How to Buy Cheap Steam Games? [2024 Updated Guide]

Steam is the largest digital game distribution platform for PC, but many high-quality games come with hefty price tags, deterring many players. For most, collecting all the latest hits seems extravagant.

Fortunately, you can buy cheap Steam games via a VPN or Steam keys. These 2 strategies will let you enjoy new releases immediately and save a lot of money. Let’s explore these money-saving tips now!

Can We Save Money on Steam Games?

A Steam game’s price depends on its quality, market position, and development costs. However, the game price after its release is not set in stone but fluctuates depending on factors. 

Because of this, players can usually save money on Steam games by following these basic rules below:

・Holiday and Sale Events

Steam regularly hosts various sales events, such as the Summer Sale, Winter Sale, and Black Friday. Additionally, there are significant discounts during specific holidays, like Christmas and anniversaries. These events are excellent opportunities to purchase games at the lowest prices.

・Bundles and Collections

Occasionally, games or DLCs are sold together in bundles, often saving you 60% to 80% compared to buying them individually. Relatively, there’s more money to pay – making it more suitable for players who already intend to purchase multiple games.

・Developer/Publisher Promotions

Some game publishers periodically offer discounts on specific series, such as Assassin’s Creed. Keeping an eye on official announcements can help you save more money on specific game purchases.

・New Releases and Sequels

When new versions or sequels of the game are released, the prices of older versions often drop. Monitoring these price changes can help you make up for previous regrets at a lower price.

・Earn Money on Steam

If you are an advanced player, you can also earn money by selling in-game items from games like CS: GO or Dota 2. The proceeds from these sales are deposited directly into your Steam Wallet, which you can use to purchase other games, DLCs, or in-game items and skins.

💡Of course, if you don’t have the time to keep track of sales events, just add the games you’re interested in to your Steam Wishlist. When these games go on sale, Steam will notify you via email immediately.

The basic rules mentioned above are very practical, but they all convey one common fact: “Never buy a game immediately after its release“. Whether it’s Steam’s sales events or an occasional generous discount from publishers, you need to have enough patience to wait. This can be quite torturous for many gamers.

But if you’re eager to play newly released popular games at a cheaper price, don’t despair. The following 2 methods can help you:

• Use a VPN to change your IP address and buy cheap Steam games from other countries/regions.
• Buy cheap Steam keys from resellers to unlock games at a lower price.

Next, let’s check out the detailed tutorials.

How to Buy Cheap Steam Games via VPN? 

Steam is a global gaming platform that sets local game prices based on the economic levels of different regions. In other words, the same game can be more expensive in developed countries like the US and the UK, while being much cheaper in regions like Russia, Argentina, and Turkey. 

For example, when Horizon Zero Dawn was first released on Steam, its pre-sale price in Argentina was as low as 539 pesos (7 dollars at that time). By checking SteamDB, HZD is also currently 51.77% cheaper in Ukraine than it is in the US.

Steam Price History of HZD on 24/9/2024

Due to these regional pricing differences, many gamers opt to change their Steam region to purchase games at a lower price. So, how can you do this? The answer is by using a VPN.

By using a VPN, you can change your IP address to that of a VPN server in another country or region. This allows you to purchase games at the local prices of the server’s location, and also bypass Steam’s geo-restrictions, giving you access to more game content.

How to Change Steam Region?

Now let’s check out the detailed steps on how to change Steam regions.

Step 1. Select and download a VPN

Among the many options, X-VPN stands out. This provider offers 8000+ high-speed servers in 225+ locations worldwide and features an exclusive protocol with VPN obfuscation to pass the VPN detection easily.

・Hit the button below to get the VPN download, and enjoy its free version without data limitation.

💡Beyond changing your IP address, X-VPN also provides dedicated game servers, which effectively lower game ping, fix server connections, and resolve issues with Steam won’t open.

Step 2. Check the SteamDB

Generally speaking, Argentina, Russia, Turkey, and India have more low-priced games. However, each of these countries has price advantages in different game categories.

・So please navigate to the SteamDB official site, and check which country the game you want to buy is currently available at the lowest price.

