Is pre-ordering really worth it?

[ecoho]

Pre-ordering is not worth it.

What does pre-ordering do? It "guarantees" you a copy of the game and maybe some in-game cosmetic items.
If you're pre-ordering from Gamestop, you're not guaranteed shit. They WILL sell your reserved copy if someone comes in and wants it before you get there. And yes, that happens on day-one releases, too.
Cosmetic items are complete bullshit. It's a marketing ploy and a retarded one at that.

Almost every game I've ever wanted on day-one has been in stock from where ever I bought it. The ONLY game that failed that was Dead Island, and that's because it's pretty SHIT on PC, which I found out the hard way.

Even if all you have to do it put down $5, it's still not worth it.

Unless you want to an edition of the game that will be in limited quantities, don't. You can always get those editions. You might have to wait a little while, but you can still always get it.

umm you must have a really crappy gamestop,cause by law*(and policy)[also this only applies in the US] they must have one ,if you preordered, available for you.

*if they sell your game that you preordered they are guilty of false advertising which is illegal in the US,it is also against gamestop policy and the employe who did such would be fired.

 

[Epona]

It's not worth it if:

- The game sucks and you don't know it till it's too late
- The game is buggy (looking at Skyrim PC here) and you can't play it until the first patch anyway
- You are pre-ordering on a Digital Distribution service or if your physical copy needs to be activated and you won't get to play at midnight anyway.
- You're pre-order bonus DLC is worthless or overpowering (ex, the best sword in the game is yours at the beginning).

Not pre-ordering it isn't going to fix those problems anyway.

I didn't mean "pre-order it always" I just meant "pre-order it if you're planning to pick it up at any time prior to the price drop anyway".

Here's the logic:
If you're not going to pre-order it, THEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PRE-ORDER IT. Very basic, circular logic lol.

Not pre-ordering allows you to see if those problems exist BEFORE you lay down any money and quite frankly I don't like sending developers and publishers the message that I will buy their game without reviews, both from critics and players.

Consider this, if a game hits a million pre-orders before it even goes gold what is to stop publishers from rushing out a crappy, incomplete game like Dragon Age 2? I mean, they've already sold a million and the game isn't even finished. That is harmful to the entire industry in my opinion. Your pre-order just tells the publisher that you don't care about the quality of a title because you are putting your money down before that is even known. Next game, pre-order marketing takes a priority over quality because reviews are unimportant if you can sell the game before the reviews come out.

Let's take Skyrim for example, we all know it will be buggy as hell on PC. Who in their right mind would pre-order it knowing that? Further, what good does it do to pre-order a AAA game? You know there will be plenty to go around and you can download it from Steam on Day 1 and that is an infinite supply. The cloth map you say? How many people actually used the paper map that shipped with Oblivion? It was useless as you had the same map in-game.

 

[Danzavare]

For me it's a matter of trust with the game developers and a way to show my appreciation. I absolutely love Oblivion. I bought it together with the 360 when it was first released, and I've kept coming back to it for years now. Sure, Skyrim looks friggen awesome, but my love for Oblivion is what is primarily responsible for my decision. Of course great rewards add extra incentive (Provided they influence gameplay in some way or expand on the lore of the game), but they're usually not my primary motivation. Dragon Age is probably a better example. I loved the first one, and decided to show my appreciation by pre-ordering it. I think the second pales in comparison with the first, but I don't regret my decision.

I mean there's also the fact that there's a surefire promise that you'll get to play a game you desire as soon as possible. That headstart is particularly handy if you're someone who uses the internet for gaming related things. Let's face it, hearing everyone judge or discuss something you really want but don't have is unpleasant. Financially you balance the rewards and game against how likely it is to be discounted and how long that wait would be. I could wait for Saints Row to hit $20 Australian, I'm not willing to do so for Skyrim.

Of course, there are instances where you feel betrayed by the product/company. Guess which fool pre-ordered Sonic 2006 thinking it would be Sonic Adventure 3?

