The Steam Deal Thread V7 - The soda wars have ended, but the deals rage on.

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Welcome to the Steam Deal Thread V7! You can find link to past threads at the bottom of this post. Read post #2 of this thread for Steam FAQs and more.

Since the V6 thread, we've decided to leave regular minor sales out of the OP. This post will keep track of major sales (Summer sale, etc.), Steam deals available through other sellers (like Amazon), Preorder deals, and Group Buys.

I would still greatly appreciate help from you folks at home in keeping this smaller-scale OP up-to-date. This is a Wiki post so anyone can contribute. Wiki instructions:
Thanks for your help! If you notice a sale has ended, feel free to delete its line from the sale list. Of course, if you see something does need to be added, then kindly add it to the list.

Make sure your changes match the thread's format! For example, every game that's on sale is part of an unordered list. When adding a game to the list, copy an existing line and update the link, title, and prices. That way, the format stays correct. Do not list percentages off! We list the original price and the sale price here. If you have any suggestions for major changes to the post/thread, PM me (EastX) about them.

Steam Sales - Updated 5/20


CAG Threads Featuring Steam Games on Sale Elsewhere - Updated 1/9


Preorder Deals - Updated 1/10
Group Buy Deals - Updated 1/9/13
Several multiplayer Steam games are available in 2-packs or 4-packs. These packs offer a discount over buying multiple copies of a game separately. We also maintain group buy trade threads for several games, so please use those threads if you're interested in setting up a group buy.


Free Stuff - List needs updating with F2P games!
There are several free games and mods on Steam. These are a few choice ones; you can find a full list here. Note that free games are not permanently attached to your Steam account like actual purchases would be. You'll need to manually download a game again from the website if you uninstall it.


Steam around CAG

If you are interested in joining the Steam CAG Community or participating in a trade or group buy with fellow Cheap Ass Gamers, please do so in the dedicated threads and not in the deal discussion thread. In the dedicated threads you will find CAGers with the same specialized interest who will be much quicker (and happier) to respond than in the Deals thread.

Past Special Sales

Visit www.steamgamesales.com to check previous sale prices on Steam games. We do keep track of some older sales here though:

Steam Retail Key List

What is a CD key and where can I find it?

Steam's explanation and list of Steam-activatable keys

The CD Key is a serial number with a combination of 13, 18, or 25 letters and numbers - it can be found on a sticker inside your game's case or printed on the game's quick reference card. The CD Key acts as your proof of purchase for the game - Steam Support may ask for it if you need to establish your ownership of an account. It is recommended that you keep your CD Key in a safe place to ensure the security of your account.

Other Keys that can be redeemed on Steam (CAG tested & verified)
11.gif

  • The Ball (bought @D2D, tested by voken)
  • Supreme Commander Forged Alliance (gives both FA and original, bought @amazon, tested by vism)

Indie Bundles thread on Steam forums (link)

Past CAG Steam Deal Threads
 
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Ugh, playing Ass Creed 2 to start going through my backlog, realize I missed one fucking collectable feather somewhere (following a map), so now I have to go look at about 45 different places again. Stupid collectables in open world games. Yes I need that last feather, I have OCD and well that will bother me if I play Ass Creed 2, lol.

Anyway yeah I expected this card system to be different. What they should of done is had x goal in a game allow you to get a card (there would be a few). It wouldn't be achievement based, but just a challenge so you can repeat it (like do x thing in TF2). Right now it's just a cash thing for the OCD valve gamers which sucks.
 
I was thinking how poorly this card thing is implemented and remembered back to the Potato Sack ARG metagame before Portal 2's release.

Steam Trading Cards?
[Scottish Accent] It's crap. [/Scottish Accent]


Edit: Also recall the Summer 2011 summer camp achievements, and the achievements oriented portion of the coal-themed holiday.
 
[quote name='asheskitty']Edit: Also recall the Summer 2011 summer camp achievements, and the achievements oriented portion of the coal-themed holiday.[/QUOTE]
The former of which was great.
 
The trading card thing is brilliant. From a user's perspective? Of course not. From Valve's perspective? Absolutely. If you feel like playing one of the titles included, do it and sell off whatever you get. Some people I know got lucky and sold off a foil card, a background, and some other crap for $50ish. Actually collecting the stuff is pointless and silly. It's a marketing gimmick. Just like people rush to buy games because they include TF2 hats so, too, will they rush to buy games with a trading card 'series' attached to them.
 
