Prime Day board game deals are fast-approaching, so we've roused our bargain-hunters from hibernation and are putting them through a Rocky-style training montage to get in shape for 2023's sales-geddon. Along with rounding up all the best offers during the event itself, they've listed their top tips below to make sure you're able to capitalize on the most tempting discounts.
OK, so it may feel as if Amazon Prime Day is just about Kindles, TVs, or laptops. But in actual fact, tabletop games aren't left out in the cold. You can take advantage of reductions on everything from beloved classics to the best board games, so it's worth keeping an eye out when the sale begins. Last year's Prime Day board game deals knocked Gloomhaven prequel Jaws of the Lion down to its lowest ever price, for example.
To make sure you know what you're looking out for, we've listed some advice on how to make the most of 2023's Prime Day board game deals below. GamesRadar+ has been covering Prime Day gaming deals for quite some time, so these suggestions should help you save as much as possible along the way.
Prime Day board game deals - FAQ
When will Prime Day board game deals 2023 begin?
The date for 2023's Prime Day board game deals hasn't been announced just yet, but based on previous trends, we have a suspicion it'll take place around July 12 - 13. That's certainly what happened last year.
However, this isn't to say you'll only get discounts on those specific days. We've seen reductions begin to pop up in the week leading up to the sale as well, so keep any eye out from early July if you want some advance board game deals.
Wondering when we'll find out more about the date for this year's Prime Day board game deals? With any luck, info should drop within the next two weeks or so - otherwise, Amazon's cutting it a little fine in terms of timing.
As soon as we hear anything, we'll let you know.
Do I need a Prime membership for Prime Day board game deals?
Unfortunately, you will need to be Prime member to take advantage of the best Prime Day board game deals. As you may be able to tell from its name, Prime Day is all about giving members the cheapest prices. That puts many offers behind a paywall.
The competition (like Best Buy and Walmart) get in on the action with price cuts of their own
However, that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of reductions here and there. Some savings do go live for all Amazon users during the event, and they're not half bad. Plus, it's worth noting that the competition (like Best Buy and Walmart) get in on the action with price cuts of their own. Keep an eye on them if you're reluctant to sign up for Prime.
Should you wait until Black Friday instead?
Even though the November sale is arguably one of the year's best when it comes to tabletop, the Amazon Prime Day board game deals aren't an opportunity to ignore. While certain games do drop to all-time low prices during Black Friday, the same is true of Amazon's event - just to a lesser extent. As such, we'd recommend keeping an eye on it and consulting price-matching software such as CamelCamelCamel to check whether you're actually getting a good deal or not (it'll tell you about previous discounts and how the current price stacks up in comparison to them).
What to expect from Prime Day board game deals 2023
Much like Prime Day video game sales, tabletop doesn't always make the biggest wave during this sales event; many of the offers won't stray far from discounts we get all year round. However, that isn't to say you can't save a very respectable chunk of money if you keep your eyes peeled. A saving is still a saving, after all.
As an example, you're practically guaranteed a win with classic board games such as Catan, Pandemic, and Ticket to Ride. Even though they enjoy a reduction on the regular, we usually find their Prime Day prices to be better than usual.
Similarly, good parent-present candidates like Wingspan or Azul tend to be more affordable during sales like Prime Day as well. Because these can clock in at $50+ normally, it's a good time to invest. For instance, Azul hits its lowest ever price in 2022, so we're hoping it'll repeat that trick this year.
It's a great opportunity to pick up cheaper party titles
All the same, we'd recommend keeping the closest eye on premium hobby games such as Terraforming Mars, Disney Villainous, Gloomhaven (not to mention its smaller prequel, Jaws of the Lion), or Scythe. These also have their prices cut during sales events, and while most record lows are saved for Black Friday, you can still get phenomenal savings if you're lucky. Jaws of the Lion tumbled to an all-time low price last year, and so did OG Gloomhaven in the UK. RPG rival Descent: Legends of the Dark also hit a tremendously reduced price across the pond in Britain, so here's hoping we get a repeat this time around.
It's a great opportunity to pick up cheaper party titles by studios like Big Potato Games, too. Examples such as Blockbuster: The Game can come crashing down to a mere handful of dollars during events like this, reducing them to impulse-purchase territory.
What about new games like Frosthaven, then? Well, seeing as that big-box adventure has only just hit shelves, we wouldn't anticipate a saving on it just yet (that'll probably wait until Black Friday). However, other newcomers like Catan: Dawn of Humankind and The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game will almost certainly see a reduction of some kind because they've been out for a little while now.
Last year's best Prime Day board game deals - USA
Last year's best Prime Day board game deals - UK
Naturally, Prime Day board game deals aren't the only things worth looking into. The sales event also has a lot of other tech at massively reduced prices, including Prime Day laptop deals and Prime Day TV deals. If you want to keep your focus on tabletop though, don't miss the top board games for adults.