My poor, poor, childhood! D':

 

[Epona]

For me it's a matter of trust with the game developers and a way to show my appreciation. I absolutely love Oblivion. I bought it together with the 360 when it was first released, and I've kept coming back to it for years now. Sure, Skyrim looks friggen awesome, but my love for Oblivion is what is primarily responsible for my decision. Of course great rewards add extra incentive (Provided they influence gameplay in some way or expand on the lore of the game), but they're usually not my primary motivation. Dragon Age is probably a better example. I loved the first one, and decided to show my appreciation by pre-ordering it. I think the second pales in comparison with the first, but I don't regret my decision.

I mean there's also the fact that there's a surefire promise that you'll get to play a game you desire as soon as possible. That headstart is particularly handy if you're someone who uses the internet for gaming related things. Let's face it, hearing everyone judge or discuss something you really want but don't have is unpleasant. Financially you balance the rewards and game against how likely it is to be discounted and how long that wait would be. I could wait for Saints Row to hit $20 Australian, I'm not willing to do so for Skyrim.

Of course, there are instances where you feel betrayed by the product/company. Guess which fool pre-ordered Sonic 2006 thinking it would be Sonic Adventure 3?

My poor, poor, childhood! D':

You know you are going to buy Skyrim but why pre-order? What's the advantage to buying it earlier than release?

I know I am going to buy Skyrim too and it may be on Day 1 if the reviews are out and the game doesn't crash every few minutes but why the rush? Isn't Skyrim going to use Steamworks? If so, you won't be playing it at midnight and it may be like 10 AM the next morning. I could be playing it at the same time and not have pre-ordered.

Seriously, why pre-order?

 

[Sonic Doctor]

As I mentioned in my blog post here, I pre-ordered Arkham City Steelbook edition. This is my first ever pre-order and I'm pretty impressed with the look I got for my $100, but I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

Is having the game right on release date so super important? This question would be especially interesting since Skyrim comes out soon and while I have less-than-no interest in it, there are some people going into fanboy convulsions over it.

If you pre-order from Amazon, I know it is worth it. If I hadn't done the majority of my pre-ordering from Amazon, I wouldn't have a third of the XBox 360 collection that I have. Most of the time, Amazon will also give 10 to 20 dollars credit towards your next game purchase on top of the normal extras you get for pre-ordering.

Pre-ordering, I've racked up 70 dollars worth of game credit. Those credit dollars helped me lower prices and afford getting, Lost Planet, Dead Rising, Devil May Cry 4(got all those together for 25 bucks after the 10 dollar credit), Castlvaina: Lords of Shadow(limited collector's edition), Fable 3(limited collector's edition), and Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition(which of course included all the DLC and Awakening).

It just depends on where you pre-order, because when I pre-ordered Pokemon White from GameStop, I just got the pre-order stuff that Nintendo was giving with it. I didn't look at the time, but I'm willing to bet Amazon probably gave a 10 dollar credit with it as well, if so, I regret not pre-ordering from them.

But yeah, pre-ordering can be quite worth it, if one shops around to find the best incentives.

I know people say that they want to wait to see what the news of how good the game is before they buy it, but even that isn't reliable

Total games I have pre-ordered: Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach, Castlvaina: Lords of Shadow, Fable 3, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, Pokemon White, and Dragon Age 2.

I was only disappointed with one game out of those: Star Wars: TFU2. The metal case and the 2gb USB drive that came with it were nice, but the game was crap, I beat in two sittings, around 6 hours total, but at least 2 hours of that was horsing around trying to find the collectables.

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2, I possibly would have missed out playing that fantastic game, because I might have listened to the rabid rants on Metacritic and not bought it.

I feel that even with an informed decision after a game's launch, people have an equal chance of being disappointed with their purchases with doing that as well as with pre-ordering, but think, with Amazon, one can be disappointed, sell the game back somewhere like GameStop, and keep the game credit they get. People that buy games days or longer after launch don't get such a perk. All they can do is sell the game back for less.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

You know you are going to buy Skyrim but why pre-order? What's the advantage to buying it earlier than release?

