Cheap Ass Gamer

[CardinalPiggles]

Depends on the game.

And I get all of my console games from Amazon. There are sales going on most of the time (if you care to find them).

 

[Legion]

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

Why are you always so short with people?

The devs can take a pay cut. Games don't need to be $60. They can get rid of one of their houses or something. Preferably the beach house. Maybe one of their 15 assorted vehicles.

That's not how businesses work though. If they lost money the first thing they'd do is cut the people's overtime. Then cut back on any positions that could be done by other people, then cut back on features, then cut back on the top peoples payment.

Hell, we had overtime barred where I work, and hours cut to save money while our manages got a 2% pay rise late last year. The "top dogs" are always the last to lose money when a business does.

That's not to say I don't think they should, because I certainly do think it's ridiculous that they get paid so much while complaining about lack of sales and why they need to chuck in a games content worth of DLC to "break even", but it's not going to happen.

 

[MetalMagpie]

I am proudly a cheap ass gamer. I never pay 59.99 for a new game i always wait for the price to drop to 19.99 (usually within Six months of Release) and i never understood why people do.

I very rarely pay full release price for a game, but when I do it's for the same reason that I pay full whack for a hardback book (rather than waiting for the paperback): I want to be playing the game in the first week rather than spending the next six months hearing about how great it is. When a really exciting title is out, it's great to be able to play/discuss with everyone while it's still new and exciting. There's a real buzz around a good game when it's hot off the press, especially online.

For the select titles that I've been convinced to buy on release (very few of them, and all of them sequels) I don't mind paying extra because I really want that studio to stay successful and to keep making games that I love. For the same reason, I don't begrudge a single penny that I've spent on hardback copies of Terry Pratchett novels. I think he's a fantastic author, and he's welcome to my money!

For titles that I'm not 110% sure I'm going to love (so 99% of the games I play!) I am a crazily cheap-ass gamer, and am often happy to have games sitting on my Amazon and/or Steam wishlists for years until the right planets align for them to end up massively reduced. It helps at the moment that (thanks to a fairly ruinous Steam sale) I have quite a backlog to be getting on with.

 

[jawz13]

I am comfortable paying a maximum of $20 for a new game.
Usually I wait for the price to hit $10 used before I even consider purchasing though.

The only times I have ever spent more are on obscure titles for a series that I care deeply about.

That being said, I'm more likely to pay full price for a game if it is A) reasonable and B) a developer I trust.

EA, Gearbox, Capcom and several other publishers are companies that I refuse to ever buy new from as I do not want them to touch a dime of my hard earned cash.

 

[Scythe]

I really only bother buying new games on release if they're a AAA title which everybody on my friends list is going to be playing online - and even then, I'm probably not going to be bothering with Gears Judgment, at least not right away.

Games just don't hold their price anymore unless it's a mega-franchise like GTA, Halo, Call of Duty etc. so I don't see the point jumping to pay top dollar when I know it'll probably be half-price inside of 6-8 weeks.

Throw in my other expensive hobbies and games just don't hold as much power over my wallet as they used to.

 

[bananafishtoday]

Simple: I'm a PC gamer. I almost never buy games that cost more than $20. I'll happily buy indie titles when they come out, but I won't touch AAA stuff until after a few price cuts and a 50-75% off Steam sale.

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

Oh come off it. For like 99% of gamers that has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Mm, for me it depends on the dev. I feel good buying indie games because I know every individual sale matters a lot more: a much larger portion of the sale price is going to the people who actually made the game, the smaller teams mean each person has a much larger share, and the lower sale numbers mean my purchase is a much larger percentage of the total. I couldn't give a shit about "supporting" AAA games though, since any given individual sale is an insignificant part of the whole.

 

[Briney-]

For me, it depends on how much I really want to play a title the day it's released. I probably buy 2-3 games a year on release day, but I usually wait for a price drop before purchasing anything. I live in Canada, so most games cost $60 on day one. If I wait 2-3 months, I can expect a $20-30 price reduction on most titles (exceptions apply). The $30-40 range is where I pick up most games that end up in my library (PS3).

 

[Daystar Clarion]

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

Why are you always so short with people?

The devs can take a pay cut. Games don't need to be $60. They can get rid of one of their houses or something. Preferably the beach house. Maybe one of their 15 assorted vehicles.

Short with people?

I can't be short with people, I'm 6'2".

 

[Auron225]

I'm always behind everything anyway! The only time I'll buy a game on release for the full amount is if I've been waiting for it for ages and really REALLY want to play it. Kingdom Hearts 2 was like that for me X)

Usually I'd be happy with £10-£20 per game.

