Is pre-ordering really worth it?

[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':

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'm buying it on 360, so I don't have to worry about servers. The thing is to me, your method sounds like more of a rush. If I pre-order I can pay some of it now and know when it's released, that it'll be there waiting for me. Next time I go shopping, I'll stop by the JB-Hi-Fi and put down the pre-order. I don't have to get there early or worry about copies running out, so I get peace of mind in that regard. Pre-ordering helps me avoid the rush. Another thing is that I trust Bethesda enough that I believe the game won't be a bomb. I don't feel the need to rely on reviews for this title because my experience with the company has been extremely pleasant~! I'll be buying this game either way, it's just that this way I'll also be getting extra rewards for the same price I would be paying for the stand-alone game without any hassle.

So there's quite a few reasons to pre-order this title. If you were in my shoes, why wouldn't you pre-order?

But don't get me wrong, pre-ordering isn't habitual for me. Most games I buy I wait to be heavily discounted first. There are just a few special exceptions.

 

[Astoria]

I only consider pre-ordering if it's some sort of special edition. I don't really care about getting games as soon as they come out. I have way too many games that I haven't started as it is.

 

[Fishyash]

it's worth it if you wanted to get the game anyways...

honestly, the only thing that decides whether I want to preorder a game is whether I know I will like the game anyways. I have to be hyped up for those games.

 

[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.

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.

no its your fault for doing an uninformed preorder i mean hell there was a free demo that pretty much showed you how it will play. dont say all preordering is bad just because you didnt take the time to weigh your pros and cons. (as anyone who preorders should) that being said dont let one bad experience make you jaded learn from it and make a better choice next time.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Not really, but I do it anyway. Saves me from going to the store on launch day (I get most of my games mailed to me) and I might get some nice extras. The only time it's useful for me is when there's a limited edition I really want to have. Other than that, nope, no real use.

 

[PatrickXD]

I was very much satisfied with my Fallout 3 and New Vegas special edition items actually!
I guess it's just a matter of opinion, but general pre-ordering at least in the UK is usually a good idea, because you get the game for the same price and if you choose home delivery I often get them a day early

 

[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.

no its your fault for doing an uninformed preorder i mean hell there was a free demo that pretty much showed you how it will play. dont say all preordering is bad just because you didnt take the time to weigh your pros and cons. (as anyone who preorders should) that being said dont let one bad experience make you jaded learn from it and make a better choice next time.

As crappy as the demo was, it didn't highlight one of the games biggest flaws. That is all takes place in one boring city.

Did you know the Square Enix asked reviewers not to review Final Fantasy XIV until the game had alot of players? There was no demo so in order to play you needed to first buy it, blind. How'd that turn out? Some people were justifiably upset that there were no reviews even after launch because the game was so crappy. With pre-ordering, you are always buying it before the reviews come out.

 

[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.

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.

no its your fault for doing an uninformed preorder i mean hell there was a free demo that pretty much showed you how it will play. dont say all preordering is bad just because you didnt take the time to weigh your pros and cons. (as anyone who preorders should) that being said dont let one bad experience make you jaded learn from it and make a better choice next time.

As crappy as the demo was, it didn't highlight one of the games biggest flaws. That is all takes place in one boring city.

Did you know the Square Enix asked reviewers not to review Final Fantasy XIV until the game had alot of players? There was no demo so in order to play you needed to first buy it, blind. How'd that turn out? Some people were justifiably upset that there were no reviews even after launch because the game was so crappy. With pre-ordering, you are always buying it before the reviews come out.

are you really using an MMO as you reasoning for preoders being bad?! anyone who preorders a new mmo(not an expansion to an mmo) is an idiot, at launch they are always bad and square can keep big reviewers from reviewing a game but not the small ones or the personal reviews people give out. i for one check with the gamefact reviews before i buy something im not sure ill like.(those are all done by people who bought the game not those who were paid to play it)

 

[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.

no its your fault for doing an uninformed preorder i mean hell there was a free demo that pretty much showed you how it will play. dont say all preordering is bad just because you didnt take the time to weigh your pros and cons. (as anyone who preorders should) that being said dont let one bad experience make you jaded learn from it and make a better choice next time.

As crappy as the demo was, it didn't highlight one of the games biggest flaws. That is all takes place in one boring city.

