Preorders: Have you been screwed?

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Souplex

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The most recent examples that come to mind are Dragon Age: II, and Assassin's Creed: 3.
Both were bad sequels to good games.
Duke Nukem: Forever doesn't count, because I didn't expect it to be good. Didn't expect it to be as bad as it was though.
 

FFP2

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Dec 24, 2012
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I pre-ordered the Collector's Edition of ME3. I have the CEs of ME1 and 2 and there was less and less extra shit with each sequel.
 

Saika Renegade

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Nov 18, 2009
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My brother and I have been burned by preorders before, though he still insists on day one purchases and preorders without seeing gameplay material beyond promo trailers. To be fair, he only likes a small, very specific niche of games that usually flies below mainstream radar, and so is a bit harder to disappoint.

In my case, it was One Must Fall: Battlegrounds, successor to One Must Fall 2097, an older 2d fighting game with giant robots which I enjoyed in spite of its somewhat simple, dated engine. Third-person perspective PC fighting games with 3d arenas and tank controls does not a smooth experience make. A lot of gameplay for me involved projectile spam due to aiming being considerably easier than trying to go in with the prefabricated moves available, an ambitious 'one button for each limb' paired to motion-dependent attacks system, let down by the fact that most keyboards lock up if you press more than three buttons at a time and that the movement delays in the tank system make landing blows a chore. And the terrible jumping controls, mustn't forget those.

If it was a beat-em-up, it could have stood as a sort of giant robot version of God Hand, but as it stands, it's a clumsy 3D fighter not worth the $10 preorder and additional $30 that I sank into it. The delays in delivery should have tipped me off before I got a hold of it.
 

Atmos Duality

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Mar 3, 2010
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The one problem I have with TotalBiscuit's stance, is that logically, SOMEONE has to play the game first to review it, or for word-of-mouth to begin.

Someone has to take the risk first, and that someone has to be willing to relate their experience.

That's just the nature of second-hand information.

It's great to have available and I encourage more gamers to make use of it, but with a bad game (ANY game) SOMEONE has to get suckered first.

In theory: we have critics for that.

In practice, (entirely too many) critics can be bought, and games can be issued a critical blackout, at which point we are back to square one.

EDIT: As for the purpose of pre-orders.
They're only really "necessary" for big releases on disc.
That was the point of pre-orders to begin with: reservations for a finite supply of games on launch.

Digital distribution systems obviously don't have that limitation, and if a system is going to be taxed to the point where people have to queue, pre-orders isn't going to help that much anyway. (knowing how networks operate anyway)
 

lokicdn

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Sep 10, 2010
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Tohuvabohu said:
So Aliens: Colonial Marines came out, and it's being widely panned by nearly every critic in sight...




Unlike our console bretheren, PC pre-orders on steam are a much bigger initial investment, and is usually a permanent commitment. Console players can reserve their own copy for as little as 5$ and can cancel anytime. Even after release. Or can at least sell their games.
Whereas PC players need to pay it all off immediately. And usually cannot get refunds after release. And of course, cannot sell it.
I don't know where you are from but I can pre order hard copies of PC games from stores for $5 just like a console game.
 

Tohuvabohu

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Mar 24, 2011
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Bhaalspawn said:
Well in terms of actual purchase, you can't take a PC Game back to gamestop after it's been opened (Shrink Wrap Removed) but you Pre Order games there the same way you do for console games. Put down at least $5 so you'll have it reserved for release day. If release day comes and you decided after seeing reviews you don't want it, you can cancel your Pre Order.

I'm not entirely sure about refunding your order charge, as I've never asked for a refund on a Pre Order (only pre ordered 1 game in my life and I loved it).

Despite the lack of major sales, Gamestop > Steam

IMHO: Pre Ordering games you know nothing about, buying collectors editions, or registering games with Steam or Origin is a sure fire sign that you're a sucker. I have no sympathy when those people get burned.