I know I am going to buy Skyrim too and it may be on Day 1 if the reviews are out and the game doesn't crash every few minutes but why the rush? Isn't Skyrim going to use Steamworks? If so, you won't be playing it at midnight and it may be like 10 AM the next morning. I could be playing it at the same time and not have pre-ordered.

Seriously, why pre-order?

It all depends on how you pre-order it. The reason people pre-order is for the incentives.

Take Amazon for example:

Now people that pre-order the special edition of the game(for all platforms), just get the special edition stuff.

Now if you pre-order the regular edition, Amazon gives you the physical map that the special editions come with, along with a 10 dollar credit towards your next game purchase.

http://www.amazon.com/Elder-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Xbox-360/dp/B004HYK956/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1316321050&sr=1-1

Though I do find it odd that people that by the PC regular edition, only get the map, but no 10 dollar credit.

Still, as I pointed out in another comment, I racked up 70 dollars worth of Amazon game credit through pre-ordering, and it helped me afford getting 6 more Xbox 360 games.

That is why I pre-order. The thought of possibly being disappointed with the game and having paid up front, doesn't deter me. Because, I have been more disappointed with more games that I have bought long after launch with informed decisions than I have with my pre-orders. Out of seven pre-orders, I was disappointed with only one.

But yeah, incentives are the main reason people pre-order.

 

[vxicepickxv]

What do I get for the pre-order to make it worth my time? Is it a discount(Steam), is it something useful?(Or a previous title, also steam)

Is it convenient?(Steam again)

 

[Epona]

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2, I possibly would have missed out playing that fantastic game, because I might have listened to the rabid rants on Metacritic and not bought it.

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2 I would not have wasted $60.

I feel that even with an informed decision after a game's launch, people have an equal chance of being disappointed with their purchases with doing that as well as with pre-ordering,

No I can't agree with this. Knowing the facts about a game (framerate issues, buggy quests, etc..) can indeed prevent disappointment. If I buy Skyrim knowing about the the problems, I will be less disappointed than if I buy it not knowing about the problems. Reviews aren't just opinions, there are some facts in there too.

"In Oblivion the enemies level up with you" = Fact
"In Oblivion the Dark Brotherhood has the best quests" = Opinion (though one I agree with)

one can be disappointed, sell the game back somewhere like GameStop, and keep the game credit they get

I'll call Gamestop tomorrow to see if I can trade in my PC version of Dragon Age 2. Bet they say "NO!" though.

It all depends on how you pre-order it. The reason people pre-order is for the incentives.

Yeah I get that but most of the incentives are worthless. Either they are in game items that you won't redownload after you reformat and reinstall Windows or they are physical knick knacks that sit on a shelf and collect dust.

I will buy the Skyward Sword collectors edition though because that gold Wii-mote can be used to play any Wii game. Try to use your cloth map with any other game.

Another thing, retailer exclusive pre-order bonus DLC is not to be encouraged.

However, pre-ordering from Amazon and getting credit is cool.

 

[ecoho]

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2, I possibly would have missed out playing that fantastic game, because I might have listened to the rabid rants on Metacritic and not bought it.

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2 I would not have wasted $60.

I feel that even with an informed decision after a game's launch, people have an equal chance of being disappointed with their purchases with doing that as well as with pre-ordering,

No I can't agree with this. Knowing the facts about a game (framerate issues, buggy quests, etc..) can indeed prevent disappointment. If I buy Skyrim knowing about the the problems, I will be less disappointed than if I buy it not knowing about the problems. Reviews aren't just opinions, there are some facts in there too.

