How are PC games cheaper?

Let me preface this question by saying that I LOVE PC gaming. It has many advantages over consoles. If a game is done right no console can touch it! However, here is my question. How are PC games cheaper? I wanted Fallout 4. It's $59.99 regardless if I get it on the consoles or for my PC. Tomb Raider is $19.99 on Steam for the PC version and $19.96 on Amazon.com for the PS4 version. How is that cheaper?

I bought fallout 4 for $48 on day of release. I bought mad max for $15 on release.

It all depends where you shop.

There are other places than steam to buy pc games

Half the new releases on Steam these days have a 10% discount prior to the time they launch. You can buy game keys on eBay or if you want to roll the dice G2A or GMG for well under $60 at launch. Combined with seasonal sales on Steam/Origin you can get recent releases well below retail price as well and older games for <$10 in many cases.

Just because you aren't looking, doesn't means the deals aren't readily available.

Wow, I guess I don't know where to look. I need to do some research.

@SerOlmy: g2a is a roll of a dice, website is a little dodgey a few members here have been stung by them.

However green man gaming is not a grey market seller, I wouldnt consider uskng them a roll of the dice.

@thehig1:

GMG has had fewer but not zero key ranges revoked in the past. They have made amends to the people affected, but still an issue. Personally if I'm going to buy a key I usually do it on eBay, seller feedback +money back guarantee for most transactions.

Multi-platform new releases are generally 59.99 across the board, regardless of platform. PC games, however, have traditionally been about 49.99 (though this is changing...)

I don't have stats to support this, just years of observations lol, but I find PC games tend to be subject to price reductions sooner than console titles. I can generally find a 3-month old game from a major seller for 30% off, while browsing through the same copies on console at BestBuy (or some other store) they are still full-price.

Non-physical media means more retailers can sell the game, leading to competition, leading to better prices.

Sales sales sales!!! Steam alone does a Christmas, Halloween, Summer, and more sales.

Bundles bundles bundles! Since most people (I'd argue) purchase digital copies for PC, retailers can generally offer more incentives, such as bundles, i.e. "buy the sequel, get the original for 2 dollars!" On Steam you can get developers bundles for like 90% off (for example, a collection of games that if bought individually would cost hundreds, but you can get for 30 dollars).

Indie games, while available on all platforms, seem far more abundant on PC. They are also dirt cheap most of the time and often have at the least dozens of hours of fun (if not more!).

And let's not forget the OTHER side to this:

To play online games on consoles you need to pay a monthly subscription (Xbox Gold and PS4 Plus), where on PC, multiplayer is free online.

Also, you are getting a better game for less price on PC (better graphics, better performance, mods, etc)

PC games got more expensive but some sites offer good deals. As Klunt_Bumskrint recently recommended CDkeys.com have pretty good deals. Fallout 4 is currently $43.90 from them, I got BOIII for $34 from them.

Its not that hard. I bought it physical for 43euro from a local shop in day one, while steam sells it for 60euro.

I actually bought two. :P

Console games are generally more expensive because of the licensing that Microsoft and Sony charge to have the game on their system.

Thanks for clearing that up :)

1. AAA games at their height of their launch are an exception

2. PC software prices fall faster than their console counterparts

3. Sales are steeper and more frequent

Take the Tomb Raider (2013) example. I've seen that game routinely for less than £5 with all the DLC included. Heck, I've seen sales where you can get the entire Tomb Raider franchise (around 10 games, minus the isometric Lara Croft games) for £10 TOTAL. And I've seen this same deal dozens of times across several sites. You aren't going to see deals like that on console.

The example also doesn't work because you've picked Tomb Raider on the PC on one of its priciest days around, and compared it against one of its cheapest going rates on console. PC pricing is far more fluid.

You need to pick better times to shop and be smarter than just looking up what Steam has and calling it a day (there are competing outlets that might have a better price). Set up wishlists so you get automated notifications for when a game you want goes on sale. That kind of thing.

^This. I think its 10% or 20% of the price goes to MS or Sony.

Thats why console manufacturers sometimes sell the console with a loss and they expect to earn the money back from games.

I buy for control. Nothing is better than keyboard and mouse.

There is a huge choice of stores on Pc. Is not only amazon or Steam. Also every day there are hundreds of deals on Steam/GOG/humblebundle/GMG/gamersgate and a few other DD stores and those sales are available worldwide and not only locally.

Tomb raider in fact was on sale for 7.50 on steam and a few other places for quite a few times this last 5-6 months. In fact right now its on sale on origin for €5 and the survival edition for €6,24. Those are deals you rarely find on consoles ( if you ever find them )

Found Fallout4 on PC at $59 at JB HIFI, much cheaper than Steam or GMG digital. However I didn't like the fact that all I did was use the key to activate in Steam then threw the box, CD, and manuals in the bin. Another thing for landfill, which Steam is to blame for their high prices.

Steam is getting more expensive and sales are not as good as they used to be. Conspiracy Theory: Maybe Sony and MS are harassing them?

Also bought a game on Amazon, but when trying to activate on Steam it said this region is not supported. I'm sorry but Amazon should state that US keys won't work in certain countries.

1. I would have taken the Box and CD etc.

2. Use something like CDKeys.com if you want digital. Roughly same price as JB HiFi and you don't have to throw anything out.