What does it take for you to pre-order/pre-purchase a game?

[Deleted]

So I pose this question, what does it take for you to pre-order a title or lay down the cash before hand and pre-purchase?

I've been thinking about it a lot lately after a recent run in with a very negative side to pre-ordering titles.

I pre-ordered Aliens Colonial Marines online last year. The trailers looked fantastic, I love the Alien universe and the game seemed to be everything I wanted it to be.

A week before it came out I found myself out of pocket; A relative needed a short-notice loan and would be able to pay me back around a fortnight later, I agreed and put Aliens on the bench and cancelled the online pre-order (Which would've billed my debit card at launch without my presence, unlike an in-store pre-order).

Game came out and boy did I dodge a bullet. After seeing the reviews and playing it for myself I was glad I had cancelled the pre-order, now I've completely re-thought my thought process when it comes to pre-ordering titles.

- I only pre-order titles that have serious social interaction (WoW Expansions, MMO's or other Multiplayer titles that I WILL have friends to play with at launch)
- titles which I already know for certain will be worth the money (Re-releases, ports, HD remakes etc)
- and titles that have significant perks to pre-ordering that can make up for a lack-luster game. Some limited editions I will deem worth pre-ordering. This will vary from title to title, but generally I really like anything nice and physical like the Fable 3 collectors edition or the WoW ones (I'm a bit of a nut for displaying nice looking trinkets and memorabilia, especially those gaming related).

I'm intrigued to hear what others have to say on the matter.

[Dhrizzle]

I'm always open to the possibility that I'm going to hate a game, so I'll only pre-order if I enjoyed a studio's previous title so much I wouldn't mind throwing them more money for what could be a complete waste.

So I'll be pre-ordering The Eldar Scrolls Online because Skyrim gave me so much enjoyment I wouldn't mind if it had cost me double (or whatever TESO ends up). Ditto with Mass Effect and generally anything from Blizzard.

[Immitis]

if its a game i know for sure that i want and that i know i will want the first day and not have to wait if it sells out.

pre order bonuses. and by that i dont mean the shitty dlc bullshit gamestop does all the time but actual pre order bonuses like statues, coins, posters, things like that

- - - Updated - - -

I'm always open to the possibility that I'm going to hate a game, so I'll only pre-order if I enjoyed a studio's previous title so much I wouldn't mind throwing them more money for what could be a complete waste.

So I'll be pre-ordering The Eldar Scrolls Online because Skyrim gave me so much enjoyment I wouldn't mind if it had cost me double (or whatever TESO ends up). Ditto with Mass Effect and generally anything from Blizzard.

but... elder scrolls online isnt being made by the people who made skyrim O_o

[mjolnir1122]

Pretty much there are only 2 things that will make me pre-order a game.

Number 1, if I have the money

Number 2, if I already know what I'm in for. For example, I didn't pre-order Skyrim because I didn't have the money, but I would have if I did since I already loved the previous Elder Scrolls Games and I know how expansive the games are, so that even if the main storyline is complete shit, I'll eventually run into something that I'll absolutely love. I have no problem pre-ordering WoW expansions because I have no desire to stop playing anytime soon. Again, even if it was a horrible expansion, I know for a fact that there will be more to it than just that expansion.

Other than titles in which I know for a fact that I will enjoy at least one aspect of the game, I refuse to pre-order anything. I have better things to do with my time and money.-

[gaymer77]

For me, I have to have friends who are also going to be playing the game even if for only a month or two. I don't mind forking out a little spending money on a game every now & again if I know I'm going to have friends to enjoy it with. I'm going to be pre-ordering Final Fantasy in a couple weeks because I've played the beta and enjoyed the game thus far.

[Sharde]

i pre order extremely rarely. especially nowerdays where i have at least 10 unplayed games in my steam library at all times due to winter/summer sales. i am in no rush for new games.

normaly i read previews first, then set the game on my steam wishlist, then wait till they are at 10-15€ one year later, then wait for a sale for -75%, then buy the complete bundle with all dlc so i don't have to play it several times for the full package.

the only games i preordered in the last 10 years where:

- all blizzard games (including wc3 which is older i think ... i feel ancient now -.-)
- mass effect 3 (i started playing well after the release of me2)
- american mcgee's alice madness returns (really nice game, no regrets)
- mechwarrior online founders pack (turns out rather well i think)
- wh40k space marines (fun enough for several playthroughs)
- vampire bloodlines (one of the best rpgs there is)
- legacy of kain defiance (it's a lok game. no questions asked)
- velvet assassin (the story and atmosphere where nice. not the best game but i don't regret the buy)
- portal 2 (it's portal 2 ... it's glorious)
- dark messiah of might and magic (really nice game)

for more than 10 years i think the list is rather small. but i don't regret a single buy so i am content. as a student i'm a bit stripped for money so i stick to sales, gog.com and humble bundles. but as there are very few interesting titels out there atm (or so it feels) i am in no rush to buy anything.

