Far be it from us to judge anyone on how they spend their own money, but if you have enough disposable income to spend hundreds of dollars on video games every month, chances are you could afford to kick just a little bit of that dough to some charities, too. Fortunately, those don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Humble Bundle is a robust digital store for games and more that not only offers frequent deals on its wares, but also donates to charity with every user purchase. It’s not a feature-rich social hub like Steam, our Editors’ Choice PC gaming marketplace. Still, it’s absolutely worth considering Humble Bundle as part of your buying process.(Editors' Note: Humble Bundle is owned by J2 Global, the parent company of PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.)The Humble Bundle LibraryPC games make up the bulk of Humble Bundle’s library. By partnering with a variety of different game stores, its catalog consists of everything from major AAA titles, such as Death Stranding and Monster Hunter: World, to indie gems, such Dead Cells and Fall Guys. Humble Bundle even has a pretty great track record as an indie game publisher, putting out A Hat in Time, Void Bastards, Wandersong, and other acclaimed games, which of course are all available there. That’s not to say there aren’t gaps. Epic Games’ Fortnite, Microsoft's Gears of War, and Valve’s Half-Life games remain exclusive to their respective stores. But acting as an intermediary between buyers and a variety of direct sellers lets Humble Bundle offer a very comprehensive library. Humble recently added Nintendo Switch games, from Nintendo and third parties, to its catalog, so you can buy digital codes for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and other titles. When it comes to other stores that sell console games, only first-party offerings, such as the Xbox PC app and Sony’s PlayStation mobile app, come to mind . Other supported platforms on Humble Bundle include Windows 10, macOS, and Linux. Video games may be its focus, but Humble Bundle also features a library of non-gaming content. You can buy comic books, tabletop RPG guides, and even video editing software and programming tutorials through the store. However, unlike games, which can be purchased individually, Humble's book deals are only available as limited-time bundles. Those bundles are a better deal more often than not, as I’ll explain later, but you don’t have as much freedom to choose. Purchasing GamesHumble Bundle isn’t a program or a launcher. It’s just a website. So, don’t expect any of the premium features you’ll find on Steam, such as user reviews, community boards, or live streaming features. It’s just a store for buying games, but unlike the Epic Games Store, the narrow focus feels intentional, rather than the service being incomplete.That focus also allows for a straightforward interface. You can easily navigate different sections for bundles, sales, and new releases, or browse by different genres, such as Puzzle, Racing, and Virtual Reality. Game pages list more granular traits like Epic Lore and Ragdoll Physics in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR. You can even filter games by the type of digital rights management (DRM) they use, if they use any at all. Humble Bundle’s partnerships with competing stores don't just beef up the library, they also give players more choice in how they play. When you buy a PC game on Humble Bundle, you receive a code for every PC store Humble has partnered with for that game. So, depending on the game, you could get a version for the Epic Games Store, GOG, and Steam. With the exception of DRM-free games, Humble Bundle basically requires you to install games through one of these separate launchers, but it’s nice that Humble gives you a choice with which one to go with. In addition, you can manage your game keys, or give them to a friend, via your Humble account. Note that this only applies to PC games. Buying the Nintendo Switch version of, say, Ape Out won’t also give you the PC version.Humble Bundle doesn’t have the Epic Games Store or Steam's self-service refunds. You must request them individually through customer support. Fortunately, you have a 60-day window to do this, as opposed to the 14-day window of those otherwise more convenient refund systems. Charities and DealsSo, why should you buy games through Humble Bundle instead of just going directly to the source? For starters, the store constantly has game sales. Casually browse, and you’ll see countless games discounted by 40, 60, or even 80 percent. Many of these sales are exclusive to Humble, so you’ll save money shopping here. A rewards program means you earn back a portion of money you spend.Humble also differentiates itself with the bundle system the store made its name on. Every few weeks, the store cycles in a handful of bundles available for a limited time. Unlike regular purchases, you can pay what you want for bundles, including paying nothing at all. As an extra incentive, paying above certain minimums unlocks more items in the bundle. At the time of this writing, Humble Bundle offered bundles worth hundreds of dollars that featured Double Fine or Raw Fury games, as well as books on drawing manga or hacking a Raspberry Pi. If you want to benefit from deals without any time pressure, you can also sign up for Humble Choice. For $4.99 per month, this subscription service gives you access to the Humble Trove, a growing library of over 200 DRM-free games. New games are added each month. The subscription also gives you discounts on purchases. Higher tiers let you permanently keep up to nine games per month. Humble determines which games are up for grabs, and you choose from there. What ultimately should ease your conscience, though, is the fact that every purchase supports a charity. Humble Bundle has given money to many organizations, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Save the Children, and the World Wildlife Federation. Earlier this year, Humble Bundle teamed up with itch.io to offer a truly incredible deal on more than one thousands games to support racial justice and equality. Some bundles are associated with a specific charity, and five percent of Humble Choice revenue goes to a different charity every month. However, other bundles let you pick a charity or multiple charities to support, and let you determine what percentage of your money goes where. You can also give your reward money to the charity of your choice. A Humble ServantWhereas other game marketplaces, including the Editors’ Choice-winning Steam, seek to be massive platforms, Humble Bundle is content being a simple store. Fortunately, it’s a great store, with frequent deals, a wide selection, flexible and generous purchasing options, and a powerful incentive thanks to charity partnerships. When so much of buying into video game culture feels so bad, let at least one part make you feel good. Humble Bundle Specs Platform Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Windows Refund By Request DRM-Free Options Yes Non-Gaming Entertainment Yes Subscription Plan Yes Best Game Picks Further Reading Humble Bundle
