Why bother buying PC games at launch.

[ph0b0s123]

OK, apart from the obvious reasons of you get to play at as soon as it is released.

I had to take out sometime from PC gaming (due to studying from some IT certifications) and have been going through the games I missed. Due to all being over 6 months old they are very cheap and also all the launch bugs have been patched. Also if there are any non patched problems the community has worked out some solutions. Now I am quite happy to wait to play a game six for months to a year after it is released.

Also it is more likely that my PC will be able to play the game at maximum details (without having to turn any of the graphic settings down) as both the game has been patched and my video drivers will have been optimized for the game, also maybe I have better hardware.

But this maybe a hard thing to do as mostly PC games are released months after the console versions, so maybe extra patience is to much to ask....

Obviously the type of game that needs to be got at launch are things that are mostly on-line, WOW, Battlefield, etc so you don't get left behind....

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Because you're excited for the game, and don't want to wait?

And want to talk about it with other people while it's still a popular topic?

So you don't end up like me, and have the endings and twists for a bunch of games ruined.

I just finished RDR yesterday. Ending was ruined for me months ago. Heavy Rain was ruined for me way before I beat that in August. These endings would have meant more to me had they not been spoiled over the long wait before I bought them.

 

[Irridium]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

I haven't bought a game on day one in almost a decade.

This year is going to be difficult though.

 

[MrShowerHead]

Well, what Onyx said...

People want to play the game early

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

That's true.

I worked at Gamestop...We just had a drawer for PC games. And it was basically nothing but WoW. Not a lot of people bought PC games there to begin with. So we don't sell 'em.

Simple. Fucking. Business.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

Order all mine on-line, but still physical and posted. So not really a worry. I have already waited 6 months, whats a couple of days...

 

[WrongSprite]

OK, apart from the obvious reasons of you get to play at as soon as it is released.

Well it pretty much IS the obvious reason. That's why it's obvious, people just want to play it rather than waiting around.

 

[Del-Toro]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

That's basically what it boils down to. besides, if no one buys a game within the first month or so, because they follow your logic, then the company probably won't care to spend the time and money fixing the patches for the unloved game. I know I wouldn't.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Because you're excited for the game, and don't want to wait?

And want to talk about it with other people while it's still a popular topic?

So you don't end up like me, and have the endings and twists for a bunch of games ruined.

Well, what Onyx said...

People want to play the game early

Well I agree that is those are the obvious reasons. I am just interested to see if the negatives of that, being bleeding edge with all that bring, is now starting out weight those obvious positives.

I have had titles I have brought at launch but have not been able to play properly until patched some months later. So I have paid a premium price to get the game as soon as launched, but would have been better off waiting and getting it cheaper without losing much play time.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

That's basically what it boils down to. besides, if no one buys a game within the first month or so, because they follow your logic, then the company probably won't care to spend the time and money fixing the patches for the unloved game. I know I wouldn't.

So we have to buy a buggy game and hope that if enough of us get screwed the company may deem to release a patch. Man, the developers have a great racket going.

Though I am not disagreeing with your logic. That is the way it works...

 

[veloper]

Waiting atleast for some patches to come out so you don't have to suffer the frustrations of a broken game is a smart thing to do.

That wait nicely coincides with a price drop.
Preordering really is for the impatient.

 

[veloper]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

That's basically what it boils down to. besides, if no one buys a game within the first month or so, because they follow your logic, then the company probably won't care to spend the time and money fixing the patches for the unloved game. I know I wouldn't.

So we have to buy a buggy game and hope that if enough of us get screwed the company may deem to release a patch. Man, the developers have a great racket going.

Though I am not disagreeing with your logic. That is the way it works...

Your one early purchase isn't going to make any difference, so go ahead and wait.

 

[GBlair88]

Well if you buy physical chances are after 1 month it could be taken off shelves. So yeah.

That's basically what it boils down to. besides, if no one buys a game within the first month or so, because they follow your logic, then the company probably won't care to spend the time and money fixing the patches for the unloved game. I know I wouldn't.

That and the fact if nobody plays it, then how will the company know it needs to be fixed?

 

[F'Angus]

I've only really brought 2 brand new PC games: The Battle For Middle Earth 2 and Fallout 3. Can't afford to buy new ones all the time

 

[Thedayrecker]

I usually don't buy my games (PC gamer) until later anyways... Unless I'm really excited for it... Like this year.... I need cash

Dragon Age 2, Shogun: Total War 2, TES: Skyrim, Sims Medieval, and TOR! And I've got $50....

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

And want to talk about it with other people while it's still a popular topic?

Bam.

Yeah, pretty much that one. Of course, there are some games that I just need to play when they are released, but, for other games, when something major comes around, something I'm interested in, I don't want to be late for the party.

I probably missed out a lot on sharing my Mass Effect escalades because finished both games in late December 2010.

I just finished RDR yesterday. Ending was ruined for me months ago.

Wasn't it for everyone?

I mean, you'd guess the developers would start taking that into account when they make the games or something. The ending of RDR was good for those who did not see it coming - those who did it only served to annoy.

Except me. Because that game's story was so long. Really long. Too long.

Same thing about the ending of Heavy Rain, by the way.

Spoiler: Heavy Rain, obviously

Person Who Didn't Know About The Twist: What? Scott? Fucking hell.

Person Who Did Know About The Twist: Bleh. Plothole. Boredom.

 

[PurplePlatypus]

I feel bothered enough, no other reason. I mean come on; sometimes people just really want a game and get excited.

 

[roger moores eyebrow]

I almost always wait a couple of months before buying PC games. What with steam and online sites like play and amazon most games are half the price by that time. Plus as you say the patches have come out and the early bugs have been ironed out. The one game I did buy at launch this year was New Vegas which was half the price a couple of weeks later.

I will definitely be buying Skyrim on day one though can't wait for more elderscrolls!

 

[Delusibeta]

To be honest, these days what with the industry's increasing reliance on DLC and patches, this argument could be applied to all games. Well, except Wii games, but whatever.