In fact, part of the reason I like EA so much these days is just by listening to all the sob stories of suckers they've burned.
Right, I get you. I don't pre-order PC games often, but if I feel the need to, I'll seek Gamestop out next time. Unless I'm absolutely sure the game I want is going to be great, I'd rather avoid getting burned again and being stuck with a terrible game.

Reading through this thread, seems like a lot of people feel that they've been screwed by ME3 lol.
 

Sheo_Dagana

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Aug 12, 2009
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I pre-order only if it's a game I know I'm going to like, typically by doing research into the game or if the game is a follow-up to a game I really liked. Even then, I won't usually pre-order unless there's some sort of snazzy bonus to go along with it. I don't usually care about art books, but figurines and digital or in-game content is nice. You got a helluva lotta stuff for pre-ordering Borderlands 2.

At first, I thought this was a topic about getting screwed on said premiums, but since most everything is digital now, I guess it makes sense this way. The only digital game I have ever pre-ordered is the upcoming expansion for SW:TOR, because I know I'm going to get it anyway and the bonuses will be nifty little additions.

Bhaalspawn said:
I'm not entirely sure about refunding your order charge, as I've never asked for a refund on a Pre Order (only pre ordered 1 game in my life and I loved it).
Yeah, they'll refund the entire amount you've placed on a pre-order in whatever way you want. It's not a charge to pre-order through GameStop, it's a deposit, with the minimum being $5. They'll try to get you to change it to another pre-order (the employees are graded on pre-orders and getting a cancel looks bad), but the guys at my store are cool and don't push, so they'll give me back whatever I put down in whatever form of payment I used (cash, store credit, ect).
 

TK421

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Apr 16, 2009
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I used to pre-order games, but just the ones I was absolutely sure I would get anyway, and mostly just console stuff. The only PC game I ever pre-ordered was StarCraft 2, but I did buy my buddies pre-order of GW2 off of him during the beta. That was a mistake.

I never pre-order anything anymore, even if I am almost sure I'll eventually get it anyway. Actually, I don't even buy games anymore unless it's off Steam for 50-75% off. I haven't paid more than $20 for a game in about 6 months, and I probably never will again. There is no way I am going to pay $60 for something I haven't tried yet. Plus, I just don't have the money to waste on entertainment anymore, there are more important things in life(especially since when I think about getting a new game I remember all the games I already have and think "nah, I've got enough").
 

Karoshi

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Jul 9, 2012
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I preorded Diablo 3 and ME3 Collectors Edition and would do it all over again. Not because they were exceptionally good games, but I would have bought them anyway even if I read the most vitriolic reviews. Sometimes love for a franchise goes a long way, even if it's misguided.

Apart from that, I pretty much always play games months after release. Not because I want to save money or to wait for the reviews, but it's a stupid willpower thing. Always wanna see how long it takes before the gaming crave kicks in.
 

Windcaler

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Nov 7, 2010
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I havnt preordered a game in a very long time but part of that is because Im primarily a PC gamer. The other part of it is retailers that have preordering options like gamestop in my area are run by less then reputable people. The one gamestop I know of has taken money from people and not delivered on working copies many many times or just not written those preorders down despite giving people a reciept.

Im not sure why people would preorder games. It makes more sense to me to wait for reviews/critiques or alternatively watch gameplay over youtube or some other means that isnt publisher/develeoper controlled marketing. At least then you can go into the purchase with some measure of information to base whether it'll be worth it or not. Its a consumer practice that I just dont get

I could understand if you got the game cheaper, like $10-20 off because you're taking a gamble on their product being good
 

Nothing Tra La La

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Feb 10, 2010
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The only game I've ever preordered was the ME3 Collectors Edition. I had to pay extra because for whatever reason, the place I ordered it from wasn't going to ship it until nearly a week after release. For overnight shipping and the game itself I spent $90.
It simply wasn't worth it. The "collectibles" were ridiculous - oh boy, half of a 5 inch comic book and a velcro patch! The art book was cool, but again ridiculously shortened. If you actually want to enjoy any of the books in the CE, you have to go and buy the real versions. I enjoyed the soundtrack (but could've gotten in for free online anyway) and the fact that it came with the Javik DLC was nice, except that the DLC content should've been in the game in the first place. The best thing about the CE was the reversible metal case.
I ended up paying nearly $100 for a couple of shitty trinkets and a game that really fucked me up for a bit after playing it. Thanks BioWare!
 

