Welp, it's that time of year. the birds and the bees are doing their thing, the boys of summer are in full swing and no summer is complete without ridiculous discounts on digitally delivered, interactive entertainment. I'm talking vid'ya games on the Steams, y'all.

Right, preparation. Well, first there's HaraldoNVU's guide for steam sale beginners. It's probably best summed up in the phrase "Don't buy anything you won't play", but I know I'm going to buy a lot of games that I'll end up playing next year. However, it is definitely useful for those on and looking to make a budget. Think of it as a the "Buying Games From Steam on Only $5-a-Day". Don't panic.

After you've gotten your feet wet with the beginner's guide, then make sure your computer is up to snuff. There are several generic graphics benchmarking tools, Furmark, 3Dvantage, etc. However, a simple and straightforward benchmarking tool exists so you don't have to decipher the numbers put out by furmark, 3Dvantage, etc. This utility will answer the question: "Can you run it?"

Next there is the giant bomb gift/bulk pack cooperative, this is where the savings get crazy. As most people will tell you, if you buy more stuff from place's like Costco, BJ's, or Sams's Club then they'll give a per ounce discount, thus making it cheaper in the long run. As crazy as it sounds, Steam does this too. Often Steam will have 4 pack's of games for even crazier prices per game than the individual sales have. This is where the bulk pack cooperative comes in, with this hand community organization you can save even more money on a game by going at it from 4 different angles. More details are here in this sentence.Also, gift trading.

Finally after all that all gross and unnecessary spending of money, make sure to bra....er, I mean tell us about your purchases in our "What are you going to/What did you buy?" thread. Some jerk made that thread, if you want you can go ahead and post in it.... the link's right here.

A new and improved summer sale guide from Fattony12000 can be found here.

Day 1 Daily Deals:

• Portal 2: $4.99 @ 75% off (franchise sale)
• Legend of Grimrock: $5.99 @ 60% off
• Call of Duty MW3: $24.99 @ 50% off
• Ridge Racer: Unbounded: $24.99 @ 50% off
• Terraria: $2.49 @ 75% off
• Crusader Kings II: $9.99 @ 75% off
• Total War: Shogun 2: $7.49 @ 75% off
• Might and Magic Heroes VI: $24.99 @ 50% off
• Indie Bundle I (Cave Story+, The Baconing, Lone Survior, Anomaly: Warzone Earth, EDGE): $9.99 @ 75% off.

Day 2 Daily Deals:

• Payday the Heist: $4.99 @ 75% off
• From Dust: $3.75 @ 75% off
• Max Payne 3 $29.99 @ 50% off
• Anno 2070 $24.99 @ 50% off
• The Binding of Isaac $1.74 @ 50% off (Wrath of the Lamb DLC $0.74 @ 75% off)
• Sonic Generations $10.19 @ 66% off
• Warhammer 40K: Space Marine $7.49 @ 75% off
• Tribes: Ascend Starter Pack $4.99 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle II (E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy, Botanicula, Universe Sandbox, Oil Rush, Splice) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 3 Daily Deals:

• Borderlands: GOTY edition $7.49 @ 75% off (Borderlands itself is $4.99, but come on. Get the DLC colonelpopcorn is my GSID.)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim $29.79 @ 50% off
• Frozen Synapse $4.99 @ 80% off
• Tropico 4 $7.49 @ 75% off
• DiRT Showdown $24.99 @ 50% off
• Dead Island $10.19 @ 66% off
• Two Worlds II $7.49 @ 75% off
• Orcs Must Die $3.74 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle III (Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Bit.Trip.Beat, Braid, Bunch of Heroes, Runespell: Overture)

Day 4 Daily Deals:

