The available information does not identify the games recommended in the December 25, 2024 Digital Trends article, and it does not establish current Steam Winter Sale dates, discounts, or prices. Rather than inventing a shopping list, use the checks below to choose games from the live Steam sale that fit your budget and the way you play.
What the original recommendation covered—and what it did not
Digital Trends published Giovanni Colantonio’s article on December 25, 2024. Its premise was to help readers spend holiday gift cards on PC games during Steam’s Winter Sale. The surfaced archive and search pages do not name the games in the article, so no particular title, price, discount, or review judgment can be reliably attributed to it.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $54.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $500.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Those pages also do not establish the dates or offers for the current Winter Sale. Sale timing and regional prices can change; check each game’s live Steam listing in your own store before deciding what to buy.
How to choose games that fit your budget
Start with the amount you actually have to spend, then compare games you are interested in using the details on their Steam store pages. A lower price is not automatically the better purchase if the game does not match your preferences or requires an edition or add-on you did not budget for.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Best Value
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #4
- For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
- Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
- The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
Rank #3
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #2
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
#1 Best Overall
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
- Genre and play style: Look for games whose core activity appeals to you, whether that is a story-driven campaign, strategy, exploration, or competitive play.
- Single-player or multiplayer: Check whether the experience suits solo play, online sessions, or playing with friends. For multiplayer games, consider whether your friends also play them.
- Time commitment: If you have limited time, consider whether the game is built around short sessions or a longer campaign. The store page may describe features, but it may not give a reliable estimate of how long you will play.
- Hardware requirements: Compare the listed system requirements with your PC before buying. A sale price does not make a game a good fit if your computer cannot run it well.
- Ownership and add-ons: Check your Steam library and the listing’s edition details so you do not buy a game you already own or mistake a base game for a bundle that includes DLC.
- Price in your region: Confirm the displayed currency, final price, discount, and any sale end date on the live listing. Do not assume a price quoted elsewhere applies to your account.
Check the listing before you buy
- Open Steam and find the game’s store page.
- Review the current price and sale information shown for your region, along with the sale end date if one is displayed.
- Read the edition and included-content descriptions to confirm what the purchase contains.
- Check the system requirements and multiplayer details against your own needs.
- Confirm the game is not already in your library, then compare the final purchase against your remaining budget.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.




