This year's Black Friday is fast approaching, which means video game deals are right around the corner. Players who are looking to purchase a new console, or stack up on awesome titles for cheap prices should start preparing now. Every year Black Friday brings massive discounts on everything gaming and this year's event falls on November 29.
So what can we expect for this year? To start many retailers will offer good deals on games, which will include titles that were recently released earlier this year. We're also expecting bigger discounts on consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One, given that these platforms are already reaching the end of their lifecycles, and because retailers will start to prepare for the arrival of the next-generation PS5 and Xbox Scarlett.
In order to help shoppers find the best deals on Black Friday, we're laying down our predictions of what might be offered during the holiday to give shoppers an idea of what to look out for. Our predictions are based on recent trends in the gaming industry, and historical figures from previous Black Friday sales.
PS4 Deals
Earlier this month, Sony revealed that the PS5 will be released during the holiday season of 2020. Given this, retailers are probably planning to sell as many PS4 consoles as possible to give way to the PS5 next year. This would be perfect for players who are not keen on upgrading right away to the PS5 next year and wants to take advantage of the PS4's massive game library. Of course, players who are thinking of buying the PS5 would be best to skip this year's PS4 deals and save that money for next year.
In 2018, Sony offered the 1TB version of the PS4 that is bundled with Marvel's Spider-Man game for only $199. That deal is pretty tough to beat, but if Sony will offer the same this year, then maybe the console will be bundled with Death Stranding, but we're not sure if the bundle will be offered that cheap, given that Death Stranding will just be a couple of weeks old on Black Friday, should Death Stranding be discounted at all.
As for the PS4 Slim and Pro, last year's deals only saw slight discounts for both consoles. However, the release window of the PS5 may affect discounts for the Slim and Pro this year. We're predicting the PS4 Pro to be priced at around $299-$349 on Black Friday, which is a good deal compared to its normal price of $399. However, the Pro will likely be bundled with a PlayStation exclusive, which is realistic at that price. But it is certain that titles from the PlayStation Hits lineup will be bundled with the Pro and Slim variants as well.
DualShock 4 Deals
Prices for DualShock 4 controllers are most likely to drop on Black Friday, especially after the new lineup of controllers was just released. Given this, the old colors, will most likely get heavy discounts from retailers. Right now, a DualShock 4 controller from the old lineup averages around $40-$50 on most retailers depending on the color. So the prices for these controllers would most likely drop, which is perfect for PS4 players who are in the market for additional controllers.
Xbox One Deals
As for the Microsoft side of things, it is likely that the company will be aggressive with its deals this year as it did back in 2018. The Xbox One S, for example, was offered for as low as $200 during Amazon's Prime Day, so we're expecting a deeper discount on Black Friday. Right now, the Xbox One S goes for around $250, but we're predicting that this price would drop for as low as $175 on Black Friday. On the other hand, the Xbox One X is predicted to be priced at $350 and below, and will most likely be bundled with a game.
Nintendo Switch Deals
Usually, Nintendo's deals on Black Friday doesn't really come close to what Sony and Microsoft are offering. It's hard to tell whether it will be the same this year, but a recent leak that revealed Walmart's Black Friday deals suggests that the Switch will see massive discounts this year. The leak claims that the recently released Nintendo Switch Lite will be sold at 25% off, dropping its price from the usual $199 to $149. On the other hand, the regular Nintendo Switch is claimed to go down 33% and will be available for $199 instead of $299.
If the leak turns out to be true, then this year's Black Friday would be the best time to purchase the Switch. However, shoppers should be vigilant when purchasing the Switch, given that an updated model with a better battery life was released several months ago. There are several guides to help shoppers buy the upgraded Switch, but in a nutshell, the new variant features a predominantly red packaging with the model number: HAD-S-KAAAA for the gray Joy-Cons, and HAD-S-KABAA for the red and blue Joy-Cons.
Video Game Deals
As for the actual games, it is likely that prices will vary on Black Friday. Games released by the end of last year until the early part of 2019 such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Mortal Kombat 11, Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry 5, and many more will probably see massive discounts. However, games that will be released a few weeks before Black Friday such as Pokemon Sword and Shield and Death Stranding would probably get little to no savings. However, it is likely that those games would be bundled to their respective consoles.
So as Black Friday approaches, players are advised to plan ahead and make a list of things that they actually want to buy. Given that the holiday will surely bring a wide variety of deals, which can be overwhelming and confusing, it is best for shoppers to know what they actually want to buy to avoid getting distracted with deals that are not their priority. Of course, we will also be on the lookout for the best Black Friday Gaming Deals and sort out the good from the bad. So stay tuned!