Pre-ordering games = dumb

[Muni]

I honestly think pre-ordering a video game is the dumbest possible thing you can do. It doesn't do anything positive for the game. The game developers aren't going to suddenly have a better product because X amount of people pre-ordered, they're still going to be doing the same work regardless of if 1 or 1 million people pre-order, it doesn't change anything. The budget for the games development is set in way before pre-orders ever become available, they have zero impact on the quality of the game, absolutely none.

It's quite amusing to see how many people (who would normally never do it) make impulse purchases on video games they're not actually 100% sure about. For example on the SWTOR forums, I've seen endless amounts of "I changed my mind, can I cancel my preorder?"

It's amazing how the hype of a preorder (even when the game is months and months away) becoming available makes people just go bend over and hand over their cash.

End of the day. Preordering the game isn't going to make it come faster, don't do it unless you're 100% sure and what you're ordering is in actual limited supply. Don't give into the hype of preorders. It might've seemed harmless to begin with, but now look at the gaming industry...PREORDER NOW AND GET BONUS HERPDERP! Glad I don't fall for this shit.

[Cheebie]

Well, actually, if you preorder from GAME (UK) you get the game 1 day early. So.... Yeh. If it's a game from a series you love I don't see a problem with it at all.

[Uwibami]

Pre-ordering games can make you save money, get added bonuses(sure, getting bonuses for preordering can be discussed, but who doesn't like a bonus?).

Personally, I see nothing wrong with pre-ordering, and I'll continue to do so for games I'll want to buy.

[Deleted]

Personally, if i preorder, i do it to make sure i get a copy of the game on release day.
I always pre order WoW expansions, to make sure i have it on day 1

[bals]

to be less sensational:

I kind of hate how a lot of games now a days are forcing you to preorder to get some kind of exclusive content. If you're going to do that at least allow it to be DLC at some later date.

[icedwarrior]

I just changed my mind on a game a couple of days ago, and got refunded my massive $5 I put down on it. I am, apparently, dumb.

[Muni]

Well, actually, if you preorder from GAME (UK) you get the game 1 day early. So.... Yeh. If it's a game from a series you love I don't see a problem with it at all.

This is another bad reason for preorders.

Preorder to play 1 day earlier? You're being played by their marketing teams so well can you not see this?

[Nurabashi]

Pre-ordering guarantees me the game on the day, walk in, get it, walk out and start playing. I think you miss the point of pre-ordering. I'm not paying anything extra, just what I normally would. 10 dollars deposit, then on the day pay the rest. I fail to see your argument.

[Deleted]

I guess alot of peoples preorder so they are sure to have it at the release day. If you preorder it one day before, there might be a chance they are out of stock and you have to wait.

[icedwarrior]

This is another bad reason for preorders.

Preorder to play 1 day earlier? You're being played by their marketing teams so well can you not see this?

I don't...what's bad about getting a game early? Played by a marketing team? We're not paying extra money here. Why are you so adamant about this, exactly? Get burned on a pre-order or something? I've pre-ordered approximately half of the games I own, and have never been once been "played", overpayed, or burned. If I change my mind, I get all of my money back. So, what's the issue again?

[Cheebie]

This is another bad reason for preorders.

Preorder to play 1 day earlier? You're being played by their marketing teams so well can you not see this?

So, if I get the game 1 day early, points on a card to get money off my next game, it's a game series I've loved playing for years so I was going to get it anyway... I don't get your point, I'm dumb if I take up special offers on something I was going to get anyway?

[Deleted]

I don't think people pre-order games because they think it'll give the game company a larger budget to make the game better, I think it's because they want the game as soon as it comes out.

[Kisho]

I'm afraid you've made this post without doing the proper research. Sure, from your perspective and your attempt to enforce it on us, it looks like pre-orders are a bad thing. Here's a list of the pros of pre-ordering:

-Usually it's free to pre-order (unless you're going for a collector's edition, but that's fully refundable if you change your mind)
-You get pre-order only bonuses (or stuff that you would have to spend extra money on otherwise)
-You get extra points on your reward card for the shop, which can then be used for discounts on other games
-It ensures you get a copy of the game: there certainly have been times when shops run out of a game on release day, so people have to go elsewhere or wait until they restock. Pre-ordering helps the shops gauge how many copies they'll need, which means less chance of them running out on release day

As for the cons, well... I've placed the cons as counter-points to some of the pros above, and then countered those; I really can't think of any others. Pre-ordering doesn't hurt and you can back out if you change your mind, so where's the problem?

[Ebbikenezer]

I pre-order for one reason, whenever I do: If I feel the game is going to sell quite a bit I pre-order to make sure my copy is there so I can pick it up at my leisure.

I guess I'm dumb because I don't want to go stand in line in the 30 below zero New York winter nights drinking cold-too-quick coffee and smoking cigarettes with pimple faced obnoxious little shits who are talking about their amazing 13 kill streak in MW3.