 

[Marik2]

I already created a Big Videogames Database for any kind of need you want: I update it sometimes even now:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.387688-Videogame-Database-Sites-Thread

Here the sites you can find easily some good game very cheap:

B Indie Budle http://www.indiebundle.org/
Built a Bundle [Groupees] http://groupees.com
Bundle In A Box http://bundle-in-a-box.com/
Bundle Stars http://www.bundlestars.com/
Buy Game, not Socks http://www.buygamesnotsocks.com/
GameDev Bundle https://gamedevbundle.com/
Greenlight Bundle http://www.thegreenlightbundle.com/
Indie All-Stars Bundle http://www.indie-allstars.com/
Indie Bundles http://indiebundles.com/
Indie Buskers http://www.indiebuskers.net/
Indie Face Kick http://bitg.gamingallthetime.com/producthome.php
Indie Fort Bundle http://www.gamersgate.com/indiefort-bundle
Indie Gala http://www.indiegala.com/
Indie Game Bundles http://www.indiegamebundles.com/
Indie Royale http://www.indieroyale.com/
IndieGameStand https://indiegamestand.com/
IUP Bundle http://iupbundle.org/
Little Big Bunch http://www.littlebigbunch.com/
Summer Batch http://www.summerbatch.co.uk/
The Indie Bundle http://theindiebundle.com/
The Humble Bundle http://www.humblebundle.com/

Note: Some sites from this list don't work anymore.

That thread should be stickied if it isn't already.

 

[PeterMerkin69]

I'm not cheap but I'm only willing to pay what I think a game is worth to me. To this end, I use a tiered system to determine which purchases to make:

-Tier 1: the full-price purchases I know I'll really, really enjoy. Dead Space, Dark Souls, Fallout, Red Dead Redemption, etc. I'll gladly drop $60 on them.

--Tier 2: reduced/sale/used purchases, games for which I'm only willing to drop $10-$40. The vast majority of my purchases are on this tier. Mass Effect, Grand Theft Auto, the recent Silent Hills, etc.

---Tier 3: free. The bottom of the barrel, the garbage, the products from developers whose timely demise would leave me quivering with elation. Bioshock, Skyrim, Bulletstorm, Call of Duty, Halo.

They'd have to pay me to play anything beyond that.

I've never bought a special edition yet and the only bonus item I regret missing out on was the Vault Boy bobblehead from FO3, but even then not enough to track one down on eBay. I already collect action figures and have a lot of other non-gaming related hobbies so I don't have the spare room for that junk, nor is it usually worth the extra money.

 

[maninahat]

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

That explains how he can buy them at discount. It doesn't explain why people don't buy them at discount.

I recognise, as a cheap bastard, that if everyone played the waiting game like I did, the value of games would depreciate at a way slower rate, so it is in my interest that most people pre-order/buy on the day. But I don't get that impetuousness. Not when the same product can reduce to a fraction of the price within a few months.

 

[BandicootPower]

£40+ is far too much for new games. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to play all these great titles coming out but I just can't afford it. I keep a list of games I want to play and work through the list by borrowing games off friends or buying whatever is used and cheap on Amazon. Eventually I might catch up to the industry release schedule but I doubt it, and I don't know if I want to.
Another reason I end up delaying a purchase is that I can play all the inevitable DLC that comes with so many titles nowadays at the same point as the retail game, rather than in fragmented piecemeal chunks a few months or so down the line when I've all but forgotten about that title. I feel very much like I get a more complete and 'better' experience than the people that buy on day one. I've bought day one before and I just felt like I was being punished for it.
I feel really bad for not supporting some of the brilliant developers out there and giving so much money to Amazon but frankly there is no alternative other than playing less games, less of the time, for more money. Why spend £40 on a brand new game (without DLC) when there are three great games (complete with DLC, updates and patches etc.) on my wishlist for less than that day one £40 purchase (which with DLC can reach £60+)?

To answer the OT's question: Yes I am a "cheapass" gamer although a reluctant one. For cheap games see Amazon, Ebay, friends and friends of friends.

 

[BandicootPower]

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

That explains how he can buy them at discount. It doesn't explain why people don't buy them at discount.

I recognise, as a cheap bastard, that if everyone played the waiting game like I did, the value of games would depreciate at a way slower rate, so it is in my interest that most people pre-order/buy on the day. But I don't get that impetuousness. Not when the same product can reduce to a fraction of the price within a few months.

If everyone played the waiting game like you and I game prices would depreciate at a waaaay faster rate just to try and get people to buy the damn game! They're only as expensive as they are because a lot of, if not most people, are prepared to pay £40, $60, or whatever standard release price is in your region. Obviously if standard release price was £5 no one would make a profit and everyone would go bust, but there isn't a justifiable reason for games being as expensive as they are (especially with all the DLC releases and the sheer number of sales most AAA titles manage to achieve) other than that is what people pay.

