We’ve been following the Early Black Friday sales all month long, and so far, most of the tech and gaming sales have been ongoing price drops from the original MSRP rebranded as awesome deals. The real Black Friday ads are starting to drop, so we’re finally seeing some real deals worthy of our attention. Whether you prefer to shop online or head to a brick-and-mortar store, we’ve gathered up all of the best tech and gaming deals you’ll find this Thanksgiving weekend. We can’t list every Black Friday deal, so we have linked an outlet’s full ad with a few of our top picks listed as well.
MMORPG Black Friday Deals
Many gamers will be sitting in front of the screen playing their favorite MMOs over the extended holiday weekend. That doesn’t have to mean they will miss out on all of the deals. Several MMOs have annual Black Friday sales, so we’re keeping an eye out for deals on the most popular MMOs. Our list is pretty short right now, but we’ll add more MMOs as announcements are made.
Elder Scrolls Online - Zenimax generally holds a Black Friday sale every year that offers the latest ESO expansion at a steep discount. They usually wait until the last minute, so nothing has been announced yet. We’ll update this with the specifics once (if) something is announced, so be sure to check back between now and Thanksgiving to find out what the offer is this year.
Guild Wars 2 - Starting on Tuesday, November 22nd, all Guild Wars 2 expansions will be on sale. Additionally, from Friday, November 25th through Monday, November 28th, players will be treated to in-game sales through the Black Lion Trading Company.
[[Update: 1pm PT 11/22/22] - Guild Wars 2's Black Friday deals are now live, with each expansion seeing discounts, from a 50% discount on Path of Fire & Heart of Thorns (now $14.99), to a more modest discount on End of Dragons (discounted to $23.99). You can check out the full discounts on the Guild Wars 2 website.
Final Fantasy XIV - Through November 28th, new players can get 50% off of the FFXIV Complete Collectors Edition ($69.99), Complete Edition ($29.99), or Starter Edition ($19.99). Current players can also enjoy 50% off the Endwalker expansion ($19.99).
Lost Ark -Lost Ark is indeed running a Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal, offering bundles on a variety of both cosmetic and in-game items. The packs are available starting tomorrow and running through Wednesday, November 30th. Check out their blog post for the full details.
New World - Last year, Amazon Games Studio New World for 25% off ($30.00). Will we see an even better discount this year? We’ll be sure to let you know if they announce something.
[Update 1:00 PM PT 11/22] We did in fact see a better price than last year, with New World being sold for 50% off on the official New World website (and Steam). This includes both the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition, seeing the two titles sold for $19.99 and $24.99 respectively.
Warframe - Get up to 35% off the Angels of the Zariman Supporter packs. The Chrysalith Pack includes 500 Platinum, the Gyre Warframe, and much more for $25.99 (35% off). If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, the Emergence Pack includes the Hespar Heavy Scythe and a few other baubles for $4.89 (30% off).
You can also pick up some Warframe merch at up to 40%. The merch sale runs through December 5th.
Updated 11/23/22:
Drop - Renaming the biggest sales day of the year to Clack Friday, Drop has several peripherals on sale starting Friday, November 25 at 12:00am PT and running through Monday, November 28 at 11:59pm PT. You can grab the Drop ENTR tenkeyless (TKL) mechanical keyboard for $59 or go even more compact with the Drop ALT mechanical keyboard for $119, $20 off their current pricing. Also $20 off their current prices, Lord of the Rings fans will want to check out the Drop + Lord of the Rings Elvish and Dwarvish keyboards. Drop hasn’t forgotten the audiophiles either, with the Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming headset on sale for $119 and the Drop + Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee headphones for $139.
Secretlab Gaming Chairs - Save up to $205 off the Titan Evo 2022 series and up to $250 on Secretlab Classics.
Steam Autumn Sale - Valve isn’t calling it a Black Friday sale, but we all know what it is. Running November 22-29, get discounts on games from across the entire Steam catalog.
