Why Would Anyone Preorder A Console?

[Hunter Hyena]

This is a question that has been bugging me for a while now, and one that I can never seem to find an answer for.

Why would anyone preorder a console?

What benefit or reason is there to it? Odds are you'll be getting the buggiest version of the console, at the highest price (assuming it will drop in price), with about 10-20 games at launch that'll more than likely be on par with that you are playing on a current system.

I just don't really see the point to preordering a console and was wandering if anyone could shine light on why someone would, or why they wouldn't.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Because it's new, therefor consumer logic dictates you needs to have it, and if you have it before everyone else... oh man let me tell you there will be song and legend written in your name.

It's just the way people were trained to think in this society.

 

[Flutterguy]

Some people need to spend money in order to feel happy, it is a condition. Not to mention some people actually fall for advertising. Hell some people actually use Fox as their only source of news...

 

[TehCookie]

Some people want to support it and/or play the games as soon as they come out.

My dad pre-ordered the PS1 and PS2 when they came out (I was too young to have a job) and never had any issues and had fun with the games that were available. My family also used the media services a lot, even if it was just playing CDs and DVDs. As for the price, why do people pre-order games when it's going to drop in price? People want to own and play them and think it's worth full price.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Because some people would actually be satisfied with their purchase? I mean, hey why buy Games when they release, or watch movies when they come out, just wait a few years and it'll all be cheaper. I'm willing to bet a lot of people who buy on launch are very satisfied with their purchase, who are we to criticise that?

 

[NoGlobsGamer]

When you can get a gaming PC capable of 1440 p for as little as $700 I don't understand why anyone would even buy a console to begin with.

One reason I can see is the price but with everything so much more expensive on console, and with the way you have to replace consoles more often than you have to upgrade PCs, and with all the great PC exclusives that are coming out and the way so many console games just get ported anyway, the only reason I can see to buy a console is brand loyalty or to get a particular exclusive you just have to play.

 

[josemlopes]

I still think they should give a bigger incentive to launch day buyers then just "You get to play it first! Here is your e-penis upgrade!".

Remember how the 360 only had a 20Gb drive? That was the standard back then, now its at least 120Gb and the PS4 OS already takes up 1/5 of the space in their standard unit. Its very clear that they will have to increase that space later on in some other version.

They should offer a launch day promotion where you would get special discounts from PSN/XBL if you bought it on launch day (or at least during the first month or something), like for every PSN+/XBLG discounts that they usually have add on top more 10% (a 75% deal would become a 85% deal), that way if you plan of spending money on those services you will eventually be rewarded over time and they still get your money. Your loyalty and support to the console would actually bring you benefits on the long run.

For what it is now I really dont see the point, if you have a lot of money to throw around then sure, buy one but for the people that feel justified to spend 400$ to play Assassins Creed 4 with better framerate at the cost of getting the subpar version of the console that will eventually be replaced (or you end up expending more money on the drive), really?

 

[T_ConX]

The only consoles I ever bought on launch day were the Wii and the 3DS. The Wii required a preorder, while the 3DS simply required me to walk into FUCKING GameStop later in the day and buy the last one there.

The Wii preorder was motivated by Twilight Princess and Red Steel (the previews made it look good), with promises of Paper Mario and Mario Galaxy in the future.

As to the new systems, I'm holding off until some of the games I actually want (Infamous, KH3, FF15, maybe Destiny) start coming out and I can get a good bunduru deal. Until then, I have my eyes on picking up a WiiU bunduru when exams wrap up...

 

[krazykidd]

When you can get a gaming PC capable of 1440 p for as little as $700 I don't understand why anyone would even buy a console to begin with.

One reason I can see is the price but with everything so much more expensive on console, and with the way you have to replace consoles more often than you have to upgrade PCs, and with all the great PC exclusives that are coming out and the way so many console games just get ported anyway, the only reason I can see to buy a console is brand loyalty or to get a particular exclusive you just have to play.

Because not everyone is tech savvy. You do need some basic computer knowledge to game on PC. I know nothing about computers, i dont understand specs and requirements, and god help me if a game doesn't start for x,y,z reasons. I play consoles because i don't have to worry about none of that.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Because they want to be first kid on the block with one or maybe they like the launch line up? Everyone has their own reasons, I never buy at launch because I don't like not knowing enough and once they're out, all the info can be seen/read/experienced at a friends.

 

[Ghostknightxii]

Aparently people sell pre-orders for more than their original value. A guy at our local best-buy decided to order 40 PS4's and sold the pre-order slips at $65 (for a $50 pre-order) a piece. Smart until they started rejecting people who's name does not match the name on the order... poor buggar is going to have a lot of people after him.

 

[babinro]

It's new, it's exciting, and you want to try it out asap.

The OP makes a lot of good points but people don't look at things so rationally all the time. You can't just discount the games at launch either. Some of the consoles best games have appeared early on.

Ultimately it's about giving into the hype. No different to me than going to watch a movie in a theater. The cost is greater than buying the film later on which is costly when you consider a service like Netflix will probably have it within 2 years among other films for a fraction of the price.

 

[wooty]

I get asked these types of questions a LOT and the answers always the same....Well why the hell not?

Why do want to buy a PS4? Why did you spend £700 on a new gaming rig? Why do you want to buy that car? Why did you spend all that money going to Japan? Why did you buy that phone? Why do you eat there when its expensive? Why are you going out with that girl when shes a bit odd? Why do you work there when you dont like it? Why do you keep picking your nose?

I give the same answer always, "Because I want to, why not?"

 

[Ghostknightxii]

Pre-order may not necessarily mean "oh my god i'm buying into the hype!! dont care if it's crap!" could mean "hm.. if i pre-order now i can pick it up 30 days from launch and not have to worry about shortages".

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Some people want to support it and/or play the games as soon as they come out.

My dad pre-ordered the PS1 and PS2 when they came out (I was too young to have a job) and never had any issues and had fun with the games that were available. My family also used the media services a lot, even if it was just playing CDs and DVDs. As for the price, why do people pre-order games when it's going to drop in price? People want to own and play them and think it's worth full price.

Difference with the PS1 and PS2 was that there was no online functionality, therefore much less things to go wrong with it.

These days how many games launch with netcode problems, even low impact. And then consider that a console is considerably more expensive and vital to your gaming session. If your console is having problems, you can't play any of it's games.

Captcha says that I win, it's words not mine.

 

[Doom-Slayer]

This is a question that has been bugging me for a while now, and one that I can never seem to find an answer for.

Why would anyone preorder a console?

What benefit or reason is there to it? Odds are you'll be getting the buggiest version of the console, at the highest price (assuming it will drop in price), with about 10-20 games at launch that'll more than likely be on par with that you are playing on a current system.

I just don't really see the point to preordering a console and was wandering if anyone could shine light on why someone would, or why they wouldn't.

The same reason people preorder games. Because regardless of reviews they know they want it, and therefore they want it as soon as possible.

Also you tend to get discounts/bonus stuff.

Its not complicated.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

This is a question that has been bugging me for a while now, and one that I can never seem to find an answer for.

Why would anyone preorder a console?

What benefit or reason is there to it? Odds are you'll be getting the buggiest version of the console, at the highest price (assuming it will drop in price), with about 10-20 games at launch that'll more than likely be on par with that you are playing on a current system.

I just don't really see the point to preordering a console and was wandering if anyone could shine light on why someone would, or why they wouldn't.

The same reason people preorder games. Because regardless of reviews they know they want it, and therefore they want it as soon as possible.

Also you tend to get discounts/bonus stuff.

Its not complicated.

The difference here being a console costing 5-6 times as much as a game, likely being the worst version of the console with future upgrades improving it (RRoD anyone?) and having only a few games at launch worth playing. A console is an investment you expect to last for years, whereas a game you can devote just a couple of weeks to. When you buy a console, you want to know you're getting a quality product, not a beta version. A game can be fixed via free patches, but no amount of digital data can fix problems in the console's structure like the Red Ring of Death. And what kind of discounts or bonus stuff do you get when preordering a console? With games you can get DLC, extra weapons, skins, additional levels etc., but what do you get with a console?

 

[Kaimax]

Besides the obvious they want to play the games as early as possible, there's also the "shallow" but self-satisfying feeling that you're one of the first people in your neighborhood to get that brand new console, that feeling always comes with everything new about ANY technology.

 

[xPixelatedx]

Why would anyone preorder a console?

What benefit or reason is there to it? Odds are you'll be getting the buggiest version of the console, at the highest price (assuming it will drop in price), with about 10-20 games at launch that'll more than likely be on par with that you are playing on a current system.

It's just the way people were trained to think in this society.

Some people need to spend money in order to feel happy, it is a condition. Not to mention some people actually fall for advertising. Hell some people actually use Fox as their only source of news...

I had no interest in the PS3 when it came out, even though I was a PS1/PS2 gamer for the longest time. Of course I wanted one, but why get it now? The launch games (and even launch windows games) for the PS3 were Terrible, just terrible. PS3s were always on store shelves, I literally saw them every single time I went shopping. So when MGS4 was coming around the corner, you can understand my excitement to finally have a reason to get one and my lack of urgency in grabbing it before the game arrived. The day MGS4 came out I went out and bought it, but oddly enough that store (for the first time ever) was out of PS3s. Strange, I thought, so I went to another store. Theirs were gone to... To cut the story short, all PS3s mysteriously vanished that day, because it turns out there is an entire other demographic who also waits for the day that one killer app comes out. I called Best Buy and asked them when they were going to get their next shipment in, they said I could be put on the waiting list for callbacks. I would be number 87. FUCK....

Never again...

Being 30, I've learned two important lessons in life over the last decade. The first one is not to be like a child and buy everything 'right now' out of impatience. The second is don't be so childish to think that first, shallow lesson is real at all, and it takes a truly adult understanding of the world to realize every moment in life is fleeting. Nothing is guaranteed and tomorrow might not come, at least not in the fashion you think it will.