 

[Madman123456]

Mega franchises can hold their prices for a bit. And frankly, after what we saw with gearbox and what we continue to see with certain other Companies it is only prudent to avoid the Launch day to see what this new piece of software holds.
I'd rather read forum posts about this or that new game then rushing to buy it. As a PC-gamer, i have to be on the lookout for copyright protection that not only protects the game from being copied but also from being played in some cases.

Not to forget the many, many, many other Issues that plagued otherwise decent games and became visible after you bought the game.
If Developers get less money because Puplishers force´me to use caution then that is regrettable, then again, Developers are partly responsible. Sometimes i don't understand why certain Developers work under such and such circumstances with Puplishers.
Have your Stuff puplished by Bethesda? You know in advance that they do not push release dates back. One would think that People would understand to act accordingly and cut Features early in developement. Apparently not the Case.

"Team Bondi" is a wonderful example. People there got threatened that they would never find another Job in the Industry if they wouldn't volunteer for unpaid overtime. Over months.
For many "L.A. Noire" was their first big project. If the Industry looks like this, the Industry can kindly go fuck itself, i'll go back to flipping Burgers.

 

[maninahat]

'i never understood why people do'

Because the soul reason those game you buy so cheaply in the first place exist is because people are willing to buy them on launch? Because if they didn't, the devs wouldn't make enough money to make said games?

Really, it's not a difficult concept.

That explains how he can buy them at discount. It doesn't explain why people don't buy them at discount.

I recognise, as a cheap bastard, that if everyone played the waiting game like I did, the value of games would depreciate at a way slower rate, so it is in my interest that most people pre-order/buy on the day. But I don't get that impetuousness. Not when the same product can reduce to a fraction of the price within a few months.

If everyone played the waiting game like you and I game prices would depreciate at a waaaay faster rate just to try and get people to buy the damn game! They're only as expensive as they are because a lot of, if not most people, are prepared to pay £40, $60, or whatever standard release price is in your region. Obviously if standard release price was £5 no one would make a profit and everyone would go bust, but there isn't a justifiable reason for games being as expensive as they are (especially with all the DLC releases and the sheer number of sales most AAA titles manage to achieve) other than that is what people pay.

I suspect what would happen is that they would drop off in price to around £20 or £15 in fairly short order, and then keep it that way for years at a time, kind of like what happens with well received movies on DVD. That's sort of how COD already does it; I've been waiting for COD4 to come down to a fiver, and it just hasn't happened. It has stayed up there, and even during sales, it never seems to drop as low as £10.

 

[Nazulu]

That's pretty cheap. Then again, maybe I shouldn't talk.

I would buy a game for $80 if it was something I really really wanted, but that hasn't happened for awhile and I just don't believe most games these days are worth it. I literally felt like I stole the Orange Box when I bought it for $30.

 

[mysecondlife]

Whenever there's new games at launch that I really want to buy, I think of all the backlog games that I have sitting on my shelf and I slowly work through them.

So I only buy end up buying games when I think "heck, it can't get any cheaper than this" because Amazon's game prices tend to fluctuate a lot.

I did have few day 1 purchases though for Uncharted 3, Team ICO collection and Portal2 as far as I can remember.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

Yeah, I'm a cheap assed bastard. Would never pay more than £30 for a game under any circumstances and I don't think I've ever seen a PC game for more than £30 anyway. Generally £20 would be my upper limit. Average would probably be around £10-15.

Amazon is usually where I buy cheap games, since they are a bunch of tax dodging bastards they are usually very cheap.

 

[Racecarlock]

How did this DLC shit get so out of hand in the space of a single generation.

You can look at gamestop for that one, with so many people buying games used and it being easier than ever and those used games being offered instead of the new versions publishers have found DLC is a good way to recoup losses.

Of course we're the ones ripping of publishers. It's not like they release buggy piles of shit but still expect us to pay 60 dollars anyways because we're so damn loyal.

No. I don't care. You lost money because your game wasn't worth $60? That's not my problem. There are so many developers out there that make freeware right now. Not free to play with microtransactions, I'm talking full game right out of the box or installer free. All they ask is for donations.

http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/

Hell, the admin is actually concerned that he might have to put ads in because he doesn't want to bother people with ads. That's how selfless he is. That is a man I would pay if I had the money.

I wish I had a money tree in my backyard so I could buy every game at full price. I wish I had a roller coaster in my backyard that runs on Mr. Fusion. But sadly I don't and I have to look out for myself. I have to decide what is worth 60 dollars and what isn't.