Deals and discounts are all the rage this week, with Black Friday in full swing across practically every category. Among the stacks of reduced hardware and accessories, video games on digital platforms are sneaking in some savings to join the party. Just like the best Xbox Black Friday deals, Valve is dropping prices on some blockbuster titles during the Steam Autumn Sale of 2022.
Not everyone has access to digital payments, but there’s no reason to miss out on these great games. We’re hooking you up with links to Steam Wallet gift cards available in stores near you, so you can even buy some AAA games with cold hard cash. Our roundup of the best Steam Deck game deals contains almost entirely titles verified by Valve to run perfectly on the handheld console, with one exception that still plays great.
Top Steam Deck game deal quick picks
The best Steam Deck game deals right now
As with most Steam sales, there are hundreds of games with at least a small price deduction. Our list of top picks above are all Steam Deck verified and highly rated, but we’ve selected a handful that deserves a moment to shine in the spotlight.
Only one stands out as ‘playable’ but performs better with every update, and most games with this status usually have recommendations from the ProtonDB community to get them running flawlessly. If you haven’t played these titles yet, it’s time to give them a shot.
Vampire Survivors (-15%)
This plucky indie survival game has taken the world by storm with its chaotic on-screen bonanza of damage numbers and particle effects. Tasked with surviving a designated time limit in each stage, your chosen protagonist automatically attacks with their starting weapons and whatever you pick up during a run. Enemies pop when they’re defeated and drop colored gems used for gaining experience points, part of the leveling-up experience you’ll be crawling through during your time in this fantasy land.
Vampire Survivors $4.99 $4.24 at Steam
Hidden behind the manic visuals of exploding foes and outrageous item effects are a coin-spending shop and a list of unlockable items. Certain enemies can only be defeated with a cryptic combination of evolved weapons, opening up the endgame just as you’re used to a relaxing walk through the disarray. It plays perfectly on Steam Deck, with barely any controls needed besides movement and the A button to select upgrades. Some sessions can last for hours, so consider connecting an external controller for comfort. Addictive if using clever tricks, and it’s ultra-cheap, a must-have.
- PC controller deals: Amazon (opens in new tab) | Razer (opens in new tab) | Walmart (opens in new tab) | Best Buy (opens in new tab) | Dell (opens in new tab)
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered (-25%)
The web-swinging classic made its way to PC earlier this year and proved to be the perfect pickup for Steam Deck. Verified by Valve to guarantee a smooth experience, there’s no need to tinker with many settings outside personal preferences. Maintaining a solid framerate, the world of Spider-Man looks fantastic even without ray-traced reflections on the small screen, running best on medium settings. Even the gyro controls stand out as more than a gimmick, steering Spidey during high-speed swings.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered $59.99 $44.99 at Steam
One of the only downsides to this fantastic heroic title was its steep price tag, remedied by this year’s Steam Autumn Sale. Dropping by $15 makes it far more reasonable to pick up and enjoy the portability, and there’s plenty to do in the way of side quests alongside the main story. Super easy to recommend, you can comfortably reach 100% completion on Steam Deck without getting bored. It weighs in at a hefty 75GB, ruling out the entry-level 64GB Deck, so consider an external microSD card if you’re interested.
Samsung Evo Plus microSDXC
Best overall
Samsung EVO Plus microSD cards are just about perfect for Steam Deck, capable of consistent read and write speeds close to the console’s maximum. Available in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
Persona 5 Royal (-30%)
Awarded a near-perfect score in our Persona 5 Royal review for the Xbox version, it’s one of the finest JRPG entries from developer Atlus that enjoyed a wealth of improvements in this upgraded re-release. Despite its overwhelmingly positive reviews for home consoles, this series is so well suited to a portable handheld and is arguably a better fit for Steam Deck. It runs perfectly at a locked 30 FPS but can push to the magic number of 40 Hz / 40 FPS without issue.
Persona 5 Royal $59.99 $41.99 at Steam
Suspending the game on Steam Deck makes Persona 5 much easier to digest in shorter chunks, relieving the need to push toward dedicated save points. You can aim for higher frame rates or even play through the official dock for a larger screen, but the portability offered by Valve’s handheld gives this lengthy title an extra selling point. The soundtrack is fantastic too, so consider picking up some Black Friday discounted headphones to enjoy the catchy tunes.
