Why do people pre-order games?
- Thread starter yamy
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Sometimes to support developers (ie FromSoft)
Sometimes for goodies (ie Songbird statue Bioshock Infinite)
Sometimes discount (ie D3)
Sometimes just because i really fucking want it now.
As a relatively high level member of my local store, i can normally get pre-orders either a day before release or at midnight.
Sometimes for goodies (ie Songbird statue Bioshock Infinite)
Sometimes discount (ie D3)
Sometimes just because i really fucking want it now.
As a relatively high level member of my local store, i can normally get pre-orders either a day before release or at midnight.
If you pre-order online from a retailer like Amazon then no money is put down. So I can add a game to pre-order, and I will always get it at the cheapest price it's at before release date. I am only charged once it has been shipped, and can cancel it at any time before that moment without losing any money.
As for why you'd do it when you don't know how good the game will be, well personally I only do it for games that I know I am going to get anyway. They are almost always sequels to series I already really like, and so unless the game looks to be appalling, I know I am getting it anyway.
Plus I don't have any game shops near me. The closest I have is Asda, and they always charge at full RRP, unlike online retailers.
As for why you'd do it when you don't know how good the game will be, well personally I only do it for games that I know I am going to get anyway. They are almost always sequels to series I already really like, and so unless the game looks to be appalling, I know I am getting it anyway.
Plus I don't have any game shops near me. The closest I have is Asda, and they always charge at full RRP, unlike online retailers.
If a game is part of an established franchise that I already enjoy I will usually pre-order a game.
If a game has a good demo, I might consider it, but more often than not I will wait for reviews/ a sale.
If a game has just trailers, I will probably avoid pre-ordering it and I will wait for reviews/ a sale.
I will say however, that pre-order bonuses do affect my orders, mostly because I am somewhat of a completionist, and I have this weird desire to get everything in a game.
If a game has a good demo, I might consider it, but more often than not I will wait for reviews/ a sale.
If a game has just trailers, I will probably avoid pre-ordering it and I will wait for reviews/ a sale.
I will say however, that pre-order bonuses do affect my orders, mostly because I am somewhat of a completionist, and I have this weird desire to get everything in a game.
I've been asking that question myself lately...
A) Some games are sure to sell out as soon as they hit shelves, pre-ordering in those cases make sure you get the game on release date.
B)Sometimes you get "extras" for pre-ordering, such as exclusive items, discount at DLC, DLC for free, and other stuff. Also justifies pre-ordering, even digital preordering.
C) Makes no sense: pre-ordering digital games (or movies or songs) when you don't get any sort of incentive for it... I'm a fan of digital purchases, movies, songs, games etc. If I can buy it digital, that's how I'll probably roll. The other day I'm at the iTunes store, and I see Django for pre-order, that's when I asked myself, there're no extras or discount for me to buy it as a pre-order, nor is iTunes going to sell out all the movies because, well, it's DIGITAL...
What I think, many people, me included, sometimes go on auto mode and don't think while pre-ordering: I pre-ordered The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 at iTunes, that didn't cause me any problem mind you, I paid a normal value, and got my product as good as any, but there was no valid reason I couldn't wait and just buy it later on. I believe we're so used to the pre-order thing of hard copies that CAN sell out, that sometimes we no longer think about the reasons for a pre order...
A) Some games are sure to sell out as soon as they hit shelves, pre-ordering in those cases make sure you get the game on release date.
B)Sometimes you get "extras" for pre-ordering, such as exclusive items, discount at DLC, DLC for free, and other stuff. Also justifies pre-ordering, even digital preordering.
C) Makes no sense: pre-ordering digital games (or movies or songs) when you don't get any sort of incentive for it... I'm a fan of digital purchases, movies, songs, games etc. If I can buy it digital, that's how I'll probably roll. The other day I'm at the iTunes store, and I see Django for pre-order, that's when I asked myself, there're no extras or discount for me to buy it as a pre-order, nor is iTunes going to sell out all the movies because, well, it's DIGITAL...
What I think, many people, me included, sometimes go on auto mode and don't think while pre-ordering: I pre-ordered The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 at iTunes, that didn't cause me any problem mind you, I paid a normal value, and got my product as good as any, but there was no valid reason I couldn't wait and just buy it later on. I believe we're so used to the pre-order thing of hard copies that CAN sell out, that sometimes we no longer think about the reasons for a pre order...
I've pre-ordered a few games, BF3, XCOM, Deus Ex Revo, Dishonoured, and Hitman Absolutelycrap. All five games had a substantial discount, at least 25% and for BF3 I got it half the price it was selling at retail. BF3 also came with a great map pack important in an online shooter. Of the five I have only been really disapointed in Dishonoured and Hitman. They certainly showed promise, but Dishonoured disapointed on a personal level and Hitman is why this console generation needs to end. It isn't the dumbing down of the game that killed it, you can turn that stuff off. It is the tiny levels and no back tracking. It just isn't Hitman anymore. Sorry got distracted.
