Should I pre-order?

[Oobedoob S Benubi]

I pre-ordered mostly because I could pre-order it for €19 ifI traded in two older games. I figure if I get through the single player I'll just sell it on again, will even be more profitable than trying to sell those two old games on their own. And I get a cool Star Wars USB stick along with it now.

 

I generally only pre-order if there's a collector's edition or if there is a pre-order sale such as the one I just described (or hose 20% pre-order sales on PSN of Double Fine remaster titles). If it's just he regular game, I generally speaking don't pre-order, with the exception of Zelda, which I wanted physical and was sold out on release, as expected. I also pre-ordered Super Mario Odyssey for the same reason though I've been thinking about just buying that one digitally.

[Dreakon13]

2 hours ago, SkyMason said:

 

1. Released a broken,unplayable game (i.e. Arkham Knight on PC, Bayonetta on PS3)

2. Flat out lied about how the game functions and actually plays (No Man's Sky)

3. Held back content and released an unfinished game (FFXV)

4. Put day one DLC and endless microtransactions 'for the players' (activision, WB games, EA)

 

 

1. Given the nature of the PC (the risk of hoping your specs meet a games requirements), that's a platform you don't really want to pre-order on.  Flat out broken games virtually never happens on console anymore, as evidenced by having to dip into last generation for an example... even then I'd bet the number is pretty sparse.

 

2. I preordered No Man's Sky and have been of the opinion that people blew that enormously out of proportion (surprise, surprise).  It was a fine game on launch, albeit underwhelming based on what was advertised.  Again, that sort of thing virtually never happens, so everyone made an example of it.

 

3. I also preordered Final Fantasy XV, I don't recall the held back content?  They've done some updates to help smooth out the edges, but they were all free.  The vanilla game was effectively my GOTY 2016... I'm glad I didn't wait a year to play it because some knuckleheads online call it unfinished.

 

4. Might just be me but I'm just not a fan of most genres where microtransactions would ever actually matter.  Day one DLC doesn't bother me unless it actually impacts the quality of the content I'm given, which it rarely does (what's the last game with non-cosmetic day one DLC anyways?).  These are things usually known well before release, by the way.

 

 

I mean, sure... is it less risky to be paranoid about every new release?  Of course.  You can tirelessly look for problems if your that worried about catching the 1 out of every 50 releases that have "legit" issues.  At the end of the day though, the number of releases that are fun and playable vastly vastly vastly outweigh the broken, unfinished, misleading games... enough so that I've had little reason to change my views on preorders.

 

Unless you spend a little too much time online... then as it turns out... every game release is the worst travesty to ever happen to the industry, and every publisher/developer are evil and stomp all over consumer rights, etc, etc, etc.  Who knew?

Edited October 19, 2017 by Dreakon13

[SkyMason]

4 minutes ago, Dreakon13 said:

 

1. Given the nature of the PC (the risk of hoping your specs meet a games requirements), that's a platform you don't really want to pre-order on.  Flat out broken games virtually never happens on console anymore, as evidenced by having to dip into last generation for an example... even then I'd bet the number is pretty sparse.

 

2. I preordered No Man's Sky and have been of the opinion that people blew that enormously out of proportion (surprise, surprise).  It was a fine game on launch, albeit underwhelming based on what was advertised.  Again, that sort of thing virtually never happens, so everyone made an example of it.

 

3. I also preordered Final Fantasy XV, I don't recall the held back content?  They've done some updates to help smooth out the edges, but they were all free.  The vanilla game was effectively my GOTY 2016... I'm glad I didn't wait a year to play it because some knuckleheads online call it unfinished.

 

4. Might just be me but I'm just not a fan of most genres where microtransactions would ever actually matter.  Day one DLC doesn't bother me unless it actually impacts the quality of the content I'm given, which it rarely does (what's the last game with non-cosmetic day one DLC anyways?).  These are things usually known well before release, by the way.