• Trine 2 $3.74 @ 75% off
• Darkness 2 $12.49 @ 75% off
• Saint's Row The Third $12.49 @ 75% off
• The Walking Dead (all 5 episodes) $14.99 @ 40% off
• Cities XL 2012 $9.99 @ 75% off
• Hitman: Blood Money (franchise sale) $2.49 @ 75% off
• Serious Sam 3: BFE $9.99 @ 75% off
• Mount and Blade: With Fire and Sword (Franchise Sale) $2.49 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle IV (A Valley Without Wind, Atom Zombie Smasher, Blocks That Matter, Sanctum, Superbrothers EP: Sword and Sorcery) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 5 Daily Deals:

• Age of Empires III $9.99 @ 75% off
• Dear Esther $2.49 @ 75% off
• Iron Front: Liberation 1944 $19.99 @ 33% off
• Knights of the Old Republic $2.49 @ 75% off
• Metro 2033 $4.99 @ 75% off
• Rage $9.99 @ 67% off
• Men of War: Vietnam $8.74 @ 75% off
• Assassin's Creed Revelations $13.59 @ 66% off
• Indie Bundle V (Gemini Rue, Audiosurf, Tiny Bang Story, Greed Corp, Ys: The Oath in Felgana) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 6 Daily Deals:

• Stronghold 3 Gold $13.59 @ 66% off
• Call of Duty: Black Ops $19.99 @ 50% off
• Grand Theft Auto IV $4.99 @ 75% off
• Company of Heroes $2.49 @ 75% off
• Limbo $2.49 @ 75% off
• Railworks 3: Train Simulator 2012 $3.49 @ 90% off
• Spec Ops: The Line $33.49 @ 33% off
• Wargame: European Escalaction $19.99 @ 50% off
• Indie Bundle VI (Ticket to Ride, Defcon, SpaceChem, Trauma, AAAAAAAAAA a Reckless Disregard for Gravity) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 7 Daily Deals:

• L.A. Noire $4.99 @ 75% off
• Carpe Fulgur Series $12.43 @ 75% off
• Total War Mega Pack $12.49 @ 75% off
• Sins of a Solar Empire Rebellion $29.99 @ 25% off
• Super Meat Boy $3.74 @ 75% off
• Thief: Deadly Shadows $2.49 @ 75% off
• Age of Empires Online $2.49 @ 75% off
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat $3.74 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle VII (Avadon: The Black Fortress, Dungeons of Dredmor, Q.U.B.E., Vessel, Zombie Driver) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 8 Daily Deals:

• Plants Vs. Zombies: Game of the Year Edition $2.49 @ 75% off
• Gratuitous Tank Battles $6.79 @ 66% off
• Krater $7.49 @ 50% off
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent $4.99 @ 75% off
• Fallout: New Vegas $4.99 @ 75% off
• The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings $15.99 @ 60% off
• Sniper Elite V2 $24.99 @ 50% off
• Alan Wake $7.49 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle VIII (Demolition Inc., Hoard, SOL: Exodus, Swords and Soldiers HD, Wings of Prey) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 9 Daily Deals:

• Deus Ex: Human Revolution $7.49 @ 75% off
• Dungeon Defenders $3.74 @ 75% off
• Crysis 2 $11.99 @ 70% off
• Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad $4.99 @ 75% off
• Sid Meier's Civilization V $7.49 @ 75% off
• F.3.A.R. $4.99 @ 75% off
• Driver: San Francisco $7.49 @ 75% off
• Magicka $2.49 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle IX (Capsized, Jamestown, Revenge of the Titans, VVVVVV, Zeno Clash) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 10 Daily Deals:

• Batman: Arkham City $10.19 @ 66% off
• Evochron Mercenary $6.24 @ 75% off
• Torchlight $2.49 @ 75% off
• Fable III $12.49 @ 75% off
• Quantum Conundrum $8.99 @ 40% off
• Arma II Combined Operations $17.99 @ 40% off
• Prince of Persia (2008) $2.49 @ 75% off
• Dawn of War: Retribution $7.49 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle X (All Zombies Must Die, Beat Hazard, Bit.Trip.Runner, Eufloria, Machinarium) $9.99 @ 75% off

Day 11 Daily Deals:

