It’s always a good time to get a Steam gift card, but during quarantine, you need to have money for Steam. Let’s face it: there’s absolutely nothing to do when in self-quarantine. You’re sitting home trying not to spread the virus and do your part to save lives.
And there’s only so many times you can watch the same shows on Netflix.
Video games, on the other hand, especially multiplayer games, are going to provide you with hours and hours of fun. I’ve played Red Dead Redemption 2 for well over 100 hours, and the same with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Games are the best way to pass the time as long as you don’t forget to get up and move a little every hour.
Young adults and older adults are stuck in their homes as:
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[list_item]Colleges and universities close[/list_item]
[list_item]Schools close[/list_item]
[list_item]Businesses close[/list_item]
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Most of the world is in quarantine or being forced to stay-at-home for everything but essential needs, such as going to the grocery store or for a medical emergency.
Steam has experienced a massive boost at this time, with a lot of people choosing to buy Steam Gift cards and others opting to buy game after game to grow their game libraries.
Steam is Experiencing Massive Growth During COVID-19
Steam’s user base is massive, with millions of users already on the platform. The company has really carved a name for themselves in the video game industry, and we’ve seen that a lot of gamers worldwide are still opting for the power of a PC over a console like Xbox or PS4.
The platform reached over 20.3 million people on concurrently and over 6.4 million of them playing games in mid-March.
The most popular games were:
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[list_item]Counter-Strike: Global Offensive[/list_item]
[list_item]Dota 2[/list_item]
[list_item]PUBG[/list_item]
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But that record was shattered a week later when 22 million players were on Steam at the same time. The stress test would set the platform up for its biggest day ever just days later when 23.5 million users were on the platform. On April 24, 2020, the figures rose above record levels to hit 23.66 million concurrent users online.
The platform has been consistently hitting the 20- to 21-million concurrent user mark time and time again.
Why?
People want to socialize and do something aside from watching television.
Games are definitely going to be what people continue to do well into the summer months.
And I fully expect the concurrent record to break one again when the Steam Sales roll in, if not sooner. Games provide a great escape for many people, and it’s one of the pastimes that are universal for both kids and adults.
Steam Sales Are Right Around the Corner
If you don’t know what Steam games to buy, you can definitely use your Steam gift card at this time to purchase tens of thousands of games with reduced prices. There’s a lot of hype around Steam’s seasonal sales and for good reason: they’re so cheap, you can’t pass them up.
There’s always a lot of speculation on the exact day when the sales will begin.
But I have a feeling that Steam sales are right around the corner. I don’t know what games will be for sale, but I do want you to check out some of the top games in the past year to see if they’re on sale:
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[list_item]Kerbal Space Program 2[/list_item]
[list_item]Monster Hunter World: Iceborne[/list_item]
[list_item]Wasteland 3[/list_item]
[list_item]Psychonauts 2[/list_item]
[list_item]So many more[/list_item]
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A few days ago, Gamerswatch revealed that Steam Sales are likely around the corner. Last year, the spring sale was skipped, but a lot of gamers think that there will be a sale this year due to the pandemic. It’s really the perfect time to get people to buy a Steam gift card since kids are home across the world.
Many kids have had the remainder of their school year cancelled, so it’s going to be a very long summer break.
Spring sales often begin on the last week of May, so if there is one going on, this is the time you can expect it. If Steam doesn’t want to offer their Spring sale, you’ll have to wait until the last two weeks of June when the company runs their summer sale.
Each sale is definitely worth checking out.
I recommend signing up for Steam’s mailing list so that you receive an email when the next sale begins. Sales last one to two weeks on average, so you’ll have plenty of time to decide which games you would like to play.
If you want to play games with a family member or friend, there are so many great ways to buy gift cards online.
There are Lots of Great Perks
Steam is a platform for everyone, and this means that there are a lot of indie developers that flock to the platform, too. Perks are plenty when you have a gift card, and a few of the key reasons why people recommend a Steam gift card are:
Developers from Across the World
Games can be downloaded immediately. You can purchase a gift card and choose which games you want to add to your library. But everyone already knows about the AAA titles that come out from major developers because they have the funds to promote their games.
Indie developers do not have this massive marketing budget, so it’s easy to overlook their games and what they have to offer.
And the sad part is that it is really these indie companies that are changing the way people game.
Just take a look at Blizzard.
Blizzard had the world’s most popular MMO, but the company has done nothing innovating for their gamers in a long, long time. The developer often breaks their promises of features and updates, but with a massive user base, Blizzard doesn’t need to innovate at all.
Indie developers, on the other hand, need to stick out from the crowd and find ways to entice consumers like yourself to give their titles a try.
