Early Adoption: Is It Worth It?

[shirkbot]

We're going to restrict this to video games and game hardware, just for simplicity, but my basic notion is this: The PS4 just came out and the network was insufficient for the number of people playing. Battlefield 4 is experiencing a DDoS attack which I suspect to actually be insufficient servers. GTA 5 came out needing patches and the network was insufficient. SimCity, Diablo 3 and so on.
Basically, considering the increasing number of big name/budget games coming out with bugs and insufficient network infrastructure what is the point in buying things on launch day, or even within the first couple weeks? And how long would you personally recommend postponing your purchase for?

 

[josemlopes]

No unless there is a real incentive behind it which at the moment isnt. If there was something like a founders deal for launch day buyers where you would get special discounts (or just bigger then the usual discounts) later on then fine but for what it is (especially with something as expensive as a console where later models will be cheaper and better with things like bigger hard drives) it just isnt worth it.


Remember how the Xbox 360 came out with only 20Gb? The current default version has 250Gb. The PS4 brings 500Gb now with 100Gb already taken leaving it at 400Gb, games are getting bigger and digital sales are a thing now so dont expect those 400Gb to hold that much content in 3 years.

Basicly you will have to pay again for something that the consumer that waits will get included in his deal.

 

[Doom972]

Definitely not. You get the worst version of the console (later on better optimized models will be made available) and you pay the biggest price possible. Also true for most games out there. It's better to be a smart consumer and buy these things as late as you can.

 

[Saelune]

Single player? I know I got Skyrim on launch for that

Multiplayer isn't everything in a game. Plus waiting sucks, especially if its been months or years.

 

[synobal]

If you can wait a year you'll likely get a much better deal and product.

 

[Alfador_VII]

Very rarely is it worth it any more, if it ever was.

OK, so you get the latest box under your TV before you friends, or get to play the latest games before them.

But increasingly, the negatives outweigh the positives. Lack of launch titles, Faulty hardware (RROD anyone?), buggy releases with overloaded servers (seems to happen to most online games now), and of course games utterly failing to deliver on their promise, like Aliens Colonial Marines, for example.

I am holding off on the PS4 until the prices come down and more games are out. And as for PC games which I mainly get, I've stopped pre-ordering, and a lot of the time I've been waiting for Steam sales before getting them.

 

[Darquenaut]

The only reason you would have to pre-order and/or early adopt games and consoles is because if 1) You're a die-heard fan, and you need to adopt early to justify this yourself; 2) The publisher/ company actually has an enticing pre-order offer; 3) you love standing in long lines for midnight releases; or 4) You just really really like spending top-dollar on stuff.

As it is, unless you fall into any of those categories, you are better off holding back. Most games will drop $10 within a month, $20-$30 within a half-year. And if it's a game that is heavily relying on DLC, chances are you wil be able to buy the game and all the DLC in a Game-of-the-Year package within a year (sometimes shorter than that - looking at you, Injustice).

As for consoles, early adopters are essentially glorified beta-testers. Sony and Microsoft especially have never had consoles launchers that weren't rocky for one reason or another (I'm exempting Nintendo because hardware-wise they rarely have any issues with things crapping out). Wait a half-year or better yet, a year, let the console get some games in its library (after all, no such thing as backwards compatibility anymore), get a bigger HD, let them figure out the next-to-guaranteed server issues, and probably save you $50-$200 in the process.

 

[duwenbasden]

Hardware: almost never because of issues mentioned above. Also, I can save a boatload of $ buying them second hand.
Software: If it is single player and something I wanted (TES/FO/SR), then yes; if it is multiplayer and something I wanted (SC2), then maybe (the SC2 WOL launch did get the best case scenario / no glitch, no server issues); otherwise, I am not getting a game at launch.

After DragonAge 2, I am not preordering anything at $60 again.