• Bastion $3.74 @ 75% off
• Football Manager 2012 $7.49 @ 75% off
• Bioshock 2 $4.99 @ 75% off
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction $4.99 @ 75% off
• Double Fine Pack $7.49 @ 75% off
• S.P.A.Z. (Space Pirates and Zombies) $2.49 @ 75% off
• Operation Flashpoint Red River $13.74 @ 75% off
• Jagged Alliance Back in Action $9.99 @ 75% off
• Indie Bundle XI (Hydrophobia: Prophecy, ORION: Dino Beatdown, Star Ruler, Waveform World of Goo) $9.99 @ 75% off

Link to Fattony12000's steam summer sale guide!

Any word on when the sales start/what the sales will be on?

@Red: People have been saying that it's going to start on thursday.

I personally hate Steam for everything except getting free games out of my friends, but all of them are terrible.

The only games that come out that are worth buying are on Origin anyway.

I personally hate Steam for everything except getting free games out of my friends, but all of them are terrible.

The only games that come out that are worth buying are on Origin anyway.

@lxXShiroXxl said:

I personally hate Steam for everything except getting free games out of my friends, but all of them are terrible.

The only games that come out that are worth buying are on Origin anyway.

Need to work on your troll man, shit's weak.

@lxXShiroXxl said:

I personally hate Steam for everything except getting free games out of my friends, but all of them are terrible.

The only games that come out that are worth buying are on Origin anyway

I'll be away from my fortress of solitude during that time sadly. I'll probably buy a few games and then play them when I get back.

I am excited, BUT...

What I found last year was that I owned mostly everything that I was interested in. So my next piece of advice is: "don't feel like you have to buy something." if you own everything that's good, your done. Ignore the sale.

@Irvandus: implying you'll find anything decent on steam.

I'm being serious here, Steam is terrible.

Gaben is a money vacuum, storing your hard earned cash in his fat by making you buy cheap games you never play.

@lxXShiroXxl said:

@Irvandus: implying you'll find anything decent on steam.

I'm being serious here, Steam is terrible.

Gaben is a money vacuum, storing your hard earned cash in his fat by making you buy cheap games you never play.

At least put some fucking effort into it man.

@lxXShiroXxl: Come on dude shits weak. Your low post count is an obvious sign, but your blatant trolling ain't fooling anyone. Better luck next time man.

Your troll skills are too low level for this high level area. Go grind on some other forums first.

@lxXShiroXxl: Since when did EA browse GiantBomb?

@No0b0rAmA said:

@lxXShiroXxl said:

@Irvandus: implying you'll find anything decent on steam.

I'm being serious here, Steam is terrible.

Gaben is a money vacuum, storing your hard earned cash in his fat by making you buy cheap games you never play.

At least put some fucking effort into it man.

It's the new way to Troll. Their comments don't work as well as they use to anymore, so now they're getting to you by not even trying.

@ReyGitano said:

It's the new way to Troll. Their comments don't work as well as they use to anymore, so now they're getting to you by not even trying.

That's some next level shit right there.

@pantzing_nome said:

@Red: People have been saying that it's going to start on thursday.

Hopefully if it is this Thursday, then Penny Arcade 3 will both be discounted and come with BoD7 and CSTW :o

@ReyGitano: Holy shit, you're right!

Welp, there goes another $200!

im just looking to get the new expansion of sins of a solar empire and arma2

perhaps both the older max payne games if i still have some money left over

@BeachThunder said:

@pantzing_nome said:

@Red: People have been saying that it's going to start on thursday.

Hopefully if it is this Thursday, then Penny Arcade 3 will both be discounted and come with BoD7 and CSTW :o

That seems unlikely, though it would be pretty crazy if a game goes on sale within a week of it being released.

SR3, ARMA 2, Witcher 2 is all I want to go on sale, maybe Dead Space 2 and CIV 5 as well no other games peaking my intereset on PC.

@Cloudenvy said:

Welp, there goes another $200!