Step 3. Connect to the VPN

・Turn on X-VPN, and hit the Select Location option on its home page.

・Choose a server in your desired country.

・Press the Quick Connect button on the homepage to connect/disconnect with great ease.

Step 3. Change the Steam Region

(For the rest of the process, we will use Baldur’s Gate 3 as the demo object.)

・Open Steam and enter a game page with the VPN connecting. Hit the Add to Cart button and move to the Shopping Cart page.

💡At this point, even though you’re connected to a VPN, you’ll notice that the prices and currency units of the game remain unchanged. This is normal. Please proceed to the next step.

・On the Shopping Cart page, navigate to the Country option. Now, select the country matching the location of the VPN server you connected to.

・Then a window will pop up, select the matching option. Back to the Shopping Cart page, you will find the price and currency have been changed.

💡On Steam, Argentina also requires payment in US dollars. Thus, in our demo, the unit of currency has not changed, but the price has dropped from $59.99 to $39.99.

・Once you’ve confirmed that the updated price is the same as what you expected, hit the button to continue to payment.

・Follow the request to complete payment information and complete the checkout. Now you can enjoy your new game.

Pro Tips about Steam Region Changing

1. Risk Warning

According to Steam’s Terms of Service, using a VPN to change regions for cheaper games is not allowed, and your account could be at risk of being blocked. While VPNs are legal in most regions, you still need to be cautious in deciding whether to use a VPN to change the Steam region.

2. Payment Considerations

・When checking out, ensure that your new billing address is in the chosen country and matches your payment method, requiring a local credit card.

・If you use a Steam Wallet or Gift Card, the billing address can be any address. This means if you don’t have a local credit card, you can either buy a Steam Gift Card and gift the game to yourself or pay directly with your Steam Wallet.

・Steam only allows the use of the same currency in your Steam Wallet.

3. Post-Purchase

・After successfully changing regions to purchase a cheap game, you can switch Steam back to your country, but this may trigger a red account alert. To minimize risk, consider keeping your VPN on while gaming to hide your real IP.

・Steam only allows you to change the region once every 3 months. So please do not change your store area too often.

How to Create a New Steam Account in Another Region?

Besides operating an existing account, there is actually a simpler and more convenient way to change Steam regions – just registering a local account.

Here is the detailed tutorial:

Step 1. Select and download a VPN

With fast speeds, numerous servers, strong security, and free version,  X-VPN is always a very good choice.

Step 2. Connect to the VPN

・Open X-VPN, navigate to the Server Select Option/All Locations, and connect the VPN to a server in your aiming country.

Step 3. Create a New Steam Account

・Register for an account through the Steam app or its website.

・As long as the VPN remains connected, Steam will identify your location, and automatically register into the target region account.

・Fill in the info according to the prompts to complete the submission.

Re-registering your Steam account for another region reduces the risk and is simpler and more straightforward than using your existing account to change regions. But the downside is that you’ll need to provide a new email address/payment method and social features are limited.

How to Buy Cheap Steam Games via Steam Keys?

On Steam, there are currently 3 ways to add new games to your Library.

・Browse and buy directly from the Steam store.

・Select a non-Steam game program and add it to your Steam library.

・Activate a game with the Steam key.

If you don’t want to run any risk of having your account blocked, then consider buying a cheap Steam Key to activate the game.

What’s Steam Key?

The prototype of the Steam Key may first appeared with PC games that were released on physical CDs. In those days, when you opened the package of a licensed game, in addition to the CD-ROM, the box usually came with a sticker containing a code consisting of a dozen or so numbers and letters to activate the game. This was known as a CD Key.

With the rapid growth of digital downloads, the CD-ROM medium was gradually phased out, and digital games became the mainstay of the game trading market. Consequently, retail or online shopping platforms began selling activation codes for digital versions of games to be unlocked on the corresponding platforms. So, the Steam key is the digital code used for Steam game activation.

💡Its most common format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (Each X represents a letter or number)

How to Use the Steam Key?

Step 1. Open your Steam app, and hit the Add a Game option on the lower-left corner.

Step 2. Click the Activate a Product on Steam… option.

Step 3. Now enter the Steam key and click the Confirm button. If the Steam Key is valid, the game or software will be added to your Steam library for you to download immediately.

