Category: Gaming

If you have yet to purchase either a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S, there is never a better time than just Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Both systems have received massive exclusives in 2023, further bolstering their offerings. A great entry point right now is the Xbox Series S, which happens to be on sale with the new Starter Bundle. This bundle is only $234.99 at Dell for Black Friday, a 22% discount from the standard price. In the UK this bundle is down to just £189 as well.

Grab the Xbox Series S Starter Bundle for Only $234.99

The Xbox Series S Starter Bundle includes everything you need to get started in the Xbox ecosystem. Starting off, the bundle includes the Xbox Series S console – packing 512GB of storage, so you might want to look into additional storage in the future. You’ll also get your standard Xbox controller in Robot White. And the last thing included is a 3-month voucher for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, essentially saving you another $50 on top. You can also consider the standard Xbox Series S deal for $224.99 at Dell, but it doesn’t include Game Pass so it’s definitely not as good of an offer.

Overall, this bundle offers a great starting point if you’re not the owner of an Xbox or PlayStation yet. It’s the cheapest entry into either ecosystem, and the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate voucher will allow you to take full advantage of the Xbox content offerings. Three months of Game Pass will take you into early 2024 and cover releases like Persona 3 Reload or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

Walmart has many other deals you don’t want to miss this Black Friday. For example, Xbox Controllers are priced at only $45, which is 25% off. You can always use an extra controller, so this is a great deal to combine with the Starter Bundle. Additionally, the Sony Bravia XR A90J is only $1,396, which is the best Black Friday TV deal. For more deals, check out our Walmart Black Friday 2023 roundup.

Black Friday deals are still lingering around here, and there’s so much to look through, from the latest and greatest deals on tech to incredible console bundle deals. If you enjoy Pokemon, though, and have been searching the internet trying to find the best discounts on everything from cards to games to plushies, we’re here to help. In this roundup, we’ve gathered all of the best Pokemon deals that have popped up during Black Friday (and cropping up for Cyber Monday) at a variety of retailers. To get started looking through them, click on one of the links below.

The Best Pokemon Deals During Black Friday:

Save Big on Pokemon Cards

Black Friday offers great deals at a variety of retailers, but some of the best deals on Pokemon cards can be found at Best Buy (see the full list of deals here) and on Amazon (see here). We’ve picked out some of our favorite deals below for you to look through, broken down by each retailer.

Best Buy Pokemon Card Deals

Amazon Pokemon Card Deals

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Enjoy Discounts on Pokemon Games

There are a few great deals at the moment on physical Pokemon games that are worth taking advantage of if you own a Nintendo Switch. However, keep in mind that more games should pop up with discounts this Friday, and we’ll be sure to update this when they do. Amazon also has a couple of Black Friday accessory deals for Switch owners that are worth a look.

Pokemon Game Deals

Black Friday Nintendo Switch Accessory Deals

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Pick Up These Adorable Pokemon Plushies

Pokemon Squishmallows are a massive hit, so you’ll be happy to know that GameStop is offering a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale on toys and collectibles for Black Friday that includes some! We’ve featured the ones included in the sale below, along with a couple of additional Black Friday plush toy deals over at Amazon.

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Show Off Your Love of Pokemon With These Collectibles From the IGN Store

The IGN Store is currently throwing a big Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale, and there are a couple of items in there for Pokemon fans to enjoy. Mainly, you can pick up a Lapras Funko Pop and a Piplup Funko Pop.

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If you’re curious to see more Black Friday deals, we have several roundups for the sale event that are worth checking out. Whether you’re looking for more gaming deals – to which I’ll point you in the directions of our Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Black Friday deal roundups – or discounts on board games and tech, we’ve got a massive selection of deals covered. You can also learn more from our retailer roundups for Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Costco to see the latest and greatest deals available.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Xbox games are the best, but in 2023 they are a bit expensive — even with the brilliance of Xbox Game Pass in your arsenal. As games continue to push the boundaries of what is possible on a console, we’ve been starting to see a lot of $70 launch games. But, with the introduction of Xbox Black Friday deals into the mix at the end of the year, there are still plenty of chances to save big on the very best games going.

