Black Friday board game deals 2024

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Sky Team, Arcs, Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs, and Lord of the Rings Duel boxes alongside a 'Black Friday deals' badge, all against an orange background — (Image credit: Future)

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Black Friday board game deals are officially here, even if they're not supposed to start until next week. To be precise, I've seen the likes of Amazon slapping the 'Black Friday' label on many of its discounts.

There's plenty of good stuff on offer, too. While I suspect we'll see the best Black Friday board game deals next week for actual Black Friday, many of these price cuts are at - or are flirting with - record lows. That includes everything from family-friendly classics to hobby games such as Spirit Island.

OK, I know what you're thinking. Isn't the sale better known for discounting TVs and laptops? Yes. However, Black Friday board game deals are something of a dark horse - they're surprisingly good. That's why the GamesRadar+ team and I are on hand to bring you the most tempting offers on the best board games. Because our bargain hunters have been covering the sale for years now, we've got a pretty good idea of what makes a worthwhile discount. Basically? If you're hoping to snag worthy Black Friday gaming deals, this is the place to be.

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Amazon deals: Save up to $28
Miniature Market deals: Up to $20 off
Zavvi: Savings up to $25
Walmart deals: Up to $13 off
Target deals: Buy 2, get 1 free

Amazon deals: Save up to £20
Magic Madhouse deals: Up to £75 off
Zavvi: Savings up to £42
Zatu deals: Get up to £18 off
Wayland Games deals: Up to 80% off

Today's best Black Friday board game deals

Spirit Island | $89.99 $44.99 at Amazon
Save $45 - This is a single dollar off the very well-regarded co-op game's lowest ever price, making it an excellent start to this year's Black Friday board game deals. It doesn't typically drop much below $60, so qualifies as a bargain.

Buy it if:
✅ You want a superb co-op game
✅ You want something deeper

Don't buy it if:
❌ You want something quick and easy

Price check:
💲 Walmart | $66.80
💲 Miniature Market | OOS

⭐ UK price: £89.99 £75.99 at 365 Games

Betrayal at House on the Hill | $55.99 $29.99 at Amazon
Save $8 - It may not be a record low price, but it's not far off. (The lowest we've seen this third and latest edition of the game hit has been $23.39.) This game hasn't actually been so cheap in months, so the early Black Friday board game deals are coming out swinging.

Buy it if:
✅ You want a horror game
✅ You love team games

Don't buy it if:
❌ You want something quick

Price check:
💲 Walmart | $29.99
💲 Target | $39.19

⭐ UK price: £44.99 £38.99 at Zatu

Black Friday board game deals FAQ

Star Wars, Jurassic World, Sky Team, and Dune: Imperium - Uprising board games divided by white lines — (Image credit: Future)

When will Black Friday board game deals start?

Black Friday board game deals always take place after Thanksgiving and on the final Friday of November, so that means we'll be staring down the barrel of some discounts this November 29.

Still, you don't have to wait until then to get a good price cut. Board games enjoy reductions before that point, as demonstrated by the current discounts and last year's sales starting at least a week before Black Friday itself. They'll then roll into early December as Cyber Monday board game deals.

Where will the best Black Friday board game deals be?

Every retailer wants a slice of that Black Friday pie, so it's not surprising to see them all put on a mega-sale throughout November. And while most are pretty decent, some are better than others. I've rounded up the best ones here, including why you should check out their deals.

US
- Amazon: The best for variety
- Miniature Market: Best for hobby games
- Target: Enjoys exclusive products
- Walmart: Good discounts on family games
- Best Buy: Decent for family games

UK
- Amazon: Best for overall quality
- Magic Madhouse: Surprisingly good offers
- Zatu: Sales on hobby games
- Argos: Good for classic family games
- Very: Offers on family games
- John Lewis: Solid deals on hobby games

Should I wait until the Black Friday board game deals?

While I appreciate that it's an annoyingly vague answer, whether you should wait or not it depends on what you're looking for. Family-friendly games normally enjoy discounts all year round, and despite getting even better reductions at the end of November, you can still find a bargain if you jump the gun. (Though if you do, it's worth checking with price-comparison sites such as CamelCamelCamel to see if it's actually a good offer.)

Hobby games are a different story. These consistently hit all-time low prices during Black Friday, so I'd highly recommend waiting if you want anything like Spirit Island, Mansions of Madness, or Scythe. If the game's price normally hits or exceeds $80 / £80, you can be confident it'll get a decent - if brief - saving during the annual Black Friday board game deals.

What to expect from Black Friday board game deals 2024

Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Disney Villainous, and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion pieces divided by white lines — (Image credit: Future)

There's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to Black Friday board game deals, so what should you be looking out for? The team and I have been covering the sale for almost six years now, so we've built up our fair share of advice. You'll find these hints and tips below.

🎲 Hobby games will get the best deals
The 'best' deals tend to be on more expensive games for adults such as Wingspan, Mansions of Madness, or Twilight Imperium. Because these can cost up to $100 / £100 or more, being able to pick them up for less isn't an opportunity to miss. King of Monster Island tumbled by 50% last year, for example, as did Spirit Island. Gloomhaven (often considered to be one of the top board games for adults) also tumbled to its lowest ever price during 2021's Black Friday board game deals.

👪 Family games will fall in price, but not much more than any other time of year
Considering the sale's proximity to Christmas, board games for families such as Catan and Carcassonne are always worth keeping an eye on. They're always cheaper than normal in November and will go down very well if you're visiting loved ones over the Holiday season. We saw Catan's lowest ever price in 2021, for example. Equally, there was a huge drop on Pandemic in 2022. (It was less than $20.) However, it's worth pointing out that those games always seem to be on sale. Indeed, the discount you'll get during Black Friday isn't dissimilar to other year-round reductions.

💲 Coupons are worth looking out for
We saw a lot of offers get boosted by bonus reductions via Amazon last year if you ticked a box under the price. These provided some the best bargains that weren't matched again, so speed is of the essence. If you can be sure we've never seen a lower price via comparison sites like CamelCamelCamel, don't hesitate. That's the biggest takeaway I can give, actually. Even if a lowest-ever price emerges before Black Friday itself, it's worth striking right away. It's unlikely to get reduced any more, particularly if coupons such as the ones mentioned above are involved.

The November sales extravaganza isn't limited to board gaming, of course. We can expect some decent Dungeons and Dragons Black Friday deals along with Black Friday Pokemon card deals. A few good Black Friday Lego deals should be up for grabs, too.

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