Poll: Why preorder? Why NOT preorder? (Day One DLC incentives)

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I'm getting the pre-order stuff this time around, because I'm up on the fact that this is coming out and I want it anyway so it makes good sense to get it on day one. That's not always the case though; sometimes I am just too busy with real life to know that games I want are coming out on such a date, or, more commonly, that there is a game I want out there that hasn't made it to the shelves yet.

I'm one of those old gamers who used to have time to know this stuff, but doesn't anymore because life has gotten bigger and more time consuming to manage my hobby's huge industry.

The solution I would like to see for all of this is: Sure, give content to the pre-order crowd, they deserve it - but make sure all the content is always available to all the customers no matter when they buy or how they got their game. They may have to pay for it as DLC later, where others got it 'free' (nothing is free really), but at least then everyone all the time will have access (should they choose to use it) to the entirety of the content that is meant to go with or be in the game.

Problem solved - for most people anyway.

That's actually what they are doing, and as I've said above, if you buy the game new, you still get some DLC for free.

I'm glad they're including some, but some is not all. The whole game and all its bits and adds and everything should always be available to the customers who are willing to pay for it - whenever they are willing to pay for it. I'm happy I'm getting some bonus material free and lucky to be able to do so - but if I was crunched financially one month and bought it on release day because that's when I could - I expect the OPTION to pay a little more and get what I missed out on. They win and I win that way and everyone can stop crying about "I missed X item now fmlzorz /cry" which is what a lot of the angst about this stems from.

 

[Warachia]

I'm getting the pre-order stuff this time around, because I'm up on the fact that this is coming out and I want it anyway so it makes good sense to get it on day one. That's not always the case though; sometimes I am just too busy with real life to know that games I want are coming out on such a date, or, more commonly, that there is a game I want out there that hasn't made it to the shelves yet.

I'm one of those old gamers who used to have time to know this stuff, but doesn't anymore because life has gotten bigger and more time consuming to manage my hobby's huge industry.

The solution I would like to see for all of this is: Sure, give content to the pre-order crowd, they deserve it - but make sure all the content is always available to all the customers no matter when they buy or how they got their game. They may have to pay for it as DLC later, where others got it 'free' (nothing is free really), but at least then everyone all the time will have access (should they choose to use it) to the entirety of the content that is meant to go with or be in the game.

Problem solved - for most people anyway.

That's actually what they are doing, and as I've said above, if you buy the game new, you still get some DLC for free.

I'm glad they're including some, but some is not all. The whole game and all its bits and adds and everything should always be available to the customers who are willing to pay for it - whenever they are willing to pay for it. I'm happy I'm getting some bonus material free and lucky to be able to do so - but if I was crunched financially one month and bought it on release day because that's when I could - I expect the OPTION to pay a little more and get what I missed out on. They win and I win that way and everyone can stop crying about "I missed X item now fmlzorz /cry" which is what a lot of the angst about this stems from.

It's funny, but we're on the same side of the argument here, I don't mind the DLC, and this DLC is available for later purchase, and is nothing more than superfluous add ons (even if some are pretty good), but people will complain about anything which is where another source of the angst stems from.

 

[Ertol]

I don't buy games upon release very often due to not wanting to pay so much money for a single game. Dragon Age 2 was one exception, because I really don't want to wait for this one. I feel like free Day 1 DLC is just rewarding people who buy it early, because if you really do wait for a while you could find the game for $10 or somewhere around there. Forking over another $7 for DLC, that is if you even want it, isn't to big of a deal if it would have originally cost you $60.

Although I do feel like they should let everyone who gets a new copy of the game get all the DLC plus items. If you do want to reward people for buying your game at full priced, don't just limit it to preorders.

From what I've seen of Dragon Age 2 it seems like they really changed up for the combat for the better, and stuck with the story telling. Even though DA:O had some sort of dry combat it didn't stop me from playing it through five or six times, so I felt pretty safe in preordering DA2. It's normally good practice to wait for the game to be released for a few weeks to really see what it's like, but overall I think I can trust Bioware.

 

[subfield]

If the dev doesn't have your goodwill or you just plain don't want to pay for admission I fail to see why you should get equal treatment for a lesser contribution?

Indeed - the Dev is God. Software is hardware. Wrong is right.

 

[Snowalker]

I support day-one DLC's... I do not support Pre-order bonuses.... I know, I'm weird.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I'm getting the pre-order stuff this time around, because I'm up on the fact that this is coming out and I want it anyway so it makes good sense to get it on day one. That's not always the case though; sometimes I am just too busy with real life to know that games I want are coming out on such a date, or, more commonly, that there is a game I want out there that hasn't made it to the shelves yet.

I'm one of those old gamers who used to have time to know this stuff, but doesn't anymore because life has gotten bigger and more time consuming to manage my hobby's huge industry.

The solution I would like to see for all of this is: Sure, give content to the pre-order crowd, they deserve it - but make sure all the content is always available to all the customers no matter when they buy or how they got their game. They may have to pay for it as DLC later, where others got it 'free' (nothing is free really), but at least then everyone all the time will have access (should they choose to use it) to the entirety of the content that is meant to go with or be in the game.

Problem solved - for most people anyway.

That's actually what they are doing, and as I've said above, if you buy the game new, you still get some DLC for free.

