Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, Nov. 27, and Cyber Monday follows on Nov. 30. As of Oct. 31, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and Valve had not announced dates or discounts for PlayStation Store, the Xbox Store, the Nintendo eShop or Steam. Their 2025 sales and today's console prices are enough to plan around.
These dates are already fixed:
- Thursday, Nov. 19. GTA VI launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Friday, Nov. 27. Black Friday.
- Monday, Nov. 30. Cyber Monday.
- Thursday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m. PT. The Steam Winter Sale begins and runs through Monday, Jan. 4.
When PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo deals could start
In 2025, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all started about a week ahead of Black Friday, which fell on Nov. 28 that year. Xbox and Nintendo began on Thursday, Nov. 20, and Sony on Friday, Nov. 21. The same lead time would put this year's first deals around Nov. 19 or 20, the week GTA VI comes out, though none of them has confirmed it.
Sony revealed its 2025 Black Friday lineup on Nov. 18, three days before it began. It took $100 off the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro in participating regions, cut hundreds of PS5 and PS4 games on PlayStation Store by up to 75%, and gave new members up to 33% off a 12-month PlayStation Plus plan.
Microsoft ran its 2025 sale from Nov. 20 through Dec. 3, with up to 75% off Xbox digital games and up to 85% off select PC games. It discounted some controllers and accessories but no consoles.
Nintendo laid out its plans on Nov. 10. Select games were marked down in the eShop and My Nintendo Store from Nov. 20 through Dec. 3, and a Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World sold for $499.99.
Steam has no Black Friday sale on its calendar
Valve publishes its sale schedule for developers months ahead, and the current calendar has nothing for Black Friday. The Autumn Sale, which for years overlapped Thanksgiving week, ran Oct. 1 to 8 this year. The next storewide sale is the Winter Sale, Dec. 17 to Jan. 4.
Individual publishers can still discount their own games in November, and your wishlist is the easiest way to catch those deals. Valve tells developers that Steam notifies wishlisting players when a game drops by at least 20% for more than eight hours.
Consoles start from higher prices than last year
Sony raised every PS5 model on April 2. The PS5 now lists for $649.99, the Digital Edition for $599.99 and the PS5 Pro for $899.99, so a repeat of last year's $100 cut would bring the disc model to $549.99.
Nintendo Switch 2 went to $499.99 on Sept. 1, the same price as last year's bundle that included Mario Kart World. At the Microsoft Store, the Xbox Series X listed at $799.99 and the all-digital Series X at $749.99 on Oct. 31.
If you are weighing a PC, a RAM upgrade or an SSD instead, we have covered why the memory squeeze changes the buy-now-or-wait answer. For individual games, our look at nine stores separates sellers of official activation codes from marketplaces where the savings come with more risk.
How to tell whether a discount is real
The Federal Trade Commission's pricing guides say a "was" price is only a fair comparison if it is the actual price the item was offered at on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period. A retailer that inflates that reference price makes a markdown look bigger than it is, even when the sale price is real, so check the price history of the exact model before you trust the percentage on the tag.
Compare like with like: disc or digital, and the same storage size. A bundle that adds a game does not lower the price of the console, so it only saves you money if you were going to buy that game anyway.
Should you buy a console before GTA VI or wait?
If you want to play GTA VI on Thursday, Nov. 19, and still need a console, Black Friday on Nov. 27 comes too late. Only a repeat of last year's calendar would bring deals on Nov. 19 or 20. If you can wait a week, write down today's price for the model you want and compare it with the official stores from Nov. 19 on. The Microsoft Store offered price protection last year, so ask your retailer whether it will refund the difference if the price drops after you buy.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving. Cyber Monday is Monday, Nov. 30. Many stores start earlier. In 2025, Xbox and Nintendo launched their sales eight days before Black Friday and Sony seven days before.
When does the PlayStation Store Black Friday sale start?
Sony had not announced it as of Oct. 31, 2026. In 2025 it revealed its deals on Nov. 18 and switched them on Friday, Nov. 21, a week before Black Friday. A similar schedule would point to around Nov. 20 this year, but that is an estimate, not an official date.
Is there a Steam Black Friday sale in 2026?
Not on Valve's official calendar. The Steam Autumn Sale already ran Oct. 1 to 8, and the Winter Sale starts Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. PT and ends Jan. 4. Individual publishers can still discount specific games in November.
Will the PS5 be cheaper on Black Friday 2026?
Sony hasn't announced a discount. In 2025 it took $100 off the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro in participating regions, but on April 2, 2026, it raised U.S. prices to $649.99, $599.99 and $899.99. The same $100 cut would put the disc PS5 at $549.99.
Should I wait for Black Friday to buy a console for GTA 6?
It depends on whether you want to play on launch day. GTA VI arrives Nov. 19 and Black Friday is Nov. 27. If you can wait a week, note today's price and watch the official stores from Nov. 19, since PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo started their 2025 sales on Nov. 20 and 21.
How can I tell if a Black Friday deal is real?
Under the FTC's pricing guides, a former price should be one the item was actually sold at regularly for a reasonably substantial period. Check the price history of the exact model rather than trusting the percentage on the tag, and compare the same storage size and disc or digital version.
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