The precursor to Steam’s blowout holiday sale is the Thanksgiving or autumn sale, which is shorter but nearly as sweet for computer game players. The annual tradition finds Valve’s digital download service slashing prices on nearly all of its titles -- a sale spanning more than 1,000 games.
Markdowns can be sorted by genre, price, and publisher, and there are special daily deals that will further reduce the sale price of select titles for 24 hours. These daily deals expire at 1:00 PM EST on the following day, when a new group takes its place on the front page until the last day of the sale.
Steam’s autumn sale for 2011 runs from November 23 through November 27, 2011.
1. Steam Autumn Sale Daily Deals: Day 1
Image © Valve
- Duke Nukem Forever -66% $6.79
- Oddworld: The Oddboxx -75% $3.74
- Mass Effect Franchise -75% ($4.99 to $7.49)
- Dejobaan Collection (5 games) -50% 9.99
- Sam & Max Complete Pack -75% $12.49
- Orcs Must Die! -75% $3.74
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 -75% 4.99
- Call of Duty: Black Ops -50% $29.99
- Men of War Franchise -75% ($1.24 to $18.74)
- Portal 2 -66% $10.19
- Renegade Ops -50% $7.49
- Risen -50% $14.99
Notes: The daily deal's most popular sale item, based on the list of top sellers, was one of the highest reviewed games of the year: Valve's own Portal 2 at $10.19. Orcs Must Die! was also a popular title, with the game's recent release (it launched in October), low price (under four dollars), fantasy theme, and twist on the popular tower defense genre all likely factors in its success.
2. Steam Autumn Sale Daily Deals: Day 2
Image © Valve
- L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition -50% $24.99
- Fallout: New Vegas Franchise -75% $4.99
- Rift -75% $7.49
- Zeno Clash -75% $3.75
- Sniper: Ghost Warrior -80% $5.99
- Two Worlds Franchise -75% ($3.00 to $10.00)
- Total War Mega Pack -75% $12.50
- The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition -66% $3.40
- RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum -66% $10.20
- Operation Flashpoint Franchise -75% ($3.75 to $13.75)
- Red Orchestra Franchise -50% ($4.99 to $19.99)
- VVVVV -75% $1.24
Notes: Based on Steam's top-seller list, L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition was the big mover and shaker in this daily deal, with Fallout: New Vegas also proving popular (role-playing games almost always do well during Steam sales, especially ones that can be had for under five dollars). L.A. Noire, which was released earlier this month, benefited from a significant price drop, positive reviews from the console versions, and a theme that hasn't been explored since the days of Police Quest.
3. Steam Autumn Sale Daily Deals: Day 3
Image © Valve
- Grand Theft Auto Franchise -75% ($2.49 to $12.49)
- Flight Control HD -75% $1.24
- Patrician IV -66% $6.79
- Dead Island -50% $19.99
- Sanctum -75% $2.49
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution -50% $24.99
- Serious Sam HD Gold Edition -90% $3.99
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic -50% $4.99
- The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena -75% $4.99
- King Arthur Collection -75% $10.00
- Back to the Future: The Game -60% $9.99
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine -33% $33.49
Notes: This daily deal saw a flurry of activity among purchasers, with several games shooting up the top-seller list. One surprise was that Grand Theft Auto IV Complete was being snapped up at $9.99 when the entire Grand Theft Auto collection could be had for less than three dollars more ($12.49). Did buyers already own San Andreas, Vice City, etc.? Or were they not paying attention? The two other hot sellers from the daily deal were Dead Island, proving that zombies have yet to outstay their welcome, and the critically acclaimed shooter/role-playing game hybrid, Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
4. Steam Autumn Sale Daily Deals: Day 4
Image © Valve
- Overlord Complete Pack -75% $4.99
- Limbo -75% $2.49
- Sid Meier's Civilization V -66% $10.19
- Cities XL 2012 -50% $19.99
- Worms Reloaded -75% $6.79
- Payday: The Heist -50% $9.99
- Rage -50% $29.99
- F.E.A.R. Franchise -50%
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Franchise -75%
- The Polynomial -75% $2.49
- Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days -60% $9.99
- The Witcher Franchise -40%
Notes: Sid Meier's Civilization V headlined this daily deal, with Rage, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series, The Witcher 2, Limbo, and Payday all big sellers. What's interesting is that the best deal for The Witcher 2 was on Amazon ($17), not Steam ($24.99), but those who enjoy keeping all their digital eggs in one digital basket apparently felt the extra $8 wasn't enough to make them jump ship. Of course, it's also likely that people simply didn't pay attention and assumed Steam had the best deal going...
5. Steam Autumn Sale Daily Deals: Day 5
Image © Valve
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 -50% $14.99
- Magic: The Gathering -- Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 -60% $3.99
- Fable III -50% $24.99
- Europa Universalis III Franchise -75% ($3.74 to $7.49)
- Section 8: Prejudice -75% $3.74
- Dead Space Franchise -75% $4.99
- Driver: San Francisco -50% $24.99
- Greed Corp. -75% $2.49
- Red Faction Franchise -75% $2.37 to $16.99
- Demolition Inc. -75% $2.49
- Thief: Deadly Shadows -75% $4.99
- Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga -75% $9.99
Notes: While usually the last day of Steam sales are reserved for recaps (the two-week holiday sale has two recaps), the autumn sale is too short to waste time on anything but new deals. And if it's a role-playing game on sale, it's likely going to do well. The top-seller list seemed to support this theory with both Fable III and Divinity II appearing on the charts. Dead Space 2 and the original Dead Space appeared to do the best business of the day's sale, with Modern Warfare 2, Magic: The Gathering, Thief, and Section 8 also garnering heavy interest among Steam users.