Poll: Pre-order Bonus Content

[73hm0571337]

Recently, when I pre-ordered BioShock 2, I was shocked to the see the deal on Steam. The deal was that if you bought BioShock 2 you would get 10% off and a free copy of the original BioShock. This seemed especially useful to me because I was able to gift it to a friend who turned out to really love the game, and basically sold him on the series.

This got me thinking about what games need to have in order for me to pre-purchase them. Mass Effect 2 being a great example in that I only did the standard pre-order, not the "Super-Deluxe-Ultra" edition. However if the higher edition had given me a copy of the first game to own I would have most definitely bought the pricier one.

My question to the Escapist users is this: what is one of the many things that convince you to pre-order something. If it is not in the poll please let the community what you like.

 

[T3h Merc]

Artbooks, Sountrack, and A small commemmerative (Bobblehead, Coin, Map).

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Free game (yet, with BioShock 2 I already had the first) and/or a discount in price. Don't see the point in pay more for a game to preorder it.

 

[Julianking93]

I'd like them to include a soundtrack and maybe a figure or something.

I don't care about the other bullshit.

 

[AkJay]

The best pre-order bonus content would have to be the vintage lunchbox from Fallout 3

 

[LongAndShort]

It depends specifically on what they offer. First games... almost always. extra in game content... how much extra content? Soundtrack... have I liked what I've heard on the trailers enough?

 

[RatRace123]

Exclusive in game content, or more likely, content that will later become downloadable that you get early.

 

[MONSTERheart]

I pre-ordered ODST and never got an unlock key for Sgt. Johnson. That doesn't have anything to do with this but still. Come one.

 

[Super_Nintendo_Chalmers]

I love little collectables with pre-ordered games.
For example, I've pre-ordered the Special Edition of Bioshock 2 which comes with soundtracks, posters, artbook and some in game content, but I also decided to get the Rapture edition, which comes with a little sister figurine, and I've made a deal with a mate to sell him the game.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Depends entirely on whether or not any offered in-game item was accessible from within the game through normal means, a la Darksiders.

In fact, just take the Darksiders pre-order clusterfuck as the WORST way to sell me on anything.

 

[MR T3D]

i ABSOLUTELY FUCKING HATE WITH ALL MY HEART when it's ingame items, especially if ONLY available from pre-order.
anything else is okay.

 

[Herb sewell]

The best pre-order bonus content would have to be the vintage lunchbox from Fallout 3

That was just the collectors edition. All you got for a pre-order is a mini-soundtrack or bottle opener. I wish I got the bottle opener but the soundtrack isn't too bad.

Depends entirely on whether or not any offered in-game item was accessible from within the game through normal means, a la Darksiders.

In fact, just take the Darksiders pre-order clusterfuck as the WORST way to sell me on anything.

Only thing worse than that is when the store just doesn't give you an item which happened with my dragon age pre-order

 

[TheDoctor455]

The game's soundtrack would be nice... an art-book is pretty cool too. The only problem that I have with in-game content is if the game is moddable. Because it is almost inevitable that some jerk will make their mod using resources from pre-order only items.

 

[Rednog]

i ABSOLUTELY FUCKING HATE WITH ALL MY HEART when it's ingame items, especially if ONLY available from pre-order.
anything else is okay.

Pretty much this, an extra layer of hate comes when different stores have different ingame items. Before I would just go pay my $5 down to get the in game item and never buy the full thing (only buy it from 1) but now a lot of places caught on and they give codes or w/e after the game is fully purchased.

Actually no, I hate all the extra stuff period. I hate that on a couple occasions I'm strapped for cash and I can't buy a game right away or hell maybe at the time I'm not interested in the game. I don't get the opportunity again to get those extra things. Which kind of sucks. I'm still paying just as much for the game yet I don't get to enjoy the benefits that others get.

 

[teisjm]

I think the Bioshock thing where you get the first one is brilliant for several reasons.

1. you get an extra free game! while theres a good chance that you already have that game, cause you're buying a sequel, theres still lots of people who doesn't.

2. It doesn't screw up the balance of the game. If you're playing miltiplayer, it would suck if someone else had a more powerfull weapon or spell or whatever, cause they paid more. In single player, it's not that big a deal, but then theres the DA:O example, where people got pissed cause of the release day DLC which was included in the "über-eddition" so it seemed like they had just cut it from the original game cause they were greedy.

3. It doesn't cost the creators anything to make. WHile it may reducve sales of the original game, I guess it could end up making roe than enough up for that, because it'll draw people in, who would've otherwise skipepd the series, cause they didn't want to start with the sequel, but didn't wanna go back and pick up an "old" game. For instance, i'm thinking bout picking GOW3 up, but it pisses me off that i have to start on the 3'rd game in the series, even though i guess it won't be a problem, due to the game mainly beeing about just mutilating mythological creatures. I can't even pick the otehr 2 up due to the PS3 lacking backwards compatibility (ok i know they remade/make 1 and 2 for the PS3 up to the release of 3, but it's the best example i could come up with off the top of my head)

So i guess this is the best option for me.

Some games have made me wish I oculd buy the soundtrack after i'd played them, so i guess this is a great option as well.
I'd like the artbooks too.
Discounts are always nice.
I guess it's only the extra in-game stuff that i find lame, mostly cause i think it's something that should most often have just been in all edditions of teh game, unless it's something like the WoW non-combat pets, or special skins or something like that which doesn't really do anything.

 

[dududf]

Complete costume.

I'd kill for a HEV suit.