Gaming is a popular hobby that is enjoyed by millions of Kiwis and even more people around the world. That number is growing rapidly thanks to the diversification of the industry’s offering, allowing it to appeal to the broadest possible mix of players.

Just like any hobby, you can easily spend a small fortune on buying hardware, software, and in-game items. For example, a high-end gaming PC could set you back $2,000, $3,000 or even $5,000, depending on the specification you choose.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you are operating on a budget or you simply don’t want to splash out a huge sum on your gaming hobby, it is still possible to have a lot of fun. Here are some tips on how to do so.

Choose Cheaper Platforms

Just like a premium or luxury car will cost more to run, a more expensive gaming platform is going to come with added costs in addition to the larger upfront costs that you’ll incur just from buying the hardware.

For example, both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X will set you back around $900. On top of that, individual games will relieve you of around $100 for each AAA title you buy.

Additionally, you have costs for in-game purchases, peripherals, and subscriptions which can easily reach hundreds of dollars per year.

Cheaper platforms can help to cut down on this. For example, smartphones like the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices may cost more than a console but you likely already own one. Therefore, there is no initial outlay required for the hardware. The savings continue, too, because the majority of the games in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store are free, with many others costing just a few dollars each.

Of course, they aren’t always the same games that you can play on a console or PC, but if you’re not interested in getting access to the newest AAA titles the second they launch, these cheaper platforms offer plenty of fun and exciting gaming options.

Look for Free Alternatives

There are lots of great paid-for video games that can be substituted with free versions. Some of the most obvious examples include the free-to-play Call of Duty: Mobile and Warzone games that use the same game engine and contain many of the same features as the paid-for titles.

Similarly, fans of card games can find free versions of popular poker variants that use play chips instead of ones bought with cash. Popular online card room brands like PokerStars offer these free options alongside the choice of playing from a computer or mobile device in much the same way you would access paid games.

Another way to get free games is to take advantage of promotions that offer big games for free over short periods of time. For example, Rockstar Games has offered its flagship Grand Theft Auto V title for free on several occasions, usually ahead of the release of a major update.

Choose Older Titles

Games from several years ago are usually much cheaper than the ones released today. Typically, they won’t offer the cutting edge graphics that you can find today, but they are still incredibly fun.

If this wasn’t true, then there wouldn’t be such a huge market for retro games as the poorer-quality graphics would be too much of a turn off for players.

You don’t even need to wait years to play games either; just a few months is often enough to get a discount off the original retail price. This is because prices are usually set higher to capture as much profit from the early excitement as possible but then retailers need to clear their remaining inventory to make room for the next big release.

For games that hang around on the shelves for longer, retailers will also run promotions on them for short periods, providing you with the chance to snap up a bargain. This is often a loss-leader run by the store to get you through their door in the hopes that you’ll also splash some cash on other products at the same time