Optoma Projectors - Optoma has several of their projectors on sale for Black Friday, giving console gamers an alternative for big-screen viewing. The Optoma HD28HDR provides a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10 compatibility at 1080p resolution for $699.50 at Amazon. With an ultra-short throw laser capable of producing a 100” image from 1’ away, the CinemaX D2 delivers a 240Hz refresh rate at 1080 or 60Hz at 4K for $1999 ($500 off) at Abbt, B&H, and Crutchfield.
Sonic Frontiers - Speed away with the latest installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise for just $35 (originally $59.99). Sonic Frontiers is available on Steam, PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Available at most retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, and Wal-Mart, the sale ends on November 28th.
Battle.Net - Now through November 28th, you can save up to 67% at Battle.net. The sale includes many of Activision-Blizzard’s favorite franchises, including the Overwatch 2: Watchpoint Pack for $23.99 (40% off), Diablo 2: Resurrected for $19.99 (50%off), and World of Warcraft: The Anniversary Pack for $79.99, just to name a few.
Zenith: The Last City - Grab your VR headset and jump into Z:TLC for 40% off on Steam and Oculus.
Embers Adrift - Stormhaven's Indie MMO is on sale, discounted from $39.99 to $29.99 currently with one month of game time included in the price.
Amazon
Looking through Amazon’s Black Friday ad is a mind-boggling experience. Unlike other outlets with a limited assortment of items for sale, Amazon’s offerings go on forever. And figuring out what is a good deal and what is just a rehashed sale from last month is nigh impossible. But we’ll give it a try anyway.
Sabrent 1TB Rocket 4 Plus Gen4 NVMe Drive ($127.99) - Sabrent may not be as common a name to the casual gamer, but their NVMe drive speeds are blazing fast and don’t come with the extra cost of having Samsung written on the box. With multiple capacities, the 1TB model seems to be the sweet spot for NVMe pricing.
LG S40Q 2.1-Channel Sound Bar (126.99) - You just bought a new 75” TV. Are you going to settle for the wimpy sound from the built-in speakers when you are playing games? Heck no. With 300 watts of power and a wireless subwoofer, the S40Q is a good option if you don’t have the budget for full surround sound audio output.
Best Buy:
An annual hot spot for Black Friday tech deals, Best Buy has some good deals on TVs and laptops, particularly this year.
TVs - While they may not be of interest to PC gamers, anyone wanting to increase the screen size of their TV for console gaming, Best Buy has a wide selection of TVs to choose from, starting as low as $99.99 for the Hisense 40” A4G Series Full HD (1080p) LED TV.
If you’re looking for 4K gaming on a budget, the full range of the Samsung 6 Series is on sale, with the 50” model at just $297.99. You can go bigger, though, with options like the 60” at $399.99 or the 70” at $579.99. If you’re looking for slightly better features. In that case, the 7 Series has even more size options, including the “go big or go home” 85” for $997.99.
Gaming Laptops - Many of the laptops on sale are geared towards productivity. Still, there are some capable gaming laptops in the ad as well. The low-end HP Victus 15.6” (8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce GTX 1650) will give you decent 1080p gaming for $479.99, or save $500 off the more capable Acer Predator Helios 300 (165Hz display, 16GB RAM, and RTX 3060).
Peripherals - Just about every headset, mouse, and keyboard is on sale. Be careful, though. We’ve found that many of these “deals” are just long-standing price drops from the original MSRP. There are still some bargains if you look hard enough, like the Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed Wireless mouse for $39.99, $20 lower than Amazon or Razer’s site. If you find something you like at Best Buy, just double-check to ensure you can’t find the same item at a lower price somewhere else.
