Budget-Friendly Gaming Tips: Free Games, Steam Sales & More

Is it just me, or do games feel more expensive than ever? Eevery AAA launch seems to start at £60, and indie games I think will be within my budget end up being £20 (and don’t even get me started on Nintendo’s prices). I love supporting developers, but I can’t always justify those prices every month.

If you’re anything like me, stick around, because I’m gonna talk about some ways you can get into gaming, or explore more games, without having to worry about how much it’s going to set you back.

Try Free Demos

Demos used to be all the rage back in the day. You could get a CD from a gaming magazine and just pop it into your computer, or you could download free demos of tons of games online or on Steam. Demos definitely aren’t as common as they used to be.

Demo culture disappeared largely due to cost, time and the surge of ‘free-to-play’ games like Fortnite. However, not all hope is lost.

Check Out Steam Next Fest

Since 2020, Steam has held a festival of sorts for hundreds of upcoming games. Players can dip their toes into an endless amount of demos completely free of charge.

The primary goal of Steam Next Fest is to connect players with upcoming games they might be interested in, while helping developers expose their future releases to potential fans and to gather real-time feedback along the way. - Steam

While some demos can be short, there are many that contain hours of gameplay so you can get a real feel for the game. It’s a great opportunity to discover stuff you like and put on your wishlist for a future purchase, or to save yourself from spending money on a game you might only play once.

Check out our picks for some of the best demos on Steam!

Search for Free Games

It’s common for free games to have a reputation of being low quality or filled with in-game purchases you’re pressured to make. But there are some hidden gems out there if you know where to look!

Mobile gaming

A lot of mobile games tend to be free and can be an easy way to satiate your gaming itch. They also come with a few caveats, the main one being they’re usually riddled with ads that interrupt gameplay. Not fun. But it’s not impossible to find a free mobile game that doesn’t make you want to throw your phone across the room every few minutes.

Steam

Steam has a whole page dedicated to free-to-play games. Granted a lot of them are your Apex Legends and Overwatch types, but you can find some pretty decent stuff if you’re willing to browse - kind of like a thrift store.

Even The Sims 4 is now free to play! I had to actually buy that in 2014 (along with some very expensive DLCs), so I love that anyone can now jump in and start simming.

Check out our list of our favourite free games!

Epic Games Store

If you’re looking for something other than Fortnite to download for free from the Epic Games Store, then you’re in luck. Every week, Epic gives away one or more free PC games with no strings attached. Once you claim it, it’s yours forever in your Epic Games library.

The games on offer range from indie titles to the occasional AAA surprise, and you can even see what’s coming next week in advance. All you need to do is create a free account. It almost sounds too good to be true, but it’s genuinely legit.

Browse Humble Bundle

If you’re willing to part with a little bit of your hard-earned cash but want to get more bang for your buck, Humble Bundle could be a great option. Essentially, Humble Bundle works with games publishers and charities to create bundles of games that you can buy. The best part? You pay what you want! Well, there is usually a minimum price of the bundle, but you’re often saving an insane amount compared to buying the games individually at RRP.

Last year, I got a bundle of nine cozy games for only £10.81. At the time of writing this blog, there’s a horror game bundle available, including nine games, for only £10.53 (for a combined retail value of just over £100!). That’s a whole lot of savings, a whole lot of new games to get excited about, and a whole lot of money going to charity. It’s definitely worth a look.

Wait for Steam Sales

Okay, I know I talk a lot about Steam, but they have great deals, what can I say?

Steam always has some sort of sale on. Even when one ends, a few days later, another begins. Right now, they have a Women’s Day Sale (March 6 - March 15, 2026) celebrating games by women-led and gender marginalized-led teams.

The point is, Steam is obsessed with sales and so am I. I usually put games on my wishlist and wait for that sweet email that’ll tell me it’s on sale so I can snap it up.

Keep an eye out for Steam’s Spring Sale running from March 19 - 26, 2026!

Don’t get me wrong, I love supporting developers and sometimes I will buy a game at full price. But sometimes, my dog will eat something he shouldn’t, or hurt his foot, and the money that I’d like to be for games has to go towards a pricey vet visit. Life is expensive, but we still need our hobbies even if we can’t always afford them at the crazy costs we’re seeing nowadays.

Thankfully, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy great games without emptying your wallet. You just need to know where to look.