Why Online Game Bundles Are Not Always the Best Deal

Game bundles look like obvious value. Five games for the price of one. A deluxe edition with every expansion. A season pass that "saves" 30 percent compared with buying each piece separately. Bundles are a favourite tool of online game stores and publishers, and sometimes they genuinely are excellent deals. Often, though, they are designed to make you spend more than you otherwise would, on things you may never use.

I track prices obsessively, and bundles are where the most creative maths happens. Here is why online game bundles are not always the best deal, and how to judge them.

The anchoring trick

Bundles are usually advertised against the combined full price of everything inside. "Worth 150, now 40" sounds amazing. But if most of those items are regularly discounted or rarely bought individually, the "worth" figure is an anchor, not a real comparison. What matters is what you would actually pay for the items you want, at their usual sale prices.

Price history trackers make this comparison easy, as described in how price trackers help online game players buy smart.

Paying for things you will not use

A bundle with one game you want and four you do not is not a deal for you. It may be cheaper than buying the one game at full price, but it may be more expensive than waiting for that game to go on sale alone. The same applies to deluxe editions packed with cosmetic items, soundtracks and digital artbooks that many players never open.

Ask a simple question: if I could buy only the parts I want, what would they cost? If the bundle costs more than that, it is not a good deal for you.

Season passes and future content

Season passes sell content that does not exist yet, often at a discount compared with buying each piece later. That can be good value if you love the game and will play every expansion. But you are paying in advance for content you have not seen, and plans can change. Some games have released disappointing or cancelled content after selling passes.

If you are not sure you will still be playing in a year, buying expansions individually after reviews arrive is often safer, even if slightly more expensive.

When bundles are genuinely good

Bundles can be excellent value in some cases:

You want most of the items inside.
The bundle price is below the usual sale prices of the items you want.
Complete editions released after all content is finished, often heavily discounted.
Charity bundles that support a cause, where the value includes the donation.
Bundles that "complete the set" by charging only for items you do not already own.

Bundles and in-game currency

In-game currency bundles use similar tricks: bigger bundles offer more bonus currency, encouraging larger purchases. Often the amounts are designed so that you always have a little left over, nudging you to buy again. Calculate the real cost per item you want rather than the cost per unit of currency, and buy only what you need.

Are bundles a bad thing overall?

It would be easy to conclude that bundles are manipulative and should be avoided. I do not think that is fair. Bundles help small games get discovered, offer genuine savings to players who want everything and support charities. Many players found favourite games through bundles they bought for something else.

The issue is not bundles themselves but judging them by the advertised "worth" rather than your actual interest. Treat each bundle like any other purchase: what do I want, what would it cost otherwise and will I really use it?

A quick bundle check

List the items in the bundle you genuinely want.
Check their usual sale prices, not their full prices.
Compare that total with the bundle price.
For season passes, consider whether you will still play.
Remember items you already own.

Subscription libraries as an alternative

Game subscription services offer another way to access many games without buying bundles. For a monthly fee, players get a rotating library of titles, sometimes including new releases on launch day. For players who try many games but finish few, a subscription can be cheaper than buying bundles or individual games. For players who replay favourites for years, buying is often better value, since subscription titles can leave the library.

Treat subscriptions with the same scrutiny as bundles. Count the games you actually play each month, compare the cost with buying those games on sale, and cancel during months when you are busy with one game you already own. Many players rotate subscriptions, joining for a few months when several interesting games are available, then pausing.

Value is personal

A bundle is only a good deal if it gives you what you want for less than you would otherwise pay. Look past the advertised "worth" and check the real numbers. For the bigger picture of game sales, see how online game stores decide when to run big sales. More in our Games section.