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Categories: Commentary
Tags: deals
The Internet used to be a good source for cheap games. Sure there are some deals out there, but it’s not like the golden days where sites actively fought for customers’ business. Back in the glory days. Before the Dark Times. Before the Empire. Here’s a small sample of how things used to be, versus how things are now.
Amazon
Back in the day, Amazon had this thing called The Friday Sale. It wasn’t prominently featured; it took a few clicks to find, but there were some good deals there. It was a grab bag: condoms, knife sets, Frank Stallone movies, and video games. The cool thing was, you’d never know what you’d find and you had to act fast–cause it was just a Friday Sale. Now The Friday Sale is easy to find and it kinda sucks. I haven’t seen games there forever. That, combined with the lack of good Amazon coupons available, sucks. The cheapest thing that Amazon has going now, is Video Games Outlet. Doing a quick check, I wasn’t blown away by any of the prices or games listed and they seem to rely too much on used goods from their affiliated vendors.
GoGamer
Other than not adding a free game to your purchase anymore, GoGamer is still a place for amazing deals. Actually, the free games were hit (Fighting Steel) or miss (Spec Ops=crap), but it was a nice touch which no doubt built a loyal base. GoGamer still has great deals in their Blowout section, but the best deals are their 48 Hour Madness Deals. Even casual gamers should sign up for the e-mail alert.
Half.com
Before Ebay’s takeover, Half.com functioned as an online used bookstore. Games were available, but their descriptions were crammed into a template more suitable for books. I remember several of the games I purchased through them being described as paperbacks. While Half.com does have some Ebay speculators, they do have good deals on used games–even newer ones. It also functions as a portal into Ebay, if you feel like bidding rather than buying outright.
Overstock
Overstock’s site is really polished and they have a wide selection of goods. Their site used to suck and they had crap selection, but their prices kicked ass. Now, not so much. When it comes to video games, prices are just under retail with a small shipping fee. Some pre-played games are available for nice discounts, but you’ll tend to save more on the strategy guides than the games themselves.