Did you know the Square Enix asked reviewers not to review Final Fantasy XIV until the game had alot of players? There was no demo so in order to play you needed to first buy it, blind. How'd that turn out? Some people were justifiably upset that there were no reviews even after launch because the game was so crappy. With pre-ordering, you are always buying it before the reviews come out.

are you really using an MMO as you reasoning for preoders being bad?! anyone who preorders a new mmo(not an expansion to an mmo) is an idiot, at launch they are always bad and square can keep big reviewers from reviewing a game but not the small ones or the personal reviews people give out. i for one check with the gamefact reviews before i buy something im not sure ill like.(those are all done by people who bought the game not those who were paid to play it)

I have used an MMO and a non MMO (Dragon Age 2). Do you approve of either?

Nevermind, go pre-order all the crap you want. I won't. We're done here.

 

[ace_of_something]

No, because sometimes no matter how good you're expecting a game to be is it might kind of suck when it comes out or be a frightful buggy mess. I'd rather wait and see how it is. The last game I got at release was Red Dead Redemption.
I also own a house so while i might be able to pay $60 now, when my water heater craps out I might not be able to buy the game on release day.
Lastly the only places that do pre-order around here. Don't ACTUALLY hold your copy for you anyway. (gamestop)

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Think of it this way: in the coming two months, I am going to be able to walk into Gamestop, pick up my copies of Dead Rising 2: Off the Record and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, pay nothing, and leave with my games on day one. On top of that, I gain access to pre-order bonuses.

Make of that what you will.

 

[2HF]

Without reading the entire thread I feel it must be said...

Pre-ordering and buying collectors editions are two separate things.

Paying $5 that goes directly towards the price of a game you were going to buy anyway is absolutely worth it if you're getting free stuff. Free stuff is free stuff and that $5 isn't going into a retailers pockets. It goes directly towards what you were going to pay anyway.

There is no debate there.

Whether or not buying collectors editions is worth it is entirely up to you.

 

[Something Amyss]

Depends on how much you value what you get.

Summed it up perfectly. I rarely pre-order unless there's some good goodies that come along. Otherwise, only if I'm worried a game will be out. Which these days, doesn't seem to happen.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Pre-ordering is probably the biggest ripoff since layaway and is another example of how gamers can be talked/bullied into crazy crap that no other media consumer would put up with.
First of all, I?ve pre-ordered many different types of things but games are the only thing where I?ve been asked for a deposit. I?ve never been asked for a deposit for a book or movie. And why would you pay any money for something you?re not going to get for several months anyway; put that money in a regular money market account, anything is a better value.
Then, even if you pay for the game in full, months beforehand, they might still sell your copy. Not just gamestop but this happens at all the retailers that do pre-orders.
So really, unless you?re a huge fan of the game and you absolutely need the promotional mousepad & doll, it?s not worth it.

 

[ace_of_something]

Lastly the only places that do pre-order around here. Don't ACTUALLY hold your copy for you anyway. (gamestop)

I have never once ever had that happen or heard about it happening from somebody I actually know. EB in Canada is good like that and will always honour a pre-order or atleast all of the ones near me. I have even seen employees offered $300+ cash for games some times and they will turn the person down. I am actually friends with a girl who works there and the store record for most cash offered was $1200 for two cataclysm collectors editions not including the price of the game.

Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal. Don't bother point out the irony of mine also being anecdotal.
The two times i pre-ordered from them. One of those times they didn't order enough to fill their preorders. (this was for a ps3 itself) Amazingly they actually CONTINUED to take preorders on the next shipment even though they knew they wouldn't have enough.
The other time was Rock Band they instead of ordering the whole shebang with drums etc. THey didn't. They just registered everyone for a copy of the game itself. Lotta pissed off people on a local music forum that day.
Keep in mind this was when it FIRST came out, who the fuck would buy just game without the special controllers? The literally were available the same day.

Maybe it's just our district but the gamestops around here are pretty unscrupulous. There's other incidences too (which is why i haven't been there since like 2008ish). Much prefer a small local chain.

edit: Oh yeah, for a while when i lived in a smaller town and gamestop was the only choice a local PAWN SHOP had better CASH payouts for games then gamestop did on TRADE, they also sold their titles for less.

 

[Michael Hirst]

Logically speaking there isn't much purpose to pre ordering and spending what is usually the highest price a game will ever be sold at. But if you're an eager fan of a series sometimes you've just got to have that game when it comes out, for example I pre-ordered Deus Ex 3, sure I coudl have waited a couple months and got it cheaper but I really wanted it and had the money for it as well.