Amazon is killing off Prime’s new-game, pre-order discount

By Gabe Gurwin August 20, 2018

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Amazon Prime’s game pre-order discount program has made the website a top choice for buying new titles, offering 20 percent off most new games as well as free shipping, but with Amazon looking more and more like it’s going to conquer the world, the program is apparently no longer necessary. As of next week, it will be no more.

Beginning on August 28, game pre-orders made through Amazon Prime will not give members a 20-percent discount, but will instead provide them with a $10 credit on “select games.” The credit could take up to 35 days to make it to your Amazon account, and it will expire two months after being applied.

If you pre-order a game before August 28, it will still receive the discount, so you might want to go nuts in order to save some money before it’s eliminated. Of course, we only advise pre-ordering games that you are absolutely sure you’ll love, as the bonuses you receive for doing so are generally not worth taking the risk.

Amazon Prime’s discount program has been getting steadily worse over the last year or so, as Amazon first removed collector’s editions from eligibility before also removing most remastered and ported games. Given the number of those releasing for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and especially the Switch recently, these moves left a significant number of new games ineligible. If Amazon were to reinstate those types of games for its new $10 off program, it could at least help keep customers from jumping ship.

Amazon isn’t the only company getting rid of programs like this. Earlier this year, Best Buy killed off its Gamers Club Unlocked program, which gave players a 20-percent discount on games for a fraction of Amazon Prime’s price. The program made Best Buy pretty enticing for those regularly purchasing new games, but with it gone, no retailer really offers a definitive advantage. GameStop’s paid PowerUp Rewards program has even been limited recently, giving just a few coupon codes and sweepstakes offers instead of its previous library of cool rewards.

Will Amazon’s decision influence where you buy your new games, or is its ease of use still too good to pass up? Let us know in the comments!

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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