"In Oblivion the enemies level up with you" = Fact
"In Oblivion the Dark Brotherhood has the best quests" = Opinion (though one I agree with)

one can be disappointed, sell the game back somewhere like GameStop, and keep the game credit they get

I'll call Gamestop tomorrow to see if I can trade in my PC version of Dragon Age 2. Bet they say "NO!" though.

It all depends on how you pre-order it. The reason people pre-order is for the incentives.

Yeah I get that but most of the incentives are worthless. Either they are in game items that you won't redownload after you reformat and reinstall Windows or they are physical knick knacks that sit on a shelf and collect dust.

I will buy the Skyward Sword collectors edition though because that gold Wii-mote can be used to play any Wii game. Try to use your cloth map with any other game.

Another thing, retailer exclusive pre-order bonus DLC is not to be encouraged.

However, pre-ordering from Amazon and getting credit is cool.

first off its your own dam fault for buying the inferior version for dragon age 2,see as you know they said "WE ARE MAKING THIS FOR CONSOLES!" (not saying consoles are better then PC so dont misquote me just saying the console version was much much better then the pc in the case of dragon age 2)

next some people like to have those "knick knacks" on there shelves i for one would love to have the statues that come with skyrim's CE but ill settle for the cloth map which btw can be framed and put on display you know to empress friends who are also fans of the series.

and finally i agree with you retailer exclusives are a bad idea but thats business and its not likely to change so just make an informed choice in the matter and pick the best deal.

 

[MercurySteam]

I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

What time and effort? You walk in and pay a deposit a few weeks or months earlier and then walk in on release day and pick it up. How much simpler could it be?

I'm broke, it's lots of effort.

If you care enough to buy the game then you should be bothered to preorder.

Just sayin'.

 

[Epona]

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2, I possibly would have missed out playing that fantastic game, because I might have listened to the rabid rants on Metacritic and not bought it.

If I had waited and not pre-ordered Dragon Age 2 I would not have wasted $60.

I feel that even with an informed decision after a game's launch, people have an equal chance of being disappointed with their purchases with doing that as well as with pre-ordering,

No I can't agree with this. Knowing the facts about a game (framerate issues, buggy quests, etc..) can indeed prevent disappointment. If I buy Skyrim knowing about the the problems, I will be less disappointed than if I buy it not knowing about the problems. Reviews aren't just opinions, there are some facts in there too.

"In Oblivion the enemies level up with you" = Fact
"In Oblivion the Dark Brotherhood has the best quests" = Opinion (though one I agree with)

one can be disappointed, sell the game back somewhere like GameStop, and keep the game credit they get

I'll call Gamestop tomorrow to see if I can trade in my PC version of Dragon Age 2. Bet they say "NO!" though.

It all depends on how you pre-order it. The reason people pre-order is for the incentives.

Yeah I get that but most of the incentives are worthless. Either they are in game items that you won't redownload after you reformat and reinstall Windows or they are physical knick knacks that sit on a shelf and collect dust.

I will buy the Skyward Sword collectors edition though because that gold Wii-mote can be used to play any Wii game. Try to use your cloth map with any other game.

Another thing, retailer exclusive pre-order bonus DLC is not to be encouraged.

However, pre-ordering from Amazon and getting credit is cool.

first off its your own dam fault for buying the inferior version for dragon age 2,see as you know they said "WE ARE MAKING THIS FOR CONSOLES!" (not saying consoles are better then PC so dont misquote me just saying the console version was much much better then the pc in the case of dragon age 2)

next some people like to have those "knick knacks" on there shelves i for one would love to have the statues that come with skyrim's CE but ill settle for the cloth map which btw can be framed and put on display you know to empress friends who are also fans of the series.

and finally i agree with you retailer exclusives are a bad idea but thats business and its not likely to change so just make an informed choice in the matter and pick the best deal.

It is my own damn fault for pre-ordering Dragon Age 2 and not waiting for the reviews. Won't happen again but that's the point of this thread. It really isn't worth it to me.

 

[Epona]

I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

What time and effort? You walk in and pay a deposit a few weeks or months earlier and then walk in on release day and pick it up. How much simpler could it be?

