Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, 27 November, and Cyber Monday follows on 30 November. Many shops start “Black Friday week” days earlier. There are great deals on games, consoles and accessories, but also a lot of fake discounts. Here’s how to tell the difference.
A real bargain is a price that is clearly lower than what the item normally costs during the year. Everything in this guide helps you check exactly that, quickly and calmly, before you click “buy”.
1. Check the price history
A “50% off” label means nothing if the price was raised just before the sale. Free price trackers show you the real price history:
| Tracker | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| IsThereAnyDeal, GG.deals | PC game prices across many official stores |
| camelcamelcamel, Keepa | Amazon price history |
| idealo, Geizhals (Germany/Austria) | Comparing prices across many shops |
If the “deal” price is the same as last month’s normal price, it’s not a deal.
Most of these tools also let you set a price alert. Enter the price you are happy to pay, and you get a message when the item reaches it. That way you don’t have to refresh shop pages all weekend.
Also compare the deal price with the lowest price of the past few months, not with the original launch price. A game that launched at full price a year ago may have been cheaper several times since.
2. Know the big digital sales
- Steam moved its Autumn Sale to early October, so the next big Steam sale is the Winter Sale in mid-December
- PlayStation Store and Xbox Store run Black Friday sales too
- Epic Games Store often has sales and free games
Add the games you want to your wishlist now. Most stores email you when a wishlisted game goes on sale.
According to Valve’s official schedule for developers, the Steam Winter Sale 2026 runs from 17 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. If a PC game is only slightly cheaper on Black Friday, waiting a few weeks for the Winter Sale is a reasonable choice.
Subscriptions such as Game Pass and PlayStation Plus can also be good value if you want to try many games. Our guides to Xbox Game Pass tiers and PlayStation Plus tiers explain what each level includes.
3. Be careful with key reseller websites
Certain websites sell game keys much cheaper than official stores. Some of them are “grey market” marketplaces, where keys can be resold, region-locked, or occasionally revoked. If you use them, read the seller rating and refund policy carefully. Buying from official stores is always the safest choice.
4. Check what you’re really getting
- Bundles: is the extra game or controller something you actually want?
- Console versions: some deals are on older or less powerful models
- Region: make sure a game key or gift card works in your country
- Monitors and TVs: check the exact model number. Black Friday models are sometimes cheaper versions
A few more details are worth checking:
- Storage: a cheap console or laptop with very little storage may need an extra SSD soon, which adds to the real cost.
- Seller: on marketplaces, check whether the item is sold by the platform itself or by a third-party seller.
- Delivery time: a deal that arrives in four weeks may miss the date you need it for.
5. Hardware: compare with the rest of the year
Graphics cards, SSDs, headsets and controllers often get real discounts, but compare the price with a tracker. For monitors, read our gaming monitor buying guide, and for headsets our headset buying guide.
Before buying a big upgrade, make sure it fits your system. A new graphics card needs a suitable power supply and enough space in the case. Our guide on how to check your PC specs helps you find out what you already have, and our gaming laptop buying guide covers what matters in a portable machine.
6. Make a budget and a list
Decide what you want before the sales start. Countdown timers and “only 3 left” messages are designed to make you buy quickly.
A simple way to do it: write down each item, the most you will pay, and the lowest price a tracker has shown. On the day, you only buy what is on the list and below your limit.
7. Know your rights when buying online
If you buy online in the EU, you usually have a 14-day right of withdrawal for physical goods. Digital games are different: this right often ends once you start the download. Check each shop’s return policy.
Keep your order confirmations and invoices. If a product is faulty, you will need them for a warranty claim or a return.
8. Watch out for fake shops
Big sales attract fake online shops with prices that look too good to be true. Warning signs include:
- Prices far below every other shop, especially for new consoles and graphics cards
- Payment by bank transfer only, with no buyer protection
- No clear company details or a missing legal notice (Impressum in Germany)
- A brand-new website with no reviews outside its own pages
In Germany, the consumer advice centres (Verbraucherzentralen) offer a free Fakeshop-Finder, which checks a shop’s web address for typical warning signs. Its result is an assessment, not a guarantee, so stay careful.
Also be careful with “Black Friday” emails and text messages. Open the shop yourself instead of clicking links, and never enter account passwords on a page you reached through a message. Our guide on how to protect your gaming accounts covers common tricks.
Tip: When you order, take a screenshot of the product page and the final price. If the shop later charges a different amount or sends something that doesn’t match the description, the screenshot helps with a complaint or a refund.
Buy now or wait?
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Price is at or near its lowest ever | Buy now |
| Discount is small and it is a PC game | Wait for the Steam Winter Sale |
| You don’t need the item yet | Set a price alert and wait |
| The “deal” is on an older model | Compare with the current model first |
| You feel pressured by a timer | Close the tab and check a tracker |
Quick checklist
- ☐ Wishlist set up in your favourite stores
- ☐ Price tracker checked before buying
- ☐ Budget decided
- ☐ Region and model number checked
From PixelAlex: My rule: check a game’s price history before buying. A big discount isn’t always a real bargain.
Read next: Digital vs physical games: which should you buy? · Game editions explained: standard, deluxe, gold
Quick answers
When is Black Friday 2026?
It’s on Friday, 27 November 2026. Cyber Monday follows on 30 November, and many shops start their offers several days earlier.
When is the Steam Winter Sale 2026?
It runs from 17 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, according to Valve’s official sale schedule.
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a console?
Sometimes. Bundles with an extra game or controller can be good value, but check the model and compare the total price with a tracker first.
Are cheap game key websites safe?
Official stores are the safest choice. Grey-market sites can sell keys that are region-locked or later revoked, so read the seller rating and refund policy if you use them.
Can I return a digital game bought on Black Friday?
Often not once you have started the download. Each store has its own refund rules, so check them before you buy.
How do I know if a discount is real?
Look at the price history on a tracker. If the price was the same or lower in recent months, the discount is not special.
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