We’ve had our eye on the best Black Friday deals all November, but now we’re past the point of no return, it’s time to officially declare which are the best Xbox video game deals this holiday season. Whether you’re after a Game of the Year contender like Resident Evil 4, or you’re looking for one of the best fighting games of all time like Street Fighter 6 — we’ve got you covered. But, watch out, as the countdown to the end of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales is now on, and these deals will be gone before you know it.

Resident Evil 4 Black Friday Deals

$30 for a Game of the Year contender is a great deal, and we’re just going to say it – this is the best video game Black Friday deal right now. That’s a crazy good deal for what will go down as one of the best games of all time (again). We gave the remake a Masterpiece 10/10 in our review – stating: “The Resident Evil 4 remake is the series’ most relentlessly exciting adventure rebuilt, refined, and realized to the full extent of its enormous potential.” This is such a great deal on such a great game, and we’re convinced it’s going to sell out before the Cyber Monday sales truly kick off. RE4 is also one of our top picks for the best PS5 game deals for Black Friday.

Diablo 4 Black Friday Deals

One of the best games of the year, Diablo 4, is down to just $50 this Black Friday. It’s not a huge discount, but it’s still a significant one. If you haven’t had the chance to pay the incredible ARPG just yet, well this is the perfect opportunity. We gave the game a 9/10 in our review – stating: “Diablo 4 is a stunning sequel with near-perfect endgame and progression design that makes it absolutely excruciating to put down.”

Mortal Kombat 1 Black Friday Deals

If you can overlook the aggressive monetization of MK1, there’s a great and bloody fighting game in there. Kick back and watch some of the goriest fatalities we’ve ever borne witness to, at a discount. We gave Mortal Kombat 1 an 8/10 in our review – stating: “The bone-crunching gameplay of Mortal Kombat 1 is some of the best the series has ever seen, thanks to the game-changing Kameo system. Netherrealm delivers a fantastic single-player story mode as well. However, the new Invasions mode is a grind and the online options feel dated.”

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Black Friday Deals

Walmart is still the king of Black Friday discounts, as it also has Star Wars Jedi Survivor for just $30, which is a whole $4.99 less than every other retailer right now. This puts Jedi: Survivor at over 50% off, which is one of the best Black Friday deals we’ve seen this year. If you haven’t had the chance to pick up Cal’s latest adventure, this is a great opportunity to do so. We gave the game a 9/10 in our review.

Hi-Fi Rush Black Friday Deals

It might be on Xbox Game Pass, but this is a game worth owning forever. Hi-Fi Rush is down to just $22.49 in the digital Black Friday deals for Xbox — and its worth every dollar. Plus, if you’re looking to save a little extra when making digital purchases, you can score digital Xbox gift cards right now that are 10% off in the Black Friday sale. We gave the game a 9/10 in our review – stating: “Hi-Fi Rush marches to the beat of its own drum with stunning animation, loveable characters, and stylish rhythmic action that are anything but one-note.”

Assassin’s Creed Mirage Black Friday Deals

Assassin’s Creed Mirage has dropped to just $39.99 in the Black Friday sales across most retailers. This is the best deal we’re getting on Mirage, otherwise you can always opt for the Deluxe edition at $44.99 instead. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review – stating: “Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s back-to-basics approach is a successful first step in returning to the stealthy style that launched this series.”

Street Fighter 6 Black Friday Deals

What can we say, Capcom has been releasing some absolute gems lately, and the Black Friday deals are still good as well. We gave the game an amazing 9/10 in our review – stating: “Street Fighter 6 is the most feature-rich a Street Fighter has ever been at launch, but even beyond that, it’s roster of 18 characters is excellent, the new mechanics revitalize the one-on-one fighting formula, and it absolutely nails all of the little things that make for a stellar fighting game.”