Joccaren

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Mar 29, 2011
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KingsGambit said:
Joccaren said:
-Skyrim; Arguably screwed. Spent a lot of time with it, but didn't enjoy it all that much
I'm sorry, but WTF? Arguably screwed? What does that even mean? There were hours upon hours of gameplay footage available of the game way before it was released.
Lets be honest here, gameplay footage means fuck all. It really does. It tells you almost nothing about how the game actually feels to play, and is usually presented as the most polished part of any production. Had they highlighted the number of bugs and glitches in the gameplay footage, and how utterly shallow all the gameplay was, maybe I'd see a little bit of an argument. They didn't though. There's a reason lots of people want games to have demos, despite gameplay footage usually being available for many if not most games these days.

There were zero pre-order bonuses, didn't matter which retailer you bought it from.
Where you live at any rate. For one my pre-order came with a map. For 2 if you want a Limited edition and anything that comes with that, you're going to want to pre-order. Why? Because its a LIMITED edition, without infinite copies that could well sell out quite fast.

There was no Day 1 DLC witheld from the game.
No, just DLC withheld entirely from one platform for over a year, and withheld from another for a month or so after release.

It was universally acclaimed and won several GotY awards. It's patched regularly and still supported 15 months on with fixes, content and DLC.
Do you know how little I care about what critics think about the game, or other people? Seriously, that means fuck all as to whether I enjoy the game or not. There's a reason I don't check game reviews these days, and instead get my friends to buy the game first and tell me about it - because reviews are NEVER 100% right, and are rarely even half right as to my tastes in games.
And supporting your product 15 months after its been released isn't exactly brilliant. Its expected really, especially if your game is as buggy as Skyrim was at launch. On top of that continuing to make DLC also isn't anything to be amazed at, considering DLC exists as a further way for them to make money. You can argue that you enjoy their DLC, IMO its overpriced for what it is though.

Unless you played it for less than 2 hours, or bought it randomly without any idea of what you were buying and are now filled with the worst case of regret and "buyer's remorse" ever, you were not even remotely "screwed". Listing that you were "screwed" by acclaimed, AAA titles from established developers that offered plenty of insight into their games is not it. You may not have liked a game, but chances are you would have bought them after release if you hadn't pre-ordered.
Less than 2 hours?
Since when has a game cost $2?
I go by the $1 = 1 hour of enjoyment so far as costs of games go. If I spend $100-$120 on a game like Skyrim [Dem Australian Prices], I expect 100-120 hours of entertainment in return. Skyrim netted its money in play time, but enjoyment? No. It killed time, but it was kinda like drawing scribbles on a notepad - it somewhat negates your boredom, but its not what one would call entertaining.

As for going into a game with no idea of what I'm buying; MOVIES. They release footage of the movie before release quite often, with movie trailers especially being made up of 90% in film footage most of the time, as well as plot summaries and reviews and all sorts of things.
Despite this fact, you still have no idea what you're getting into when you go to see a movie, and just because everyone raves about it and it looks somewhat interesting doesn't mean you'll enjoy it - take the Avatar movie as an example.

Oh, but of course it doesn't matter. It was a good enough experience unless you walked out after 2 minutes of the movie right?


