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The best early Black Friday deals

A feast of 2023’s best deals picked by Polygon staff

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An image composition featuring multiple products, including the an Xbox Series X, Backbone One with Sony’s DualSense styling, and a copy of Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol. 1 for the Nintendo Switch Image composition: Cameron Faulkner, Will Joel/Polygon | Source images: Backbone, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Nintendo, Konami, Microsoft

Black Friday is here, and it needs no introduction, right? We’ve already gotten warmed up with last week’s heap of early Black Friday deals, and now we’re back for Thanksgiving week in the US. Since we last checked in, some spectacular gaming deals went up at Best Buy, Target, Amazon, GameStop, and Walmart. We’ll be updating this article frequently with new products, and as many more retailers (both online and in the real world).

There’s a little something for everyone below. And, unsurprisingly, there’s a lot more on the way later this week for actual Black Friday. But in case your interests are more specific, we’ve got you covered with dedicated posts on the best D&D deals, best toy deals, board game deals, and the best deals on gaming hardware like SSDs and monitors. We also rounded up the best gaming gifts that cost less than $100.


Best D&D Black Friday deals


Best board game Black Friday deals

  • Take a short hike through the East Sea Road in Japan with Tokaido, a lovely little board game that’s available from Amazon for $24.76 (was $39.99).
  • If Age of Empires were a deck-building game, you’d have 7 Wonders. Typically available for $59.99, you can currently pick up a copy from Amazon for $39.99.
  • Descent: Legends of the Dark features a ton of unpainted miniatures, and a lengthy, interconnected campaign designed for one to four players. This massive game is usually $174.95 but is currently discounted to $87.48 at Amazon.
  • Azul, the beautiful tile-matching game is currently discounted to $20.00 at Amazon (was $39.99).
  • Concept, a favorite of Polygon’s Overboard team, is $27.49 (was $44.99)
  • Bear-mounted cavalry clash with steam-powered mechs in the territory control game Scythe, which is on sale at Amazon for $67.33 (was $79.99).
  • Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 is perhaps the quintessential Legacy board game. Originally $69.99, you can pick up this tense, cooperative board game as part of Amazon’s Black Friday sale for $39.99.


Leon S Kennedy parries a chainsaw with a knife in a screenshot from the Resident Evil 4 remake Image: Capcom

