From the very best tips to avoid false deals to the perfect money-saving opportunities, there are plenty of reasons to do a little research before going head first into Amazon Prime Day on July 12 (and July 13).

It's easy to get caught up in all the hype for Prime Day, but I'm looking to take a level-headed approach here and just fire up some easy-to-digest tips, tricks, and vital info before the big shopping event starts. Here's 10 things you need to know before Amazon Prime Day 2022 kicks off.

1. Amazon Prime Day 'Starts' July 12

Officially this year we know Amazon Prime Day will take place over 48 hours on July 12 and 13. But, Amazon is still trying to filter some of its deals out a little sooner, and you should expect Amazon devices like Echo speakers or Fire TV sticks to go on sale earlier than that.

You'll need to be a Prime member to take part, but there is a free 30-day trial available which will cover you for the whole shopping event, alongside any other deals that pop up beforehand. So if you don't want to pay for Prime, you don't have to, just remember to turn off auto renewal as well.

2. Plan What You Want to Buy (Add To Your Wishlist)

So the gist is don't make impulse purchases. Amazon will absolutely try to catch you with some amazing deals, but if you're looking to play this shopping event strategically, try to avoid using the main Prime shopping page. Instead, plan out what you're hoping will go on sale, or what you're really looking to buy, and add it to your wishlist. Then, when Prime Day kicks off, just swan on over to your list and all the deals you've been hoping for might just appear in an easy-to-consume page.

3. You Can Top Up $50 and Get $12.50 Extra for Free

If you are planning to buy anything during Prime Day, this is the best tip to follow. Starting from July 12 at 12 AM PDT, Prime members will be able to top up $50 onto their Amazon account, and then receive an additional $12.50 for free on top. Reminder: This deal starts on July 12 and isn't live yet.

To qualify for this deal you have to be a Prime Member, use code GCPRIME22 in the "Gift Cards and Promotional Codes" box when you check out, and purchase at least $50 in qualifying Gift Cards in a single order. You must also be a "first-time gift card or balance reload purchaser" to take advantage of this. Top tip, if you're eligible, the offer will appear to you when clicking our links on Prime Day, and the code GCPRIME22 will be applicable to your order.

3. Always Double-Check The Seller on Amazon

Despite how reliable it can be, Amazon is still rife with potential scammers, and anyone can take part in the Prime Day sales. So, my biggest recommendation is to stick with brands you know, and double-check it's being sold either directly by them, known third-party, or via Amazon itself.

It's easy to spot this, just scroll down, and you'll see just below the 'Add to Basket' button there are 'Dispatches from' and 'Sold by' markers detailing where the item is coming from.

4. Get 3-Months of Audible Premium for Free

This is probably my favorite Prime Day deal, and it's already available. Prime members can currently get 3-months of Audible Premium Plus absolutely free.

That's an outstanding deal considering the membership would usually set you back $14.95 per month, so in total you're saving almost $45 overall on the service. So, if you're looking to kick off the summer sale season, and Prime Day savings in style, this could be a great shout.

5. Complete These Steps and Get Another $10 for Free on Prime Day

Amazon is also running a "Prime stamp card" promotion that nets Prime members $10 in Amazon credit. It's pretty simple, too. But, I only suggest going for this if you're already planning to buy something from Amazon before Prime Day, don't just buy anything for the sake of it.

You just need to stream a show on Prime Video, a song on Prime Music, borrow a book from Prime eReading, and then buy something Prime-eligible on Amazon that costs more than $5. As long as you do it before midnight on July 13, you've earned yourself $10 in Amazon bucks.

6. Check The Price History of Prime Day Deals

The best deal ever, might not be the best deal ever. We try our best here at IGN to not suggest any bogus deals during Prime Day (i.e deals that have been cheaper in the past few months).

To help, look out for us stating 'best price ever' or 'best price in 2022' on our Prime Day articles or tweets @IGNDeals or @IGNUKDeals. Otherwise, I also suggest using something like CamelCamelCamel to check the recent price history on any deals you're considering getting. Moreover, do some research now on whatever you might want to buy, and see what the best price has been on it recently, so on Prime Day you'll know whether you getting a better deal or not.

7. Get $20 For Backing Up Photos with Amazon

This is another ridiculously easy way to get free Amazon credit. If you're a first-time user, download the Amazon Photo app, to either your phone or desktop, and upload at least one photo. That's it. In 4 days or less, Amazon will send you an email with a $20 credit to spend during Prime Day.