Arcade1Up Consoles - You can save up to $300 off select Arcade 1UP consoles at Best Buy. If you don’t find the game you’re looking for at Best Buy, you can shop the full selection of cabinets and bartop games at the Arcade1Up Store
Microcenter
If you’re lucky enough to have a Microcenter in your area, they have some great DIY sales going on right now. Just like we’ve warned about other outlets, some of their Black Friday deals aren’t any better than anywhere else. All things equal, I’d still choose Microcenter over Best Buy, Newegg, or other outlets because of their very relaxed return policy.
AMD Rzyen 7 5800X CPU ($199.99) - This is a great deal on a powerful AMD CPU, and you can save an additional $20 if you bundle it with a motherboard.
Inland QN322 2TB NVMe SSD ($79.99)- With read/writes of 2300 MBps and 1800 MBps the QN322 isn’t going to set any records, but it’s still better than a typical SATA drive. And at just $79.99 for 2TB of storage, this is a no-brainer if you have an extra NVMe slot on your motherboard.
Acer Nitro 5 AN517-R85S 15.6” Laptop ($999.99) - Breaking the $1000 barrier to reclassify it as a budget option, the Nitro 5 comes with an AMD Ryzen 6800H CPU, 16GB DDR5-4800 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a GeForce RTX 3060 6GB graphics card. With this loadout, you get some decent tech and can expect solid 1080p gaming on the 144Hz display, and at $200 off its recent pricing (Microcenter uses an inflated $1520 MSRP for the $530 savings listed in the ad), the Nitro 5 is a great option for gaming away from your home setup.
Microsoft Store
Although the Microsoft Store doesn’t deal solely in gaming tech, their Black Friday sale still has several deals to keep gamers happy throughout the holidays.
Xbox Series S ($249.99) - The Xbox Series S is currently $50 off MSRP at all major retailers, bringing the budget-conscious console down to an even more palatable $249.99. If you buy it directly from the Microsoft store, they are sweetening the deal by throwing in a free Xbox headset and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month membership.
Xbox Controllers - get up to $25 off select Xbox wireless controllers.
PowerA MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip 2 - The PowerA MOGA clip is a great way to get better control of your mobile gaming by attaching your Xbox wireless controller to your phone. Normally $14.99, you can grab the clip for just $5.99, or bundle it with the PowerA MOGA XP5-X controller for just $39.99.
Xbox Games - Just like Sony, Microsoft has deep discounts on your favorite games.
Newegg
In true Newegg’s Black fashion, there’s nothing cut and dry about their Black Friday deals. You won’t find anything as egregious as bundling power supplies, motherboards, and who knows what else with graphics cards. Still, there are daily specials and limited-time codes, so be ready to do some quick research if you want to peruse their expansive sale listings. That doesn’t mean I didn’t spot a few tantalizing offers right off the bat.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU ($499.99) - The 16-core powerhouse of the AMD 5000 generation, Newegg is the only retailer to price the 5950 under the $500 threshold. There was also a $5 promo code over the weekend, so this may be one to watch throughout the weekend.
ONDTA LED Smart Flow Light Bar ($36.99) - The ONDTA light bar looks very similar to Govee bars at nearly half the price and could make the perfect gift for someone who wants to add some extra RGB ambiance to their gaming setup.
G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16GB 3600MHz DDR4 RAM ($68.99) - If your gaming rig is still trying to chug along with only 8GB of RAM, then this 2x8GB set of RGB is just what the doctor ordered. 3600MHz is the sweet spot for the AMD A4 platform, and the RGB will surely give a 5 fps boost to all of your favorite games.
PlayStation Store
If you think Sony would leave all of the sales to the big box stores, you have another thing coming. The PlayStation Store is full of great Black Friday deals.
Video Games Digital Downloads - If all you are looking for this Black Friday is a couple of games, there’s no reason to fight the crowds when you can pick up a digital copy for up to 60% off. You can finally grab Cyberpunk 2077 for $24.99 or head to the pitch with Fifa 23 for $41.99. You can play as the Batman family in Gotham Knights for $41.99, or if you prefer rats over bats, take home A Plague Tale Requiem for $47.99. The list goes on and on.