Best video game Black Friday deals

  • Several gaming gift cards are discounted at Amazon and Target, ranging from $70 PlayStation gift cards selling for $63 to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack family memberships costing $71.89 instead of $79.99. Check out Amazon and Target’s lists of gaming gift cards to see if the one you want is discounted.
  • Final Fantasy 16 for PS5 is $39.99 (was $69.99) at Amazon and Best Buy. Square Enix’s latest entry embraces real-time combat and a whole lot of grittiness. This is the lowest price that we’ve seen yet for the game (which is still exclusive to PS5 — for now), so there’s never been a better time to buy.
  • Assassin’s Creed Mirage for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $39.99 (was $49.99). This game recently launched, and beyond being a solid game that has a more reduced scope, it’s hard not to also love its cheaper debut price, which is considerably less than the industry average (and now, even cheaper thanks to Black Friday).
  • Lords of the Fallen (2023) is $49.99 (was $69.99) for PS5 and Xbox Series X from Best Buy.
  • Lies of P for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $49.99 (was $59.99) at Best Buy. This memorable game breaks the mold of being just another Soulslike title by blending the tale of Pinocchio with horror elements. Best of all, it’s fun to play, and its unique weapon system is something that fans of the subgenre should check out.
  • Elden Ring is $39.99 (was $59.99) for PS5 and Xbox at Best Buy. From Software’s stunning 2022 open-world title remains a must-play, especially before its anticipated “Shadow of the Erdtree” expansion arrives. Note: The Xbox version of Elden Ring costs just $24.99 at GameStop. On PS4 (which allows a free update to the PS5 version if you have a disc-based console), it’s just $19.99 at GameStop.
  • Remnant 2 for the Xbox Series X and PS5 is $39.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. This tough, yet rewarding third-person shooter allows single player as well as groups of up to 3 to trove loot-filled environments.
  • Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are typically $59.99 each, but you can pick up either title from GameStop for $29.99.
  • God of War Ragnarök is $34.99 for PS5 at Best Buy and Amazon, easily sailing past the lowest price we’d seen for the game.
  • Fire Emblem Engage (digital) for the Switch is $41.99 (was $59.99) at Amazon and Best Buy. Physical copies are $37.42 at Walmart. Building off the incredible Fire Emblem: Three Houses was never going to be easy, but Intelligent Systems delivered the goods in Engage, a game focused more on battle than on relationships.
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition for Xbox Series X is just $19.99 (was $39.99) at GameStop.
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged for PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch is $34.99 (was $49.99) at Amazon and Best Buy.
  • Octopath Traveler 2 for the PS5 is $29.99 (was $59.99) at GameStop.
  • The physical version of Red Dead Redemption for PS4 (also playable on PS5) is $29.99 at Best Buy (was $49.99). In case you’ve always wanted a PS4 disc copy of one of the PS3 era’s defining games, albeit with very few modern updates, you can now buy it. Since launch, Rockstar Games added a 60 frames per second mode you can turn on while playing the game on PS5.
  • Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion, the reimagined version of Square Enix’s tough-to-access PSP title, is $29.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy and Amazon. It’s available for PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The best deal of all is at GameStop, where you can grab it for PlayStation or Xbox for $24.99.
  • Super Mega Baseball 4 is $19.99 (was $29.99) at Best Buy. If you like baseball even a little bit, don’t sleep on this title, even if you aren’t particularly sold on its exaggerated art style. SMB delivers baseball that’s easier to pick up and put down than the major sports titles.
  • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is $30 at Walmart (was $69.99) for Walmart Plus subscribers (available to all at 3 p.m. EST), and is $34.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. The sequel to Jedi: Fallen Order delivers more of that good stuff in terms of combat, story, and solid character development.
  • Wild Hearts is $19.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. In this third-person action game, which Polygon’s review described as Monster Hunter meets Death Stranding, you’re getting a huge amount of bang for your buck during Black Friday especially.
  • Dead Space for Xbox Series X and PS5 is $34.99 (was $69.99) at Best Buy. Note: this title is currently available on Xbox Game Pass, in case you have a subscription to that.
  • Forspoken for PS5 is $19.99 at Best Buy (was $69.99)

A graphic composed of Diablo 4 art with an Xbox Series X console next to its box in the foreground. Image: Microsoft

Best gaming hardware Black Friday deals

Xbox deals

  • All Xbox consoles are at least $50 off. This includes the standalone Xbox Series X console at Best Buy, which sell for $449.99 and come with a free $50 gift card (it’s only $399.99 if you subscribe to My Best Buy Plus). At Target, the Series X is $449.99 and includes a $75 gift card. GameStop is honoring the same price, but without a gift card included. The Diablo 4 Xbox Series X bundle at Walmart and Microsoft is even cheaper at $439.99.
  • The special edition Xbox wireless control in the gold shadow color scheme is $45 at Walmart and Amazon (was $69.99). Several other colors are available for $44.99 at Amazon. Verizon is selling the white-colored controller for just $35.99.

two Spider-Mans — Miles Morales and Peter Parker — looking upward in Spider-Man 2 Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

PlayStation deals

  • The Backbone One mobile gaming controller that has Sony’s PlayStation styling with a USB-C port (it’s cross-compatible with iOS and Android) is $69.99 (was $99.99).
  • At multiple retailers, you can get one of Sony’s new, slimmer PS5 consoles for $499.99 (its regular cost) that comes bundled with either Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for no extra cost (a $69.99 value).
  • At multiple retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop, you can get a Sony DualSense wireless controller for PS5 and PC for $49.99 or a little less (was $69.99, and in some cases, special edition colors were $74.99).
Nintendo

Switch deals

  • If you’re planning to buy a Nintendo Switch this holiday, and have your sights set on the standard $299.99 model, make sure you get this holiday Switch bundle that also includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo’s Switch Online service for no extra cost.
  • Are you a fan of Super Smash Bros.? Nintendo now sells a new Switch OLED bundle that includes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for no extra charge. Get it all, including custom designed Joy-Cons, for $349.99.
A photo of the Alienware QD-OLED AW3423DW curved gaming monitor sitting on a white desk, connected to a gaming laptop. The game Deathloop is showing on its screen. Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales/The Verge

PC deals

Alienware 34-inch QHD AW3423DWF

  • $800
  • $1,100
  • 28% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Alienware’s AW3423DWF gaming monitor features a curved QD-OLED screen, which provides amazing picture quality and contrast. Its fast 165 Hz refresh rate works with PC games, and it supports up to 100 Hz with consoles.