8. Prime Members Get Priority Access to PS5 Consoles

Amazon is offering the PS5 console, or PS5 Horizon Forbidden West bundle by invitation only, and Prime members will get priority. We haven't heard too many murmurings of invites being sent out yet, but Amazon could be waiting to send out loads during the Prime Day sales, so sign up now and get ready to buy when you're invited.

You must first be logged in to your Amazon account, then click on the "Request Invitation" button. If you don't see the button, then you'll have to first scroll down a little bit and click on "New & Used from $499.99 & Free Shipping" toward the right-hand side of the product page and select the "Amazon" vendor.

9. Get 6-Months of Amazon Prime Student for Free

If you're a student, or maybe you've got a generous student living with you who will graciously share their account, you can save even more on Amazon Prime, with Amazon Prime Student. (Requires .edu email address).

Costing just $69 per year, Prime Student comes with all the benefits of a Prime membership (free two-day shipping, Prime Video, etc), and even throws in a few extra incentives as well. New members can sign up for a 6-month free trial and will only have to pay $7.49/month, or $69/year after the trial expires.

10. Lightning Deals Are a Thing, But Easy to Miss

Amazon likes to host lots of limited-time lightning deals during Prime Day, many of which can sell out within minutes. Yeah, so these can come and go very quickly, especially if it's a popular item or a stellar deal. But, we'll cover the very best of these via our IGN Deals Twitter accounts (@IGNDeals or @IGNUKDeals), so make sure you're following them before Prime Day kicks off this year.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Riot Games will begin testing its voice chat monitoring technology in Valorant next month as part of a wider strategy to combat "disruptive behaviour" in its games.

In a blog post, Riot announced its voice evaluation system – eventually intended to identify community behavioural violations such as the use of abusive language – would begin testing on July 13.

Valorant players will have their voice chat analyzed by the technology but, at this stage, it won't be judged for appropriateness. Riot said this testing period, only taking place in North America and in English, will be used "to help train our language models and get the tech in a good enough place for a beta launch later this year".

Only once the technology is working effectively will Riot launch the official beta and begin evaluating players' voice chat following reports of disruptive behaviour. "This is brand new tech and there will for sure be growing pains," it said. "But the promise of a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone who chooses to play is worth it."

While Riot has only announced this specific voice chat monitoring roadmap for Valorant so far, it made clear in the blog post that it plans to bring the service to its other games (such as League of Legends) too.

In our 9/10 review, IGN said: "Valorant is a clever tactical hero shooter that’s plenty deep, and a lot of fun to master."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Prime Day 2022 is fast approaching, and Amazon recently announced in a press release that its flagship shopping event will take place on July 12 and July 13 this year (with some 'early deals' already available right now). So, it won't be long before we're sifting through plenty of amazing deals during the summer sale extravaganza. In case you missed the memo, Prime Day is Amazon's yearly shopping event where it slashes the price of an incredible number of items in every category, whether that's video games, tech, homeware, and more.

You'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to take place in the event, but the price of admission just might be worth it if you manage to score a sweet discount once again this year (30-day trials are also available). Here's our take on what you should expect during Amazon Prime Day 2022, and some of our favorite early deals right now.

Best Early Prime Day Deals: 3-Months of Audible for Free

When is Amazon Prime Day 2022?

Traditionally Prime Day has been held in July since 2015 when it first launched, but in the past two years, the shopping event has been slightly askew and held in October during 2020, and June in 2021.

This year, however, Amazon is veering back on course and is set to have its two-day shopping event once again during July. That's right, Amazon has announced it will now hold Prime Day 2022 on July 12-13.

Prime Day: Top Up $50 and Get an Extra $12.50 for Free

Starting from July 12 at 12 AM PDT, Prime members will be able to top up $50 onto their Amazon account, and then receive an additional $12.50 for free on top.

To qualify for this deal you have to be a Prime Member, use code GCPRIME22 in the "Gift Cards and Promotional Codes" box when you check out, and purchase at least $50 in qualifying Amazon.com Gift Cards in a single order at Amazon. Reminder: This deal starts on July 12 and isn't live yet.

What to Expect During Prime Day 2022

Despite the revert back to a July start time, we're not expecting Prime Day to be widely different compared to every other year. Expect some big discounts on big tech items like Apple AirPods, TVs, headphones, and video games, alongside a healthy amount of deals in plenty of other categories.

The best-selling items from the sale last year were PS5, Xbox, and Switch games, Echo devices, Fire TV Sticks, Roomba Robot vacuums, Apple AirPods Pro, and Amazon Gift Cards ($10 extra for free when buying $40 worth). We're expecting each and every one of these to see big discounts once again in 2022. It won't be long before we see of these go on slae as well, as Amazon will be kicking off the summer sale season with some early Prime Day deals, including up to 55% on Echo devices, Fire TVs, and more.