If that's dumb... I'm a fucking retard. Coz' I am not going to change anything about how I handle my purchases based on the simplistic approach you have in your post, OP.

[Deleted]

For a game you look forward to, the only way to play it instantly upon release is to pre-order it.

I for one, always pre-order a game i'm looking forward to playing.

[Muni]

Pre-ordering guarantees me the game on the day, walk in, get it, walk out and start playing. I think you miss the point of pre-ordering.

I've never pre-ordered a game. For every game I have actually gone and bought on day 1...I've walked in...walked out and started playing. I've never had the issue of there being "out of copies".

The ability to choose when/if I buy the game is the power I want to hold onto. When you preorder you pretty much hand your ass to the company on a plate. It's the same thing with the Blizzard 12 month contract. Why would anyone do that? When I played WoW, I never had longer than a 1 month subscription. Why? So I have the power to cancel or resub within 30 days any time I wanted so if something I didn't like happened that would make me stop playing I would be gone instantly, instead of still having months and months left on my subscription.

So sick of the "im just 1 person, doesn't make a difference" when in-fact it actually does.

---------- Post added 2011-11-12 at 09:42 AM ----------

For a game you look forward to, the only way to play it instantly upon release is to pre-order it.

I for one, always pre-order a game i'm looking forward to playing.

I've never pre-ordered a game. Any game I've wanted on day 1 I've bought on day 1 and got it. What 3rd world country do you live in where you have to pre-order or you wont get the game straight away?

[Cairhiin]

to be less sensational:

I kind of hate how a lot of games now a days are forcing you to preorder to get some kind of exclusive content. If you're going to do that at least allow it to be DLC at some later date.

No, that would defeat the purpose of preordering. Preorder bonus is a reward. If you don't want to preorder that's of course fine but don't expect to get the same as those who basically gave a 'vote of confidence'.

To the OP. Most people who preorder do so because they love a certain game series, or the company who makes said game, and already know they definitely want to play said game. There's nothing dumb about it.

[Stormcall]

I don't...what's bad about getting a game early? Played by a marketing team? We're not paying extra money here. Why are you so adamant about this, exactly? Get burned on a pre-order or something? I've pre-ordered approximately half of the games I own, and have never been once been "played", overpayed, or burned. If I change my mind, I get all of my money back. So, what's the issue again?

Exactly-what is the issue, exactly, with pre-ordering? I can either walk into the store on release date, pay $60 and walk out with it(provided it's in stock), or I can pay $10 two weeks in advance, walk into the store on release date, pay the remaining $50(and not have to worry about it being sold out), and walk out with it.

If the game has bonus content or "early entry" or whatever I get that too, but either way, I pay the EXACT same amount so what difference does it make if I pre-order it or not? Even if I'm being "played by the marketing division" by getting extra content for pre-ordering, what difference does it make since I'm paying the EXACT same amount I would be paying anyway?

Even if I change my mind, I can just go back to the store and get my $10 back, so I'm not out anything extra regardless. So OP, why are you so adamantly opposed to pre-ordering?

[Deleted]

In Germany if you pre-order on amazon you you'll get it sometimes cheaper because the price can go up. Amazon has a "pre-order price gurantee" so if you pre-order it at a price of 39,99 and the price rises to 49,99 you'll still get it for 39,99.

[Nurabashi]

I've never pre-ordered a game. For every game I have actually gone and bought on day 1...I've walked in...walked out and started playing. I've never had the issue of there being "out of copies".

The ability to choose when/if I buy the game is the power I want to hold onto. When you preorder you pretty much hand your ass to the company on a plate. It's the same thing with the Blizzard 12 month contract. Why would anyone do that? When I played WoW, I never had longer than a 1 month subscription. Why? So I have the power to cancel or resub within 30 days any time I wanted so if something I didn't like happened that would make me stop playing I would be gone instantly, instead of still having months and months left on my subscription.

So sick of the "im just 1 person, doesn't make a difference" when in-fact it actually does.

---------- Post added 2011-11-12 at 09:42 AM ----------



I've never pre-ordered a game. Any game I've wanted on day 1 I've bought on day 1 and got it. What 3rd world country do you live in where you have to pre-order or you wont get the game straight away?

I really think you are missing the point here. The money I am paying is going to the store that has bought the games from the company who makes them. I'm not sure if some gaming company has screwed you over or something, but yeah.

I'm from Australia, Melbourne. Over here, stores usually run out of stock on the first day. By pre-ordering, all I'm doing is guaranteeing that I get the game, so that I don't need to wait for the store to get more stock of it from what ever game company makes the game. The 12 Month Contract for WoW let's you pay by the regular monthly intervals. If you decide to unsub, then they just cancel the deal from you.

I don't see how I am, like you put it, "handing my ass to the company on a plate." If anything, I'm guaranteeing the store I am purchasing from that I will buy the game, and even if I don't, I'll just say, on the day,"Sorry, I don't want the game anymore, could I have my money back?"