[Civfanata]

Right now nothing will. After being bitten by SWTOR. I'm out on Pre-order with no demo.

What will get me hooked though is a demo. If I get a demo and can see before its released and can still get pre-order then maybe then.

[Sj]

Good concept, passion for the project, humility from developer.

[Lunareste]

I will never pre-order anything that isn't allowed to be publically reviewed before launch, like that Aliens Colonial Marines game.

If they're not allowing people to review, it's because they're hiding something.

[Chireru93]

I have to be absolutely sure I'll like this game in order for me to preorder it.

Pokemon is an example, I've loved the games since I was a kid. Assassin's Creed, another game that I've loved since it first came out.

As for game developers, anything put out by Naughty Dog I would preorder in a heartbeat (if I had a PS3 anyways...I do plan on getting a PS4 though). Rareware also use to have some fantastic games when they were working for Nintendo but I haven't actually played anything by them since the conkers remake, for the Xbox.

[Mechazod]

I pre-order games that I know there is no way the developers could absolutely fuck up and make the worst mess imaginable, for example I did pre-order The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker because I knew it just wasn't possible that Nintendo would let one of their prime series turn out to be anything less then a good game so I had no real reason to fear per-ordering it, not to mention the other factor was that it came with a nice physical pre-order bonus which was added incentive. I will also sometimes pre-order stuff that has already been released in other countries and has gotten great reviews and will be good anyway so there is no risk in me putting some cash down on it. There are also just some developers in general that I trust to create an at least good game that I would have no after purchase regrets for.

[Deleted]

I have only preordered wotlk and gw2, and wotlk was wows glory days... no regrets there. GW2 I got to play beta before preordering, so wasn't any chances there and while I havent played it as much as I thought I would... it feels good to own the game and be able to check out updates.
I think I need to try beta or at least find plenty reviews before preordering, but Im usually in no rush either so. Next games interesting to me are Wildstar and Archeage, and I might ditch either of them just if they end up in crappy business model... so far I dont know about either of the games

[Deleted]

I would never pre-purchase a new game/untested IP. It's a practice that needs to die out honestly.

The only thing I *ever* pre-order is a WoW expansion if I am playing and the content sounds appealing because I already know what I'm getting.

[obdigore]

Pre-ordering for me needs actual hands-on gameplay videos, or even better, a demo. Generally it needs to come from a studio I have trust in as well.

[Tsuna]

I pre-order games from companies that have proven their worth on multiple occasions, that's really it. I pre-download WoW expansions, most Shin Megami Tensei releases (when they ever get ported west), and Pokemon (yes, don't you judge me).

[Linkedblade]

Games I like most I preorder. I know I pre-ordered the WoW expansions and Starcraft. Diablo III was free with wow time from the annual pass. I preordered Halo 2 and 3. GTA San Andreas, IV and V.

Anything in the Zelda Series. I have every english game in the series and plan to keep the going.

I really enjoy indie games. I bought Minecraft right before it went into the beta. I plan on getting CubeWorld if the picroma shop is ever up. I also plan to get TESO, I love the world it's in and I really want to explore all of Tamriel.

[Grinderofl]

I pre-order almost nothing. The last thing I did was MoP. Chances are, unless there's an awesome feature set next XP, I will not preorder that. Valve hardly does anything that is crap, so generally, if they come out with a new single player, I will probably order it - especially if it's from a half-life franchise (like portal [hey, it does make references to HL!] or CS). But from any other studio - I would probably pirate it first, if it's an MP game, but I'm not much for MP games anyway, Smite is the only thing that I bought a character set for, which is only because I was in Beta and I loved it. Alas, I haven't played it in the past how many months.

So yeah, in general, I don't even go to see movies from this point unless I know for a fact they were worth waiting - pirate first and then go see if it's worth it, kind of like This is the End, complete baloney in my opinion despite from the seemingly promising trailer.

[PBitt]

I'll only pre-order something I know is going to be awesome, and at that, something that is awesome that I'm going to get more than 10 hours of gameplay out of.

[kail]

Generally two factors need to meet.

1. I have a rather decent feeling on how well the game will be based on vids/demos/hype

2. The game will probably not release in quantity or there will be a limited amount of collectors editions.

IMO pre-orders have been about securing your copy of a game/hardware for fear of being sold out.

[Deleted]

Sequel in amazing series like Elder Scrolls, Dragon age, Mass Effect. I used to pre order games just because they're made by good companies too but not doing it any more. Other than that, I usually wait for special offers or discount.