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Far be it from us to judge anyone on how they spend their own money, but if you have enough disposable income to spend hundreds of dollars on video games every month, chances are you could afford to kick just a little bit of that dough to some charities, too. Fortunately, those don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Humble Bundle is a robust digital store for games and more that not only offers frequent deals on its wares, but also donates to charity with every user purchase. It’s not a feature-rich social hub like Steam, our Editors’ Choice PC gaming marketplace. Still, it’s absolutely worth considering Humble Bundle as part of your buying process.(Editors' Note: Humble Bundle is owned by J2 Global, the parent company of PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.)The Humble Bundle LibraryPC games make up the bulk of Humble Bundle’s library. By partnering with a variety of different game stores, its catalog consists of everything from major AAA titles, such as Death Stranding and Monster Hunter: World, to indie gems, such Dead Cells and Fall Guys. Humble Bundle even has a pretty great track record as an indie game publisher, putting out A Hat in Time, Void Bastards, Wandersong, and other acclaimed games, which of course are all available there. That’s not to say there aren’t gaps. Epic Games’ Fortnite, Microsoft's Gears of War, and Valve’s Half-Life games remain exclusive to their respective stores. But acting as an intermediary between buyers and a variety of direct sellers lets Humble Bundle offer a very comprehensive library. Humble recently added Nintendo Switch games, from Nintendo and third parties, to its catalog, so you can buy digital codes for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and other titles. When it comes to other stores that sell console games, only first-party offerings, such as the Xbox PC app and Sony’s PlayStation mobile app, come to mind . Other supported platforms on Humble Bundle include Windows 10, macOS, and Linux. Video games may be its focus, but Humble Bundle also features a library of non-gaming content. You can buy comic books, tabletop RPG guides, and even video editing software and programming tutorials through the store. However, unlike games, which can be purchased individually, Humble's book deals are only available as limited-time bundles. Those bundles are a better deal more often than not, as I’ll explain later, but you don’t have as much freedom to choose. Purchasing GamesHumble Bundle isn’t a program or a launcher. It’s just a website. So, don’t expect any of the premium features you’ll find on Steam, such as user reviews, community boards, or live streaming features. It’s just a store for buying games, but unlike the Epic Games Store, the narrow focus feels intentional, rather than the service being incomplete.That focus also allows for a straightforward interface. You can easily navigate different sections for bundles, sales, and new releases, or browse by different genres, such as Puzzle, Racing, and Virtual Reality. Game pages list more granular traits like Epic Lore and Ragdoll Physics in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR. You can even filter games by the type of digital rights management (DRM) they use, if they use any at all. Humble Bundle’s partnerships with competing stores don't just beef up the library, they also give players more choice in how they play. When you buy a PC game on Humble Bundle, you receive a code for every PC store Humble has partnered with for that game. So, depending on the game, you could get a version for the Epic Games Store, GOG, and Steam. With the exception of DRM-free games, Humble Bundle basically requires you to install games through one of these separate launchers, but it’s nice that Humble gives you a choice with which one to go with. In addition, you can manage your game keys, or give them to a friend, via your Humble account. Note that this only applies to PC games. Buying the Nintendo Switch version of, say, Ape Out won’t also give you the PC version.Humble Bundle doesn’t have the Epic Games Store or Steam's self-service refunds. You must request them individually through customer support. Fortunately, you have a 60-day window to do this, as opposed to the 14-day window of those otherwise more convenient refund systems. Charities and DealsSo, why should you buy games through Humble Bundle instead of just going directly to the source? For starters, the store constantly has game sales. Casually browse, and you’ll see countless games discounted by 40, 60, or even 80 percent. Many of these sales are exclusive to Humble, so you’ll save money shopping here. A rewards program means you earn back a portion of money you spend.Humble also differentiates itself with the bundle system the store made its name on. Every few weeks, the store cycles in a handful of bundles available for a limited time. Unlike regular purchases, you can pay what you want for bundles, including paying nothing at all. As an extra incentive, paying above certain minimums unlocks more items in the bundle. At the time of this writing, Humble Bundle offered bundles worth hundreds of dollars that featured Double Fine or Raw Fury games, as well as books on drawing manga or hacking a Raspberry Pi. If you want to benefit from deals without any time pressure, you can also sign up for Humble Choice. For $4.99 per month, this subscription service gives you access to the Humble Trove, a growing library of over 200 DRM-free games. New games are added each month. The subscription also gives you discounts on purchases. Higher tiers let you permanently keep up to nine games per month. Humble determines which games are up for grabs, and you choose from there. What ultimately should ease your conscience, though, is the fact that every purchase supports a charity. Humble Bundle has given money to many organizations, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Save the Children, and the World Wildlife Federation. Earlier this year, Humble Bundle teamed up with itch.io to offer a truly incredible deal on more than one thousands games to support racial justice and equality. Some bundles are associated with a specific charity, and five percent of Humble Choice revenue goes to a different charity every month. However, other bundles let you pick a charity or multiple charities to support, and let you determine what percentage of your money goes where. You can also give your reward money to the charity of your choice. A Humble ServantWhereas other game marketplaces, including the Editors’ Choice-winning Steam, seek to be massive platforms, Humble Bundle is content being a simple store. Fortunately, it’s a great store, with frequent deals, a wide selection, flexible and generous purchasing options, and a powerful incentive thanks to charity partnerships. When so much of buying into video game culture feels so bad, let at least one part make you feel good. Humble Bundle Specs Platform Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Windows Refund By Request DRM-Free Options Yes Non-Gaming Entertainment Yes Subscription Plan Yes Best Game Picks Further Reading - Zugriffe: 160