The weekend’s best deals: Steam Summer Sale, Apple Back to School promo, and more
Ars Technica
It’s the weekend, which means the time has come for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web is particularly heavy on video games, as Steam’s annual Summer Sale kicked off earlier this week. The PC gaming storefront’s latest mega-sale runs until July 7 and, as is often the case, includes thousands of discounts on games that span across genres and eras.
There’s a good chance you’re already sitting on an unwieldy backlog of games you’ve picked up from past sales, but if you’re still looking for something new to play, we’ve dug through the avalanche of offers to curate a list of the best genuine discounts we think the Summer Sale is running. We’ve laid out more than 60 deals on Ars favorites below, and while not every pick is at the absolute lowest price we’ve tracked, all of them are going for notably less than the street prices we’ve seen from the major storefronts over the past several months. (And for any games not on our list, price-tracking tools like IsThereAnyDeal are useful for ensuring that the “bargain” you’re eyeing is actually a bargain.) If you prefer not to use Steam, we’ve also noted other PC game stores where these prices are available.
The highlights include past Ars Game of the Year winners like Hades (down to $15), Celeste ($5), and Psychonauts 2 ($30), plus well-reviewed 2022 games like the meta comedy The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe($17) and the breezy LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga($37). Many of the lesser-publicized gems we’ve highlighted during past Summer Sales are deeply discounted once again, while bigger-name hits like the co-op adventure It Takes Two ($16) and the tense VR shooter Half-Life Alyx($30) are back down to the best prices we’ve seen on PC. Steam sales are often a good time to grab some older titles that still hold up as well, and this time, classics like the roguelite Spelunky ($1.49), the co-op puzzler Portal 2($2), and the bonkers hack-and-slasher Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance($7), among others, are all down to single-digit prices. Valve has a bundle that includes more than 20 of its own hits available for $13, too.
There are plenty more worthwhile deals beyond those, and with Nintendo’s eShop commencing its own “Super Sale” this week, our roundup includes several handpicked discounts for Switch owners as well. If you can’t bear the thought of stuffing your gaming backlog any further, though, the Dealmaster still has lower-than-usual prices on recommended tech like the Apple Watch SE and Series 7, laptops from Asus and Gigabyte, and LG OLED TVs. We also have falling prices on GPUs and the start of Apple’s annual Back to School promotion, which this year is bundling Apple gift cards with select Macs and iPads for students, parents of students, and higher education staff. You can find our full curated list of deals below.
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Featured deals of the day
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/half-life-alyx-elevator.png" class="enlarge" data-height="2160" data-width="3840" alt="If you've invested in a VR setup, the horror-shooter Half-Life: Alyx is well worth a go.”><img alt="If you've invested in a VR setup, the horror-shooter Half-Life: Alyx is well worth a go.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more.png” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-2.png 2x”>
Enlarge/ If you’ve invested in a VR setup, the horror-shooter Half-Life: Alyx is well worth a go.
Best deals of Steam Summer Sale 2022
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/stanley_parable_ud_02.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="2160" data-width="3840" alt="The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded edition of the meta-obsessed comedy from 2013.”><img alt="The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded edition of the meta-obsessed comedy from 2013.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-1.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-11.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded edition of the meta-obsessed comedy from 2013.
Crows Crows Crows
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/tmnt-highfive.png" class="enlarge" data-height="1080" data-width="1920" alt="Its not hugely discounted, but the 2D beat-'em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge only launched last week. Our review called it a "must-play arcade throwback." Note that it comes with Xbox Game Pass, though.”><img alt="Its not hugely discounted, but the 2D beat-'em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge only launched last week. Our review called it a "must-play arcade throwback." Note that it comes with Xbox Game Pass, though.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-1.png” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-3.png 2x”>
Enlarge/ Its not hugely discounted, but the 2D beat-‘em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge only launched last week. Our review called it a “must-play arcade throwback.” Note that it comes with Xbox Game Pass, though.
