Are Fanatical Mystery Bundles Worth It?

You are familiar with Fanatical and their surprise bundles if you have purchased inexpensive Steam keys. The concept is that a bundle of mystery keys can be obtained by paying various tiers. I've resisted this temptation numerous times, but is it worth it?

Google claims that Fanatical sources its keys from publishers who hold official licenses. They are a UK-based business that is affiliated with Fandom. I couldn't discover any information on the origin of these mystery keys, but they are extra keys that aren't being sold on the website.

The Cost

The Mystery Star Bundle is Fanatical's most recent offer. Twenty mystery keys cost $13.99, five cost $4.79, ten cost $7.49, and fifteen cost $10.79. I chose the $20 tier for this article because it would be wild not to. When they offer these sales, which happen frequently, I typically purchase this tier.

I decided to use my version of Boy Math to figure out how I obtained these for free since I had $25 in my PayPal account—for my health, at least. For the article, I still paid $13.99. Click the icon below to acquire your own Mystery Bundle.

Savings

I intended to include every game I purchased for this section before searching Steam for the price of each one without a deal. After that, I'll contrast that total with the price I paid for the bundle.

  • Flashback: $9.99
  • The Ascent: $29.99
  • The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters: $14.99
  • Chasm: $19.99
  • StrikeForce Kitty: $7.99
  • Tiny Life: $14.99
  • Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?!: $9.99
  • My Big Sister: Remastered: $7.99
  • OTTTD: $7.99
  • Abandon Ship: $24.99
  • Minute of Islands: $19.99
  • INDUSTRIA: $19.99
  • Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery: $12.99
  • She and the Light Bearer: $9.99
  • Devilated: $19.99
  • Eldest Souls: $19.99
  • The Legend of Tianding: $19.99
  • Animal Rescuer: $14.99
  • Vanaris Tactics: $9.99
  • Valfaris: $24.99

If none were on sale, it would cost me $321.80 (not including tax) to purchase all of these titles from Steam. My total savings from buying the $13.99 tier on Fanatical is $307.81. By providing you with a 5% discount voucher right away, which you can use on another mystery bundle or another key from their store, Fanatical also wants to entice you to make another purchase.

Worth It?

I was completely prepared to enter here and be pessimistic. I even compared purchasing a package from Fanatical to selecting 20 games from Walmart's 2010 Wii Shovelware Bin. But I found a fantastic deal here! I want to play around 14/20 of the titles I own. Thanks, Fanatical? My backlog has only gotten larger! (See our backlog-reduction guide here.)

The vast range of genres I receive in these packages never ceases to amaze me. I received graphic novels, virtual reality games, role-playing games, independent games, strategies, and more!

Should you get yourself a Fanatical bundle? It's difficult to say. I had a great time when I first got my Steam account two years ago since I could add many titles to my library and play them. I suggest delaying if you have a large backlog because you will only add to it. Additionally, be aware that you could receive a lot of rubbish, a total gamble.