Have you stopped buying games at release?

[kail]

Nope, there will always be a game or series that I want to play asap. I bought Witcher 3 and all xpacs at release. I bought the latest Pokemon games (Y and OR) at release, and most recently Doom.

Do I ever get regretful purchases? Sure, happens to everyone. They are becoming more and more rare for me though after years of experience. That and retail platforms like Steam are getting better with return policies.

[Deleted]

I always buy cheap (russian) Keys.

[Faldric]

Didn't stop completely but I reduced Day 1 buys by a very large amount. Last game I got was the Witcher 3. And I loved the predecessors so that was not really a gamble. Currently you can get most games reduced by 25% 1-2 months after release. Typically thats also the timeframe the game needs to get patched. But most of the time I wait for the complete GOTY package at half price during a sale. If publishers hadn't stopped doing GOTY updates, I might consider a few more Day 1 buys. But probably not, I am used to waiting now. My backlog is so large I can wait 1-2 years for a game without getting bored.

[fangless]

I buy way too much at launch, typically every semi-interesting new release, and even then, some not interesting ones too.

My shelf has more than a handful of games I've yet to even open >_>

Amazon and it's 20% off new releases deal is what gets me, save money so I spend more, lol.

[Aurimas]

Years and years ago, except for xpacs for whatever mmo I'm currently playing.

Last day1 game I purchased was XCOM2, and that was the first one in a half-decade.

It takes a year or two, but then suddenly you are "out of the cycle". I still get "new" games to play every year. They're not new, but they're "new" to me. I'm on the same cycle as everyone else now, but my "new" games are a little old.

The only times it bites you are for games with a competitive or cooperative advantage that disappears when multi-players have already moved on to the next new thing. That's not a big deal since I have not had friends who play games for years either. The only other problem is remembering this game you wanted to try after it has been out of the media for a year. Steam sales help with that, and worst case scenario it saves me even more money.

I do enjoy getting all the dlc bundled together, but that's all I will say about that since it smells like something that will start a forum war... and it has little to do with the reason I don't buy day1 games.

[Karon]

Fuck Eidos Montreal and Deus Ex, another dev whose games I won't buy at release ever again

[lucred]

I VERY rarely by a game when it first comes out. I think expansions to games I already play, or dragon quest is about all that's left that I will buy at release. Others I will wait a few months for the first price drop/reviews/patches so that if/when I get the game I know I will find it worth what I pay.

[Revik]

Very rarely now but still do happen. Last Day 1 release was XCOM 2. Also Pre-Ordered Legion if that counts.

It is rare for me do nowadays. Money is tighter now but mainly games have gotten less and less interesting. Probably because I have less time to play.

I still do have a short stack of underplayed games.

[Deleted]

No I have not. I'm not a tool who doesn't research his purchase and depends on boundless Reddit hype.

I've bought 2 games at release this year: Overwatch and No Man's Sky. The rest were delayed purchases because of lack of time to play prequels (Witcher 3 and Dragon Age Inquisition among others).

Release is not "day 1" for me, it's within the first week or so.

Gamers have turned into poor entitled bitches, wanting AAA games at a $20 price tag and staging a revolt when a patch hits within the first week.

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The last game i bought on release day was Star Trek Online. First of all I really hate paying full price for games. Unless it's a $20 indie title, there just isn't much out there that I feel is worth $60...exceptions do exist of course, but not often. Also, I have such huge back log I never find myself just sitting around wishing I had something to play. So what ever comes out I have enough to keep me busy until the game goes on sale.

You never go to the movies or buy books as well?

Show me a form of entertainment that you can get for anywhere between $2 per hour or even much less than that (I'm sure most of us got something like $0.3/hour out of Witcher 3).

Gaming, in general, has tremendous value for money compared to similar forms of entertainment.

- - - Updated - - -

Due to the advent of Steam and it's frequent sales, I'm so stocked on game backlog that I'll pretty much never feel a need to buy a game on release anymore. Last thing I want is to plunk down cash on a game, then in a day or two there's DLC available...no, not patch (those are fine; shit happens), but something one has to buy.

How many AAA games have day 1 or 2 forced paid DLC? Can you give me 10 examples from the last 30 years?

[poser765]

You never go to the movies or buy books as well?

Show me a form of entertainment that you can get for anywhere between $2 per hour or even much less than that (I'm sure most of us got something like $0.3/hour out of Witcher 3).

Gaming, in general, has tremendous value for money compared to similar forms of entertainment.

I occasionally buy a NEW book (not used) and honestly I can't even remember the last movie I bought. Listen, I am not saying new, full priced, $60 games aren't objectively worth the price. I just don't think it is the best value FOR ME and my budget to pay $60 for at release, when I can often just wait a few months for and get a lot cheaper.

[Kazgrel]

How many AAA games have day 1 or 2 forced paid DLC? Can you give me 10 examples from the last 30 years?

Ask someone who actually buys AAA stuff on release.

[Speedlance]

Well if you're a casual you might think this way but us real gamers want to get our hands on the things asap.

[Baconeggcheese]

Originally I didn't do it intentionally, I just haven't been interested in much. Then the last two WoW droughts caused me to go back and find things to do to pass the time, so I ended up playing things that had been out a while. And then there's the steam sales where I pick up potentially interesting things.

So I won't wait on a game that I really want to play, but if I'm not super interested in playing right away I have no issue waiting until it goes on sale or the inevitable launch issues are ironed out.

[Deleted]

I did for Fallout 4, Dark Souls 3 and Witcher 3 and will probably do for CIV VI if the game is good.

[Baelic]

Unless it's a game I'm really looking forward to playing or requires my immediate presence to play with friends, I don't buy at release. It's mostly to avoid bugs or shitty server response times *stares at all of the WoW expansions*

[l33t]

Its been a few years now since outside of WoW expansions I stopped buying games at release and waited till they became heavily discounted. It wasn't a decision I made for financial reasons but rather due to the number of dlc and bug ridden games I was exposed to on pc.

Is anyone else in the same boat? Simply waiting for games to come out with a "complete" edition and go on sale? For those that buy on release have you found games in general have gotten better or worse with day one launches or have they mostly stayed the same?

In short: yes, in exception for Blizzard products and a couple of indie devs I support, I stopped buying games at release. Why? Because I dislike playing buggy, laggy, unoptimised, often not working, and overpriced games. I don't preorder as well, that's my Rule #1 which I never broke.

[Mister Cheese]

Since Destiny? Not really. Sick of being lied to.

[Baelic]

Since Destiny? Not really. Sick of being lied to.

I can only imagine how many people have been disappointed by both Destiny AND No Man's Sky.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

I have certain games that I just have a flat out problem for. Those I buy at release and just deal with the headaches. But the vast majority of games these days I wait and let the dust settle on the bugs and ddos hordes pass. Not to mention I get to see if the game lives up to its hype that way.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Only new titles I pre-purchase and make sure to buy (Physical CE) in good time for or on release days, are WoW expansions. I know I'll be playing and having fun.

Only unknown title I pre-purchased, would be GW2 which I ended up only leveling in before realizing it didn't have anything for me beyond pretty scenery. Not pre-purchasing new titles as a result.