How to Get Steam Keys?

Normally, although you can get some free Steam keys through some community forums or events organized by game publishers, buying Steam keys is probably the more common way to activate the game you want to play.

To buy Steam keys, there are two main channels: authorized stores, and unauthorized third-party sellers.

Authorized Stores

Authorized Steam Key Stores are retailers officially authorized by game publishers or developers to legally sell Steam Keys. These stores have signed agreements with the game publishers or developers, ensuring that the Steam keys they sell are legitimate and will not encounter issues when used.

While prices in authorized stores are usually similar to those in the Steam Store, these retailers often organize various promotions and provide significant discounts, even when the Steam Store maintains the original price. This allows you to purchase cheap licensed Steam games.

🔥Common Authorized Steam Key Stores:

・Humble Bundle: A legally authorized online reseller that often offers cheap game purchase prices through game bundles and various promotions/charity events.

・Green Man Gaming: A very famous and reputable digital game retailer that always offers various cheap Steam keys and game activation codes for other platforms.

・Fanatical: Formerly known as Bundle Stars, specializes in lowering the price of individual games by offering various game bundles.

・Gamesplanet: A digital game retailer from Europe that obtains Steam keys and other activation codes directly from game publishers and often offers surprising discounts.

Unauthorized Third-party Sellers

Unauthorized third-party sellers are retailers not authorized by game publishers but still sell Steam keys and activation codes for other platforms. These sites usually access Steam keys through various unofficial channels, such as buying from other low-priced regions, splitting individual activation codes from bundles, or other gray channels to obtain activation codes in bulk.

These third-party sellers offer Steam keys from opaque sources but offer extremely low prices to entice consumers to buy them – as a result, they often receive extremely high traffic and transactions.

🔥Popular Unauthorized Third-party Sellers:

・G2A: Currently the most popular third-party digital game marketplace, offering all kinds of very cheap Steam keys. However, the source and legitimacy of the activation codes cannot be guaranteed.

・Kinguin: An equally famous third-party market where you can find game activation codes for all major gaming platforms. But again, the source is not transparent.

・CDkeys: A site on par with G2A that offers gamers Steam keys and other activation codes purchased by their teams themselves. It is relatively safe and reliable compared to other third-party retailers.

・Eneba: A recently emerged third-party seller that also offers a large number of low-cost Steam keys but with some security risks.

💡If you want to find out is G2A legit and safe, please read this post. We provide a comprehensive analysis of its reliability, the potential risks involved, and tips on how to make informed purchasing decisions.

Is Steam Key Safe?

The Steam keys obtained through the official Steam store or authorized retailers are generally safe and legal, as these channels are officially recognized and offer reliable customer support.

However, purchasing Steam keys from unauthorized third-party websites carries risks due to the non-transparent sources of the codes. This can lead to issues such as invalid codes, banned accounts, or lack of after-sales support. 

To protect your rights and account security, it’s recommended to buy cheap Steam keys from authorized retailers. If you choose to buy from unauthorized sellers, be sure to assess the risks carefully.

How to Find the Cheapest Steam Key?

Whichever channel you choose to buy a Steam key from, the multitude of websites/stores available can make it challenging to find the best deal. Fortunately, some websites aggregate and compare prices of Steam keys from different retailers, simplifying the process of finding the cheapest option.

🔥Here are three popular price comparison sites:

・IsThereAnyDeal: This widely-used site for gamers compares prices from multiple authorized retailers and displays historical price data, helping you save the most money.

・AllKeyShop: Another popular price comparison site, AllKeyShop lists prices from a variety of authorized and unauthorized retailers while providing user reviews and ratings for each retailer.

・GG.deals: Known for its unique system and algorithm, GG.deals offers comprehensive price comparisons, and historical data, and alerts you when a game reaches your desired price. 

Conclusion

All in all, it is not difficult to buy cheap Steam games. You can choose to use X-VPN to buy Steam games in the low-price section or add your favorite games to the Steam library by purchasing a low-cost Steam key. But before you choose to try a risky method, make sure you consider it meticulously and take appropriate info protection measures.

FAQs