Do you preorder games and if so, why?

[gf78]

Now, with the preorder exclusive bonuses, it puts pressure on gamers to pre-pay or put a deposit down for a game. It's a shady practice to me that's starting to grow.

However, bonuses and crap have never been why I preorder. I don't preorder every game coming out and I try to keep it to only games I am positive I want. The reason I do it is simple:  it's a lot easier to go in once in awhile when I have five or ten bucks to spare and throw it down. By the time my game comes out, it has already been paid for and my wife doesn't see me dropping $60 plus tax in one lump. I guess it's a psychological thing where it doesn't seem like you are spending as much when it's a little hear & a little there.

[redblaze57]

Simply if I know i'm going to buy it day 1 at least in stores why not I put money to the side for it.

[kamikazekeeg]

Can come down to a few different reasons.  Availability if it's a special edition, like the recent Majora's Mask 3DS game.  Support is another for dev's I really like and trust, as generally Nintendo is good for this.  It shows you like them a lot to get their game early.  Pre-Order bonuses can get sketchy at times as I hate when there are multiple versions of a game, with multiple retailer exclusive items, or just what seems like too many extras.  It kinda goes back to whether the developer is trustworthy enough.  Like pre-ordering a DICE game or Ubisoft game nowadays is just not a good thing to do as they've proven numerous times how incapable they are of releasing good products at launch.

[fauxshot]

I pre-ordered a game for the first time last year, relatively close to Christmas (actually, it was about 2 or 3 days before the release, but it still counts xP  ).

I pre-ordered Persona Q for two reasons: 1. it's my current goal to build up my MegaTen collection (but that's been irregular and opportunistic at best), and 2. I assumed that it might take the route that P4G did with the PS Vita, and go up quite a bit in value.

Additionally, it had some nice pre-order bonuses. Even if a game isn't fantastic, getting a case, an artbook, a CD track, and some cards for $80-90, along with a cool box and the game itself, pretty much makes the purchase worth it in my book... but I'm a Persona fan, so obviously I'm biased. xP

Generally, I don't pre-order, nor do I pay full price for a game. It's a lot of money for a product that you may or may not enjoy. Recently, however, I've actually been MORE inclined to pre-order some games. I'd like to pre-order the new Danganronpa game (as much as I have my critiques about the series, I really admire what it tries to do, albeit imperfectly and what sometimes feels in a half-assed way), Persona 5, and (if I have a Wii when it releases) SMT x Fire Emblem. Zero Escape 3, when it hopefully gets announced, will also be a pre-order for me.

Again, for Persona games I at least have the excuse that I'm trying to collect games in the series. But, for me, these series have proven themselves to be good quite consistently; I like them, and even if they aren't perfect games, I can be pretty confident that I'll get my money's worth. Plus, as has been aforementioned, sometimes you get some pretty cool pre-order bonuses. I didn't pre-order Persona 4 Arena Ultimax not only because of money issues... but because those pre-order bonuses were piss poor. :/

This all is probably being written a bit randomly, but I hope it has some structure. xD I used to hardly ever give a thought to paying full-price or pre-ordering games. In general, I don't think it's a good idea, and I don't really need to say why; I'll hand you a list of the latest, largest pre-orders and a list of reviews of the games by independent reviewers, and it explains itself. xD  But I've been finding some titles of interest lately. I don't complete a lot of games nowadays, but games like Danganronpa are something I actually do finish, so I don't mind paying retail for it (or, preferably, a used version).

Also, I will say that I'm more willing to buy higher-priced games in the summer, due to having a summer job, and consequently more pocket cash. xD

So, TL;DR - If I like a series, like the pre-order bonuses, or feel that the game will be worth a lot more in the future, I might pre-order, IF the money is there (a problem for college students xP  ). Theoretically, I might feel more inclined to do so with something like import games, where sales figures are more important for finishing a series or getting a sequel.

[theflea]

I pre-order anything I feel could be hard to get after release.
Mostly Collector's Editions, Limited Editions, Amiibo's or Store Exclusives.
I almost never pre-order a standard version of any game. (unless it comes with something I really want as an extra or it's a store exclusive)

[retrogemcollector]

Because if I didn't, a scumbag 40-year-old looser buy all of them in my region and stock them in his mom's basement and starts selling them 10 times the original price to me and others who just wanted to play the game and admire the bonus stuffs in the limited edition stuffs.

[fauxshot]

Because if I didn't, a scumbag 40-year-old looser buy all of them in my region and stock them in his mom's basement and starts selling them 10 times the original price to me and others who just wanted to play the game and admire the bonus stuffs in the limited edition stuffs.

"Capitalism?... more like crap-italism."

-Karl Marx

 

[MJMaranan]

I pre-order video games that I know I want, titles with a pre-order bonus is a plus.  Definitely more so with collector's or "limited" editions since my GameStop only has stock for people who pre-ordered or because a person cancelled their pre-order a few days before release.

[dashv]

I rarely pre-order.

But when I do it because I believe in the studio behind the game and I'm sure it'll be great.

Only games I pre-ordered last gen were:

Infamous 2: Hero Edition
Little Big Planet 2: limited collectors edition (for my son)

Both were worth it.

[fighterpilot562]

Depends on the game, for example, for the new gens, the only game I would preorder for is a Fallout 4 game.... which I hope they are making.

[argyle]

Several reasons:

* Because it's a CE or something else that may be hard or impossible to get if I don't preorder.
* To secure a preorder bonus or preorder discount (preorder to get $10 back in store credit, etc.).
* Because it helps me to plan my gaming budget for a month, I can decide ahead what it is I really want at release & plan accordingly.
* To help out a GS employee who has been especially nice to me or went out of their way to help me out with something.

I know there's a weird anti-preorder movement going on, but IMO it's silly. There's usually ample evidence for whether or not a game will be something you'll enjoy provided before it releases by hands-on impressions, etc. And if you've been around as long as many/most of us here have, you can usually spot the evidence that something might be iffy beforehand & will therefore be better as a "wait & see". I honestly can't remember the last time I was "bit" by a preorder, where I got a game at launch that I hated & really regretted getting AND couldn't either sell or trade it to recoup most/all of my money.

[soera]

I always pre-order. Been doing it since the PS1 and wont stop now. You dont get charged any extra for it and it makes no honest sense not to.

[gf78]

I think part of the anti preorder sentiment is because developers and stores are making content exclusive to the preorder. For a good example, see Goro in MKX being a preorder bonus. Now I have faith that the new Mortak Kombat will be good. But you have the review embargo shenanigans going on where it seems the developers are hiding the fact that their game is crap or plagued with issues. See Aliens Colonial Marines as that is where I believe this sentiment became quit strong.

[dashv]

I'm not anti-pre-order.

I've just observed several things that make me believe (usually correctly) that waiting will get me a better deal.

For example.

Most pre-order exclusive content is eventually made available for free later.

Most games drop to half price after 1-2 years.

Most of those price drops accompany a rerelease of the "complete edition" or some such which often includes all or most of the dlc.

Do I can pay $70 to pre order. Then another $30 on dlc to get the full experience.

Or just wait a year or two until they've decided they are actually finished with the game and I can get everything for $30.

Also for limited edition stuff I can often find it at my local mom and pop shop cheaper used than it would have been to get it as a pre-order.

I got all this:



Tomb Raider: target steel book release
Tomb Raider: Survivor Edition
Tomb Raider: limited edition game guide. (Hard bound)

For cheaper total than it would have been to pre-order the regular edition of the game.

[kashell]

Since I mainly play RPGs, I almost always pre-order.