  • For something smaller, Asus makes a 27-inch 1440p OLED gaming monitor that typically costs $999.99. It’s on sale at B&H Photo right now for just $629.99. This product features a 240 Hz refresh rate panel.
  • If you have an appetite for an even wider, bigger OLED gaming monitor, Best Buy has the best price on LG’s 45-inch curved 1440p monitor. Normally $1,699.99, if you sign up for My Best Buy Plus or Total, it’ll knock $700 off the total. At $999.99, there’s never been a better price.
  • OK, we’re going to keep getting bigger here. Samsung’s 49-inch curved Odyssey G9 OLED gaming monitor is $999.99 (was $1,599.99) at Amazon. This model has a 240 Hz refresh rate and a very fast response time, just like the LG 45-inch UltraGear OLED above, but its slightly bigger size results in even more of a glorious desk hog.
  • Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse is currently discounted to $109.99 at Amazon (was $159.99). This is one of the lightest mice on the market, making it great for people who don’t want a heavy mouse to hold back their reflexes.
  • The wired version of the Logitech G502 X gaming mouse is on sale for $59.99 through Amazon (was $79.99). This is a great mouse for people who want to have many buttons.

VR deals

  • The Black Friday deal on the Meta Quest 2 is live at GameStop, Amazon, Walmart, and at Best Buy, knocking $50 off the cost. At Amazon, you can get a free $50 gift card with purchase, but stock is going in and out at that retailer.

Best entertainment Black Friday deals

  • Panasonic’s UB420-K and UB820-K 4K Blu-ray players are widely regarded as some of the best models you can currently buy, and now they’re down to their lowest retail prices. The UB420-K normally costs around $250, but it’s now $197.99 at Amazon (Best Buy is selling it for $199.99).

The higher-end UB820-K is also on sale. In terms of hardware, it’s virtually identical to the 420-K model, except it can display Dolby Vision HDR in addition to other HDR supported by both models. Normally around $500, this model is $349.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy.

  • Through Dec. 4, Barnes & Noble is slashing prices on many Criterion Collection movies, including DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Blu-rays, and even top-tier box sets. This semi-annual sale is the perfect time to pick up acclaimed movies from the modern era, as well as older must-see films that have been lovingly repackaged.
  • The 4K UHD version of the Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently available at Amazon and Best Buy for $9.99 (was $29.99). You can also pick up the Blu-ray version for the same price (was $19.99) in case you don’t have the right hardware to play 4K discs.
  • The 4K Blu-ray version of James Cameron’s Titanic is $29.99 at Amazon, and it will launch on Dec. 5. This is a few dollars less than the cost at other retailers. If you want to go all out on the pricey collector’s edition, that version is $20 off at both Amazon and Best Buy.

Best Black Friday toy deals

  • Normally, the 1,351-piece Lego Millennium Falcon is $169.99, but Amazon has discounted this set to $135.99. The lowest price we’ve seen yet for the ship that made the Kessel run in twelve parsecs.
  • The Lego version of the Space Shuttle Discovery and accompanying Hubble Space Telescope are on sale at Best Buy for $179.95 (was $199.95).
  • The aesthetically pleasing Lego Tales of the Space Age set is on sale at Best Buy for $42.99 (was $49.99). The 688-piece set is a delightfully minimalist tribute to humanity’s unwavering appetite for discovery.
  • Yet another Star Wars Lego set available for its lowest price ever, the 474-piece version of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing is on sale for $37.49 at Amazon (was $49.99).
  • The Mario, Luigi, and Peach starter courses for Lego Super Mario are currently discounted to $47.99 at Amazon (were $59.99).

Lego Super Mario Starter Course

  • $48
  • $60
  • 21% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This is the Lego Super Mario set you need if you want to add all of Lego and Nintendo’s exciting expansion sets at a later date. This set includes an interactive Mario figure, a Goomba figure, Bowser Jr., and a buildable course.

  • The summer home of the royal house of Toadstool is typically priced at $129.99, but you can currently pick up the Peach’s Castle expansion set for Lego Super Mario at Amazon for $104.99.