Valve have pushed the big red button and the Steam summer sale is live. Apart from the usual mind boggling sales, you can also collect Steam trading cards specifically themed around the sale: Summer Getaway trading cards. Unlike normal trading cards, these ones are earned by crafting, buying games on sale, voting in the community’s choice and gifting games that are in the sale.
The Steam store is a bit broken right now due to the usual demand for cheap games, but we’ll have our recommendations on what to buy each day of the sale, through to July 22nd.
Unique this year is the inclusion of the Steam trading card system. These special Summer Getaway cards will net you various reward and level up your Steam level. Here’s how you can get your hands on them:
Craft a game badge
Whenever you crafted a game badge from July 3rd you earned a “mystery card” instead of a coupon. These are now revealed to be Summer Getaway cards. So check your inventory and see if you’re ahead of the pack.
Buy games
Every $10 of games you buy in the sale will earn you a Summer Getaway card. This only works on anything bought within the Steam store (including gifts), but not pre-purchases or in-game purchases.
Vote in the Community’s Choice
Each day you can vote for one of three games to have it’s price slashed in the Community’s choice. As long as you’re Steam level 5 or over, every third vote will award you with a card. This also works retroactively, meaning if you attain level 5 during the sale you will get cards for each third vote you previously cast.
Trade and/or buy them from the Community Market
Don’t forget you could always trade away your duplicates to your friends or the rest of Steam community. With 50 to collect, there’s a big chance you and a friend could reach a mutually beneficial transaction.
If you’ve got nothing to trade, maybe you can use some of that leftover Steam Wallet funds. Head to the Community Market and try and sniff out some good bargains on the cards you’re missing. Prices could fluctuate, so be sure to keep checking back to grab some good deals.
Are you going to become the very best and collect all 50?