Game time! Save 50 percent or more on PC games from EA
Score sweet deals on a Dead Space bundle, Batman: Arkham City, Crysis 2, and other titles. Plus: Grab Battlefield 3 for Xbox or PS3 for $29.99.
Is PC gaming dead? I've been hearing that argument for as long as I can remember. And although consoles and mobile devices have definitely stolen a lot of thunder from the PC platform, I'd say the latter is alive and well. It's simply...evolving.
And getting cheaper. From now through March 19, EA's Origin store is offering 50 percent off some top PC games. (The sale banner says "Get 50% Off Storewide," but that's just flat out untrue--only select titles are on sale. Come on, EA, you're better than that.)
Among the top picks: Crysis 2 for $19.99, Mass Effect 2 for $9.99, and Medal of Honor for $9.99. (They may be older titles, but they're still top-rated games.) FYI, all these prices are for the download editions.
Looking for something newer? How about Batman: Arkham City for $24.99 or Battlefield 3 for $29.99? Both are barely 6 months old, and were among the most celebrated games of 2011. (Interestingly, you can also choose Battlefield 3 for Xbox or PlayStation 3 for the same price, plus a few bucks for shipping. That almost seems like a mistake, as it still sells for upwards of $60 everywhere else.)
Also, if you bop over to GameStop, you can download Dead Space and Dead Space 2 for just $9.99--an impossibly good deal on two of the all-time great first-person shooters.
Finally, starting tomorrow, March 15, LucasArts is offering a free weekend trial of Star Wars: The Old Republic. You can play the game to your heart's content through 3 p.m. PT March 19.
PC gaming is dead? Hardly. There's plenty of fun to be had, often for considerably less than you'll pay for the console equivalent. Oh, and check this out: BioWare is developing Command & Conquer Generals 2 (sequel to one of the all-time great RTS games) for PC only. In your face, console fanboys!
Bonus deal: It's back! Barnes & Noble is once again offering a killer deal on the refurbished Nook Color e-reader: $135 shipped when ordered through eBay. Like before, that includes a one-year warranty, same as a new Nook. And, like before, you can root the Nook Color to run Android, or just pop in an easy-as-pie dual-boot card from N2Acards or RootMyNookColor. (I've used both; they're equally awesome.)