Hades (-40%)
Regarded as one of the best games we’ve ever played in our Hades PC review, this dungeon-crawling roguelike has almost endless voiced dialog and a superb art style. The gameplay is equally fantastic, with a range of weapons and upgrades to build protagonist Zagreus, son of Hades, into a bonafide walking tank. It’s not a walk in the park, though, since there’s no hand-holding tutorial. Your skills will grow as you learn from mistakes and push through more chambers with every attempt.
Hades $24.99 $14.99 at Steam
Its gameplay is ideal for Steam Deck, segmenting your attempts into separate chambers and overall runs with an auto-save mechanic keeping your place. Plus, Hades is almost certainly a far better experience when played with a controller, even with the chaos happening on screen. The standard controls work fine, but if you’re planning to play for extended periods, you might consider connecting an external wireless pad like the official Xbox controller. It’s another addictive gem with incredible value at this price.
- Xbox controller deals: Amazon (opens in new tab) | Razer (opens in new tab) | Dell (opens in new tab) | Walmart (opens in new tab) | Best Buy (opens in new tab)
Cyberpunk 2077 (-50%)
The previously mentioned exception to Valve’s verified status, Cyberpunk 2077, ranks as playable on Steam Deck but has enjoyed a wealth of upgrades, including AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.1 and a long list of bug fixes. Its only significant downside is a reliance on small text around the HUD and its environments. Some unfortunate bugs still linger, but nothing to cause game-breaking issues, and it’s comfortable enough to play on Steam Deck. Connecting a mouse and keyboard certainly helps with some sections, whether wireless or via a USB-C hub.
Cyberpunk 2077 $59.99 $29.99 at Steam
Another title with plenty of side quests in its open world and various methods to approach each mission, this first-person action RPG is a delight for any fans of the grim future genre. Fans of the classic Deus Ex games will appreciate the cyborg body augmentations opening up new avenues of stealthy combat. Still, gamers who prefer gun-ho shooters can be satisfied with devastating heavy weapons and tearing doors off their hinges.
- Gaming mice deals: Walmart (opens in new tab) | Best Buy (opens in new tab) | Amazon (opens in new tab) | Dell (opens in new tab) | Newegg (opens in new tab) | Razer (opens in new tab)
- Keyboard deals: Walmart (opens in new tab) | Best Buy (opens in new tab) | Amazon (opens in new tab) | Dell (opens in new tab) | Newegg (opens in new tab) | Razer (opens in new tab)
Portal 2 (-90%)
Finally, at a price that is hard to ignore, Valve’s first-party masterpiece Portal 2 is discounted by a jaw-dropping 90% and should be played by everyone. It’s the perfect connection to Aperture Desk Job, a playable demonstration of the console featured at the top of our best Steam Deck games roundup. Portal 2 is set in the same world of Aperture Science, complete with dark humor and charismatic robots leading you into increasingly mind-bending puzzles.
Portal 2 $9.99 $0.99 at Steam
The controls have been fine-tuned to perfection, and gyro aiming proves invaluable to nudge your portals into the right spot. At this price, it should be a game that every Steam Deck owner plays at least once to see how Valve mixed a collection of input methods that to make first-person games legitimately enjoyable on a handheld. Plus, there’s an entire co-op multiplayer section to enjoy once you’ve beaten the main story, whether you’re playing with a friend on another Deck, or someone across the globe on PC.
Steam sales are notorious for draining the wallets of hungry gamers, and Valve’s Autumn Sale of 2022 has hit right on the cusp of Black Friday madness. If you’re thinking of picking up the console, despite remaining full-price, check our Steam Deck review for a breakdown of why we love it so much.
Keep an eye on our live blog for PC components and upgrade parts, where we highlight deals on external storage, including some of the best SD cards for Steam deck. If you prefer cash, pick up a Steam Wallet gift card from your local retailer, and you won’t miss out on these savings.
Buy games, software, and more with a Steam gift card topping up your digital wallet. Available in $20, $30, $50, and $100, depending on your location.