Metal Gear Solid – Master Collection Vol. 1 Black Friday Deals

Here’s one where you get to go: ‘It should’ve been that price in the first place!’ — Well, we’ll let you have your fun. The Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Black Friday deal isn’t something to write home about, but it’s the best way to play the classic games on modern consoles right now, and it does come with a lot of content. So, at $39.99, you’re getting a reasonable deal here. It’s not getting any cheaper, either, so this is the best offer you’re going to get.

Dead Island 2 Black Friday Deals

Dead Island 2 is one of the surprises of the year after going through what is better know as development hell. But, they seemingly pulled it off and it’s a wonderfully good time. Plus at $35 for Black Friday, it’s hard to complain! We gave the game 2 a 7/10 in our review – stating: “Dead Island 2 is a hilarious gore-fest and a competent zombie-slaying adventure, but lacks creativity outside of its great sense of humor.”

EA Sports FC 24 Black Friday Deals

We might complain about it, but FIFA and now EA Sports FC are some of the best-selling games every single year — so there’s definitely still an appeal out there for happy gamers. If you haven’t had the chance to pick up the world-leading soccer sim just yet, well you’re in luck as it’s 57% off in the Black Friday sales.

Currently available for just $29.99 at retailers like Amazon, this is a great deal and likely the best offer we’re getting on the game until it inevitably ends up on EA Play and Xbox Game Pass come May or June 2024. If you don’t want to wait until then, we suggest bagging this deal this Black Friday.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

The Switch is a great console, and it’s still potentially on track to become the best selling console of all time. Time will tell. As part of the last gasp of Walmart’s Black Friday sale, you can grab a Switch Lite for just $199, and it comes with Animal Crossing New Leaf (my first AC game, and it’s super fun).

Grab Timmy & Tommy’s Nintendo Switch Lite for $199

This turquoise Switch Lite is great, and has the leafy design adorning the back, and a brown leaf on the front, to boot.
For more, check out our Nintendo Black Friday deals, as well as the Nintendo eShop Credit discount, OLED Switch bundles, and where to buy Switches, generally.

Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN & GameSpot. You can get your fix of his antics on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Bluesky, & Backloggd, & check out his fantastic video game talk show, The Platformers, on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Did you just pick up a brand new PlayStation 5 console for Black Friday? Or are you a long-time console owner who has finally used up all 1TB of the PS5’s base storage? Fortunately, Cyber Monday is unquestionably the best time of year to score a fast and reliable PS5 compatible gaming SSD at the lowest price possible. Score a 2TB SSD, which triples your storage space, for under $100!

If you’re looking for PS5 games or accessories, check out the best PlayStation Cyber Monday deals.

Cyber Monday Deal: Lexar NM790 2TB PS5 SSD with Heatsink for $94.99

The Lexar NM790 is currently the least expensive 2TB PS5 SSD on Amazon. It comes with a preinstalled aluminum heatsink that looks like it will do the job properly, it’s considerably faster than the 5,600MB/s minimum recommendation, and it was specifically made to fit in the PS5’s drive bay slot without obtrusion. At this price, there’s little reason to choose another SSD if your only intent is to expand your PS5 storage.

Cyber Monday Deal: Crucial P5 Plus 2TB SSD for $88.99

The Crucial P5 Plus meets all the requirements for your PS5 SSD upgrade. It supports transfer speeds of up to 6,660MB/s which is well above the 5,500MB/s minimum threshold. Yes there are faster SSDs out there, but if your intention is to put this in your PS5, then that extra speed is worthless because you’re bottlenecked by the original PS5 SSD. If you’re worried about opening up your PS5 case, don’t worry it’s very easy. Crucial has an official YouTube PS5 SSD install guide. Pick up a PS5 heatsink off Amazon for $7.

Cyber Monday Deal: Nextorage 1TB PS5 SSD with Heatsink for $55.99

There’s an interesting story behind Nextorage Japan. Nextorage describes itself as a company that was “created by a group of ex-Sony engineers and staff with over 20 years of experience in the development of memory and storage products”. Nextorage was actually originally created by Sony in 2019 as an SSD sub-division about a year before the PS5 was released. Presumably this was to be the basis for an official SSD sold by Sony themselves. For whatever reason, Sony decided to ditch that idea and sold this business to another stakeholder in the company, Phison, in 2022. Phison is another large reputable company that specializes in solid state memory controllers. You’ll find their controllers in name-brand SSDs like Seagate, Corsair, and Sabrent. Under Phison, Nextorage Japan eventually accomplished the goal of releasing an SSD catered specifically for the PS5 console in the form of this product right here.

Cyber Monday Deal: Seagate Game Drive 2TB SSD with Heatsink $149.99

Now here’s an SSD you don’t see discounted often. The Seagate Game Drive is only the second SSD to be officially licensed for the PlayStation console. What that means is this SSD is pretty much guaranteed to work with your PS5 with no problems whatsoever. It’s pricier than the other options in this list, but it’s still a hefty discount off MSRP and the lowest price we’ve seen. Seagate is a very reputable brand.

Cyber Monday Deal: WD Black SN850X 4TB PS5 SSD for $229.99

The SN850X is the latest generation of WD’s flagship Black series M.2 SSDs. It’s easily one of the fastest SSDs on the market. There are only a few SSDs out right now that can match its speed. Off the top of my head, the only SSDs I can think of are the new Samsung 990 Pro and the SK Hynix P41 Platinum. The SN850X also makes for an excellent PS5 SSD. It is identical to the SN850P, which is an officially licensed PS5 SSD. The only caveat is that this particular model doesn’t include a built-in heatsink. That is easily remedied by picking up a PS5 heatsink off Amazon for $7.

Cyber Monday Deal: Corsair MP600 2TB PS5 SSD with Heatsink $110

Corsair is a very well known brand for DIY PC builders. Corsair makes some of the best gaming products on the market, and that includes solid-state memory like RAM and SSDs. The MP600 Pro is Corsair’s fastest M.2 SSD and the “LPX” model is “optimized for PS5” because it includes a rugged preinstalled heatsink that is slim enough to fit in the PS5 bay without any issues. We rated it the best PS5 SSD for 2023.

Cyber Monday Deal: Samsung 980 Pro 2TB M.2 SSD with Heatsink $119.99

Samsung SSDs need no introduction. They’ve made some of the most popular and reliable PS5 SSDs on the market. The 980 Pro has been out for a long time, way back in January of 2020. A testament to its reliability is the fact that Samsung didn’t feel any need to release any newer flagship model until only this year. In terms of performance, it’s no longer the fastest SSD on the market (the 990 Pro is), but it’s still a very fast drive. It certainly more than meets the minimum 5600MB/s speed requirement to be used as a PS5 storage upgrade, with speeds of up to 7,100MB/s.

All the Black Friday SSD Deals for your PS5 Console

What is a PS5-compatible SSD?

An SSD that expands your PS5’s storage is essentially the same SSD that goes into your gaming PC. However, because of the PS5 has certain requirements that must be met for full compatibility. These are:

• The SSD and its heatsink must fit in the PS5 drive bay (requirement)
• The SSD must have a PCIe 4.0 interface (requirement)
• The SSD should have a minimum read speed of 5600MB/s (recommended)
• The SSD should have a heatsink for proper cooling (recommended)

An SSD that is slower than 5,600MB/s should still work. In fact, if it’s close to the rated speed, you may never notice any difference. The reason Sony gives this recommendation is that the stock SSD that comes with the PS5 is rated at 5,600MB/s. If you add a slower SSD, you will bottleneck your stock SSD.

Likewise, you may not need a heatsink. SSDs are rated for higher temps than what you’d normally expect to achieve even inside a PS5 that’s running fult tilt. However, there’s no real airflow around the SSD bay and SSDs do get pretty hot. We’d recommend getting a preinstalled heatsink or installing one yourself for peace of mind and potentially to prevent thermal throttling and extending the lifespan of your SSD.

Can I use this SSD in my gaming PC?

Absolutely! PS5-compatible SSDs will work with any PC with an available M.2 slot that supports PCIe 4.0 M.2 solid state drives. In fact, if you get a PS5-compatible SSD, you’re essentially guaranteed to get an SSD that’s going to perform extremely well because of the higher rated speed.

