While Steam remains the titan of the PC gaming marketplace, a variety of online retailers offer keys for Valve’s platform, including Epic Games and GOG. Among these, Fanatical stands out with its enticing discounts, often lower than those found on Steam, which can raise eyebrows among potential buyers. However, we’re here to shed light on this retailer and confirm its legitimacy.
If you’re on the hunt for the best PC games at more affordable prices, Fanatical is likely to appear in your search results. Based in the United Kingdom, this retailer provides a vast selection of Steam titles at competitive prices worldwide. Here’s what you should consider before making a purchase.
Is it safe to buy games from Fanatical?
Yes, it’s completely safe to buy games from Fanatical. Unlike many marketplaces that rely on third-party sellers, Fanatical operates with a level of reliability akin to that of Steam or Humble Bundle. The process is straightforward: purchase a game from the Fanatical store, receive your code, and redeem it without any hidden fees or the risk of receiving a faulty key.
Fanatical collaborates with a diverse range of publishers and developers to offer keys on its platform. Not only does it feature the latest PC games you’re eager to play, but it also provides bundles of books. Personally, I have been purchasing games from Fanatical for the past four years, and it has become my go-to retailer, even surpassing Steam.
Are Fanatical bundles worth it?
Fanatical’s bundles deliver exceptional value, often pricing individual games lower than Steam’s historical lows. These bundles vary in price, and with Fanatical’s Build Your Own Bundles, you can select the games that interest you, ensuring you don’t pay for titles you already own or have no desire to play. While there is a threshold to unlock the largest discounts, even purchasing one or two games can yield significant savings.
Additionally, the retailer frequently offers ‘Mystery Bundles,’ which consist of random Steam keys at attractive prices, providing opportunities to snag prizes or triple-A titles at a fraction of the cost. For example, the Mystery Box Bundle typically offers one key for , with options to purchase up to 25 keys for .99, and you might even find yourself winning Steam Deck consoles or bundles of games valued over ,000.
How to save money and get cheap games with Fanatical
Whenever there’s a Steam sale, you can expect Fanatical to follow suit, often offering lower prices than Valve’s storefront. Keeping an eye on Fanatical can lead to substantial savings on the titles you’ve been eyeing. A convenient Chrome extension is available to alert you if a game you’re viewing on Steam is cheaper on Fanatical.
For those looking for even deeper discounts, Fanatical’s coveted Star Deals present a golden opportunity. These time-sensitive and key-limited sales can see certain games drop to prices well below their usual rates, with discounts reaching 60% or more. Some titles that typically retail for .99 may be available for as little as 10% of their original price—just by checking daily for the latest Star Deal.
By linking your Steam account to your Fanatical profile, you can easily track which games are already in your library, eliminating the risk of accidentally repurchasing a title you own. We’ve all been there, after all.
How does Fanatical undercut Steam’s prices?
The answer lies in Fanatical’s business model: they operate on a smaller profit margin, allowing them to offer prices below those of Steam. By purchasing keys from publishers at rates lower than retail, Fanatical can sell them directly to consumers, while Steam incurs additional costs for server maintenance, software updates, and more.
How to redeem your Fanatical keys on Steam
Once you’ve made your purchase, redeeming your Fanatical keys on Steam is a seamless experience:
- Navigate to your Fanatical orders page.
- Locate your purchase and click on activate.
- Redeem the key on your Steam account.
Afterward, downloading your new games to your PC (or Steam Deck) is as simple as it would be if you had purchased them directly from the Steam store. You can earn achievements, play with friends, and enjoy your gaming experience just as you normally would.
In summary, Fanatical proves to be a legitimate retailer, offering gamers access to the titles they desire at great discounts. What’s not to appreciate about that?