 

 

I mean, sure... is it less risky to be paranoid about every new release?  Of course.  You can tirelessly look for problems if your that worried about catching the 1 out of every 50 releases that have legit issues.  At the end of the day though, the number of releases that are fun and playable vastly vastly vastly outweigh the broken, unfinished, misleading games.  Unless you spend a little too much time online... then as it turns out... every game release is the worst travesty to ever happen to the industry, and every publisher/developer are evil and stomp all over consumer rights, etc, etc, etc.  Who knew?

 

1. Fair enough, I'll name a few from this gen on console that were unplayable/an absolute mess on launch: Mass Effect: Andromeda, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Assassin's Creed Unity, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Driveclub, Battlefield 4. All big games, all 'triple A' releases. Honorable mention Street Fighter V - absolute barebones and the servers just flat out didn't function as they should have for months.

2. Doesn't matter if you liked it or not, it's been well documented the guy who made it flat out lied about what was in the game. Promised features were completely absent.

3. I'll concede this is more personal opinion (I have the plat for it), but even the director himself has noted that the game felt incomplete and that the story was poorly explained, and that they are working to finish up the story. I can send you a link to that one if you like!

4. Fair enough, but just because you don't buy those kind of games doesn't mean it isn't a problem for people who do. And they are not necessarily always known about before release.

 

I don't think it's fair to say "1 out of every 50 releases have legit issues" because that's just nonsense. Most games are released buggy and ahead of schedule because it's so simple to just patch it a couple weeks after launch.

 

You probs have the wrong idea about what I'm getting at - other than FFXV (because I've been an FF fan since the late 90s) I really don't care about how games are released if I've no interest in them and I don't go looking for some outrage to moan about. If it's released buggy, broken or whatever - cool, no problem for me. But I've been burnt enough times by crappy launches to disregard any notion of pre-ordering until I know I won't be burnt. I buy games other people think are awful, and I avoid other games which most people love - I fully respect that it's up to the consumer and only the consumer to consider whether or not something has value. But pre-ordering just opens up risk, but when I know that risk is gone then I jump in and make up my own mind.

 

My message is simple: Buyer Beware. The risk is your own but pre-ordering is just IMO giving the devs a free pass - if I know it works how it should work then I'll go to the game shop or order it and receive it the next day. What's the difference?

[Dreakon13]

1 hour ago, SkyMason said:

 

1. Fair enough, I'll name a few from this gen on console that were unplayable/an absolute mess on launch: Mass Effect: Andromeda, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Assassin's Creed Unity, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Driveclub, Battlefield 4. All big games, all 'triple A' releases. Honorable mention Street Fighter V - absolute barebones and the servers just flat out didn't function as they should have for months.

2. Doesn't matter if you liked it or not, it's been well documented the guy who made it flat out lied about what was in the game. Promised features were completely absent.

3. I'll concede this is more personal opinion (I have the plat for it), but even the director himself has noted that the game felt incomplete and that the story was poorly explained, and that they are working to finish up the story. I can send you a link to that one if you like!

4. Fair enough, but just because you don't buy those kind of games doesn't mean it isn't a problem for people who do. And they are not necessarily always known about before release.

 

I don't think it's fair to say "1 out of every 50 releases have legit issues" because that's just nonsense. Most games are released buggy and ahead of schedule because it's so simple to just patch it a couple weeks after launch.

 

You probs have the wrong idea about what I'm getting at - other than FFXV (because I've been an FF fan since the late 90s) I really don't care about how games are released if I've no interest in them and I don't go looking for some outrage to moan about. If it's released buggy, broken or whatever - cool, no problem for me. But I've been burnt enough times by crappy launches to disregard any notion of pre-ordering until I know I won't be burnt. I buy games other people think are awful, and I avoid other games which most people love - I fully respect that it's up to the consumer and only the consumer to consider whether or not something has value. But pre-ordering just opens up risk, but when I know that risk is gone then I jump in and make up my own mind.

