The best early Black Friday gaming deals (so far)

Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

UPDATE: Nov. 16, 2021, 3:35 p.m. EST Gaming deals are bountiful every Black Friday, and we’ve started gathering up the best discounts and offers ahead of the big day. Our top picks are below, but read on for even more great deals as of Nov. 16.

  • BEST GAME DEAL: Returnal, one of the most critically acclaimed PS5 exclusives of 2021, is already on sale — $49.80 $69.99 (save $20.19)

  • BEST SUBSCRIPTION DEAL: Xbox Game Pass 3-Month Ultimate Membership, which gives you plenty to download and play at a moment’s notice (including day-one Microsoft exclusives) — $37.99 $44.99 (save $7)

  • BEST ACCESSORY DEAL: WD Black 2TB P10 Game Drive. Say goodbye to doing the “storage shuffle” every time you want to download something new — $74.99 $89.99 (save $15)


Black Friday is never not good for gaming deals, and we’re thinking that this year is going to be par for the course (perhaps even better if we see a lot of restocks on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X?).

But even if you end up not being able to score a next-gen console this time around because of bots and supply chain scaries, there are still plenty of gaming deals to be excited about.

SEE ALSO:

The best Black Friday 2021 deals, all in one place

If last year is any indication, expect to see a lot of individual games on sale, console bundles (there were a bunch of great Switch deals in 2020), and accessories for both consoles and PC. As for those next-gen consoles, we’ll be keeping an eye out and making sure you have the most updated information on restocks. So far, we know that Walmart will be restocking the coveted consoles on Nov. 22, but Best Buy and Amazon have been pretty reliable in the restock department since they launched, so we expect news from them as well. If you’re looking to snag a new Switch OLED model during your shopping spree, you may have a bit more luck — GameStop in particular has been restocking the handheld console pretty regularly.

Below, our favorite Black Friday gaming deals so far.

We’re hoping to get our hands on that new Switch OLED model.
Credit: Nintendo

Black Friday deals on games

'Returnal' gameplay screenshot

Credit: Housemarque

Why we like it

One of the most anticipated releases of 2021 was also one of the most praised. The cosmic horror time loop game Returnal combines intense action gameplay with a sense of mystery and discovery that’ll have players engaged throughout its single-player story. In short: If you’re lucky enough to own a PlayStation 5, Returnal needs to be in your library.

More game deals

Black Friday deals on subscriptions

Xbox Game Pass logo

Credit: Microsoft

Why we like it

Basically the Netflix of video games, a subscription to Xbox Game Pass is one of the best online services that gaming has to offer. When you sign up, you’ll gain immediate access to an extensive library of Xbox and PC titles that can be downloaded at your leisure, including Xbox exclusive games on release day. You’ll also get all of the benefits of Xbox Live Gold online access, as well as the newly added EA Play collection.

More deals on accessories and subscriptions

How to shop for a gaming deal this Black Friday

The best shopping tip we can give you for Black Friday 2021 is to follow our in-depth coverage of the whole event (wink wink), but besides that, there are a few things you can add to your repertoire to ensure you’re getting those amazing deals.

First, you should make a wish list of what you hope to find on sale during Black Friday. When it comes to the gaming category, the options can get a little overwhelming, and it’ll be easy to either a) spend more than you were hoping to spend, or b) not spend any money at all due to a case of intense online shopping paralysis. This is especially important when you’re shopping for individual games, so make sure you get your top 10 in order (maybe a few extra) and keep an eye out for those specific titles. We expect to see a ton of 2021 games on sale, even some of the most recent ones (Returnal, Deathloop), so everything is fair game.

Another tip is for the PC gamers — if you’re planning on upgrading your rig with a new graphics card, processor, or some other component, pick them out ahead of time. Things like GPUs and CPUs tend to go out of stock very quickly, so wasting precious time deciding what you want after the sales already start is ill-advised. Unsure of what your PC setup could use an upgrade for? Spend some time at PCPartPicker to get a better idea of what you’ll want to be looking out for.

The rest can be said for shopping in any category on Black Friday: Just stay vigilant, remain calm, and try to enjoy the process. Download the Honey extension, sign up for newsletters from big retailers like Walmart and Best Buy (and our newsletter, while you’re at it), and relish in your Black Friday wins.

What Black Friday gaming deals to expect this year

Expect to see a lot of the usual suspects this year: big discounts on individual games, deals on accessories like headsets and controllers (look out for those PS5 add-ons), as well as many a PC component.

We’re also hoping to see plenty of console bundles just like we did last year. The Nintendo Switch in particular saw a lot of great package deals, and with the recent launch of the Switch OLED, it’s not out of the question to see that one paired with some 2021 Nintendo titles.

Of course, we know most will be looking for PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles. It’s likely that stock will be set aside for the major shopping event, but we’ll let you know once we get confirmation that you’ll actually be able to get your hands on one. So far, we know Walmart will be releasing stock on Nov. 22. Just don’t expect a discount on those quite yet, finding one in stock at retail price is a deal as it is.

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