I'm glad they're including some, but some is not all. The whole game and all its bits and adds and everything should always be available to the customers who are willing to pay for it - whenever they are willing to pay for it. I'm happy I'm getting some bonus material free and lucky to be able to do so - but if I was crunched financially one month and bought it on release day because that's when I could - I expect the OPTION to pay a little more and get what I missed out on. They win and I win that way and everyone can stop crying about "I missed X item now fmlzorz /cry" which is what a lot of the angst about this stems from.

It's funny, but we're on the same side of the argument here, I don't mind the DLC, and this DLC is available for later purchase, and is nothing more than superfluous add ons (even if some are pretty good), but people will complain about anything which is where another source of the angst stems from.

So true.

On a related note, just to flesh out my opinion here without trying to derail this but it's been brought up: content that's given to only this platform or that platform because their corporate guys got together and shook hands is NOT ok. We're customers of the game company and we're paying to get everything they have across the board - there shouldn't be any discrimination based on what system we bought to play it on, which is a totally unrelated and in most cases (with the cost of systems today) irreversible decision previously made. Now, I say this understanding that the PC users are always going to be a special case (lump Macs in there) because of mods and player tool sets and such - that's just the nature of the console / computer dichotomy, but we don't need to have another divide manufactured for us by the people at Microsoft or Sony trying to get game makers to cater to their system more than the other.

Of course, if a game is exclusively available on only one of the two anyway then this does not apply; I am not anti-exclusivity for a whole game - BUT if you are going to take your game multi-platform you should treat all your customers on all those platforms you've chosen to be available on the same. It is only fair and good faith business.

 

[CheckD3]

Add ons are nice, but I preorder games that I think I'll put the time and effort in for my money. I'm trusting that the money I spent will go to the product I assume I'm getting.

Day One DLC seems, I dunno, as shady as project $10 and the extras you have to pay for. I understand WHY they do it, because of used games hurting them, but I'd rather see DLC added to games that are already acclaimed, rather than just being used to pump up their sales. Imagine if after Bioshock did so well, they added on a section that gave you replayability, or just an extra bit to play. That way those who got in later on the game could buy it cheap when it's used, and the companies get some money for a 10 buck add on.

Or what if we get Bulletstorm (because I love the concept and am actually really excited for this game) and it does as well as projected, and a few months they give us some more maps to play co-op and echo modes on, and/or give us a new chunk of story to play, priced at $20, it gives us a large amount of extra time. Or what if instead of a small, 5 map pack for 10/15 bucks that's released only a few months after release, they release a huge DLC that gives a single player experience (like FO3 DLC) and some new maps and gameplay modes for multiplayer at least a year to 2 years after the release, and they price it at $30. That way those who buy it cheap (10-30) can play the game later for cheaper, and then if they really like they can get a large add on that gives 30 bucks straight to the Game devs

They could use DLC so much better, right now DLC is becoming a hassle to players and a stabbing in the gut to Gamestop (which isn't always bad), it should be a way to get them money, but also to give life to their game, extend the good games value more, and doesn't really burden those who buy new on launch day, or used a few years later.

I don't want to have to worry about this crap, I just want to enjoy a game, and talking with add ons before a game's success is just stupid and worthless. DLC shouldn't be used like this, it should (as I've said like 3 times probably) give a breath of life to great games that are older, or even could be used to add good parts to a mediocre game with revisions.

 

[Warachia]

It's funny, but we're on the same side of the argument here, I don't mind the DLC, and this DLC is available for later purchase, and is nothing more than superfluous add ons (even if some are pretty good), but people will complain about anything which is where another source of the angst stems from.

So true.

On a related note, just to flesh out my opinion here without trying to derail this but it's been brought up: content that's given to only this platform or that platform because their corporate guys got together and shook hands is NOT ok. We're customers of the game company and we're paying to get everything they have across the board - there shouldn't be any discrimination based on what system we bought to play it on, which is a totally unrelated and in most cases (with the cost of systems today) irreversible decision previously made. Now, I say this understanding that the PC users are always going to be a special case (lump Macs in there) because of mods and player tool sets and such - that's just the nature of the console / computer dichotomy, but we don't need to have another divide manufactured for us by the people at Microsoft or Sony trying to get game makers to cater to their system more than the other.

Of course, if a game is exclusively available on only one of the two anyway then this does not apply; I am not anti-exclusivity for a whole game - BUT if you are going to take your game multi-platform you should treat all your customers on all those platforms you've chosen to be available on the same. It is only fair and good faith business.

I agree on that point, it's kind of funny though, if they had exclusive DLC to one console you'd think the developers would realize they are losing money by not marketing it to more people. Also, apparently some developers choose DLC to make sure you are using the real game, and I would take that (even exclusive DLC, on a PC) if it means I don't have to deal with DRM.

 

[Kukakkau]

I only really preorder because it means I get my games on my doorstep a day before public release. Which allows me to write some walkthroughs on how to do difficult sections/achievements for people.

Plus rubbing getting a major title early in your friend faces is priceless

Day one DLC is often a nice bonus but not normally something worthwhile (extra costume, crappy gun etc). And if the DLC bonus is something good it can completely break the game - see Medal of Honour and the case of the day 1 one hit kill sniper unlocks

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Dragon Age II is an insult to the gaming community. They had all that preorder stuff, and they didn't get the preorder on Steam until after the signature edition was gone. Also, to cut down on people buying used copies, they include DLC with all new copies, yet jack the price on the PC version up 20%. Besides the fact that the first game is in the list of "worse games I ever played", I am really not even considering this or any BioWare game anymore.