 

My message is simple: Buyer Beware. The risk is your own but pre-ordering is just IMO giving the devs a free pass - if I know it works how it should work then I'll go to the game shop or order it and receive it the next day. What's the difference?

 

1. And I can name people who played those games and thoroughly enjoyed them, and can attest to how their issues were largely blown out of proportion (again... surprise, surprise).  Multiplayer games may be more prone to issues due to the nature of online play... duly noted.  Been that way since the internets humble beginnings... not an excuse, but rather a risk no matter when you buy it.

 

(EDIT: Plus, that list covers the "biggies" as far as buggy launches go and spans what... 3-4 years?  How many big releases are there per year?  Like 20-30?  1 out of 50 maybe isn't that far off.  How about 2 out of 40?  Still pretty good odds.)

 

2. It's all about how big a deal you want to make it.  No Man's Sky was a worthy scandal I'll give you that, once people realized they had something real to complain about for a change they pounced like starving hyenas.  Is the game enjoyable? That's all that matters.  If you prefer to derive your opinions based on headlines and meme's in YouTube comment sections, by all means.

 

3. Don't need a link.  If the developers are actively working to improve their vision of the game (most likely based on user feedback that I may or may not agree with)... it was a worthwhile investment to support them with a preorder.  In the meantime, I got to enjoy my GOTY 2016... in 2016.

 

4. They really are usually reported on before release.

 

 

I do feel like it's awfully easy for people to get hung up on the outrage these days.  Hence why I'm inclined to lean towards "giving the devs a free pass" on games I'm interested in and drawing my own opinions vs. assuming everyone is out to get me and that random internet guys opinions aren't as exaggerated as anyone elses.

 

EDIT: Not to say there aren't situations where some level of outrage isn't warranted (ie. No Man's Sky)... but too often you see the hate wagon's circling around otherwise functional games for no reason other than having some bugs (as ALL games do; don't kid yourselves) that led to unflattering meme's finding their way online.

Edited October 19, 2017 by Dreakon13

[Stargazer2600]

3 hours ago, Dreakon13 said:

I do feel like it's awfully easy for people to get hung up on the outrage these days.  Hence why I'm inclined to lean towards "giving the devs a free pass" on games I'm interested in and drawing my own opinions vs. assuming everyone is out to get me and that random internet guys opinions aren't as exaggerated as anyone elses.

 

EDIT: Not to say there aren't situations where some level of outrage isn't warranted (ie. No Man's Sky)... but too often you see the hate wagon's circling around otherwise functional games for no reason other than having some bugs (as ALL games do; don't kid yourselves) that led to unflattering meme's finding their way online.

I agree with you here. I really enjoyed Mass Effect Andromeda. However it got so much hate that what could have been a new trilogy just got canned because "the facial animations arn't what I wanted"

[starcrunch061]

Look - I get that games aren't as bad or broken as people say, though it doesn't do to completely go to the other side on this. For example:

 

26 minutes ago, Stargazer2600 said:

I agree with you here. I really enjoyed Mass Effect Andromeda. However it got so much hate that what could have been a new trilogy just got canned because "the facial animations arn't what I wanted"

 

No - there were plenty of other complaints about Andromeda besides facial animation. You can argue that those other complaints were unwarranted, but to say that the only reason people hated Andromeda was facial animation is just wrong-headed. 

 

That being said, I don't think that's why people didn't buy it. I think most people didn't buy it because they had no interest in it. EA tried to make feet for children's shoes, and it just didn't work. 

 

But that's neither here nor there. People can do what they wish with their own money, but I, for the life of me, cannot fathom the reasons behind a pre-order. Again, if there is some advantage that I'm not seeing, fair enough. But a lot of people are saying simply that they pre-order due to excitement, and I don't understand such irrationality. If there is limited supply (such as seats in a theater for a new film), that's one thing. But this "Day One Digital"? There is literally NO supply problem. 

 

As an example, I am super excited about dinner on Friday. There's a great restaurant tucked away in Ames that sells an awesome Chinese hot pot for fifty bucks. But excited as I am, I would never pay them for that meal in advance. And this is for something that I KNOW the quality will be superb.

[YemmytheFerret]

1 hour ago, starcrunch061 said:

But that's neither here nor there. People can do what they wish with their own money, but I, for the life of me, cannot fathom the reasons behind a pre-order. Again, if there is some advantage that I'm not seeing, fair enough. But a lot of people are saying simply that they pre-order due to excitement, and I don't understand such irrationality. If there is limited supply (such as seats in a theater for a new film), that's one thing. But this "Day One Digital"? There is literally NO supply problem. 

 

As an example, I am super excited about dinner on Friday. There's a great restaurant tucked away in Ames that sells an awesome Chinese hot pot for fifty bucks. But excited as I am, I would never pay them for that meal in advance. And this is for something that I KNOW the quality will be superb.

I use pre ordering to pay off the game in small chunks before it comes out.  Yes I know everyone hates GameStop but putting ten bucks on a new game every so often works better for me than spending all the money at once.  And if by the time the game comes out it's getting terrible reviews I just put the money on something else.  Plus, the people at the GS I go to know me so if I don't like a game I can take it back and get a full refund 

Edited October 19, 2017 by Muskratateer

[SkyMason]

5 hours ago, Dreakon13 said:

 

1. And I can name people who played those games and thoroughly enjoyed them, and can attest to how their issues were largely blown out of proportion (again... surprise, surprise).  Multiplayer games may be more prone to issues due to the nature of online play... duly noted.  Been that way since the internets humble beginnings... not an excuse, but rather a risk no matter when you buy it.

 

(EDIT: Plus, that list covers the "biggies" as far as buggy launches go and spans what... 3-4 years?  How many big releases are there per year?  Like 20-30?  1 out of 50 maybe isn't that far off.  How about 2 out of 40?  Still pretty good odds.)

 

2. It's all about how big a deal you want to make it.  No Man's Sky was a worthy scandal I'll give you that, once people realized they had something real to complain about for a change they pounced like starving hyenas.  Is the game enjoyable? That's all that matters.  If you prefer to derive your opinions based on headlines and meme's in YouTube comment sections, by all means.

 

3. Don't need a link.  If the developers are actively working to improve their vision of the game (most likely based on user feedback that I may or may not agree with)... it was a worthwhile investment to support them with a preorder.  In the meantime, I got to enjoy my GOTY 2016... in 2016.

 

4. They really are usually reported on before release.

 

 

I do feel like it's awfully easy for people to get hung up on the outrage these days.  Hence why I'm inclined to lean towards "giving the devs a free pass" on games I'm interested in and drawing my own opinions vs. assuming everyone is out to get me and that random internet guys opinions aren't as exaggerated as anyone elses.

 

EDIT: Not to say there aren't situations where some level of outrage isn't warranted (ie. No Man's Sky)... but too often you see the hate wagon's circling around otherwise functional games for no reason other than having some bugs (as ALL games do; don't kid yourselves) that led to unflattering meme's finding their way online.

 

Most of my point was my last paragraph, this isn't really a conversation more just two people trying to confirm their biases (including very much me), I feel like you misrepresented what I was actually trying to get at - the 'outrage' thing and being overly zealous about developer/publisher practices isn't really what I was trying to get at, at all.

 

The internet does indeed blow things out of proportion, but being cautious about what a publisher's marketing is trying to sell you sight unseen and just generally keeping yourself better informed about what you are putting your hard earned money down for is not 'buying into the hysteria'.

 

I'm by no means advocating for the big circlejerk of being overly cynical and negative about every big game being put out by a big publisher because that's self defeating, but I don't also advocate pre-ordering because it is at the end of the day putting blind trust in marketing and brand recognition - obviously that works for you but it doesn't for me, all said and done.