I'm broke, it's lots of effort.

If you care enough to buy the game then you should be bothered to preorder.

Just sayin'.

Tip: You can buy the game without pre-ordering it. It will be available for purchase after release.

 

[MercurySteam]

Tip: You can buy the game without pre-ordering it. It will be available for purchase after release.

Bullshit. I don't believe you.

Well of course you can by a game without preordering, nobody is disputing that. This thread is about if it's worth it to preorder.

 

[vxicepickxv]

I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

What time and effort? You walk in and pay a deposit a few weeks or months earlier and then walk in on release day and pick it up. How much simpler could it be?

I'm broke, it's lots of effort.

If you care enough to buy the game then you should be bothered to preorder.

Just sayin'.

Tip: You can buy the game without pre-ordering it. It will be available for purchase after release.

I know. I just bought Mirror's Edge for 5 bucks off steam.

 

[Epona]

I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

What time and effort? You walk in and pay a deposit a few weeks or months earlier and then walk in on release day and pick it up. How much simpler could it be?

I'm broke, it's lots of effort.

If you care enough to buy the game then you should be bothered to preorder.

Just sayin'.

Tip: You can buy the game without pre-ordering it. It will be available for purchase after release.

I know. I just bought Mirror's Edge for 5 bucks off steam.

I saw that, how is it?

 

[legendp]

I don't pre order game's because you can usually wait a month and it will cost you half of what it would have when you pre ordered. granted I play mostly single player game's

 

[legendp]

I'm wondering if all the time and effort is worth it?

What time and effort? You walk in and pay a deposit a few weeks or months earlier and then walk in on release day and pick it up. How much simpler could it be?

I'm broke, it's lots of effort.

If you care enough to buy the game then you should be bothered to preorder.

Just sayin'.

Tip: You can buy the game without pre-ordering it. It will be available for purchase after release.

I know. I just bought Mirror's Edge for 5 bucks off steam.

I saw that, how is it?

I personally loved the game but many hated it, played through it many times (don't try to play it like an FPS though), theres a demo available if you want to check it out

 

[Bat Vader]

For me it's a matter of trust with the game developers and a way to show my appreciation. I absolutely love Oblivion. I bought it together with the 360 when it was first released, and I've kept coming back to it for years now. Sure, Skyrim looks friggen awesome, but my love for Oblivion is what is primarily responsible for my decision. Of course great rewards add extra incentive (Provided they influence gameplay in some way or expand on the lore of the game), but they're usually not my primary motivation. Dragon Age is probably a better example. I loved the first one, and decided to show my appreciation by pre-ordering it. I think the second pales in comparison with the first, but I don't regret my decision.

I mean there's also the fact that there's a surefire promise that you'll get to play a game you desire as soon as possible. That headstart is particularly handy if you're someone who uses the internet for gaming related things. Let's face it, hearing everyone judge or discuss something you really want but don't have is unpleasant. Financially you balance the rewards and game against how likely it is to be discounted and how long that wait would be. I could wait for Saints Row to hit $20 Australian, I'm not willing to do so for Skyrim.

Of course, there are instances where you feel betrayed by the product/company. Guess which fool pre-ordered Sonic 2006 thinking it would be Sonic Adventure 3?

My poor, poor, childhood! D':

You know you are going to buy Skyrim but why pre-order? What's the advantage to buying it earlier than release?

I know I am going to buy Skyrim too and it may be on Day 1 if the reviews are out and the game doesn't crash every few minutes but why the rush? Isn't Skyrim going to use Steamworks? If so, you won't be playing it at midnight and it may be like 10 AM the next morning. I could be playing it at the same time and not have pre-ordered.

Seriously, why pre-order?

I pre-ordered the collector's edition of Skyrim because I want the physical items that come with it. I like knowing that I am guaranteed a copy of the game. Plus, I am an impatient man. I don't like having to wait to pick something up.