It is a gamble, and I don't mind the odd punt.
It is a gamble, and I don't mind the odd punt.
for me..
if its a multiplayer game and my firends are going to get it
and pre-order loot
GTA5 will get this treatment
but i don't pre-order often. anyway i have been thinking of these deals below
(360)bioshockI looks amazing and comes with, premium ed ($99)
art book
lithograph print
3 power ups (digital of course)
handyman figurine
murder of crows key chain
but its single play only, so your hoping that it has replay value
(360)pre-order TOMB RAIDER ($79) and get
well, combat-strike package dlc
(ps3)the last of us ellie edition ($114) and get
(physical)
mini art book
comic book
a new skin for your ps3 controller (ellie)
screen print effect poster of ellie
(digital)
soundtrack
2p sn avatars
new ps3 theme
Ellie skin sackboy
and a bunch of multiplayer benefits
so what do you guys think i should choose? if any
if its a multiplayer game and my firends are going to get it
and pre-order loot
GTA5 will get this treatment
but i don't pre-order often. anyway i have been thinking of these deals below
(360)bioshockI looks amazing and comes with, premium ed ($99)
art book
lithograph print
3 power ups (digital of course)
handyman figurine
murder of crows key chain
but its single play only, so your hoping that it has replay value
(360)pre-order TOMB RAIDER ($79) and get
well, combat-strike package dlc
(ps3)the last of us ellie edition ($114) and get
(physical)
mini art book
comic book
a new skin for your ps3 controller (ellie)
screen print effect poster of ellie
(digital)
soundtrack
2p sn avatars
new ps3 theme
Ellie skin sackboy
and a bunch of multiplayer benefits
so what do you guys think i should choose? if any
Well, I've had a pretty good track record pre-ordering games. If I'd been burned more often than I'd been rewarded OP, I'd have stopped before now.
Regarding the object that seems to have provoked your thread, I didn't pre-order A:CM. The studio has an iffy track record in my book, I'm not a fan of anything they've ever made. Also, the last licensed Aliens game was crap. As long as you pay enough attention to say at least that much- a couple of lines, whether good or bad- about anything you plan to preorder, then you should be fine.
Why do I preorder? Sometimes I really want the goodies, but usually it's about getting a game on the release date. I live in the most rural sort of rural Cornwall, and I never go further than a minute or two from my front door for reasons. Retail is not an option.
Regarding the object that seems to have provoked your thread, I didn't pre-order A:CM. The studio has an iffy track record in my book, I'm not a fan of anything they've ever made. Also, the last licensed Aliens game was crap. As long as you pay enough attention to say at least that much- a couple of lines, whether good or bad- about anything you plan to preorder, then you should be fine.
Why do I preorder? Sometimes I really want the goodies, but usually it's about getting a game on the release date. I live in the most rural sort of rural Cornwall, and I never go further than a minute or two from my front door for reasons. Retail is not an option.
Only time I will ever pre-order these days is if there is an art book involved. I love looking at concept art. Seeing how an idea progressed and grew and reading artists elaborations on their work. What the idea was, why it changed ect. But I have even learned now not to even bother with those seeing how the amount of concept art is minimal and most of it you likely saw online already.
Otherwise...come on there isn?t really any game coming out these days that you won?t be able to buy normally off the shelf like all us mortals on day one or two or three or a month from release.
Otherwise...come on there isn?t really any game coming out these days that you won?t be able to buy normally off the shelf like all us mortals on day one or two or three or a month from release.
I don't, because I find it stupid to do so. I used to, but with digital distribution nowadays, I don't see a reason to anymore. I never buy hardcopies for my PC, and it's my main gaming platform. I more or less mirror Totalbiscuit's opinion on the subject.
It depends on the game for me.
I pre ordered Torchlight 2 because I got Torchlight 1 for FREE having never owned it and only playing a friends copy, plus the other pre order incentive was that it was 20% off if pre ordered.
I pre ordered Borderlands 2 because I absolutely loved Borderlands and all but one of it's DLC packs, pretty much every aspect of it was what I wanted. Borderlands 2 I knew was going to be an excellent PC port and that is all I was worried about when it was announced.
Besides that I wouldn't bother with such a generic concept for a franchise that wasn't very well established in the last few years. Even if I loved Aliens this new game never seemed like it would have been good even watching the demo.
I pre ordered Torchlight 2 because I got Torchlight 1 for FREE having never owned it and only playing a friends copy, plus the other pre order incentive was that it was 20% off if pre ordered.