PlayStation Plus - Whether you go for the Essential, Extra, or Premium PS+ subscription, you can get 25% off a 12-month membership plan. That means you can get a full year of PS+ for just $44.99, $74.99, or $89.99, respectively. The offer runs through Tuesday, November 29th.
PS5 Peripherals - Round out your PS5 peripherals with up to $25 off DualSense controllers, and get $7 off the DualSense Charging Station or Media Remote. Or save $30 on a PULSE 3D Wireless headset ($69.99).
PlayStation Gear - Get 20% off your order when you spend $100 or more on PlayStation Gear. Let everyone know your favorite franchise with T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and more.
SteelSeries
The SteelSeries 2022 Cyber Sale has a wide variety of keyboards, mice, headsets, and speaker systems at 20-40% off. While some of the kit is priced lower than the MSPR at other retailers, the SteelSeries site has deeper discounts on many of the items listed.
Arctis 7X Wireless Headset ($89.99)- With low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless audio and 40mm neodymium drivers, the black and green Arctis 7X allows you to play your favorite Xbox Series X games without a cord laying across your living room. The 7X USB dongle is also compatible with PC, PS5, Switch, and Android devices. The Arctis 7P comes with a smaller dongle that drops the Xbox compatibility and features the white and blue aesthetics of the PS5 or black/blue if you prefer a darker color scheme.
Arctis 9X ($159.99) - Compatible with Xbox Series X|S and PC, the Arctis 9X has a slightly better sound profile than the 7X/P with integrated Xbox wireless to do away with the need for a dongle. The 9X also has simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to link up to a second device for external music or Discord chat while still receiving game audio from your Xbox.
Apex 7 TKL Keyboard ($90.99) - At $30 off its regular price, the Apex 7 TKL provides the same great performance as the Apex 7 in a smaller form factor.
Target and Wal-Mart
A glance at Target and Wal-Mart’s Black Friday tech offerings left me underwhelmed. I didn’t see anything I couldn’t get elsewhere, and that’s what I’ll be doing to avoid the crowds. We could have missed something, though, so if your keen eyes find a deal that you can’t pass up, let us know, and we’ll be sure to add it.
Publisher One-offs And Online Outlet Sales
While Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and other major retailers will be advertising their huge Black Friday sales, game publishers and discount outlets have some smaller deals going on this Thanksgiving holiday.
Dark Matter 32” QHD Gaming Display at Monoprice.com ($199.99) - If you’re ready to take the step up from 1080p gaming, Monoprice.com has the Dark Matter 32” 2560x1440p at50% off MSRP. Featuring a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, the IPS monitor has 4 video inputs (2x HDMI 2.0 and 2x DisplayPort 1.2), 178-degree viewing angles, and a 100x100 VESA mounting pattern, the Dark Matter packs in a lot of features in the same price range as many 24-27” monitors.
Dell - Dell has desktops, laptops, and monitors on sale, like the XPS 15 laptop for $1399 ($500 off), the XPS desktop for $1249.99 ($550 off), and the Alienware AW2521HFL 25” gaming monitor for $199.99 ($150 off). Supplies are limited on all sale items, so you’ll want to grab these deals before they’re gone.
Eve Online - If you’re looking for a Black Friday deal out of this world, you’ll want to pick up Eve Online’s 3-month Omega for 20% off its regular price. As a bonus, you’ll also get a free Dramiel Sariel’s Flame SKIN.
Jackbox Games - The holidays are full of get-togethers, and with Jackbox Party Packs, you’ll be remembered all year long for your legendary parties. Released in October, the Jackbox Party Pack 9 is Jackbox Games' latest bundle of party fun. PP9 is discounted 20% ($23.99), and previous packs are up to 60% off through November 29th.