This especially is what I find wrong with your opinion;
Listing that you were "screwed" by acclaimed, AAA titles from established developers that offered plenty of insight into their games is not it.
You see, the thing is they don't provide plenty of insight into their games. They provide plenty of hype and marketing for their games, and as little insight as possible. Why? Well, read that article on how demos decrease game sales - providing too much info kills people's curiosity, and they no longer want to buy your game. AAA developers especially take the good parts out of their game, put them up on display, make a flashy trailer with them, and tell you that's what the game is, regardless if its only 10 seconds of the most epic section in the game that lasts the whole of 1 minute with the rest of the 4 hours being mediocre.
Additionally, I said SOMEWHAT screwed. Its not to the level of Duke Nukem, or Mass Effect 3, but I'm not exactly satisfied with my purchase.

As for buying it after release, maybe. If I got bored and there wasn't a lot else for me to buy I would have, however more likely I would have heard about its shallow gameplay and story, and how, for the most part, its more a hiking simulator than a game, and figured "Hey, maybe this game isn't quite so epic as all the fanboys make it out to be. Surprise surprise!", and not bought it as such.
 

LostCrusader

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Feb 3, 2011
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The only game that I preordered and hated was The Force Unleashed 2. I hadn't looked up much for the game but had loved the first one. Then I finished it in 5-6 hours of what felt like 5 different types enemies. Never preordered anything from gamestop again, and not without looking at least some of the information about it.
 

8bitmaster

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Nov 9, 2009
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I would have to say that I have some standards for preordering games. I don't preorder new IPs, because if I'm going to be getting a game on day 1, I want to know at least to some extent what I'm getting into. Essentially I pre-order sequels, or games that I may not find when I go looking. I don't like pre-orders to be honest. I think its pretty stupid to pay for something before its out, even if it gives benefits. They should just find a way to make those benefits available to everyone, even if it requires a difficult method of unlock. Granted, I preorder every so often. I right now have Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm and Crysis 3 on preorder, mainly because I already know what i'm getting into and I like physical copies of my PC games when I can because it means I don't have a 5 hour download, and if it requires a preorder to get that, so be it. So I don't like the idea of preorders, but I do it anyways. Go hypocrisy!
 

F-I-D-O

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Feb 18, 2010
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Well..
I'm a huge Alien's fan
I saw the demo for A:CM and was blown away, so I knew I would get it.
I saw the collector's edition and thought it was a badass statue (I also still have two facehuggers from the AvP 2009 CE (the first one had a broken tail, so they sent me another))
And I should be able to play it today (had it sent to my home, was away for the week) when I get back. So I've gotten to see the full crash and burn of one of my most anticipated titles.
So that'll be fun....
[sub]worst case, I have a badass statue, and I've heard the multiplayer is fun, there's split-screen, and they get sounds right [sub]*begins crying softly[/sub][/sub]
 

Clowndoe

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Aug 6, 2012
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The full list of games I've pre-ordered:

Red Orchestra 2 - Turned out well considering a lot of people were disapointed, but I loved it. I hope it's not just my fanboy talking.

Naturual Selection 2 - Technically, I bought in beta and it came out later, I guess that means I can add Minecraft to this list. Sure helped that the game had tons of people playing it so I had lots of honest information to go on.

War of the Roses - I was not about to let the Honeybadger head crest get away. I still haven't installed it yet funnily enough but I'll get around to playing eventually.
 

RoonMian

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Mar 5, 2011
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Yes... I have been gloriously screwed with Gothic 3... Gothic 1 was awesome, Gothic 2 was awesome, Gothic 3 was an insult.

After that I only ever preordered one time again and that was the collector's edition of Civ V. I'm pretty much cured of that.
 

ecoho

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Jun 16, 2010
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with the exception of too human ive never been "screwed" by preordering. mostly because i usually get to play or at least watch people play the E3 demos.(dont ask i have connections /evil grin:)
also if im preordering something i do it at gamestop and then i see what people say about the game if its bad i get my money back or put it towrds another game.