Why Do Sales on Steam Stand Out So Well Compared to Other Platforms
If you only buy your games on Steam, you’re not alone, and you may think that a Steam sale often sounds too good to be true. This article explores Steam and asks why games sell better than they do on other platforms.
By 
Daniel
WHY DO WE BUY GAMES ON STEAM?
Steam is Valve’s giant platform, a behemoth of a storefront for PC games of every kind of genre.
It’s such a large and well-known platform amongst gamers that many won’t even buy a game unless it’s on Steam.
Many, myself included, will play a game when it’s free on other platforms, such as the EPIC Games Store, Ubisoft’s Uplay, and EA’s Origin, only to go and purchase it on Steam.
Steam launched back in September 2003 and is almost 20-years-old now. I know a few people who have directly said to me that they don’t want multiple game libraries, which is why they only buy on Steam.
It makes sense. I do the same thing. After all, I don’t want to keep loading up different libraries or downloading multiple launchers to play one particular game or talk to friends who happen to be playing League of Legends or World of Warcraft at the time.
For many years, that was what we had to do. We had to download multiple launchers to play one game here and another there.
Right now, I’ve put off installing Guild Wars 2 for four months because I’ve been waiting for it to launch on Steam.
On a positive note, that seems to be finally, and slowly, changing with companies such as EA releasing their game subscription services across multiple platforms, like Steam and Microsoft’s Xbox app.
So, whereas we would often sacrifice price for convenience in the past, we can now find other platforms and publishers moving to release their content on Steam.
For anyone who had never heard of Valve or Steam, it would seem trivial, strange that we would instead buy a game on Steam at a higher price to keep our games together.
But, I compare it to battle passes or season passes. I’ve only got the time, patience, and energy to complete one.
ARE STEAM SALES REALLY GOOD DEALS?
First, remember, Steam is there to turn a profit for Valve and the developers and publishers.
When it comes to a Steam sale, you may have noticed that some games don’t fall past a certain price point.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked the Steam sales for Red Dead Redemption 2 to find its price once more, only at a 33% discount.
If you have ever been frustrated that the game you want is not cheaper in a sale, you must remember that Valve takes a 30% cut from every sale on Steam.
That percentage drops with games that make $10 million in sales and those within the Steam partnership program, but most games won’t get a better deal.
The cut that Valve takes is not a unique concept. 30% is the same percentage that Apple and Google take from their mobile apps.
And that’s why many games, particularly those that sell well, may not drop in price from sale to sale.
You may have also noted that during a sale, or often just before, a publisher may raise the price of a game so that it looks like a better deal than what it is when it enters the Steam sale.
Of course, you can challenge its morality and perhaps even its legality, but it does make a game sell better as those who may not be so observant may see it as an incredible bargain.
WHICH SALE IS BEST ON STEAM?
Steam’s two most significant sale events, the Steam Summer Sale and the Steam Winter Sale, happen six months apart, meaning you are guaranteed huge discounts on your favorite games twice a year.
Okay, so there’s no saying which sale you may get the bigger discounts on, but if we look at timing, we can say that the Summer Sale may be the best time to buy that game you want.
Generally, you’re looking at games dropping to the same price during these sales, but there are other external factors to consider before purchasing in the winter.
The Steam Winter Sale is around Christmas time for many, where other things, such as family and friends, take precedence over gaming.
Money, too, becomes a little tighter as you are buying gifts for loved ones, or maybe you’re trying to extend the life of your final paycheck before the new year.
With that in mind, the better time to buy a game is probably during the Steam Summer Sale.
Although, if you see a game at a 75% discount, you probably won’t find a better price than that for a very long time.
SHOULD I WAIT FOR A STEAM SALE?
We’re not going to tell you how or when to spend your money, but if you can wait for a sale, then buying that game you’ve wanted since release may be the perfect summer or Christmas present for yourself.
Remember, though; you don’t have to wait until a Steam sale to buy Steam games.
You can always find cheap CD keys, game codes, and gift cards on our store pages, where sellers are independently verified and reviewed by gamers just like you.
WHEN’S THE NEXT BIG STEAM SALE?
Steam has many sales throughout the year, including the Steam Lunar New Year Sale, Steam Spring Sale, Steam Halloween Sale, and Steam Black Friday Sale.
The next three sales we can expect on Steam are as follows:
- Steam Halloween Sale (End of October)
- Steam Black Friday/Autumn Sale (End of November)
- Steam Winter Sale (December)
It isn’t easy to pinpoint the exact start and end dates as Valve keeps them a closely guarded secret.
CHEAP STEAM CD KEYS AND CODES ON ALLKEYSHOP
You can keep up to date with all your favorite games and current gaming news right here, on Allkeyshop.com.
And make sure to bookmark us, as the verified key sellers on our store pages sell all the best Steam games at the cheapest prices, including game codes, Steam gift cards, and game keys.
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Fueled by a passion for gaming and the ever-evolving world of gaming news, Daniel loves connecting with seasoned and new players to bring games to life on the page, exploring their narratives and gaming trends. A self-published fiction and fantasy author, Daniel has nearly 20 years of experience writing gaming news and a love for storytelling that drives his enthusiasm to deliver breaking news, in-depth analysis, and industry innovations. You will find him in-game as "Windfell."
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