Dotemu / Tribute Games
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_10165751e4e556406064a37de7b609c26c001715.1920x1080.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="720" data-width="1280" alt="Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a fast-paced hack-and-slasher that’s equally thrilling and bonkers.”><img alt="Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a fast-paced hack-and-slasher that’s equally thrilling and bonkers.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-2.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-12.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a fast-paced hack-and-slasher that’s equally thrilling and bonkers.
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sonic-Mania_20170810164428.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="2160" data-width="3840" alt="Sonic Mania is one of the better entries in the blue hedgehog’s library, blending new level designs and a fun soundtrack with faithful homages to classic Sonic games.”><img alt="Sonic Mania is one of the better entries in the blue hedgehog’s library, blending new level designs and a fun soundtrack with faithful homages to classic Sonic games.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-3.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-13.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/Sonic Mania is one of the better entries in the blue hedgehog’s library, blending new level designs and a fun soundtrack with faithful homages to classic Sonic games.
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/797A6A085D8A4DF3A15AA84C914F7BEA.jpeg" class="enlarge" data-height="1080" data-width="1920" alt="We named the stylish roguelite Hades our Game of the Year in 2020.”><img alt="We named the stylish roguelite Hades our Game of the Year in 2020.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-4.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-14.jpg 2x”>
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Chicory-A-Colorful-Tale.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="1080" data-width="1920" alt="Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a chill, relatively low-stakes adventure game about painting color back into a blank world.”><img alt="Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a chill, relatively low-stakes adventure game about painting color back into a blank world.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-5.jpg” width=”640″ height=”360″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-15.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a chill, relatively low-stakes adventure game about painting color back into a blank world.
30+ PC games (Far Cry 4, Death Squared, Astrologaster, etc.) for free at Prime Gaming (Prime users only)
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ars-Technica-Apple-Watch-Series-7-Review-11.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="1532" data-width="2296" alt="The Apple Watch Series 7 is the top pick in our guide to the best smartwatches.”><img alt="The Apple Watch Series 7 is the top pick in our guide to the best smartwatches.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-6.jpg” width=”640″ height=”427″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-16.jpg 2x”>
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/sonos-one-sl-1.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="1800" data-width="2700" alt="The Sonos One SL is as smooth-sounding as the standard Sonos One; it just lacks built-in mics for voice control.”><img alt="The Sonos One SL is as smooth-sounding as the standard Sonos One; it just lacks built-in mics for voice control.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-7.jpg” width=”640″ height=”427″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-17.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/ The Sonos One SL is as smooth-sounding as the standard Sonos One; it just lacks built-in mics for voice control.
Laptop and desktop PC deals
Apple Back to School Promo: Get up to a $150 Apple Gift Card with select Macs, up to a $100 Apple Gift Card with select iPads at Apple (EDU members only)
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/JT3A5942.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="2737" data-width="4101" alt="A drastically refreshed MacBook Air is arriving soon, but the older M1-based model will stick around for those who want to pay less for what remains a great everyday notebook.”><img alt="A drastically refreshed MacBook Air is arriving soon, but the older M1-based model will stick around for those who want to pay less for what remains a great everyday notebook.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-8.jpg” width=”640″ height=”427″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-18.jpg 2x”>
<a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_4408.jpg" class="enlarge" data-height="1667" data-width="2500" alt="The Fox in the Forest is a card game we recommend for two-player game nights.”><img alt="The Fox in the Forest is a card game we recommend for two-player game nights.” src=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-9.jpg” width=”640″ height=”427″ srcset=”https://rassegna.lbit-solution.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-weekends-best-deals-steam-summer-sale-apple-back-to-school-promo-and-more-19.jpg 2x”>
Enlarge/The Fox in the Forest is a card game we recommend for two-player game nights.
Gaming accessory deals
Enlarge/ Xbox Series S (left), next to Xbox Series X (right). The former isn’t designed for 4K gaming and lacks a disc drive, but costs $200 less.
