From the graphics to the cinematics to the action, we love everything about gaming. Well, almost everything. If there is one thing that really grinds gamers gears, it’s the price. There is no doubt about it, keeping up to date with the latest and greatest can be expensive. There used to be a time where you’d simply purchase a game and that was it. But today, all the DLC and in game purchases have driven up the cost for gamers by a significant margin.
Many gamers are turning to streaming services like Twitch to make money gaming competitively. Others place bets on these live streamed games, hoping their knowledge could give them an edge. But it’s important to realize that, in order for this to be successful, you’ve got to be a bit of an odds junkie. You have to know every detail of every player, and understand how to use this information to your advantage. Although this might seem like the most obvious way to finance your gaming hobby, we’ve collected five easier ways you can cut costs.
1. Buy Hard Copies
Being able to download the latest games the minute they’re released is great. But there is one good reason why you might want to wait until your local video game store gets a copy – resale value. When you buy digital, there is no way for you to resell the game. It’s tied to your account, and in many circumstances transferring ownership can actually be a violation of the terms of service. But when you have the hard copy, you can buy trade or sell with other gamers to save a bit of coin.
2. Wait a While
When games first hit the market, the price can be astronomical. Depending on how the game performs, prices will often drop within a couple weeks of release. Many gamers find that buying used games that have been out for a while allow them to play some of the best titles for half the price. As an added bonus, you’ll have a chance to wait for reviews to roll in so you don’t get stuck paying top dollar for a dud.
3. Keep The Flops
Did you purchase a game, only to find out it wasn’t that great? To make matters worse, everyone else felt the same way so the resale value had dropped to almost nothing. There may be a good reason to hang on to it. Many games that perform poorly in sales go on to be worth piles of money. A Nintendo game called Stadium Events was released in 1987 to a very poor response. Today, that same game is worth over $40,000. Not every game is going to be a goldmine, but you never know what can happen a few years down the line.
4. Game with Friends
Unless you’re playing MMORPGs, most games have limited playability. At some point, you’ll be finished with the game and won’t have much to do with it. Consider meeting up with some buddies and taking turns buying the latest titles. You’ll all get a chance to play, but you’ll be able to share the costs amongst yourselves.
5. Play The Classics
Whether it’s N64, Super Nintendo, or the Sony Playstation, there are plenty of great hits from yesteryear that demand another play through. Sometimes the dated graphics can be a little off putting, but once you get into the games you’ll realize that there is plenty of classic charm that’s just waiting to be revisited. Plus, once you’ve clocked some hours on a classic system, you’ll once again be blown away by the next gen graphics offered by the PS4 and Xbox One.
As you can see there are plenty of ways to live the gamer lifestyle without living paycheck to paycheck. Be aware of how much you are spending, and evaluate how important a certain game is to have when you are purchasing games.