Amazon Photos: Get $20 Credit Ready for Prime Day

If you've used Amazon Photos before, or if you're not currently a Prime member, unfortunately you can't get that sweet free money drop. But you can always sign up for Prime for a free trial and do it that way, which is honestly in your best interest anyway, so you can take advantage of all the Prime Day deals. Follow the steps below to make $20 in Amazon credit ready for Prime Day.

• Go to this page
• Download the Amazon Photos app (desktop, Android or iOS are all available)
• Upload at least ONE photo
• Just wait for a few days
• Profit!

Seriously, that's it. Upload at least one single photo to the Amazon Photo service and they'll email you a $20 credit to spend during Prime Day. As someone who takes a lot of photos, and as someone who wants free money, I feel like this deal is specifically targeted at me, so best believe I'm going to take advantage of it.

Join Amazon Prime Student

If you're a student, or maybe you've got a generous student living with you who will graciously share their account, you can save even more on Amazon Prime, with Amazon Prime Student. (Requires .edu email address).

Costing just $69 per year, Prime Student comes with all the benefits of a Prime membership (free two-day shipping, Prime Video, etc), and even throws in a few extra incentives as well. New members can sign up for a 6-month free trial and will only have to pay $7.49/month, or $69/year after the trial expires.

Earn $10 Amazon Credit Towards Prime Day Right Now

From now through Prime Day, members are being invited by Amazon to explore the various different benefits of Prime memberships. To participate, members will collect stamps for completing these tasks:

• Stream a show on Prime Video
• Listen to a song with Prime Music
• Borrow an eBook on Prime Reading
• Make a Prime-shipping eligible purchase.
• Visit here to learn more

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Prime Day is Amazon's annual event for discounts specifically aimed at those who are Amazon Prime members. Yes, you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to take part in the sale. Thankfully, there is still a 30-day trial available, so if you set it up near the beginning of July, you're certain to be covered for Prime Day.

Despite its namesake, Prime Day sales are now split over a two-day period after Amazon made the change in 2019. It's usually on a Monday and Tuesday, but this year it will be on a Tuesday and a Wednesday instead. It's normally held in July (excluding the previous two years due to the ongoing global pandemic). This year, Prime Day is once again being held in July, on the 12-13.

Best Tips and Tricks for Prime Day 2022

First and foremost, make sure you're following @IGNDeals or @IGNUKDeals (depending on your region) on Twitter, and while you're there, stick the notification bell on as well to receive push messages whenever we tweet about a deal. We keep these accounts absolutely beaming with deals, and they're the perfect destination for all the latest and greatest offers during the sale event.

Moreover, Amazon likes to host lots of limited-time lightning deals during Prime Day, many of which can sell out within minutes. But, we'll cover the very best of these via our IGN Deals Twitter accounts, making them the very best destination for all your Prime Day needs.

cop this giant ass dog bed for humans at $425 (was $499) 🐶💤 https://t.co/X5NUVg3EBw pic.twitter.com/mpDPWpwtai

— IGN Deals (@IGNDeals) June 6, 2022

IGN Will Be Covering All the Best Deals This Prime Day

Seemingly the next best destination will be our live articles during Prime Day, all of which will be updated by the minute with new and fantastic offers, keeping Prime Day nice and simple. In summary, let us do the legwork for you, and don't get tricked by any 'deals' that aren't really that good overall.

Besides our expert help, we suggest finding a select number of items you're looking to get a discount on, and putting them into your wishlist on Amazon. Therefore, when Prime Day finally rolls around, you can immediately see your favourites on sale without any hassle.

If you haven't got Prime setup yet, we also suggest getting it ASAP to take advantage of all the benefits of Amazon Prime, or setting up a 30-day free trial in July to keep you covered throughout Prime Day sales. While you're setting up your account, you could also download the Amazon app on your mobile device, giving you even better access to the sales.

Is Amazon Prime Worth It?

Subscription services like Amazon Prime are absolutely down to personal preference, but Prime does come with a whole host of benefits if you do think it's worth it.

There are obviously Prime Day deals to take advantage of, alongside increasingly quick same-day to 2-day delivery times, and then there's access to Prime Video and Amazon Music services.

Prime Video is a streaming service challenging the likes of Netflix, HBO, and Disney+, and includes plenty of incredible TV shows and films to check out including The Boys, Jack Ryan, Good Omens, The Wheel of Time, The Expanse, and Reacher. There's even the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series releasing exclusively via Prime Video on September 2, 2022.

