How to Build a Killer Game Library Without Going Broke
Ah yes, the eternal struggle: you want to have an epic game library that screams cultured gamer, but your bank account is out here roleplaying as a hollow NPC. Fear not. You don’t need to sell your kidneys on the dark web just to keep up with your friends’ 200-game collection (of which they’ve played exactly three).
Here’s how to turn your Steam library into a treasure trove of pure gaming joy – without triggering a financial intervention.
Start With What You Actually Play
Novel idea, right? Before you go hoarding random horror platformers and obscure early-access fishing sims, take a look at the games you actually enjoy. RPGs? Shooters? Cozy farming sims with emotional damage? Stick to your genres. Building a focused library makes you look like you have taste, even if your taste is just “games where I can loot things.”
Don’t get baited by flashy trailers or influencer hype – those games go on sale faster than your motivation to finish them. And speaking of sales, this is where it gets good: the smartest move is to wait for deals and snag discounted Steam codes instead of paying full price like some kind of chump with no patience.
Master the Steam Sale Cycle (and Your Impulse Control)
Steam sales are like seasonal emotional rollercoasters. There’s the Summer Sale, Autumn Sale, Winter Sale, and whatever surprise sale Lord Gaben throws at you just when you thought you were safe. Pro tip: everything goes on sale eventually. That new game you’re drooling over? Give it three months – it’ll be half off and twice as patched.
But don’t just go in blind with your wallet flailing. Make a wishlist. Set alerts. Use tools like IsThereAnyDeal or SteamDB to track prices. Basically, become a deal-sniffing bloodhound. It’s financially responsible, and it makes you feel like a bargain ninja.
Go Indie or Go Home (With Change to Spare)
AAA games are cool, but indies are where the weird, wonderful, and wildly underpriced magic happens, says Medium. You can pick up five mind-blowing indie games for the price of one bloated franchise sequel with 50GB of cutscenes and a sad crafting system.
Indie developers are out here making bangers in their basements with three people and a dream.
Know When to Wait, and When to Pounce
Is that hyped new release going to change your life? Probably not. Will it crash your PC on launch day? Statistically… yes. Waiting not only saves you money, says How-To Geek, it saves you emotional trauma. Let other people beta test the chaos while you kick back with your stable, $5 copy of Hades that runs like a dream.
That said, when a genuinely good deal hits for a game you’ve been wanting? Pounce. You earned that dopamine rush.
Game Big, Spend Small
Your game library doesn’t have to be a digital monument to debt. With some strategy, restraint, and just a little patience, you can have a collection that’s both impressive and inexpensive.
And the best part? You don’t have to do it alone. With digital marketplaces like Eneba offering deals on all things digital, you can grab discounted Steam codes for new titles, old favorites, and everything in between – without burning a hole in your wallet and even without waiting for a sale.
Go forth. Build your empire of games. And maybe, just maybe… play a few of them.
Last Updated: April 23, 2025