Green Man Gaming - GMG is always a great place to shop for discounted games, and their Black Friday sale has some hot deals on some older games you may have missed. With discounts as high as 90% or more and new deals dropping daily, this is one site you’ll want to revisit all weekend long.
iRacing - If you’re considering jumping into the most realistic online racing sim, you won’t want to miss their Black Friday deal. From now through December 4th, new members can save 50% off the normal membership price, and prior and current members can get 25% off a 12 or 24-month subscription.
Humble Choice - You can pick up an annual membership to Humble Choice for $89 ($54.88 of the monthly sub price) by using code HOLIDAY22, Each month, you get a selection of curated games - yours to keep even if you don’t renew - along with access to the Humble Games Collection. It’s the perfect gift for the gamer that loves trying out a variety of titles, and finding just two or three keepers pays for the price of admission.
HP Reverb G2 Virtual Reality Headset ($299.00)- Even though HP’s Black Friday sale is full of laptops and monitors, it’s the HP Rever G2 headset that will have VR gamers swarming their online site. By dropping the price by $300, HP has undercut the Meta Quest 2’s price by $50, making the G2 the de facto VR budget choice for Black Friday.
Epos
Premium audio brand Epos has several of their audio peripherals on sale for Black Friday, including newly launched gear that hasn’t been discounted before.
H3PRO Hybrid Wireless Headset ($199) - The H3PRO Hybrid is packed with premium features and is $80 off its original price. Get low-latency gaming across all your devices, dual connectivity that allows you to simultaneously receive audio from your gaming device and your phone, and dual microphones and detachable boom arm for clear communication with your squadmates. The 40mm drivers provide excellent audio, and the 7.1 surround sound and active noise canceling provide full immersion in the game experience. When Emily reviewed the H3PRO Hybrid, one of her cons was that the headset was “pretty pricey,” and Epos’ Black Friday deal takes care of that, but if you are looking for the same features at a lower price, you can skip going wireless and pick up the wired H3 Hybrid for just $119.
GTW 270 Hybrid Wired Earbuds ($119) - If you’re looking for great quality audio without the bulk of over-the-ear headphones, then the GTW 270 Hybrid earbuds are an excellent choice. The GTW 270 Hybrids can connect through Bluetooth or the included USB-C dongle, giving you multiple ways to connect to all of your devices, or forego the dongle and get the GTW 270 Earbuds for $99. Either way, the ergonomic design provides a snug fit to reduce external noise and comfortably deliver high-quality audio while on the go.
B20 Streaming Microphone ($119) - With its hassle-free USB connector and built-in volume, gain, mute, and pickup pattern dials, the B20 will have you jacked in and sounding great in no time. With four pickup patterns to choose from (cardioid, stereo, bidirectional, and omnidirectional), the B20 is versatile enough to record in any gaming or podcast environment.
Nanoleaf
Nanoleaf started their Early Black Friday Sale all the way back in October, with many products up to 20% off at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Home Depot. Now, they just added some Door Buster Deals that are good only on the Nanoleaf Website.
Mini Triangles Smarter Kit ($89.99) - Pick up the Mini Triangle Smarter Kit for 10% off through November 28th. Nanoleaf Mini Triangles are more than simple ambient lighting, they allow you to get creative with your lighting and express your own unique personality.
Essentials Bulbs ($5 On Black Friday Only) - At 75% off, you can take your RGB lighting beyond your gaming station and into the whole house for a fraction of the regular price. Control every bulb in the house through Bluetooth with your iOS device (maximum of 8 on Android). With 16M+ colors and dimming from 1% to 100% brightness, you can set your lighting to match your mood or change your mood to match your lighting.
Essentials Lightstrips and Lightstrip Extensions ($10 and $5 on Cyber Monday Only) - When Essentials Bulbs aren’t enough to satisfy your RGB cravings, it’s time to add some Essentials Lightstrips to the room. Add some backlighting to your monitor or TV, or light up the space under your desk or shelving to create the perfect ambiance for your gaming space.