At the end of the day, it's your decision whether or not you think Prime is worth it, we're simply here to present what might interest you about the service.

Amazon Prime Members Get Priority on PS5 Consoles

Amazon is offering the PS5 console by invitation only, and Prime members will get priority. You must first be logged in to your Amazon account, then click on the "Request Invitation" button. If you don't see the button, then you'll have to first scroll down a little bit and click on "New & Used from $499.99 & Free Shipping" toward the right-hand side of the product page and select the "Amazon" vendor.

How Much is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime now cost $139/year or $14.99/month. You can get a 30-day free trial for the service, or a 6-month free trial if you're a student with a .edu email address.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

There's an amazing preorder deal for The Callisto Protocol right now at Amazon. You can pick it up for just £45.95 when preordering on PS5, which is absolutely the best preorder deal available for the game right now. You can also currently get the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Dual Pack Steelbook set for just £89.99 from Amazon, £10 off the original list price. This is a great discount on the collectable set, and well worth considering for fans who like collecting both games at each Pokemon release.

There are plenty of other deals to check out today as well, which I've included below. This includes more early Prime Day deals including a bunch of free stuff for Prime members, such as 4-months free of Amazon Music Unlimited, 3-months free of Kindle Unlimited, and 3-months free of Audible.

There's also Cadbury Chocolate for just 85p, Samsung Official Chargers for £9.20, and the best prices ever on our favourite PS5 SSDs, now just £125 (or £235 for the 2TB version).

TL;DR – Our Favourite UK Deals Right Now

Prime Day 2022: Sign Up for a 30-Day Free Trial

This is the perfect time to sign up for an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial, as you'll be covered for all the early deals coming this week, alongside the massive shopping event next month on July 12-13.

Incredible Preorder Deal for The Callisto Protocol on PS5

This is the best preorder deal for The Callisto Protocol right now, but only for PS5 owners. I'm expecting more Amazon discounts to pop up as well for PS4, Xbox One, and Series X, but for now this deal is still perfect. All preorders get the digital content: Retro Prisoner Character & Weapons Skins, and the PlayStation Exclusive Contraband Pack.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Dual Pack Steelbook Edition for £89.99 (Save £10)

Amazing PS5 SSD Deals: WD Black 2TB for £235

These are fantastic deals, and well worth considering if you've recently picked up a PS5, or even if you've had your console for a while and the storage is starting to run low. Remember, a PS5 only has 667.2GB of usable storage, so it won't be long before you'll need to consider expanding the capacity – and with this good of a discount, there couldn't be a better time to upgrade.

Best Early Prime Day Deals: 3-Months of Audible for Free

Early Prime Day Deal: Great Discounts on Beer Right Now

Bonus: My Random Favourite Deals of the Week

Paramount+ Launches In the UK: Get a 7-Day Free Trial Here

If you've been looking to watch the Halo TV Show (despite its criticisms), then you're in luck. Paramount Plus is now available in the UK, and you can currently get a 7-day free trial of the service (or a 30-day free trial with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).

If you're bored of creating entirely new logins for yet another streaming service, don't bother, just pick up the free trial via your Prime Video channels (linked below) and keep everything nice and simple. But, remember to cancel your auto renewal as well if you don't want to keep it, as it's £6.99 a month thereafter. If you do want to go directly via Paramount and create a new account, I've left a link below as well.

Elden Ring's Official Strategy Guide Preorders Now £35.19 (was £39.99)

Protect Your Data: 50% Off ExpressVPN Right Now

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

If you are looking to game more on your iPhone and searching for a controller, Backbone has discounted its incredible iOS game controller, bringing its retail price down from $99.99 to just $84.99 for a limited time. This is one of the best mobile controllers you can get for iPhones, and this product has never seen a price reduction since its release last year.

The Backbone One is compatible with iPhone 6S or newer Apple smartphone models that are running iOS 13 or later. The controller connects to the device via the Lightning port found on your iPhone. Backbone One also includes a 3.5mm audio jack and a Lightning port, meaning if your phone's battery life is running low, but you aren't ready to stop gaming, you can plug a Lightning cable in and charge the phone and still play.

Alongside a $15% discount, the Backbone One purchase includes three months free of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate; in addition to a year free of Backbone+, a new membership announced earlier this month that features improved gameplay recording, Twitch integration, and more.

Important to note, however, is that if you are planning to buy this controller and you currently own an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max, make sure you check the box to request a free adapter for your phone. Due to the camera bump on the iPhone 13 Pro line of smartphones, the controller is not compatible unless you have Backbone's official adapter or you 3D print one yourself.

r is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster