Poll: Would You still Early Access / Pre-Order a game today?
- Thread starter Demagogue
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Unless you count Kerbal Space Program, no. I mean, it's definitely access to the game in beta, but they were selling a $15 game for $15, with the promise that it would eventually become a full game, rather than throwing the full price at it in the hopes it eventually lives up to its promise.
I have preordered 3 times in the past 6 years; Didn't regret any of them.
On the other hand, 2 out of 4 games I've backed on Early Access/Kickstarter have been massive disappointments for me.
Probably means I'm not touching Early Access or Kickstarter much anymore. Not unless I am familiar with the studio's work.
On the other hand, 2 out of 4 games I've backed on Early Access/Kickstarter have been massive disappointments for me.
Probably means I'm not touching Early Access or Kickstarter much anymore. Not unless I am familiar with the studio's work.
Personally, the only game I'm looking to pre-order right now is Arkham Knight, mainly because it's a Batman game that's back safely in the loving arms of Rocksteady - Arkham Origins was alright, but it just couldn't stand up to Arkham City in my book, and the glaring lack of Rocksteady's logo on the box seemed to indicate why.
I totally understand why people should stop pre-ordering, though; once it may have been to ensure you'd get a physical copy of a game you were worried would sell out. But of course, the leeches in the industry had to turn it into a method for squeezing money out of the customers. So something that might have once been considered a little bonus is now a super premium service, using borderline propaganda to browbeat people into preordering, for a little bonus that's usually fucking worthless - the Goliath skin you get for pre-ordering Evolve, for example, basically turns the Goliath into a barely noticeable shade of red.
It really falls to the game, though; the biggest reason not to pre-order that I can garner is basically, "you buy it before it's out, and therefore before word of mouth gets around, attesting to the game's quality." The thing is, Arkham Knight, in my eyes, is looking VERY good, and it looks like it's evolving from the absolutely SUBLIME Arkham City while not deviating from the things that made it great. So I think pre-ordering it is my way of committing to getting it, while also getting the Harley Quinn and Red Hood stuff as a bonus. So, yeah, call me a sheep with a loose wallet if you must, but I'm pre-ordering it on Steam so I can just have it ready to play when it comes out.
Early Access, on the other hand, seems different to me than pre-orders; at least you can actually PLAY an early access game immediately after you buy it. Yeah, it spits out a lot of stuff that are 'games' in the same way a bunch of sticks and wheels glued together are considered a 'car', but Viscera Cleanup Detail and, more recently, Darkest Dungeon are the two reigning kings of Early Access. They came out with a fully functional, polished product, and put it on Early Access so they could use the funds to add more to that base product.
I think that's something people should work to do in Early Access; if you can't afford to make the entirety of the game you visualized, put everything you can towards a solid base product, throw it on Early Access and attract enough interest to let it grow.
I totally understand why people should stop pre-ordering, though; once it may have been to ensure you'd get a physical copy of a game you were worried would sell out. But of course, the leeches in the industry had to turn it into a method for squeezing money out of the customers. So something that might have once been considered a little bonus is now a super premium service, using borderline propaganda to browbeat people into preordering, for a little bonus that's usually fucking worthless - the Goliath skin you get for pre-ordering Evolve, for example, basically turns the Goliath into a barely noticeable shade of red.
It really falls to the game, though; the biggest reason not to pre-order that I can garner is basically, "you buy it before it's out, and therefore before word of mouth gets around, attesting to the game's quality." The thing is, Arkham Knight, in my eyes, is looking VERY good, and it looks like it's evolving from the absolutely SUBLIME Arkham City while not deviating from the things that made it great. So I think pre-ordering it is my way of committing to getting it, while also getting the Harley Quinn and Red Hood stuff as a bonus. So, yeah, call me a sheep with a loose wallet if you must, but I'm pre-ordering it on Steam so I can just have it ready to play when it comes out.
Early Access, on the other hand, seems different to me than pre-orders; at least you can actually PLAY an early access game immediately after you buy it. Yeah, it spits out a lot of stuff that are 'games' in the same way a bunch of sticks and wheels glued together are considered a 'car', but Viscera Cleanup Detail and, more recently, Darkest Dungeon are the two reigning kings of Early Access. They came out with a fully functional, polished product, and put it on Early Access so they could use the funds to add more to that base product.
I think that's something people should work to do in Early Access; if you can't afford to make the entirety of the game you visualized, put everything you can towards a solid base product, throw it on Early Access and attract enough interest to let it grow.
I bought one or two early access titles but my overall rule is NOPE. far too many games stay in early access and are never finished so the devs can funnel that money into a "real" release or their next big project, which is fine really but it's dishonest business practice as far as i'm concerned. so i won't support it. if they came out and said "here's something cool we made how about donating so our next big thing is bigger and better that would be a different story. Look how broken goat simulator was when it released. they flat out said "this shit is broken and we don't think we'll fix it it wasn't intended to be released." people chose to buy it now it's a big deal and likley whatever they make next will sell like hotcakes but they were honest about it.
I do still pre-order but only games I KNOW i'm going to buy around release. but the bar for release time purchase has gone up alot in my mind. I pre-ordered DOA, Dynasty warriors 8 empires, and DBZ Xenoverse because I knew i was going to buy them on release and wanted the bonuses. I am far more skeptical of games these days, anything bungie, ubisoft, or blizzard, I'm waiting to see how the game is. I mean Destiny had been out for months and they're still trying to convince people it's not a giant turd burger. ubisoft is fairly obvious and I still havn't forgiven Blizzard for Diablo 3 being such a shit pile. but honestly so many GOOD ftp options out there exist that it makes more sense for me to dump 20$ on a starter set for a marvel heroes type game than to risk $60 on the next big AAA wank fest.
I do still pre-order but only games I KNOW i'm going to buy around release. but the bar for release time purchase has gone up alot in my mind. I pre-ordered DOA, Dynasty warriors 8 empires, and DBZ Xenoverse because I knew i was going to buy them on release and wanted the bonuses. I am far more skeptical of games these days, anything bungie, ubisoft, or blizzard, I'm waiting to see how the game is. I mean Destiny had been out for months and they're still trying to convince people it's not a giant turd burger. ubisoft is fairly obvious and I still havn't forgiven Blizzard for Diablo 3 being such a shit pile. but honestly so many GOOD ftp options out there exist that it makes more sense for me to dump 20$ on a starter set for a marvel heroes type game than to risk $60 on the next big AAA wank fest.
No for pretty much everything, but there are exceptions. For example, Keen Software made such a great and incredibly well supported game with Space Engineers that I didn't hesitate much when the chance to back their next project cropped up. Medieval Engineers is even more promising, and so far they are maintaining their usual development pace with both games which is really cool.
This is the only game I've early-accessed in well over a year though. I may well consider backing an interesting project from a developer I feel has earned it in the future, but I will never pre order a game again. These days I wait for the reviews and make sure I don't get suckered into another terrible product by big words, clever advertizing lies and broken promises...
This is the only game I've early-accessed in well over a year though. I may well consider backing an interesting project from a developer I feel has earned it in the future, but I will never pre order a game again. These days I wait for the reviews and make sure I don't get suckered into another terrible product by big words, clever advertizing lies and broken promises...
Only early access game I've bought was KSP. I've been perfectly happy with it, but I'm just not going to pay anyone to quality test their games for them again. You here far more "wtf is this sh#t" stories about bad EA games than you hear about the good, and there's nothing stopping me from buying a good game when it releases for reals.
Other then prison architect which i brought on sale and have enjoyed like 100 hours of I don't think it's worth buying early access.
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
Other then prison architect which i brought on sale and have enjoyed like 100 hours of I don't think it's worth buying early access.
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
Other then prison architect which i brought on sale and have enjoyed like 100 hours of I don't think it's worth buying early access.
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
Other then prison architect which i brought on sale and have enjoyed like 100 hours of I don't think it's worth buying early access.
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
You end up burnt out on a game when it's half done and don't feel like actually playing the finished product (what I keep telling myself so I don't buy darkest dungeon).
On the pre order front I don't think I would pre order anything except the next Elder scrolls/Fallout because those are the only franchises that can get me desperate to play them enough.
That and I am a sucker for a good elder scrolls map that comes with the pre orders (or at least did last time).
it really depends on what your looking for
but do your home work
I preordered a game called kenshi and it still in early fucking alpha and yet I have almost put 90 hours into it
its a sandbox rpg,rts but the devs really comunicate alot and post roadmaps and stuff so you know hows it going
I dont regret it becuase me buying the game also allows them to finish it sooner
kerbal space program is another good example
as is minecraft
do your research and decide if the product is worth your investment
Kenshi is really awesome and I belive I bought the game just after a big update to include a sound track came out
http://lofigames.com/ check it out and tell me what you guys think also has a demo
but do your home work
I preordered a game called kenshi and it still in early fucking alpha and yet I have almost put 90 hours into it
its a sandbox rpg,rts but the devs really comunicate alot and post roadmaps and stuff so you know hows it going
I dont regret it becuase me buying the game also allows them to finish it sooner
kerbal space program is another good example
as is minecraft
do your research and decide if the product is worth your investment
Kenshi is really awesome and I belive I bought the game just after a big update to include a sound track came out
http://lofigames.com/ check it out and tell me what you guys think also has a demo
I only pre-order/early access games that I know have a good development team behind them. I won't help out a starting group on Steam because too many people have used that as a disguise to take money and not deliver. at the moment the only thing I have on pre-order is Bloodborne and that's because I've loved every Souls game from FROM and their armored core series. On the Early access side I don't think I have any other then a couple bought by friends as gifts; I did jump into minecraft early access but it was after I played it full on a friend's account.
I've never done kickstarter either as nothing has prompted me to do so.
I've never done kickstarter either as nothing has prompted me to do so.
I generally preorder "non-AAA" games, since there are quite a few games I didn't preorder that I had trouble finding, such as Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call and Bravely Default. I'm gonna preorder Xenoblade Chronicles X and Persona 5 because I loved earlier games in both series and the publishers aren't known for dicking people over with super buggy games (like AssCreed: Unity) or "gameplay" trailers that misrepresent the game (like Colonial Marines). Also, those games are coming out in Japan before NA, so if there is some major problem with either game, I'll be able to know about it beforehand.