Every storefront loves a big red percentage. But a discount percentage is a claim about two numbers — the sale price and the reference price — and retailers get to choose the reference. A game listed at "60% off" might genuinely be at its lowest price ever, or it might be 60% off a price nobody has paid in a year. Here's how to tell the difference in about thirty seconds.
Check the price history, not the percentage
The single most useful habit: look at what the game actually sold for over the last six to twelve months. Price-tracking sites keep this history for Steam and console storefronts. If the "sale" price matches what the game cost for most of the year, it's not a deal — it's the regular price wearing a costume. A real deal is at or near the lowest price the game has ever hit.
Beware the inflated reference price
Some listings compare against a launch price from years ago, or against a deluxe edition's price while selling the standard edition. On Amazon especially, the crossed-out "list price" is set by the seller and isn't always the manufacturer's price. Our rule: ignore the claimed percentage entirely and compare the current price against the historical low. That's the only comparison that matters.
Watch for the pre-sale price bump
A classic retail trick: raise the price a week before the sale, then "discount" it back to normal. If a game's price jumped 20% last week and is now "25% off," you haven't saved anything. Price history exposes this instantly — the chart shows a spike right before the drop.
Consider the sale calendar
A 30% discount in October is less exciting when the Steam Autumn Sale starts in November and the game will likely be 50% off. Part of deal-hunting is knowing what's coming: our game sale calendar covers the major sale seasons so you can judge whether to buy now or wait.
Digital vs. physical price gaps
On consoles, physical copies often undercut digital storefronts even during digital sales — retailers clear shelf space aggressively. Before buying a digital copy at "50% off," check the physical price. We've seen "discounted" digital games selling for more than the disc version sitting in stock at the same store.
The thirty-second checklist
- Is this near the game's historical low? (If no, wait.)
- Is the reference price real, or inflated? (Ignore claimed percentages.)
- Is a bigger seasonal sale within a month? (If yes, wait unless the deal is historic.)
- Is the physical copy cheaper? (On consoles, check before buying digital.)
That's the entire method — and it's the same one our weekly deal watch applies automatically before anything makes it onto this site's front page.