You say that but at this point I'm at $3k http://www.steamcalculator.com/id/Haruharuharuko

Dammit Steam Stop making me spend money.

Keeping my eye on one of those recent Ys games, Binary Domain, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and Trine 2. I want Max Payne 3, but it may be too soon for a spectacular deal on that.

I'm holding out for the new Civ DLC but I doubt that will happen, other than that I'm just going to see what happens.

@connerthekewlkid: No flying lawnmower, no sale.

How weird. I think this is going to be the second Steam sale where I'm out of town for the entire thing visiting my fiancee's family.

Dev rumor mill says Steam Sale commences on July 12.

Current plan is Endless Space if it gets low enough and Civ V Gods and Kings if it goes on sale. I'll pick up the usual round of indie games of course. Stronghold 3 as well, normally I'd pick up Arma II but I'm away just using my shitty laptop until next year, by then Arma III will be out with Day Z included.

@Irvandus said:

I'm holding out for the new Civ DLC but I doubt that will happen, other than that I'm just going to see what happens.

I'm doing the same thing. It MIGHT get like a one-day-only 25% discount, but that's the absolute most we can hope for.

@StarvingGamer said:

How weird. I think this is going to be the second Steam sale where I'm out of town for the entire thing visiting my fiancee's family.

There's an app for that. Specifically, the Steam app. Made by Valve. So you can buy things from Steam, even when not at your desktop/laptop.

All I'm looking for is Arma 2 and GTA 4. Murphy's law say I will buy them for almost full price (http://cdkeyprices.com/ ) right before the sale starts, unless someone tells me when first.

@WLF68: The sacred law of Steam sales is to wait for the last day of the sale if something hasn't been a daily deal yet or you happened to miss a daily deal. They nearly always have a recap at the end with most, if not all, of the previous deals. If the item you are looking for isn't featured in the recap, no loss. Just purchase it at its current discount.

Edit: Also, welcome to Giant Bomb.

@Jumanji said:

Dev rumor mill says Steam Sale commences on July 12.

well that would suck. where'd you hear that?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Skyrim on sale, being that "Dong Guard" will probably be out next month.

i'm so ready to spend so much goddamn money

@Jumanji said:

Dev rumor mill says Steam Sale commences on July 12.

well that would suck. where'd you hear that?

@StarvingGamer: but now you can do purchases through your iOS app ;)

@Jumanji said:

Dev rumor mill says Steam Sale commences on July 12.

well that would suck. where'd you hear that?

It's likely the summer sale will start next Monday.
 
Last year's sale also took place the week following the TF2 Uber Update.

Maybe I'll get Borderlands GOTY ridiculously cheap instead of just cheap.

@Jumanji said:

Dev rumor mill says Steam Sale commences on July 12.

I just feel like that is too late to start... Don't ask my why but I have some kind of hunch... I feel like it'll happen near the beginning of July? Like, the 8th at the latest... But, that's just my crazy theorizing.

Well looking at the steam group on this from last year, the camp themed announcements were around July 3rd so hard to tell if it's going to be the same date to start or somewhere close. Loaded up the wishlist with plenty of new & old games to await the crazy sales. I do hope that they stick with tickets for redeeming to get dlc/games/coupons over the crafting from the winter event.

This thread has been stickied :D

the "Don't buy anything you won't play" rule does not apply to impulse steam discount buys.

I totally forgot about the summer sale! A welcome surprise indeed.

But I really think I have all the games I want on steam... maybe if theres a lucasarts sale

A lot of people seem to think it will start this Thursday as the last few sales have started around that time and on the last Thursday of June.

Shit, I'm too broke for this!
 
Not like I want many titles but there's some I'd like to pick up for a low price!
 
I guess eating noodles for the rest of the summer is cool too.

I've put a few games on my wishlist to remind myself of what I actually want, but it never turns out that way. If I can get the walking dead and dead island on the cheap I'll be happy. Because apparently I haven't gotten enough zombie shit already?

http://www.steamcalculator.com/id/twigger I AM READY STEAM