Jackbox Party Pack 5 For $12, And More Discounts On The Entire Franchise (Steam)

In the times of coronavirus (COVID-19), many of us are spending way more time at home and social distancing from our friends, family, and neighbors. Suddenly being cut off from our regular social circles can be a lonely and depressing experience, but fortunately, there are still ways to connect and have fun with your loved ones online. Platforms like Netflix Party help you watch TV and movies with others; Steam's Tabletop Simulator allows for virtual board game nights. And if you're looking for lighthearted games to play online with others--especially people who aren't normally into video games--it's hard to find a better option than The Jackbox Party Pack series. Fortunately, the entire party game franchise is currently on sale on Fanatical and the PlayStation Store, with a couple of packs discounted for Switch as well. The Fanatical sale includes a ridiculously good deal on Jackbox Party Pack 5, which is currently Fanatical's Star Deal and available as a Steam code for just $12.

In case you're unfamiliar: The Jackbox Party Packs are bundles that each contain five different party games. All games are played by using the web browser on any device of your choice, whether that's your phone, tablet, or PC. Jackbox games will have you input answers or draw things on your device, which will then appear on the screen for everyone to see. Many of them involve answering questions, drawing weird doodles, or coming up with hilarious captions for images.

In Drawful, you draw weird prompts like "creepy tiger" or "two moms having a great day"; then, other players will guess what they think you've drawn and vote on what they think is the correct answer. Fibbage and Quiplash are also classics; both involve submitting answers in response to different prompts, and hilarity always ensues. Fans of trivia will want to try out Trivia Murder Party, a horror-themed trivia contest where each round is a matter of life and death (but you can still compete as a ghost!).

Best Jackbox Party Pack deals

Fanatical (Steam codes)

• Jackbox Party Pack -- $12.49 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 2 -- $12.49 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 3 -- $16.24 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 4 -- $16.24 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 5 -- $12 ($30) | Star Deal
• Jackbox Party Pack 6 -- $21 ($30)

Nintendo Switch

• Jackbox Party Pack 5 -- $18 ($30)
• Jackbox Party Pack 6 -- $19.49 ($30)

PlayStation Store

• Jackbox Party Pack -- $12.49 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 2 -- $12.49 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 3 -- $15 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 4 -- $15 ($25)
• Jackbox Party Pack 5 -- $18 ($30)
• Jackbox Party Pack 6 -- $19.49 ($30)

How to play Jackbox Party Pack online with friends

While normally intended for local multiplayer, Jackbox Pack Pack can still be played online with friends. Jackbox Games recently shared a blog post on the topic, detailing ways they recommend playing Jackbox with friends in remote locations. The best way to play Jackbox online is to hop on a call with people using any video chat service, like Google Hangouts or Zoom, then starting up the game on your PC and sharing your screen. If you're playing on Steam, you can use Steam Remote Play Together to run the game and allow up to four players (or more with faster internet connections) to join in. Discord also has great screen-sharing and streaming options to play with friends. Some consoles also let you screen-share or co-stream a game as long as you're playing with someone who also owns that system; for example, on Xbox One, you can merge your screens into a single Mixer broadcast.