This weekend marks the unofficial start of E3, the most prominent video game trade event in the United States. Ars will be at the show again, and this year's edition is expected to be somewhat muted compared to years past, what with Sony joining Nintendo in foregoing a formal presence at the event. There should still be plenty of news and new game footage for industry watchers to digest, however.
For those who are just interested in playing games, though, E3 has also become an excuse for game companies to hold sales events. Sony and Microsoft both rolled out big promotions this time last year—and apparently, their efforts went well. On Friday, the two once again kicked off sweeping sets of discounts for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners, respectively.
The deals apply to consoles, controllers, subscription services, and, naturally, lots of games, and are available on the company's own digital stores and at various retailers. Both Sony and Microsoft say their promos will last from June 7 through June 17.
To help those looking for something new to play—or just those with a compulsive need to add to their backlog—weve broken down what's worth considering from each sale below.
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.
Sony “Days of Play” PlayStation 4 deals
- Much like last years “Days of Play” sale, as the company dubs it, Sony has launched a limited-edition model of the PlayStation 4 Slim to commemorate the event. It costs $299.99, the standard MSRP for the console, so its not an out-and-out “deal.” Its gray-black finish is a bit more muted than last years blue-and-gold console, and given that Sony is openly discussing details about the PS4s successor, now isnt the optimal time for most people to buy new current-generation hardware. But if youre a PlayStation diehard or your current PS4 is on its last legs, there you go. If last year is any indication, though, supply will likely run out before long. (Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy)
- The PlayStation 4 Pro, meanwhile, gets a $50 discount, bringing it down to $349.99. This isnt a huge savings, but discounts on the 4K-ready PS4 are still few and far between, relatively speaking, so its not the worst offer. (Walmart, Amazon, Newegg, Google Express, GameStop, Best Buy)
- A PlayStation VR bundle that includes new VR games Trover Saves the Universe and Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted is down to $249. Thats $50 off its usual MSRP. (Walmart, Amazon, Target, GameStop, Best Buy)
- Separate bundles that include two PlayStation Move controllers and either Borderlands 2 and Beat Saber or Everybody's Golf VR and Blood & Truth, respectively, are down to $299.99. (We can vouch for the former from a game quality perspective.) That is, again, a $50 discount. The PS VR has been priced lower before, but mostly with bundles that Sony has since discontinued. In any case, while Oculus, HTC, and now Valve are selling more technically advanced headsets, game support for the PSVR is still kicking along, and Sony has said existing PSVR headsets will be supported by the presumed PlayStation 5.
- If you simply need a new gamepad, Sonys DualShock 4 controllers are down to $39.99. Weve seen these go for less, but given that their street price tends to fluctuate between $45 and $55 online, this is a good price. That they'll soon be compatible with iPhones is a nice bonus. (Walmart, Amazon, Google Express, Best Buy).
- A 12-month subscription to Sonys PlayStation Plus online service is down to $39.99, which is $20 off MSRP and possibly the best deal in Sony's sale. (Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy)
- Sony says a 12-month membership to its less essential PlayStation Now game streaming service will be $30 off, too, bringing it to $69.99. That discount does not appear to be live as of this writing, however.
- Finally, the PlayStation Classic is down to $30, though that's only $5 or so off from where it's been priced in recent months. That's mostly because it's bad, so we wouldn't recommend it, but since it is a deal, we're obligated to give it a mention.
There are tons of games on sale as part of Sonys event—far too many for us to list each individually here. But well make note of a few:
- Marvels Spider-Man, which we enjoyed, is down to $20. Thats great value and about $10 cheaper than its previous low. (Walmart, Amazon, Newegg, GameStop, Best Buy)
- God of War, one of our top three games of 2018, is also $20, which is a new low after sitting in the $30 range for the past few months. (Walmart, Amazon, GameStop, Target, Best Buy)
- MLB The Show 19 is down to $40, which is tied for its lowest price to date and a $20 discount. We dont have a formal review of it on Ars, but as a diehard Red Sox fan who owns the game, I can give it my personal stamp of approval. It has a much more reasonable approach to the “Ultimate Team” format than fellow sports games like FIFA or Madden, for whatever thats worth. (Walmart, Newegg, GameStop, Target, Best Buy)
- Days Gone, the latest big-budget PS4 exclusive, is also down to a new low of $40. We didnt hate this one, but we didnt love it either, so while it doesnt come as strongly recommended, pummeling crowds of zombies might be a fun enough time depending on your tastes. (Amazon, Newegg, Google Express, Target, GameStop, Best Buy)
- A number of older PS4 hits are down to $10, including the Complete Edition of Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Superhot VR, and Until Dawn. Some of these have fallen around this price point in the past, but either way, this is about as cheap as theyve gotten.
- Other highlights as of this writing include Assassins Creed Odyssey for $23, Devil May Cry 5 for $40, and Tetris Effect for $20. Several more deals, along with most of the offers listed above, areRead More – Source [contf] [contfnew]
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