Looking for more Cyber Monday deals like this? Check out the best Cyber Monday deals of 2023.

Call of Duty Black Friday deals are surprisingly rare, but when we find one, it’s incredibly exciting. Sure, Modern Warfare 3 didn’t get the best reviews this year, but that’s not going to stop hoards of people buying it. If it’s your guilty pleasure, let that guilt slip away and consider this amazing Black Friday deal. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is currently down to just £51.96 when using code BUYBETTER20 at eBay via The Game Collection Outlet. You need to be signed into an eBay account to redeem the offer.

eBay codes are a great way to secure to unexpected discounts, especially when reliable and verified retailers like The Game Collection allow the codes to be used on their selection of games. Just so you’re reassured, this deal is 100% legit and will likely sell out today.

The new Black Friday code, BUYBETTER20 is the best way to save on PS5, Switch, and Xbox games this holiday season, especially with games like CoD or Spider-Man 2 getting big discounts in the sale. Make sure to check out the rest of the eBay BUYBETTER20 sale here.

Black Friday PS5 Deals

You can also currently secure a PS5 2TB SSD in the Black Friday sales for less than £100. PS Plus is also up to 30% off right now for new and current members, but you can save even more with a ShopTo gift card deal. For example, new members can get 12-months of PS Plus for £83.99 (down from £99.99), but the ShopTo £84 gift card costs just £74.85 so you’re securing a total saving of £25.14.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Horizon Forbidden West is a terrific PlayStation exclusive, and it’s also the basis for one of the coolest LEGO sets around. And right now, during the Amazon Black Friday Sale, you can pick up the Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck LEGO set for a new all-time low price. It sports an MSRP of $89.99, but you can grab it now for $52.99. Unfortunately, this is an Amazon Lightning deal that’s guaranteed to sell out quickly.

Black Friday Deal: 41% Off LEGO Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck 76989

What makes the LEGO Tallneck building kit so great? For starters, it’s a big set, comprised of 1,222 pieces. Fittingly for the giant mechanical dinosaur creatures from Horizon Forbidden West, it’s taller than you might expect. Once built, this set stands over a foot tall. It also comes with an adorable Aloy minifigure (complete with a bow and a buildable spear), plus a Watcher mini-build as well. You can give the Watcher blue, yellow, or red eyes, depending on how dangerous you’re feeling.

This Horizon Tallneck set is part of LEGO’s line of builds intended for adults. It comes in a black box, with a big 18+ label on it. To that end, it’s intended more for display than for play. It comes with a display stand that includes a properly sized birch tree and a rusty apocalyptic stoplight.

Looking for more Black Friday deals like this? Check out the best Black Friday deals of 2023.

Black Friday is officially here, meaning plenty of deals have begun. One of these deals is for the recently released Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, which is now available for only $39.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. This is a $20 discount for a collection of some of the most iconic stealth-action titles ever. If you’re a fan of stealth games, this is a deal you shouldn’t pass on.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 Only $39.99

The Master Collection was announced as a part of Metal Gear’s 35th anniversary. The compilation includes the iconic first three Metal Gear Solid titles and the original MSX titles Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Loads of bonus content is bundled in with the Master Collection, including a Master Book and Screenplay Book for each title, Metal Gear graphic novels, and an in-game digital soundtrack. Additionally, Snake’s Revenge, the NES sequel to Metal Gear, is a part of this collection.

All versions of the game are on sale for Black Friday. This includes PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. This is the first time that the Metal Gear Solid titles are available on modern platforms. Previously, only the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was playable on Xbox through backward compatibility. Plenty of fans are expecting Konami to release Vol. 2 of the Master Collection down the line, which would include Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots alongside other titles.

Dozens of other games have received steep discounts in addition to the Master Collection. This includes Final Fantasy XVI, which is one of the biggest RPGs of 2023. Additionally, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is 20% off right now.

For more Black Friday game deals, be sure to check out our Amazon Black Friday 2023 roundup.

