The best time to play Dragon's Dogma was 12 years ago, and the second-best time is now while the RPG is on sale for $5 ahead of Dragon's Dogma 2's launch

Dragon's Dogma 2 is right around the corner, and with the original currently on sale for $5, there's never been a better time to play the cult classic. 

The first Dragon's Dogma game, released in 2012, took a while to become the sleeper hit that it is today. Skyrim's launch a year prior probably meant that many audiences overlooked a game that had similar promises on a surface level, between its open-world structure and grounded fantasy setting. 

But Dragon's Dogma was always destined for fame because climbing big beasts as a relatively small person and holding on like a rodeo ride while they flail about is, frankly, always fun. The Dark Arisen expansion and subsequent ports to newer systems helped to eventually push the game's sales to almost 8 million units. 

If you missed the action-roleplaying game and its hilarious physics, then you're in luck! Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is currently $5/£3.8 (84% off) across Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox Store. That's cheaper than a cup of coffee in this economy. 

Huge savings have come for many other heavy hitters in Capcom's catalog, with several Resident Evils, Monster Hunters, Street Fighters, and Mega Men heavily discounted in a publisher-wide sale on Steam.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is expanding on the first game's ragdolling physics, dangerous exploration, and Pawn (customizable NPCs) management. You might not be able to finish the original game in time, but it wouldn't be a bad place to start before deciding if you want to splash $70 on the sequel when it comes out on March 22. 

The team isn't just retreading old ground for the next entry, though. New classes and a fresh approach to fast travel means Dragon's Dogma 2 is the sequel its director hoped it would be after the 12-year wait. 

Prepare yourself for the other new games of 2024 with our release date guide.