The 2024 Steam Winter Sale kicked off today with a veritable avalanche of savings, and as we always do, we're putting together a big list of our favorite deals to help you figure out what you want to throw your money at. But we wanted to center this one out right away: Elden Ring is 40% off, taking it to $36/£30/£36 for just the second time on Steam since its February 2022 release.
You've probably already heard this but just in case, Elden Ring is a god-tier videogame. We scored it 90% in our review and that's a pretty big deal, but what's even bigger (from my perspective, anyway) is that I liked it—I liked it so much it basically took over my life for half of 2022. This matters because I really don't like soulslikes, and I think it's important to note that even after immersing myself for months in the absolute magic of Elden Ring, I still don't like soulslikes. It's a DNA-level dislike, and yet Elden Ring (with some help from a few determined PC Gamer pals) managed to punch through it and make me a believer. It's just that good.
The last time Elden Ring was priced this low was in the previous Steam Winter Sale: SteamDB indicates it's come close a couple times in-between, including a 30% discount in the 2024 Summer Sale, but it's been a full year since the last time (which was also the first time) it's been cut this low. Which is understandable, given what a runaway success Elden Ring is: This isn't a game you're going to find in a bargain bin anytime soon.
It is possible to get Elden Ring even cheaper, although just a bit, through key sellers like Fanatical and Green Man Gaming. They're reputable but there are a few more steps involved than just buying directly from Steam—hardly an arduous process, but years ago I bought Baldur's Gate 2 on GOG just so I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of reinstalling it from five CDs. Sometimes spending a few extra bucks to avoid a few extra clicks just feels worthwhile. If you want to dig down into the deepest discounts possible, isthereanydeal.com (or, even better, Augmented Steam) is your friend.
Whatever you do, this is a good time to do it: Elden Ring at nearly half-price is a hell of a deal. Alas, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is not on sale, but if you're just getting into Elden Ring now anyway, trust me, there's plenty in the base game to keep you busy for a good long time.