 

If you buy into the 'outrage' you were probably looking for a reason to hate that game anyway, it takes a lot for people to change their mind, people are generally quite stubborn with their tastes. Would I still buy FFXVI day one? Sure, if I knew two things - that it worked out of the box and that they didn't take the piss with the DLC. Even if it got 1/100 on metacritic and people said you played as a literal turd rolling around on a field I would still pick it up, because I have enough faith in that product. But I would not pre-order it unless I knew there was a baseline level of functionality that I expect. I have enough games and played enough crap to feel like I got burnt bad by buying at launch - my experience not yours obviously!

[DennisWilles]

Why would you give money to someone for absolutely nothing in return right now? Pre-ordering is always a dumb choice. 

[Dreakon13]

EDIT: At the end of the day, there isn't much point in arguing for pre-orders.  Obviously the safer route tends to be the better route.

 

But it's not about limited availability or preorder bonuses.  It's kind of like seeing a movie you're excited about on opening night.  You don't need to know if the movie is "good" first... if the special effects look right... if the story makes sense from start to finish... if there's a cliffhanger for the inevitable Part 2... etc, etc.  Hell, you don't even want to know.  You just want to slap some money down and have that digital seat set aside for you.

 

Sometimes life doesn't have to be about being overly paranoid with your "hard earned cash".   And I say this knowing full well that people in this thread, by their own admission, have preordered games before.  So you "get it"... as much as you secretly hate yourselves for it.

 

 

2 hours ago, DennisWilles said:

Why would you give money to someone for absolutely nothing in return right now? Pre-ordering is always a dumb choice. 

 

What about if you buy the game the day it's released instead of preordering the day before?  There's no difference.  It's not a "dumb choice"... it's the same choice just one day earlier.  Seems like an odd line to draw.

Edited October 19, 2017 by Dreakon13

[SkyMason]

2 hours ago, Dreakon13 said:

EDIT: At the end of the day, there isn't much point in arguing for pre-orders.  Obviously the safer route tends to be the better route.

 

But it's not about limited availability or preorder bonuses.  It's kind of like seeing a movie you're excited about on opening night.  You don't need to know if the movie is "good" first... if the special effects look right... if the story makes sense from start to finish... if there's a cliffhanger for the inevitable Part 2... etc, etc.  Hell, you don't even want to know.  You just want to slap some money down and have that digital seat set aside for you.

 

Sometimes life doesn't have to be about being overly paranoid with your "hard earned cash".   And I say this knowing full well that people in this thread, by their own admission, have preordered games before.  So you "get it"... as much as you secretly hate yourselves for it.

 

 

 

What about if you buy the game the day it's released instead of preordering the day before?  There's no difference.  It's not a "dumb choice"... it's the same choice just one day earlier.  Seems like an odd line to draw.

 

The movie analogy doesn't work, going to the cinema (expensive as it is) is a 2 hour commitment that costs a fraction of what a new game does. Also, trailers influence watch people watch... but so does word of mouth, maybe even more so. Not sure that works either. Purely opinion either way. This isn't paranoia, this is making sure what is for some people a lot of money, to not be taken for a ride. Of course the majority of people have pre-ordered a game, but I'm also guessing the majority of people have ended up regretting doing exactly that when they wish they were a little more patient and got an inkling of how good/bad word of mouth is.

 

You make it sound like people only find these opinions from arsehole YouTubers - they consult their friends, gaming mags/sites, forums (like the one you're on! *gasp*) and so on. The problem isn't the YouTubers who you obviously dislike, it's people not seeking a plurality of opinions. If the majority of people say it smells, looks and feels like shite, it probably is, no matter how much the shiny advert told you otherwise.

 

What people do with their own money is their own business, but $60/£40 is not an insignificant amount of money for most people, and while you can take the odd risk there's no need when:

 

1. Prices usually drop quite severely not long after release.

2. GOTY editions down the line

3. Thanks to online shopping/digital it will never be out of stock

 

Pre-orders are pretty redundant nowadays and other than limited prints I really don't see the point of needing to 'guarantee' you will get a copy day one. Ease of access is so good that the advantages you get from pre-ordering anyway are pretty minimal, if any.

 

And yes, the safer route is the better route, I'm glad you finally saw sense!

[Charizarzar]

I've preordered but then I got a ton of enjoyment out of the first game, and still play daily (not saying that it didn't have a lot of faults). I've done it more because of my mediocre internet and wanting a headstart on the download.

 

 

[Dreakon13]

3 minutes ago, SkyMason said:

 

The movie analogy doesn't work, going to the cinema (expensive as it is) is a 2 hour commitment that costs a fraction of what a new game does. Also, trailers influence watch people watch... but so does word of mouth, maybe even more so. Not sure that works either. Purely opinion either way. This isn't paranoia, this is making sure what is for some people a lot of money, to not be taken for a ride. Of course the majority of people have pre-ordered a game, but I'm also guessing the majority of people have ended up regretting doing exactly that when they wish they were a little more patient and got an inkling of how good/bad word of mouth is.

 

You make it sound like people only find these opinions from arsehole YouTubers - they consult their friends, gaming mags/sites, forums (like the one you're on! *gasp*) and so on. The problem isn't the YouTubers who you obviously dislike, it's people not seeking a plurality of opinions. If the majority of people say it smells, looks and feels like shite, it probably is, no matter how much the shiny advert told you otherwise.

 

What people do with their own money is their own business, but $60/£40 is not an insignificant amount of money for most people, and while you can take the odd risk there's no need when:

 

1. Prices usually drop quite severely not long after release.

2. GOTY editions down the line

3. Thanks to online shopping/digital it will never be out of stock

 

The analogy is conceptually the same and was to demonstrate why excitement is indeed a thing in these circumstances, even if people find it irrational.  The time and money commitment only matters depending on your personal situation... which you shouldn't let cloud the bigger picture if you're going to debate it.  Gaming was never a cheap hobby.

 

I would include gaming mags/sites and forums (like this one! *gasp*) in the group of people that I generally wouldn't let tell me if a game is worth it for me.  Good toilet material aside.  I'd include friends, but my friends IRL aren't really gamers anyways, so that's moot.

 

Generally speaking I don't follow a games marketing.  I don't listen to every interview and development diary.  In all likelihood if I'm interested in a game its because the genre appeals to me, I want to support those particular developers for one reason or another and/or because I've enjoyed previous games in a series/franchise... not as much the "shiny adverts".  Cute though.  No Man's Sky is probably the only pre-order I've made that didn't follow those general rules... but I guess you could call that the "odd risk" I took.  Somehow I survived.

[Oobedoob S Benubi]

It's weird how each time a discussion about a pre-order starts, people come in and say that pre-ordering is stupid, while it's just a different opinion.

 

Never mind that most stores that allow pre-orders won't make you pay until you've actually picked up the game and allow you to cancel your pre-order even right on release (five days after release, in the case of the store I pre-order at). That's most of the anti pre-order arguments made invalid right there.

 

Some people just like the collector's edition or plain pre-order extra's, or the pre-order sales, or paying off a game bit by bit in advance, or trading in games for store credit and putting it in an upcoming game, or the pre-downloading of the digital version so they can start right away at midnight, or whatever the hell their reason is. It's their reason. Give it a rest already.

[Alantor32]

Oh wow, this is becoming a heated debate. But TC, I would like to give you my thoughts about pre-ordering stuff.

 

I think pre-ordering is normal, although it does have some risks, but other than that, it's okay to pre-order games even if people feel the games that were released didn't have what they expected.

 

Take me for example, I almost always pre-order games from either Gamestop or from the PS Store to get the cool stuff to help me out in the game that I pre-ordered or to dress up my characters in awesome costumes. But sadly, my parents are always busy and I have to work hard to earn the stuff I want. But other than that, I'm okay with pre-ordering games while taking the risks. I pre-ordered Secret of Mana for the PS4 and got the free avatars for that game. So if you want to pre-order a game, go right ahead. Some people might convince you to not pre-order games because of what they feel about pre-ordering, but if a game has pre-order bonuses that interested you, go right ahead and pre-order it.

 

And I noticed the discussion about FFXV in this thread and I would like to add my two-cents about this:

 

FFXV is a great game and I am glad that I got it on my birthday last year. I also enjoyed the updates they give to the game. There are those who think FFXV is a bad game and updates to it was a bad idea to begin with. But most of them were haters or trolls. I would ignore the negative opinions even if they do have some points.

 

Other than that, it's up to you to decide if you should pre-order or not. 

[Dreakon13]

To wrap this up for me, my general rule with buying any new game is this...

 

Games aren't good or bad (to you) until YOU play it.  Every game purchase is a "risk".  No matter how many reviews you read, no matter how many Let's Plays you watch.  Whether you buy a game before its released, the day it comes out, or three years after.  That being said, I don't buy games because they're good or bad, because there's no way for me to really know that... I buy them because they interest me.  I think a common problem people have is they go in expecting a game to be great and walk out disappointed.  Pre-ordering a game just exacerbates that because you not only paid full price, but you paid it before the game was even out.  Maybe because the build up got you all hyped with no payoff.

 

The problem however isn't pre-ordering.  There's virtually no difference between buying the day a game comes out and the day before.  Like someone else said, you can even cancel the pre-order after release in many cases, if you really wanted to.

 

The problem is the approach.  If you go into a new game with just a genuine interest in it, but no expectations, it doesn't matter when you buy it or what you pay (unless you really can't afford it)... because you never really get burned.  Just a lot of new and interesting games to play, for better or worse.

Edited October 19, 2017 by Dreakon13

[SkyMason]

9 hours ago, Dreakon13 said:

To wrap this up for me, my general rule with buying any new game is this...

 

Games aren't good or bad (to you) until YOU play it.  Every game purchase is a "risk".  No matter how many reviews you read, no matter how many Let's Plays you watch.  Whether you buy a game before its released, the day it comes out, or three years after.  That being said, I don't buy games because they're good or bad, because there's no way for me to really know that... I buy them because they interest me.  I think a common problem people have is they go in expecting a game to be great and walk out disappointed.  Pre-ordering a game just exacerbates that because you not only paid full price, but you paid it before the game was even out.  Maybe because the build up got you all hyped with no payoff.

 

The problem however isn't pre-ordering.  There's virtually no difference between buying the day a game comes out and the day before.  Like someone else said, you can even cancel the pre-order after release in many cases, if you really wanted to.

 

The problem is the approach.  If you go into a new game with just a genuine interest in it, but no expectations, it doesn't matter when you buy it or what you pay (unless you really can't afford it)... because you never really get burned.  Just a lot of new and interesting games to play, for better or worse.

 

Sure, I can agree with this, you phrased it better here, ultimately it IS up to the individual. When it comes to money I have one golden rule - what you do with it is your business.

10 hours ago, MMX20 said:

I would ignore the negative opinions even if they do have some points.

 

All that means is you are only listening to yourself, which is fine, other than the fact you keep inviting debate. The 'haters' and 'trolls' as you put it have actually finished the game for a start!

[starcrunch061]

18 hours ago, Dreakon13 said:

But it's not about limited availability or preorder bonuses.  It's kind of like seeing a movie you're excited about on opening night.  You don't need to know if the movie is "good" first... if the special effects look right... if the story makes sense from start to finish... if there's a cliffhanger for the inevitable Part 2... etc, etc.  Hell, you don't even want to know.  You just want to slap some money down and have that digital seat set aside for you.

 

Sometimes life doesn't have to be about being overly paranoid with your "hard earned cash".   And I say this knowing full well that people in this thread, by their own admission, have preordered games before.  So you "get it"... as much as you secretly hate yourselves for it.

 

19 hours ago, Muskratateer said:

I use pre ordering to pay off the game in small chunks before it comes out.  Yes I know everyone hates GameStop but putting ten bucks on a new game every so often works better for me than spending all the money at once.  And if by the time the game comes out it's getting terrible reviews I just put the money on something else.  Plus, the people at the GS I go to know me so if I don't like a game I can take it back and get a full refund 

 

This is what I was seeking. If there is some adrenaline rush for pre-ordering, that sounds awesome. And if someone is using pre-orders as a sort of layaway, I can get behind that, too. 

 

Dreakon mentioned this earlier, but ultimately, there is no difference, in regards to waiting for reviews, for buying the game beforehand, and buying it on release day (now that review embargoes have become a thing). Personally, I like the idea that my $60 will earn interest over that period.

 

The extra 24 cents I earn will be well spent, losers!

[Alantor32]

4 hours ago, SkyMason said:

 

Sure, I can agree with this, you phrased it better here, ultimately it IS up to the individual. When it comes to money I have one golden rule - what you do with it is your business.

 

All that means is you are only listening to yourself, which is fine, other than the fact you keep inviting debate. The 'haters' and 'trolls' as you put it have actually finished the game for a start!

Dude, it's your opinion, even if it's a bad one. Have you ever seen the FFXV board at GameFAQs? There were a lot of trolls and haters there. They claimed they finished the game, but some of them were downright lying.

[starcrunch061]

7 minutes ago, MMX20 said:

Dude, it's your opinion, even if it's a bad one. Have you ever seen the FFXV board at GameFAQs? There were a lot of trolls and haters there. They claimed they finished the game, but some of them were downright lying.

 

Trolls on gamefaqs?!? GET OUT OF HERE!

[Alantor32]

1 minute ago, starcrunch061 said:

 

Trolls on gamefaqs?!? GET OUT OF HERE!

???

[SkyMason]

Pre-orders are great!

Edited October 20, 2017 by SkyMason
Pre-orders!

[Alantor32]

1 minute ago, SkyMason said:

 

There's no such thing as a 'bad opinion', it's just an opinion you disagree with. I wouldn't go looking for any kind of validation on that board, it's just full of people trying to get a rise out of each other. My opinion is based off a full playthrough of the game, and I can respect (though disagree with) people who play through the game and feel the game's story/gameplay has no fault.

 

You, however, have not played the game past the 7th chapter and keep trying to discount other people's opinions, many of whom were disappointed with the story and gameplay once it had moved on from Lucis. You find people who crap on the game annoying, but you still haven't finished the story (what people are moaning about in the first place!) a year down the line. If you want to have a reasonable chat with people about how they find the game, then do two things: keep an open mind and then actually finish it.

*Sigh* You clearly haven't seen the FF boards on GameFAQs. They make stupid polls and other crap and bash FF games they don't liked nonstop, even FFXV. There are almost no normal discussion about FFXV or people asking for help. All I seen from the FFXV boards are stupid polls, topics with nonsense and other crap. Plus, some of the members at GameFAQs on the FF boards may be mentally unstable.

[Dreakon13]

51 minutes ago, starcrunch061 said:

If there is some adrenaline rush for pre-ordering, that sounds awesome.

 

I'm not sure I'd refer to it as an "adrenaline rush"... but there is something, cathartic I guess, about having a game you've spent months (years?) waiting for paid off and ready to go when the day comes.

 

It took me less than 15 minutes from hearing a kickstarter for Shenmue III opened to have the $200 tier backed.  I defy anyone to convince me that wasn't the right move.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Dreakon13

[YemmytheFerret]

Had to scroll to the top of the page to remind myself what the topic of the forum was