The fastest way into the Trading Card Beta is to buy one from the Steam marketplace. Currently selling for around $0.50 but I've seen it sell for half that.
 
I like it.

I don't have to do shit and I'm getting money in my steam wallet.

The TCG is basically the equivalent of Valve giving me a free cheap game of my choice.
 
[quote name='Sir_Fragalot']Ugh, playing Ass Creed 2 to start going through my backlog, realize I missed one fucking collectable feather somewhere (following a map), so now I have to go look at about 45 different places again. Stupid collectables in open world games. Yes I need that last feather, I have OCD and well that will bother me if I play Ass Creed 2, lol.[/QUOTE]

Hated those fucking feathers. I wasn't going to invest the time to find those damn things.

I hear in AC: Brotherhood they included a way to find them easier. But by default -- flags in AC, feathers in AC2 -- they just pissed me off.
 
[quote name='utopianmachine']Hated those fucking feathers. I wasn't going to invest the time to find those damn things.

I hear in AC: Brotherhood they included a way to find them easier. But by default -- flags in AC, feathers in AC2 -- they just pissed me off.[/QUOTE]

The flags in AC1 were way worse than the feathers in AC2.
 
Trading Cards are great for the CAG who likes to pre order from time to time. Pre-order a card eligible game at a steal of a price. Idle it the minute it releases. Get your cards and sell them day of release when they will likely be in highest demand. Get a little extra back from your pre-order.
 
[quote name='Detruire']The former of which was great.[/QUOTE]

You know, people here rag on the Holday Sale 2011 sale because of the coal thing. Granted, it did suck when they ran out of all the good coupons/gifts right away. Through maybe an hour's posting on the Steam forums though, I traded the coal/games I had for Nation Red and Trine 2 (the latter which had JUST come out). I get that others weren't nearly as lucky as me, or didn't dare venture into the abyss that is the Steam forums, but I feel things worked out, as messy as it was.
 
[quote name='CheapLikeAFox']Trading Cards are great for the CAG who likes to pre order from time to time. Pre-order a card eligible game at a steal of a price. Idle it the minute it releases. Get your cards and sell them day of release when they will likely be in highest demand. Get a little extra back from your pre-order.[/QUOTE]

I'm all for Valve creating more extras that I don't care about and can easily monetize!

[quote name='DukeEdwardI']You know, people here rag on the Holday Sale 2011 sale because of the coal thing. Granted, it did suck when they ran out of all the good coupons/gifts right away. Through maybe an hour's posting on the Steam forums though, I traded the coal/games I had for Nation Red and Trine 2 (the latter which had JUST come out). I get that others weren't nearly as lucky as me, or didn't dare venture into the abyss that is the Steam forums, but I feel things worked out, as messy as it was.[/QUOTE]

And DOTA 2 invites were fetching absurd prices. It was like one of the "business is booming" montages in a gangster film.

Then came the fall.
 
Okay, obligatory DOTA 2 noob question:

I have a DOTA 2 on my steam game list... I think this was back from it's beta days years ago. I still see odd requests for DOTA 2 invites/trades since it has become normal steam F2P... Is there some higher version of DOTA 2 that I don't have, or what is the reason for DOTA "key" trading?

Edit: I always mentally hear DOTA as "doutei" (Japanese: virgin (masculine))
 
[quote name='asheskitty']Okay, obligatory DOTA 2 noob question:

I have a DOTA 2 on my steam game list... I think this was back from it's beta days years ago. I still see odd requests for DOTA 2 invites/trades since it has become normal steam F2P... Is there some higher version of DOTA 2 that I don't have, or what is the reason for DOTA "key" trading?[/QUOTE]

Great question, Ashes!

With an answer that's going to make you feel dumb.

Different kind of key.

The keys you're asking about aren't beta invites from back in the day but the keys you buy to open loot chests, in the same way that TF2 has loot chests and items are often measured in their value in keys, where a key is (I don't know exactly, this isn't really my area) worth something like $2.50.

You get chests after playing games that you need to pay for keys to open. Those keys get used as currency, hence key trading.
 
[quote name='utopianmachine']Hated those fucking feathers. I wasn't going to invest the time to find those damn things.

