It’s a good weekend to stay inside and download some video games. While real-life Black Friday doesn’t happen for another week, PlayStation and Xbox are already running virtual Black Friday sales in their respective online stores, so you can snag some cheap games without waiting in long lines at Wal-Mart. While not explicitly part of a Black Friday sale, Nintendo’s eShop has a few interesting cut-rate downloads for November as well.
Black Friday deals in the Xbox Games Store
Microsoft’s Black Friday discounts are available now through November 22. Here are my personal picks from the overall list, which you can peruse here.
Halo: Master Chief Collection: Play through Halo’s history in advance of Halo Infinite’s Dec. 8 release date. This bundle contains remastered versions of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 for only $20.
Far Cry 6: Along with a massive map, great combat, and an interesting plot about revolution on a tropical island, this open-world first-person game features the greatest pet in video game history: Legendary punk rock chicken revolutionary Chicharrón! Far Cry 6 is only about a month old, and you can pick it up for $40 bucks.
Assassin’s Creed Bundle: If you like Assassin’s Creed, this bundle is a ridiculously good deal. It contains the three most recent Assassin’s Creed games (Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins) for $47.99—that’s easily 300 hours of excellent gameplay for less than the price of a single new title.
Lawn Mowing Simulator: I haven’t played this game, but the bizarre premise is intriguing. I probably wouldn’t pay full price to “experience the beauty and detail of mowing the Great British countryside,” but it’s marked down from $29.99 to $22.49, so maybe I’ll give it a shot.
Black Friday deals in the PlayStation Store
PlayStation’s Black Friday bargains begin on November 19 and conclude November 29. Take a look at my picks:
Deathloop; This first-person shooter is earning rave reviews for its intense action and it’s time-loop plot. It’s only a couple months old, and it’s on-sale for half-price. (Note: It’s unclear whether the PS Store hasn’t yet updated its listing to reflect the sale price, or Deathloop’s half-off deal only applies to the physical version. If so, you can order the disc for cheap on Amazon.)
Madden NFL 22: This football simulator is a must-buy-every-year title for sports gamers, and it’s actually worth the annual purchase, especially at half-price. (Note: Madden’s pricing is really weird. The Playstation 5 Madden download is listed at $50, marked down from $100. The PlayStation 4 download is $29.99, marked down from $60. The retail PS5 version is $70, on sale for $39.)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR: Skyrim is so good, I want to play it in virtual reality, even though virtual reality gives me blinding headaches. It’s only $20, too.
Rez Infinite: Abstract puzzle game Rez was among the most unique games on the PlayStation 2, and this reboot brings it back in all it’s weird, trippy glory. Plus: virtual reality is added to the mix. You can try it for only nine dollars.
Nintendo’s eShop
Nintendo has always done things differently, including Black Friday. The Big N has announced some interesting real-world deals, but over at the Nintendo eShop, it seems to be business as usual. But there are still some bargains to be found in November:
Tropico 6: I’ve been hooked on simulations since Sim City 2000 sucked away a month of my life, and I love Tropico’s take on the genre: You are the leader of a banana Republic who can rule you stolen fiefdom through benevolence or an iron fist. The Switch edition is less than $30.
Yoga Master: Nintendo’s motion-controls and it’s “in every home” success has resulted in the release of tons of inexplicable titles that seem aimed at gamers’ moms. I have no idea if Yoga Master is is a good game, or a good exercise program, but it’s only 18 bucks, so I’ll give it a namasté.
Crysis Remastered trilogy: Back in 2007, having a PC that could run Crysis at full specs was the ultimate gaming flex. A Nintendo Wii would have been laughed out of the room. Those jerks wouldn’t be laughing now if they saw you running Crysis, Crysis 2, and Crysis 3 on your Switch, though, especially when you only paid 40 bucks for all three.
