Yep, really.

Over the past two years, I’ve been tracking every single video game I buy. Slowly but surely, I started leaning into a more disciplined way of buying games. And now I’ve got a pretty solid system. In total, I’ve picked up around £2200 worth of games for just over £1250. That’s about 57% of the retail value, and honestly, I think I can do even better going forward.

It worked out to 50 games in total, averaging £25 per game, and around £50 per month. That’s almost £1000 saved, without missing out on the games I really wanted. (Factoring in the playstation stars rewards it would most likely clear £1000 saved, RIP PS Stars)

There are some heavy hitters in there too: Spider-Man 2, Persona 5 R, Final Fantasy XVI, FF7 Rebirth, Mortal Kombat 1, God of War Ragnarok, Expedition 33, Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, and Monster Hunter Wilds… just to name a few.

Now, this isn’t the only way to go about it and may not work for everyone. There are probably better methods out there, but I’ve found this one simple to manage and easy to stick to. It just comes down to knowing how much time you have to play and doing a bit of research on which games are actually worth it on day one.

Here’s how I do it:

Step One: Wishlist Everything

Start by wish-listing all the games you’re even remotely interested in  past, present, and future. That way, when they go on sale, you’ll get notified and can quickly decide if it’s time to grab it. Especially as you get older there is less precious gaming time available so it’s crucial to think ahead.

“Especially as you get older there is less precious gaming time available so it’s crucial to think ahead.”

Step Two: Time Your Purchases Based on Three Tiers

1. Full Price Games

These are your day-one buys. You’ve done your research, watched the previews, maybe even checked some early impressions (or just request it here and we will do the research for you).

If you know you’re going to love it and you actually have the time to play it right now, go ahead and pay full price. No shame in that, these games aren’t going to sit in your backlog. You’re jumping in immediately.

I mean who would want to miss a game like Elden Ring on release?

2. 20 to 30% Off games

This tier is for games that are still fairly new, maybe on their first price drop. You didn’t have time for them when they launched, but now your schedule has opened up and the game is finally on sale. Perfect moment to strike. It’s a nice balance of value and timing.

3. 50% to 70% Off

These are the games that are heading straight into the backlog. You missed them at launch, but you still want to play them eventually. Grabbing them at a deep discount is a great way to stockpile for later without overpaying. It also means you’re ready when a sequel or DLC drops, and you’re not scrambling to buy it at full price

It also means you’re ready when a sequel or DLC drops, and you’re not scrambling to buy the game at full price

Why This Works

It’s not just about saving money, although the savings are real. It’s also about managing your backlog in a way that keeps gaming fun and stress-free. By sticking to this system, I’m not wasting cash on full price games I won’t play for six months. I’m buying smarter and playing more of what I actually want.

Games I want to get to at some point I snap up at a bargain rate. This way if a new DLC or sequel is announced I have already bought low. Chances are with the renewed hype the game won’t get another discount again for a while.

It also lets me keep games in my collection, sometimes the games I want will end up on PS+. Which then means I have a timed period to play them for free, I use this to trial the game out and see if I will like it. If i have the time to finish it even better but if not I know to purchase it next time its uber cheap. 

The longer I stick with this strategy, the more refined it gets. I’m confident that over the next couple of years, I’ll keep pushing the savings even higher, all without missing a game I care about.

Give It a Try

Try this method for a few months. Wishlist everything, be honest about your time, and start timing your purchases. You’ll probably end up saving more than you expected, and enjoying your games even more when you do sit down to play them.

Let me know how it goes. Happy gaming.

Disclaimer:This is a personal method I’ve developed and tracked over time. Results will vary depending on availability, pricing, and personal playtime. This is not sponsored or affiliated with any platform or publisher