 

[duwenbasden]

Hardware: almost never because of issues mentioned above. Also, I can save a boatload of $ buying them second hand.
Software: If it is single player and something I wanted (TES/FO/SR), then yes; if it is multiplayer and something I wanted (SC2), then maybe (the SC2 WOL launch did get the best case scenario / no glitch, no server issues); otherwise, I am not getting a game at launch.

After DragonAge 2, I am not preordering anything at $60 again.

i feel your pain. i preordered the collectors edition of ME3, im still annoyed every single thing in it was " here is a teaser now go out and buy the full version"

Too much like movies nowadays, where everything interesting sans the climax are in the trailer.

 

[josemlopes]

If heir isn't enough early adoption then you will end with a Vita situation. Based on what people say about early adoption/pre-ordering, makes me think that they WANT a scenario to happen.

Then they better give us some reason to why we should buy a console at launch other then the promise that we will have to pay them more later on.

Seriously, a funders deal or something, by getting a console during its first month you would get an additional 10% out of the discounted content of the PSN+/XBLG for the PS4/XBone. As a loyal costumer I would have something that I knew it could justify the risk in the long term and compensate for the fact that my harware would need an upgrade later. And they would still get my money so its not like they would be handing out anything for free.


There are a lot of ways they could make it work better for the costumer but since the PS4 sold 1 million units as it is the costumer can go fuck himself and shell out another 300$ for the revisited version of the console.

 

[Weaver]

For consoles? Not usually. Though hardware failure rates seem to really be more widespread these days than previous gens (before the 360 anyways).

On the flipside I don't think something like say, a new video card that just came out and has been properly bench-marked is really that dangerous.

Bascially, if the technology is a new iteration of a long established brand early adoption can give you the longest lifespan at the of using up to date technology. For example if you buy a Yamaha or Denon AV reciever it will probably work. They've been making these things for 30 years.

However, if it's an item loaded with all sorts of new untested technology I'm generally very wary of purchase.

 

[antidonkey]

Seems like it's rarely worth it anymore. If being online is a major component of whatever it is I'm interested in buying, I tend to wait. At launch, the servers tend to get crushed so it just makes for an exercise in frustration. I wait at least a few months for the kinks to get worked out then I'll buy if it's something I really want. If not, then I'll wait until there's a good sale. Hell, I waited until the slim models of the PS3 were out before finally getting one. Even then I went refurbished to save some cash.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Buying possibly faulty hardware at a higher price and not able to do anything with it for a few months?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, early adoption is for suckers.

 

[munx13]

No.

1. You pay hundreds of dollars for a machine that has yet to get more then 1-2 worthwhile games.
2. You are giving a company hundreds of dollars for a PROMISE that it will get more good games down the like.
2. Early hardware tends to have faults that only get fixed with later iterations.


Anyone who is responsible with his/her money will wait at least a couple of months.

 

[krazykidd]

Buying possibly faulty hardware at a higher price and not able to do anything with it for a few months?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, early adoption is for suckers.

And yet these " suckers" assure that the hardware gets support. What do you think would happen if for the first 6 months not a single ps4 was sold?

OT: you forget the reason people buy these consoles on release: The games. As a gaming comunity, games are the single most important thing in gaming . That's why the WiiU sold so poorly, it has no games. It WILL have games eventually, but as it stands there are very few games, thus very few reasons to buy one until those "promised" games come out. The games on the ps4 seem interesting , therefore people buy it , and the ps4 will get more support because of it.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

And yet these " suckers" assure that the hardware gets support. What do you think would happen if for the first 6 months not a single ps4 was sold?

If an entire business is based around the idea of customers making poor decisions, it isn't a good business.

 

[Bad Jim]

And yet these " suckers" assure that the hardware gets support. What do you think would happen if for the first 6 months not a single ps4 was sold?

Sony and Microsoft would release more reliable consoles in future. And rent lots of servers and bandwidth for the launch. And make them support an additional standard PC hard drive so when the stock HDD proves to be inadequate you can upgrade it cheaply instead of buying another console. And Nintendo would have some games ready to play on release.

You know, stuff that would stop early adopters being suckers.