Better late than never. For Amazon Black Friday, you can save $50 off a brand new Xbox Series X 1TB gaming console and get a bonus $50 Amazon credit when you apply promo code “XBOX50” during checkout. That’s essentially $100 off the console and matches the best Black Friday deals we’ve seen from other vendors. If you shop at Amazon, then you’ll know that Amazon credit is as good as cash, because you can use it on practically anything on Amazon.com.

If you’re looking for Xbox games or accessories, check out the best Xbox Black Friday deals.

$50 Off Xbox Series X and Get $50 Amazon Credit

The Xbox Series X is a current generation system able to drive 4K games at up to a glorious 120fps. It is technically a more powerful system than the PS5 and games that are compatible with both consoles usually perform better on the Xbox console. Compared to the $300 Xbox Series S, the X features more powerful hardware to enable it to run games in 4K (the Xbox Series S runs games at 1440p). The Xbox Series X also has a disc drive that can play 4K Blu-ray movies and physical game media. It is also equipped with a 1TB SSD. The capacity can be increased with either the Seagate or WD expansion cards.

$50 Off Xbox Series X and Get a Bonus $75 Dell Gift Card

As part of the Dell Black Friday Sale, Dell has the Xbox Series X gaming console for only $449.99 with a bonus $75 Dell eGift Card. Technically that’s more than the $50 Amazon credit, but since this is a Dell gift card, you will have to spend it at Dell. If you regularly shop at Dell, then you should definitely go with this deal. If not, the Amazon deal is better. You will receive the gift card via email within 20 days after the Xbox ships and it will expire 90 days thereafter. Use the gift card to buy almost anything at Dell including gaming PCs, gaming monitors, gaming consoles, and even Xbox games and accessories.

Xbox Series X Diablo 4 Bundle for $439

If you don’t mind getting a bundle, than this Walmart Black Friday deal is a better offer. You’re getting an Xbox Series X console for $439, which is $10 cheaper than the other two deals above. Instead of getting a gift card, you get the excellent Diablo 4 game. If this game seems like something you’d be interested in playing, then brab this deal. Diablo 4 normally retails for $70 and even during Black Friday it still costs $50.

Looking for more general Black Friday deals? Check out the best Black Friday deals of 2023.

The Super Smash Bros. OLED Nintendo Switch bundle has been available at retailers since Sunday November 19, but Black Friday at Amazon hasn’t seen it until now. This is also one of the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals around, and since Amazon waited so long it’s probably going to end up being the best Nintendo Cyber Monday deal, too.

Best Nintendo Switch Deal: Super Smash Bros. OLED Bundle

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is, of course, one of the best games ever created. Even if you don’t like its fighting style, you have to respect the sheer volume of content in Smash Ultimate. It doesn’t even seem possible, but there are 89 fighters in all. That, alone, is a pretty astonishing feat and an incredible homage to gaming as a whole, but then you have the stages, the spirits, the music. It’s incredible.

The best Nintendo Switch bundle deal of Black Friday is also the best Nintendo Switch gift for Christmas, because it’s the OLED edition with the bigger and better screen, a digital code for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a 3 month membership to Nintendo Switch Online, and you get the special-edition Super Smash Bros. Joy-con controllers, all for $349.99.

That’s the price of a regular Nintendo Switch OLED model without the special controllers or the other extras. All told you’re saving about $65 buying this bundle. The best part is if you’re giving the Smash OLED bundle as a gift to someone this Christmas season, they can start playing right away. Obviously, yeah, Super Smash Bros. comes with it, but the 3-months Nintendo Switch Online membership gets you (or whoever you give this to as a gift) access to classic Super NES and NES games while the subscription is active.

Nintendo Switch Online Black Friday Deals

There are also deals on NSO membership, if you’re looking to save money. Which seems obvious now that I’m typing it out, because you’re reading an article about a Black Friday Nintendo Switch deal.

Do You Need a Membership to Nintendo Switch Online?

No, there’s no requirement to have an NSO membership. However if you want to play certain online games, you need a membership, and the classic games are locked out for non-members. The Nintendo Switch Online family membership is good for up to eight different people, so if you have a close friend group, you can split the cost. But again: not required!