Indie developers have:
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[list_item]Different features[/list_item]
[list_item]Lower prices[/list_item]
[list_item]Frequent updates[/list_item]
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Some of the best games that I have played this year were developed by studios that I have never heard of before. With low prices on their games, they’re worth the investment, even if it’s for a 10-hour immersive game.
You Can Buy Software
I would venture to say that the majority of people buy a Steam gift card for purchasing games. Games are the platform’s main attraction, but there are other items that you would be surprised are available on Steam.
Software is available that you can purchase, too.
The software will fall into a few niche categories that revolve primarily around gaming:
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[list_item]Animation & modeling[/list_item]
[list_item]Audio production[/list_item]
[list_item]Design & illustration[/list_item]
[list_item]Education[/list_item]
[list_item]Game development[/list_item]
[list_item]Photo editing[/list_item]
[list_item]Utilities[/list_item]
[list_item]Video production[/list_item]
[list_item]Web publishing[/list_item]
[/list]
I want to let you in on a little secret, too: featured bundles are amazing.
A lot of people want to buy games or software immediately when they find it. There is always a sense of impulse buying when you feel like you need a certain item now, even though your life won’t be impacted whether or not you have the item today or in a month from now.
Steam has a lot of game sales, but they also have a lot of software bundle sales, too. The bundles allow you to buy software packages at one low price. Packages always revolve around a theme, so you may receive a game development, animation and audio production software all in one.
One thing I will note is that there’s not much available in terms of software on Steam.
It seems, at least to me, that Steam is just starting to work on their software selection and is really just starting to add more options. You will find a lot of neat software options available, but don’t expect to find Microsoft Word or any well-known brands on the site, like Photoshop.
You Can Buy Hardware
Steam is neat because you can buy games, software and hardware, too. Hardware option are sparse, but you will have a few neat options to pick from:
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[list_item]Valve Index is a Virtual Reality kit that will bring your gaming experience from your console to your world. You’ll be upgrading to the realist gaming experience that truly makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the environment. You’ll find a lot of different options available, from the base station to a headset, controllers and other options. If you’ve always wanted to give virtual reality a try, Valve Index is your step into a new world of gaming.[/list_item]
[list_item]Steam Controller was available for a long time, and it was recently put on sale to clear out the entire inventory. A lot of people are sad about the controller no longer being available, and there is a huge outburst of people calling for the item to be restocked. The Steam Controller featured a standard controller design with top buttons and a setup with A, B, X and Y buttons. Comfortable and responsive, the controller also included dual-stage triggers, HD haptics and dual trackpads.[/list_item]
[list_item]Steam Link is another hardware that is available to gamers and aims to bring your gaming experience off of your computer and to your phone, tablet or television. The technology is available for Samsung TV, Raspberry Pi, iOS, Apple TV and Android devices. You can use your current gaming controllers, including Xbox, Steam, mouse and keyboard and others to play your favorite PC games without being tethered to your desk.[/list_item]
[list_item]VIVE Cosmos Elite is the final piece of hardware available and is another VR headset, with 360-degree views and sub-millimeter accuracy. The platform has an ergonomic fit and provides maximum fidelity for gamers. HTC released this set a few years back, but it’s a good option that you’ll want to consider if you don’t want to give the Valve Index a try.[/list_item]
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While there’s not a massive amount of hardware that you can purchase on Steam, there’s certainly more than enough to get you started. The hardware is impressive, with the company offering some of the best VR hardware on the market.
Steam gift cards are really the perfect gift.
Steam is Just Part of the Fun
I know, for me personally, the self-quarantine has been no fun. While I don’t mind staying home, I am starting to feel like a slug. But I have found a lot of things to do during self-isolation, and I’m going to share them with you:
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[list_item]Work. Yes, work I know a lot of people are not working or a lot of gamers might not really have to work because they’re younger and live with their parents. But now is a great time to either start freelancing or build a side business. Since the world is all in the middle of chaos, you’ll be able to really find a niche you want to enter.[/list_item]
[list_item]Twitch. You can either join Twitch and start streaming, or decide to watch other people game. There’s so much fun and action on Twitch. Find a few streamers that you really like and start supporting them. It’s never too late to stream either. If you have the computing power, streaming can be both fun and very lucrative.[/list_item]
[list_item]Learn. What is it that you have been wanting to learn? Some people want to learn to play the guitar, while others want to learn to code. I have seen a lot of free courses available for everything from graphics design to game development and everything in between.[/list_item]
[list_item]Stream. You can stream everything from music to videos and movies. Netflix, Hulu and dozens of other platforms are available that allow you to stay entertained when you don’t feel like being glued to a computer or console. I have even moved one of my televisions into my office so that I can watch shows while gaming.[/list_item]
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Whether you get a Steam gift card or are planning to buy a Steam gift card for someone else, it’s the perfect time to do so. With everyone stuck in home, Steam will be one of the key ways people keep their sanity during self-quarantine.
