Australia is a land where the gaming culture is most definitely mainstream. More than 80% of people play video games for entertainment and leisure, yet as hobbies go, it can quickly become an expensive pastime if we’re not careful.
Mindful of the growing costs that can be involved, let’s take a look at bargain options instead, including great words like “discount” and “free” that will always grab our attention.
Consider Free-to-Play Games
Microtransactions changed the whole landscape of gaming, when developers and publishers began to realise they could sell additional in-game content, and players were lapping it up. This concept also reshaped the online gaming scene, which had traditionally worked on monthly subscription models for the most popular titles.
Instead, many have now adopted the free-to-play or “freemium” model, generating revenues by selling additional in-game content, such as character improvements or in-game cosmetic extras. Many of the best free games online also have storefronts, where Aussie gamers can spend to their heart’s content, but they don’t really need to. They can genuinely play for free and earn those items or character improvements via gameplay, instead of paying for them.
Testing the Casino Waters
According to statistics gathered for 2023, almost 75% of Aussies regularly participate in some form of gambling entertainment. And that’s hardly surprising, really, given the huge variety of games available at casino sites these days, ranging from popular card games like poker and blackjack to the spinning reels of online pokies. Top sites often feature massive libraries containing thousands of games to play.
There’s also plenty of reputable sites that are ideally suited to Australian preferences, although low deposit casinos are perhaps the most appealing, and for two main reasons. Firstly, they’re a good way to responsibly limit your gambling budget. Secondly, smaller deposits allow players to test the waters, so to speak, ensuring they actually like a casino site and the games available, before deciding whether to deposit more or look elsewhere.
Look Out for Unmissable Deals
Everyone gets excited about the latest blockbuster AAA game releases. But do you really need to pre-order or buy games on release day at premium price? Well, not really, especially considering newly released titles can often cost more than $100 in Australia, which is a significant spend in anyone’s monthly budget, and patience is a virtue that does come with rewards.
Often within just a few months of release, even some of the newest games can be heavily discounted at some of the popular digital download storefronts. These include sites like Steam or EPIC, which always have sales and offers available, and sometimes these can reduce the cost of games by up to 75% or more.
Completely Free and With No Strings Attached
So, having looked at free-to-play online games, casino gaming on a budget, plus how to find deals that will save money, who likes the idea of grabbing completely free games to own and keep? There’re probably more than just a few Aussie gaming enthusiasts nodding their heads in agreement, but if you look around it’s entirely possible to get some great games, absolutely free.
Amazon Prime users also have access to their Prime Gaming storefront, and every month there’s a selection of free game downloads to enjoy. Earlier we mentioned the Steam platform, which also has literally thousands of free PC games. Likewise, other storefronts like EPIC and GOG reward their customers with limited time freebies. In most cases, you don’t even have to buy anything first, just sign up for their email newsletters or mobile news updates.