I hear in AC: Brotherhood they included a way to find them easier. But by default -- flags in AC, feathers in AC2 -- they just pissed me off.[/QUOTE]

In AC:B there were 10 feathers iirc... a Far Cry from the 200 feathers in AC2. Yeah, 200 things not in places I'll run across in the campaign, pass.

[quote name='CheapLikeAFox']Trading Cards are great for the CAG who likes to pre order from time to time. Pre-order a card eligible game at a steal of a price. Idle it the minute it releases. Get your cards and sell them day of release when they will likely be in highest demand. Get a little extra back from your pre-order.[/QUOTE]


Wait are you saying god pre-order exists?

[quote name='Eldredpe']Great question, Ashes!

With an answer that's going to make you feel dumb.

Different kind of key.

The keys you're asking about aren't beta invites from back in the day but the keys you buy to open loot chests, in the same way that TF2 has loot chests and items are often measured in their value in keys, where a key is (I don't know exactly, this isn't really my area) worth something like $2.50.

You get chests after playing games that you need to pay for keys to open. Those keys get used as currency, hence key trading.[/QUOTE]


Thanks so much for clearing that up for me! That makes sense... (in my own "I don't play P2W games" way)
 
[quote name='Eldredpe']in the same way that TF2 has loot chests and items are often measured in their value in keys, where a key is (I don't know exactly, this isn't really my area) worth something like $2.50. [/QUOTE]
Closer to $1.70 now. They were around $2.10 a few days ago.
 
The prices fluctuate all day. When I checked a background I wanted this morning, it was going for $1.40. This was at 6AM EST. Now it's over $2. Considering I'm usually on the computer around 3:30AM EST, hoping to snag the background I want at less than $1.

Or I could prioritize my spending. :p
 
[quote name='The End']Where do the backgrounds come from anyway?[/QUOTE]

Crafting badges, I believe.

[quote name='MysterD']Dare I even ask what a "Foil" card is...?[/QUOTE]

Any card can be found in a foil variety which goes toward a foil badge which is separate from the game's regular badge and can also be upgraded multiple times like the game's regular badge.

They're a rarer drop and sell for a lot more on the market.
 
[quote name='MysterD']Dare I even ask what a "Foil" card is...?[/QUOTE]

The exact same thing but shiny.

Foil cards and normal cards don't mix, so you need a full foil set to craft a foil badge, which is also the same as a normal badge but shiny. Also lets you have two badges for games, so some people will spend a lot of money to get a level 5 foil badge.
 
[quote name='asheskitty']In AC:B there were 10 feathers iirc... a Far Cry from the 200 feathers in AC2. Yeah, 200 things not in places I'll run across in the campaign, pass.
[/QUOTE]

It's 100 feathers. I haven't unlocked all of the areas yet, but from where I am, I am missing at least one according to the guide I am using. So yeah, it sucks. Open world games need to stop having these things, they are pointless.
 
[quote name='The End']Where do the backgrounds come from anyway?[/QUOTE]

Crafting badges. I think you get a background of the game you craft badges for. At least for me that is how it happened, I crafted a DOTA 2 badge and got the Crystal Maiden & Lina background which I was so damn happy to get as it was the only background I wanted and is apparently the most expensive as well.

EDIT: Same is true for emoticons, you get them from crafting and for the same game you crafted a badge, again off my experience (got Bloodseeker emoticon from my DOTA 2 badge).

You also get a coupon when you craft a badge, I received 50% off Awesomenauts.
 
[quote name='KaOTiK']Crafting badges. I think you get a background of the game you craft badges for. At least for me that is how it happened, I crafted a DOTA 2 badge and got the Crystal Maiden & Lina background which I was so damn happy to get as it was the only background I wanted and is apparently the most expensive as well.

EDIT: Same is true for emoticons, you get them from crafting and for the same game you crafted a badge, again off my experience (got Bloodseeker emoticon from my DOTA 2 badge).

You also get a coupon when you craft a badge, I received 50% off Awesomenauts.[/QUOTE]

Hm, cool incentives for sure. It would probably cost me about $4 to get the other three cards I need for Don't Starve.

...which seems like a stupid thing to spend money on...but it's occurring to me. Damn you, Valve.
 
[quote name='juanjava']I think I'm the only one who isn't into the Trading Cards. I don't even know what it is. I'm getting older :([/QUOTE]

You're not alone...
 
[quote name='juanjava']I think I'm the only one who isn't into the Trading Cards. I don't even know what it is. I'm getting older :([/QUOTE]

Sounds like you're not elite enough to be in the beta. :cool:
 
[quote name='juanjava']I think I'm the only one who isn't into the Trading Cards. I don't even know what it is. I'm getting older :([/QUOTE]

Dont think of them as something to be into, think of it as a way to get free steam bucks.

let games idle
earn cards
sell on marketplace
profit???
 
[quote name='Neuro5i5']You're not alone...[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Detruire']Sounds like you're not elite enough to be in the beta. :cool:[/QUOTE]

:lol:

[quote name='ezelkow1']Dont think of them as something to be into, think of it as a way to get free steam bucks.

let games idle
earn cards
sell on marketplace
profit???[/QUOTE]

Is not that I don't want to... I really don't know much about it. All I know is you get cards for "playing", craft those cards into something and so on. And is on beta, only with invites, and those are selling in the marketplace
 
[quote name='ezelkow1']Dont think of them as something to be into, think of it as a way to get free steam bucks.

let games idle
earn cards
sell on marketplace
profit???[/QUOTE]

I must be doing it wrong because I want to buy trading cards to complete the sets
gotta level up, valve has me right were they want me (bastards)
 
[quote name='mikeja72']I had 3 drops in Don't Starve, ended up getting a double (2 wilson, 1 willow). I just don't get the appeal to this system. When I first heard of this, I thought it would be tied to certain achievements but it's only tied to a relatively small amount of game time. There's no way to get a complete set without trading or buying cards, and you don't get enough from one game to keep card trading within that game. Does anyone get the appeal of it? That being said, if someone wants an extra Wilson card and has one I don't have, friend me on Steam and I'll trade it.[/QUOTE]
There is appeal, but I can almost guarantee the system is going to change in some way. As it stands, you get a tiny handful of cards, and that's it. For how cheap some of these card-giving games might be, you know people are going to create alternate accounts, and get the cards over again.

It's kind of a silly system. You get all the cards you can get in a day by doing absolutely nothing, then that's it. It's a nice concept, but it's a beta. It's going to change. I fully expect more participating games to come, and more card drops for the current games. I also expect that they'll remove the ability to idle games for drops, and tie drops to actual gameplay (at rare intervals at low chance), achievements (change to get a card upon each achievement, higher chance), or game progress (again, chance, but lower odds than achievements which cannot be repeated). So despite more cards being around, they'll take effort to get, and will be rarer to get. As of now you could possibly idle your game for an hour and get four cards. That's pretty much the definition of an unbalanced system in beta.

[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']I can't be bothered to leave TF2 running in the background just to get some cards that ultimately amount to nothing.[/QUOTE]
One day of idling games (a bit of playing, because I was bored) in the three participating games I had "amount"ed to 11 cards and $11. I wouldn't call that nothing.

[quote name='Sir_Fragalot']Anyway yeah I expected this card system to be different. What they should of done is had x goal in a game allow you to get a card (there would be a few). It wouldn't be achievement based, but just a challenge so you can repeat it (like do x thing in TF2). Right now it's just a cash thing for the OCD valve gamers which sucks.[/QUOTE]
Right, this is what I'm thinking will happen, although I think it will still have some sort of random algorithm.
 
[quote name='BrolyB593']In terms of idling in the games for the cards, can we just be in the beginning menus or do we need to be 'in the game?'[/QUOTE]

You can just be in the menu.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']There is appeal, but I can almost guarantee the system is going to change in some way. As it stands, you get a tiny handful of cards, and that's it. For how cheap some of these card-giving games might be, you know people are going to create alternate accounts, and get the cards over again.
[/QUOTE]

That's more people buying games.

Also, foils don't drop until you're Steam level 10 or higher, so multiple accounts can't get foils and the value of those cards will likely always be high in the market.

[quote name='wuxbustah8']Wait, can you get them in F2P by just idling? I thought you only got them by spending money in F2P games.[/QUOTE]

The number of cards you get, still by idling, is linked to the amount of money you've spent in the game. About 1 drop per $9 spent, or if you've spent money previously to TCG beta start you automatically get 4 drops. If you owned TF2 prior to its F2P launch you get 5 drops.
 
[quote name='Eldredpe']That's more people buying games.

Also, foils don't drop until you're Steam level 10 or higher, so multiple accounts can't get foils and the value of those cards will likely always be high in the market.



