red Dead Redemption 2—50% off

Red Dead Redemption 2 Red Dead Redemption 2 Buy Now On Amazon

This 2018 title is one of the most ambitious open-world games ever made, and you can grab Red Dead Redemption 2 for your new Xbox One at half-price.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Introductory Deal

If you game on both Xbox One and PC, Xbox Game Pass is phenomenal value. It includes full access to new games on both PC and Xbox, plus Xbox Live Gold, so you can play online and earn extra discounts on your console.

Microsoft is sweetening the deal with free subscriptions to EA Access, Discord Nitro, and Spotify Premium for the holidays. Try it at just $1 for your first three months.

The Best Black Friday PC Gaming Deals

If you’re interested in buying or building a gaming PC, Black Friday can often prove useful. However, most of the appeal for PC gamers comes in the form of game discounts. Be sure to check Steam, Origin, and the other digital storefronts you use for massive sales.

MSI 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop—26% off

Looking to get into PC gaming on a laptop? This beast of a machine packs 32 GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card. Its big 15-inch, 1080p screen means your games look great. And it has a slick exterior finish to boot.

Epic Games Store Black Friday Sale

The Epic Games store is offering discounts on dozens of PC titles. Highlights include Borderlands 3, Metro: Exodus, The Jackbox Party Pack series, and Celeste.

A Successful Gaming Black Friday

Now you know what to look for as a gamer on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whether you’re interested in a new console, games, or some accessories, we hope you find a great deal on something you love.

Make sure you’re ready for Black Friday by following our handy guide. And when shopping this holiday season, you should conduct your transactions as safely as possible. Check out the ways to protect yourself against Black Friday scams to prevent any issues.

Read the full article: Black Friday and Cyber Monday: A Gamer’s Complete Guide

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