Black Friday video game deals 2023: everything to expect this year

Black Friday video game deals
(Image credit: Future)

Black Friday video game deals can score you the year's biggest games at record low prices. That's certainly what we saw from last year's sales and we don't expect anything to change in 2023. With some notable releases on the horizon, and plenty of older titles ready to drop their prices throughout the year, things are already looking good for November. 

We've been tracking Black Friday video game deals for years, so we know how long to wait before taking the plunge on a price and which of 2023's games are most likely to see the most valuable savings in November. That's why we're getting you prepped here with everything we expect to see from this year's sale event. You'll find the dates, retailers, and titles you need to be watching out for, as well as all the biggest offers we spotted last year for reference as well. 

Stocking your backlog with the latest and greatest titles is one of the best parts of Black Friday gaming deals, but you'll want to keep a close eye on prices over the next few months to make sure you're always getting the best value. 

When will Black Friday video game deals start?

Black Friday video game deals will officially hit the shelves on November 24, but we often see discounts beginning from the start of October these days. We'd recommend holding onto your wallet until the start of Thanksgiving week. This is when we see the majority of retailers launching their heaviest discounts. 

Where will the best Black Friday video game deals be?

We'll be bringing you all the biggest Black Friday video game deals right here, but if you're keen to get a look in yourself it's worth knowing which retailers to prioritize. You'll find all our favorite stores (and the ones we'll be scouring on the big day) just below. 

US:
Amazon:
regular discounts and speedy shipping
Best Buy:
often price-matches record lows with gift cards
CDKeys:
PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC codes almost 90% off
Gamestop:
regular sales on pre-owned and new titles
Microsoft:
sitewide sales on games old and new
Walmart:
wide selection of sometimes record breaking discounts

UK:
Amazon:
often the first to hit new record low prices
CD Keys:
digital codes with heavy discounts
Currys:
often bundles extra services or free trials
Game:
excellent prices on pre-owned titles
ShopTo:
best for discounts on brand new games
The Game Collection:
often has some of the best prices around
365 Games:
regular discounts on games and merch

What to expect from Black Friday video game deals 2023

Last year we saw Black Friday video game deals hitting both old and new titles, kicking 2022's biggest releases down to their lowest ever prices - even if they were still new to the shelves in November. The Last of Us Part 1, for example, had only been available for a couple of months when Black Friday rolled around, but it still managed to drop to its best price. That said, we did see the most valuable discounts hitting titles landing between the start of the year and August; Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2, Elden Ring, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, and The Quarry were the heaviest hitters. 

Looking at 2023's slate, should all those release dates go to plan, we're expecting the most valuable savings to hit Forspoken, Hogwarts Legacy, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Dead Island 2, Street Fighter 6, and Final Fantasy XVI. These are all ready to hit the shelves before July, which is a solid timeline for some extra savings by the time November runs around. 

There are a few titles absent from this slate, one of which is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Due out in May, the sequel to Breath of the Wild is going to be big, and looking at the original's price history it's unlikely we'll see too many discounts on that MSRP. Of course, we're in a different place in the Switch life cycle now, and Nintendo's own release schedule is looking a little sparse so there may be some unexpected good news. 

How to save even more on Black Friday video game deals

Yes, November will offer up plenty of discounts on PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch games at a range of online retailers. Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart will all be sending you discounted boxed copies or digital discounts by the time the holidays roll around. But there's an even better way to save more on your games if you focus your search to solely digital copies. That's because the PS Store, Microsoft Store, and Nintendo eShop also run their own Black Friday video game deals - and you can often buy discounted gift cards for each of these console-specific storefronts as well. That means you can spend $44.99 / £44.99 on a $50 / £50 gift card and then continue to save once you hit the marketplace on top. 

It's also worth keeping an eye on Epic Games during this time if you're playing on PC. You can often score yourself free $10 / £10 gift cards by buying other sales games, compounding your savings on top. That's separate from the strong showing Epic offers every year in the way of free games. 

Last year's best Black Friday video game deals in the US

Elden Ring (PS5) | $59.99 $35.00 at Walmart
Save $25 - Arguably the best game of 2022 was down to nearly half price on all consoles at Walmart. It's not an easy game to play, but one you'll love regardless.

Elden Ring (PS5) | $59.99 $35.00 at Walmart
Save $25 - Arguably the best game of 2022 was down to nearly half price on all consoles at Walmart. It's not an easy game to play, but one you'll love regardless.

3 months Xbox Game Pass Ultimate | $44.99

3 months Xbox Game Pass Ultimate | $44.99 $26.59 at CDKeys
Save $18.40 - CDKeys has a slightly lower before price here, but you'll usually pay $44.99 for a three month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate code. That means you're saving $18 in total on this subscription, bringing that price down below $30.

Rainbow Six Extraction | $39.99 $11.99 at Amazon
Save $27.99 - Rainbow Six Extraction was better than half price at Amazon, across PS5, PS4, and Xbox. Not only that, but you still received the buddy pass for 14 days with this purchase as well. 

Rainbow Six Extraction | $39.99 $11.99 at Amazon
Save $27.99 - Rainbow Six Extraction was better than half price at Amazon, across PS5, PS4, and Xbox. Not only that, but you still received the buddy pass for 14 days with this purchase as well. 

The Quarry | $49.98 $25 at Walmart
Save $25 - Walmart swooped in by slashing this slasher to $25 - excellent for anyone missed out on previous discounts.

The Quarry | $49.98 $25 at Walmart
Save $25 - Walmart swooped in by slashing this slasher to $25 - excellent for anyone missed out on previous discounts.

Stray | $39.99 $29 at Amazon
Save $10 - Stray was down to a record low price in Amazon's Black Friday video game deals. Whether you'd been holding out for a discount on this physical release or you slept on it the first time round, that was a purr-fect price. Sorry.

Stray | $39.99 $29 at Amazon
Save $10 - Stray was down to a record low price in Amazon's Black Friday video game deals. Whether you'd been holding out for a discount on this physical release or you slept on it the first time round, that was a purr-fect price. Sorry.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human | $59.99 $24.99 at Amazon
Save $35 - Dying Light 2 was down to $24.99 in Amazon's Black Friday video game deals. That was a record low price on a 2022 release that had only ever dipped to $35 before.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human | $59.99 $24.99 at Amazon
Save $35 - Dying Light 2 was down to $24.99 in Amazon's Black Friday video game deals. That was a record low price on a 2022 release that had only ever dipped to $35 before.

Sonic Frontiers | $59.99 $35 at Amazon
Save $24.99 - The PS5 edition of Sonic Frontiers was at a record low price at Amazon,  kicking that $60 MSRP down to $35. That's a full saving of $24.99.

Sonic Frontiers | $59.99 $35 at Amazon
Save $24.99 - The PS5 edition of Sonic Frontiers was at a record low price at Amazon,  kicking that $60 MSRP down to $35. That's a full saving of $24.99.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | $59.99 $29 at Walmart
Save $30 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had started shedding its $59.99 MSRP a lot more in recent months, culminating in this excellent offer at Walmart. You could save $30 last year.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | $59.99 $29 at Walmart
Save $30 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had started shedding its $59.99 MSRP a lot more in recent months, culminating in this excellent offer at Walmart. You could save $30 last year.

Last year's best Black Friday video game deals in the UK

Gotham Knights (Xbox Series X) | £64.99

Gotham Knights (Xbox Series X) | £64.99 £29.95 at Amazon
Save £35 - This two-player coop game about the aftermath of Batman's death only come out weeks ago, but Amazon has cut the price of both the PS5 and Xbox versions by at least 40%! All told, it's a pretty fun time with the Bat-family as they uncover a secret Gotham conspiracy.

The Last of Us Part I | £69.99 £41.99 at Amazon
Save £28 - One of the best PlayStation games ever was given a PS5 remake last year. The £70 price tag may have been a little too steep for some, but it dropped in price to something a lot more reasonable over Black Friday. 

The Last of Us Part I | £69.99 £41.99 at Amazon
Save £28
- One of the best PlayStation games ever was given a PS5 remake last year. The £70 price tag may have been a little too steep for some, but it dropped in price to something a lot more reasonable over Black Friday. 

Sonic Frontiers (PS5) | £54.99 £34.99 at Amazon
Save £20 - This dropped in lightning-fast time, but that's no indication of its quality. Sonic Frontiers is a unique step in the right direction for the franchise: an open-world adventure bursting with speed and ambition.

Sonic Frontiers (PS5) | £54.99 £34.99 at Amazon
Save £20
- This dropped in lightning-fast time, but that's no indication of its quality. Sonic Frontiers is a unique step in the right direction for the franchise: an open-world adventure bursting with speed and ambition.

3 months Xbox Game Pass Ultimate | £32.99 £21.99 at CDKeys
Save £11 - CDKeys regularly has some of the best Game Pass prices, and last year was no different. You could find a three month subscription available for £22, saving you £11 on your membership all in.

3 months Xbox Game Pass Ultimate | £32.99 £21.99 at CDKeys
Save £11 - CDKeys regularly has some of the best Game Pass prices, and last year was no different. You could find a three month subscription available for £22, saving you £11 on your membership all in.

Nintendo Switch Sports | £39.99 £29.99 at Amazon
Save £10 - This was the lowest price we'd seen on Nintendo Switch Sports, with Amazon offering a £10 price cut over Black Friday. That was perfect if you've been holding out for a discount before diving back into this world of sports.

Nintendo Switch Sports | £39.99 £29.99 at Amazon
Save £10 - This was the lowest price we'd seen on Nintendo Switch Sports, with Amazon offering a £10 price cut over Black Friday. That was perfect if you've been holding out for a discount before diving back into this world of sports.

New Tales from the Borderlands | £44.99 £29.85 at Base
Save £15 - New Tales from the Borderlands had only been on the shelves for a matter of weeks, but you could already save £15 on all platforms at Base.

New Tales from the Borderlands | £44.99 £29.85 at Base
Save £15 - New Tales from the Borderlands had only been on the shelves for a matter of weeks, but you could already save £15 on all platforms at Base.

Splatoon 3 | £49.99 £36.99 at Amazon
Save £13 - Amazon kicked Splatoon 3 down to a record low price, weeks after the latest instalment first hit the shelves. That meant you could pick it up for just £36.99 - £13 off the £49.99 RRP.

Splatoon 3 | £49.99 £36.99 at Amazon
Save £13 - Amazon kicked Splatoon 3 down to a record low price, weeks after the latest instalment first hit the shelves. That meant you could pick it up for just £36.99 - £13 off the £49.99 RRP.

Of course, if you're after something to compliment your Steam library, take a look at the Black Friday gaming PC deals and Black Friday gaming laptop deals we expect to see this year. We're also rounding up our predictions for all the Black Friday board game deals heading our way. 

Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards and mice that come with them), and tracking everything that suggests VR is about to take over our lives.