The number of cards you get, still by idling, is linked to the amount of money you've spent in the game. About 1 drop per $9 spent, or if you've spent money previously to TCG beta start you automatically get 4 drops. If you owned TF2 prior to its F2P launch you get 5 drops.[/QUOTE]
Sure, it works, but it's still a really unbalanced strange system. Do you really think this beta setup is going to stay the same?

And for the two Valve F2Ps, that works to an extent, but what does that say for the games that only give you 3-4 drops and then none ever again?

Maybe making new accounts won't be that worthwhile (unless cards start drying up and prices go up and make alt accounts/games worth it, since Portal 2 sells for around $4, Don't Starve will probably be bundled eventually, etc), but I'm just saying, the current system is seriously unbalanced and messy.
 
Yea I got like $25 bucks from card selling on the marketplace from a couple accounts. Then also realizing I had a crap load of genuine items on TF2 I listed them as well and made another $10-$15 bucks. I am now in the process of setting up a 20-25 accounts to get TF2 premium and them I will idle farm tf2 once a week ^^.

edit: Also in regards to the card game BS. I bet they eventually make it so you can get the cards like a once a month or something, sorta how they do item drops in Team Fortress 2. Who knows though I could be wrong.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']Sure, it works, but it's still a really unbalanced strange system. Do you really think this beta setup is going to stay the same?

And for the two Valve F2Ps, that works to an extent, but what does that say for the games that only give you 3-4 drops and then none ever again?

Maybe making new accounts won't be that worthwhile (unless cards start drying up and prices go up and make alt accounts/games worth it, since Portal 2 sells for around $4, Don't Starve will probably be bundled eventually, etc), but I'm just saying, the current system is seriously unbalanced and messy.[/QUOTE]

Sure, but it's super neat watching the TCG economy, which, as a system, is the only thing I'm particularly interested in with these TCGs anyway.
 
[quote name='stupidproz1']Yea I got like $25 bucks from card selling on the marketplace from a couple accounts. Then also realizing I had a crap load of genuine items on TF2 I listed them as well and made another $10-$15 bucks. I am now in the process of setting up a 20-25 accounts to get TF2 premium and them I will idle farm tf2 once a week ^^.[/QUOTE]
I was under the impression that you had to have a TF2 premium account in existence BEFORE the card beta to get cards from TF2. If that's not true, then you've confirmed my idea.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']I was under the impression that you had to have a TF2 premium account in existence BEFORE the card beta to get cards from TF2. If that's not true, then you've confirmed my idea.[/QUOTE]

Yea are correct about the premium beforehand. I will simply be idling Team Fortress 2 for the item drops you get in that game which you can then turn to metal/trade for keys and then sell the keys on the marketplace for like $1.75-2.00 each.
 
[quote name='stupidproz1']Yea are correct about the premium beforehand. I will simply be idling Team Fortress 2 for the item drops you get in that game which you can then turn to metal/trade for keys and then sell the keys on the marketplace for like $1.75-2.00 each.[/QUOTE]
Ah... you get TF2 items from idling if you have premium? Indefinitely, or is there a limit? How cheap is it to get premium (besides the Orange Box that has sales now and then)?

Sorry for all the questions, but the marketplace is interesting and I've never paid attention to it before. :p
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']
One day of idling games (a bit of playing, because I was bored) in the three participating games I had "amount"ed to 11 cards and $11. I wouldn't call that nothing.\[/QUOTE]

Well I guess it's partly because I've never bought anything (or played much of) TF2, and don't own any of the other games either, so maybe I'm just partly mad that I can't do anything without throwing some cash at Valve first:roll:
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Well I guess it's partly because I've never bought anything (or played much of) TF2, and don't own any of the other games either, so maybe I'm just partly mad that I can't do anything without throwing some cash at Valve first:roll:[/QUOTE]
You don't have Portal 2 or Half-Life 2?
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']I do...on 360...

*starts running from PC master race*[/QUOTE]
If you have a 360 copy of the Orange Box, can't you activate it on Steam somehow? Maybe I'm thinking wrong.

Scratch that, PC copies only. Never mind.
 
[quote name='Idiotekque']If you have a 360 copy of the Orange Box, can't you activate it on Steam somehow? Maybe I'm thinking wrong.[/QUOTE]

That's Portal 2, and only works for PS3 copies.
 
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