# Hold on to your wallets, Steam summer sale incoming! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 11, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541 "2014-06-11T14:51:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/21 "2014-06-19T01:45:12Z")
Christ. I just bought a dozen games via GOG’s summer sale, and now the Steam sale is going to be starting up? Shoot me. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/22 "2014-06-19T02:17:12Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Magrunner: Dark Pulse is a really good puzzle game, kind of like Portal. It is absolutely free over at GOG for the next 24 hours. Get it! > > [Here, watch some footage. It’s really like Portal, only with magnetism.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=eUgXQZdydQ0#t=703) I just got that, mainly because it said something about an eldritch abomination. Plus free. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/23 "2014-06-19T07:27:36Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > On one hand, I’m pretty well set for games right now. On the other, I have about $90 in credit with Steam between gift cards and trading card sales so I might be more likely to grab something than otherwise. > > At least it’s not in mid-late July again. Speaking of, those Steam trading cards are one of the most cynically brilliant things I’ve ever seen a company do. They’re basically free to produce, Steam takes a pretty big cut (what, 10% or more?) of every card sale, and they’ve got a pretty good idea that people will buy them because the easiest target market for a game on your computer has got to be _computer gamers_. And when they give me a card, I sell it on the market to put money in my Steam Wallet, which sits there in Steam’s bank account earning Steam interest until I spend it on a Steam product, when it just becomes Steam’s profits. It’s freaking brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/24 "2014-06-19T08:06:16Z")
I still don’t understand what cards are good for or why anyone would want to go to the bother of trading them much less exchange currency over them. Can anyone help? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/25 "2014-06-19T09:09:05Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I still don’t understand what cards are good for or why anyone would want to go to the bother of trading them much less exchange currency over them. > Can anyone help? Yeah, I’d like to know too actually. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/26 "2014-06-19T13:07:06Z")
When you collect a set of cards, you can combine them for a badge. You also get an increase in your Steam level. Higher levels give little perks like a greater chance of a random “booster pack” drop (more cards), more showcase slots in your profile page, etc. Also, when you combine the cards for a badge, you get a random background image for your profile page and a random emoticon thingie for Steam chat/discussion pages. I’ll be the first to admit that none of this sounds enticing enough to buy cards but I guess for some people having the biggest Steam level or whatever is a game in itself. A few of the emoticons and backgrounds sell for a decent amount but that’s like three or four out of the hundreds out there. For the rest of us, it’s just selling .jpgs to people foolish enough to buy .jpgs. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/27 "2014-06-19T15:11:40Z")
For anyone who’s blocked from the Steam site (like me right now), or if you just want a handy list, [here](http://steamdb.info/sales/)’s a sortable list of what’s on sale right now (it’s the “Steam Database” for any who are wary of blind clicking). . ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/28 "2014-06-19T15:35:03Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > When you collect a set of cards, you can combine them for a badge. You also get an increase in your Steam level. Higher levels give little perks like a greater chance of a random “booster pack” drop (more cards), more showcase slots in your profile page, etc. Also, when you combine the cards for a badge, you get a random background image for your profile page and a random emoticon thingie for Steam chat/discussion pages. > > I’ll be the first to admit that none of this sounds enticing enough to buy cards but I guess for some people having the biggest Steam level or whatever is a game in itself. A few of the emoticons and backgrounds sell for a decent amount but that’s like three or four out of the hundreds out there. > > For the rest of us, it’s just selling .jpgs to people foolish enough to buy .jpgs. Exactly. It’s like a license to print money. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/29 "2014-06-19T16:52:04Z")
Due to start in about five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/30 "2014-06-19T17:11:41Z")
Witcher 2 for $3.99 ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/31 "2014-06-19T17:23:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Witcher 2 for $3.99 I’m (well, was) drooling over that Far Cry 3 for 8 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/32 "2014-06-19T17:26:49Z")
Steam Summer Self-Inflicted DoS attack is preventing me from making big bucks on my summer sale trading cards, oh woe is me! Bought Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon though, that should be amusing enough for 4 euros. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/33 "2014-06-19T17:51:05Z")
I’m slogging through Witcher 2 right now. It’s a pretty game, but the setting is so bleak and the dialog is translated so poorly that I’m having a hard time. So what is Far Cry 3 like? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/34 "2014-06-19T18:06:23Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Witcher 2 for $3.99 I know what I’m doing when I get home! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/35 "2014-06-19T18:45:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So what is Far Cry 3 like? I liked it. Plot isn’t great – first half is better than second half – but it’s serviceable for what kind of game it is. First person, largely open world\*, shooter with (usually optional) stealth elements. Pretty to look at; nice that it’s a FPS on a tropical island rather than another “grey, brown & muzzle flash” urban shooter. Keeps most of what was good about Far Cry 2 and ditches the worst elements. \*You’re free to roam around and liberate camps, hunt wildlife, search for collectibles, harass enemy patrols, etc but there isn’t much in the way of side quests like a Bethesda open world game. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/36 "2014-06-19T19:01:36Z")
I’m picking up the original Rocksmith and the Importer tool for 40% off. $24 for access to all those extra songs is totally worth it to me. I’m going to keep an eye on Thief to see if gets better than 33% off (I almost picked it up last weekend for 50% off but decided to wait to see what would happen with the summer sale). ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/37 "2014-06-19T19:08:51Z")
Far Cry 3 was a lot of fun to me (unused to open-world shooters like it). Coop is great too, and lots of people still play. Far Cry 4 is coming out soon, though. Also, unless a game is a Daily Deal, Flash Sale, or Community Choice, there’s still a chance it can become one of those, so you can wait until the last day of the sale (June 30th) to see if it gets any cheaper. And if a game is not on sale, you can add it to your wishlist and Steam will email you if they go on sale. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/38 "2014-06-19T21:08:29Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > Steam Summer Self-Inflicted DoS attack That’s why I’m not going to bother installing any game I buy until after the sale. It already takes halfway to forever on a good day. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/39 "2014-06-19T22:38:25Z")
They got me for Mirror’s Edge, Witcher 2 and Gone Home, all for under $5 each. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541/40 "2014-06-19T22:59:42Z")
I’m eyeing _Devil May Cry_. I passed on _Splinter Cell: Blacklist_ earlier this week and like I feared, it’s on sale, but it was a much better deal before. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-on-to-your-wallets-steam-summer-sale-incoming/690541.md?page=3)