I pre ordered Borderlands 2 because I absolutely loved Borderlands and all but one of it's DLC packs, pretty much every aspect of it was what I wanted. Borderlands 2 I knew was going to be an excellent PC port and that is all I was worried about when it was announced.
Besides that I wouldn't bother with such a generic concept for a franchise that wasn't very well established in the last few years. Even if I loved Aliens this new game never seemed like it would have been good even watching the demo.
Simple, I live in a small town, with a rather small video game store.
I rather not risk of the game I want being sold out.
Also, I pre-order games I know I will like.
Most of the time those are either sequels or long running series.
I have been wrong, of course.
I pre-ordered Spore, because of the Creature Creator and I personally felt that game was a waste of zero's and one's.
I rather not risk of the game I want being sold out.
Also, I pre-order games I know I will like.
Most of the time those are either sequels or long running series.
I have been wrong, of course.
I pre-ordered Spore, because of the Creature Creator and I personally felt that game was a waste of zero's and one's.
For consoles, it's easy. If I'm probably going to be buying the game anyway, I'll usually pre-order. Guarantees me a copy (and, yes, it's very possible for a store to run out of copies of something on day one, especially if you're talking special editions). I don't pay any more than I would otherwise. I get any pre-order goodies that may be on offer. And, if I decide I don't want Game X at some point, I can just switch the credit to another pre-order or purchase.
For PC as far as downloads go.. I'm not sure. It's usually cheaper I guess, but I doubt I'd ever pre-order something downloadable. Sure I may save some money, but there's no way to go back if the thing you've pre-ordered starts looking like garbage before it releases but after you've paid.
For PC as far as downloads go.. I'm not sure. It's usually cheaper I guess, but I doubt I'd ever pre-order something downloadable. Sure I may save some money, but there's no way to go back if the thing you've pre-ordered starts looking like garbage before it releases but after you've paid.
If I pre-order a game, it's usually because I want to play it.
Sure, it's smarter to wait a few months for the price to go down. Apart from maybe a couple of pre-order bonuses, the game's not going to be much different. But in those few months, there's a game out there I want that I'm not playing and other people are and they might be having a grand old time with it.
Especially with fighting games, which I've been playing a lot recently. Most of the gameplay comes from fighting other people, so everyone with the game is getting more practice and figuring the game out while those without are falling behind. Guess that goes for a lot of games though.
Also you're spending less time sheltering yourself from spoilers if you've already played the game. That's a plus.
Sure, it's smarter to wait a few months for the price to go down. Apart from maybe a couple of pre-order bonuses, the game's not going to be much different. But in those few months, there's a game out there I want that I'm not playing and other people are and they might be having a grand old time with it.
Especially with fighting games, which I've been playing a lot recently. Most of the gameplay comes from fighting other people, so everyone with the game is getting more practice and figuring the game out while those without are falling behind. Guess that goes for a lot of games though.
Also you're spending less time sheltering yourself from spoilers if you've already played the game. That's a plus.
Because Collector's Editions are first in first served and I would like to know my Batman/Wonder Woman statue belongs to me before I walk into the store.
Really, I only ever pre-order $10-$15 indie games that I know I'll buy anyway and I want to support them ahead of time (or have a 25% discount), or games with Collector's Editions that I want to know I'll actually get. I'm going to pre-purchase Injustice: Gods Among Us for the Collector's Edition; even knowing full well the game could be not all that good, I would to guarantee I have all those physical DC goodies because I'm such a DC Comics fan.
So yeah. That's why I pre-order games. Discounts, supporting smaller companies, and guaranteeing a copy of a limited supply run of products.
Really, I only ever pre-order $10-$15 indie games that I know I'll buy anyway and I want to support them ahead of time (or have a 25% discount), or games with Collector's Editions that I want to know I'll actually get. I'm going to pre-purchase Injustice: Gods Among Us for the Collector's Edition; even knowing full well the game could be not all that good, I would to guarantee I have all those physical DC goodies because I'm such a DC Comics fan.
So yeah. That's why I pre-order games. Discounts, supporting smaller companies, and guaranteeing a copy of a limited supply run of products.
Actually, these days you almost always DO get something additional when you preorder a game. Alot of times thats why I do it, especially when its a game I have no doubt I am going to buy anyway. If its a Mass Effect, Halo, Gears of War, or a Dead Space game, I am going to buy it, and I might as well preorder it to secure any additional content. I also usually get the special editions of these particular games, and I want to make sure I get a copy, just in case it sells out. I got talked into preordering Aliens, though, and I still havent gone by the store. I only plopped down $5 but I am going to flat out refuse the game, and ask them to let me put it on Gears:Judgement, instead.yamy said: