Buying the big games in the UK, from the price to the payment
Tonight’s Rain Check on twelve famous games, which UK stores take which ways of paying, and the store sales coming before January. Prices checked by hand.
Twelve games, one question: now or later?
- Death Stranding 2: On the BeachRain check£69.99 · PlayStation Store (PS5)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Rain check£49.99 · Steam
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift ApartRain check£49.99 · Steam
- Horizon Forbidden WestRain check£44.99 · PlayStation Store (PS4)
- Metroid Prime 4: BeyondBuy now£49.99 · Nintendo eShop
- Pokémon Legends: Z-ABuy now£49.99 · Nintendo eShop
- Donkey Kong BananzaBuy now£58.99 · Nintendo eShop
- DOOM: The Dark AgesEither way£44.99 · PlayStation Store (PS5)
- Hi-Fi RushRain check£26.99 · Steam
- Tetris Effect: ConnectedEither way£30.99 · Steam
- Alan Wake 2Buy now£39.99 · Epic Games Store
- Portal 2Either way£8.50 · Steam
The short answers
Is the console store the cheapest place?
Often not. Boxed copies from UK shops can undercut the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop, especially in the first months, and they come with a returns window if the seal is intact.
Can I pay without a bank card?
Yes. PlayStation takes PayPal, Apple Pay, paysafecard and phone billing; Xbox takes PayPal and phone billing; every console store sells gift cards you can buy with cash. The Pay Desk has the full list.
Can I get my money back on a download?
It depends on the store: Steam and Epic refund within 14 days if you played under two hours, GOG within 30 days even after playing, PlayStation only before the download starts, and Nintendo not at all for change of mind. Faulty games are always covered by law.
Who takes what at the till
| Way to pay | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo | Steam | Epic | GOG | Shops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debit card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Credit card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| American Express | ✓ | ~ | — | — | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| PayPal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| Apple Pay | ✓ | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ | ~ |
| Google Pay | — | — | — | — | ~ | ✓ | ~ |
| paysafecard | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ~ | ~ | — |
| Mobile phone bill | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Store gift card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Cash at the till | — | — | — | ~ | ~ | — | ✓ |
✓ accepted~ with conditions— not accepted
Sales coming up
October 3 on file
- Autumn Adventures salePlayStation Store · 23 Sep – 7 Oct · confirmed
- GOG Autumn Sale 2026GOG · 25 Sep – 7 Oct · confirmed
- Steam Autumn Sale 2026Steam · 1 Oct – 8 Oct · confirmed
November 3 on file
- Epic Savings: NovemberEpic Games Store · 12 Nov – 26 Nov · confirmed
- Black Friday: Premium Editions SaleEpic Games Store · 17 Nov – 1 Dec · confirmed
- Black Friday SaleNintendo eShop · Mid/late November to about 30 November 2026 · last year’s pattern
December 3 on file
- End of Year DealsPlayStation Store · Early December to about 22 December 2026 · last year’s pattern
- Holiday Sale 2026Epic Games Store · 10 Dec – 7 Jan · confirmed
- GOG Winter SaleGOG · Mid-December 2026 to early January 2027 · last year’s pattern
January 2 on file
- New Year Deals (late-January sale)PlayStation Store · About the third week of January to early February 2027 · last year’s pattern
- Epic Savings: January-FebruaryEpic Games Store · Late January to early February 2027 · last year’s pattern