Why do people pre-order games?

BleedingPride

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The main reason why I do it is to make sure I have my copy reserved so they don't run out before I get there when a new game is released. Plus they give you free extras for no extra charge as well, I mean it's convenient, and why not right?
 

Spartan448

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The price does not always go down a few months after. I'm still waiting for Skyrim's price to drop.
 

TrevHead

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I rarely Pre-order but when I do it's for Japanese localisations as anything niche from Publishers like Rising Star Games and Xseed sell very limited numbers and need ppl paying near full RRP to making any money.
 

Arslan Aladeen

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Is availability really a problem for some people? I don't think I have ever had a hard time finding a game available on day one aside for maybe when it launched with a new system.

Edit: Okay, the limited release Japanese titles I get.
 

aelreth

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yamy said:
It's a question that has been bugging me for a long while now but it seems all the more relevant right now with the whole controversy over Aliens:Colonial Marines.

The question is: Why do people pre-order games?

I never understood the logic behind it: You put down money paying the full price for a game based on some trailers or maybe a demo without the guidance of reviews from people who have played the whole thing. It may or may not resemble the trailer or (in the case of A:CM) even closely resemble the demo. You also loses the chance to wait for the price of the game to inevitably go down a few months down the line after it is released.

I can sort of understand how pre-ordering ensures that you get a copy of the game even if stocks are low, but this no longer applies on digital distributing platforms like Steam where pre-ordering still exits. I can also sort of understand why when there are pre-order bonuses involved(though they are rarely worth paying game at full-price)but there are people who pre-orders games when there aren't any bonuses for doing so. As far as I tell, there just aren't any reasons for pre-ordering a game rather than buying it the first day it comes out.

So, fellow escapists, why do you pre-ordering games? Are there any obvious reasons to do it that I'm not seeing?
Because I haven't picked enough of my scabs yet apparently.
 

Redd the Sock

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Arslan Aladeen said:
Is availability really a problem for some people? I don't think I have ever had a hard time finding a game available on day one aside for maybe when it launched with a new system.
It depends on the game and where you live. Smaller communities are less likely to get a lot of niche titles.
 

rekabdarb

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imahobbit4062 said:
You answered your own question. Pre-order bonuses and a guaranteed copy of the game the day it comes out. Sometimes it's even discounted if you pre-order early enough.

What's so hard to understand about that? I get a game I want and I know I'm going to like as soon as possible, usually with some extra goodies.
Because this.

Fire Emblem Awakening is sold out in every store in the area, and i have to wait around 2 weeks (which i'm actually fine for, hoping the 3ds XL goes on sale.)

Dead Space 3 is also sold out in at least 2 stores i've gone to (not as worried about that one though)
 

Torrasque

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I pre-order a game when enough details have been released so I know what the game will be like, or if I am excited enough for the game. For example, I pre-ordered Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm the same day that Blizzard announced when it would be released. I also pre-ordered Halo 4 the day after it was announced. I pre-ordered Ni No Kuni when I saw the trailer for the game and how beautiful it would be, and pre-ordered Fire Emblem: Awakening when I saw what the classes and combat system would be like.

So its not like I am pre-ordering blindly, there are times when I pre-order a game and I don't enjoy the game, but there are also times when I go see a movie the first day and don't enjoy it that much. I'm not going to live my life waiting for other people to jump into the experience and tell me what they thought. I want to a slice of pizza as soon as it is out of the oven, I don't want to wait for someone to have a taste and tell me how it is.

I also pre-order because:
- I contribute to the possibility of a midnight release so I can get the game that much sooner
- I get pre-order bonuses like artwork packages, doodads or DLC (like a bunch of guns for Dead Space 3)
- It guarantees me a copy of the game. If I didn't pre-order Fire Emblem: Awakening or Ni No Kuni, I would have been hard pressed to find a copy when the game came out.

I also don't put the whole price of the game down for pre-order, I usually just do $5. When the game is closer to being released and I have more details about it (if I want more details about it) then I can cancel my pre-order, leave it be, or pay the full price of the game then and there so I can just show up and grab my game.

You have nothing to lose when pre-ordering a game.
 

COMaestro

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May 24, 2010
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When it comes to collector's editions, it seems you have to pre-order as many retail stores will only order enough to cover the pre-orders. Makes very little sense to me, but there it is.

I have only pre-ordered a few games in my time, and those all came with a nice bonus. The most recent were Borderlands 2 and AC3 at Best Buy, because I received a certificate for $20 after I picked up the game. And since I ordered two copies of Borderlands (one for me, one for my brother-in-law), I essentially received a free game after all the rewards. Otherwise, I have always been able to find a copy of a game I want on release day, and at the right retailers it will often be on sale for the first few days, so I save at least $5.
 

CriticalMiss

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I used to pre-order games when I was younger because the nearest reliable game store that I could get to on my own was at least an hour or two away by train. Not really worth it just to pick up a copy of a game on release day. I would buy all my new games online so I could shop around and usually the best prices were at Game, who offered double reward points on pre-orders (which was equivalent to a 2% discount), free shipping and the game usually arrived the day before release (weird I know). I also pre-ordered things that I was on the fence about if there was something cool as a pre-order bonus, if it turned out the game was bad I could always keep the shineys and return the game or trade it in.

Now a days I don't really buy anything on release, I'd rather wait a few weeks and enjoy the drop in price as well as some assurance that the game isn't total balls. Most pre-order goodies aren't really that appealing. Having an extra weapon in the game or alternate character skins doesn't do much for me so I'll use the money I save to buy some other games, pies or just throw it at hobos.
 

Something Amyss

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yamy said:
but this no longer applies on digital distributing platforms like Steam where pre-ordering still exits.
Doesn't Steam allow you to pre-load the titles? Pre-ordering then would allow you to be playig it right away, without waiting 900 hours to download it.

Also, as long as you still get pre-order bonuses and the like, pre-orders will happen. Logical or otherwise.
 

Mycroft Holmes

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1) Some games give you bonuses and usually a 10% off or so.
2) If you know that you are likely going to buy the game early on anyways based on the quality of a prequel/gameplay videos. IE Metro 2033 was great therefore having seen gameplay videos it is unlikely that Metro Last Light will fall short of that metric(Also ranger mode is the only way to play and I can't believe they are holding it hostage.) It makes great sense and everyone profits by it.

You just have to be a smart consumer. For example the Dragon Age 2 controversy with regards to the art direction, graphics, gameplay changes made preordering a bad idea because the game was moving far away from the original. Preordering Aliens: Colonial Marines was a bad idea because Aliens vs Predator was a piece of junk(especially sad considering how great AVP2 was.)

If previous games from the series look good, gameplay looks good, there aren't many negative gaming news stories on it, and you like the idea personally then go ahead and preorder; otherwise you should wait.
 

Henriot

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mohit9206 said:
Henriot said:
Because I paid for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, I got that AND Civ V!

(Only game I ever pre-ordered)
ok so you got civilization 5 free with xcom ? have you played it yet or is it just another game added to your backlog ?
Yeah, Civ V was a game I legitimately was interested in, already sunk over two dozen hours into it (well, that have been recorded, I often play offline).

Honestly, XCOM was a game that I had been following the development of for quite some time, I'd been reading everything they released about it, seen all the interviews, watched all the videos (one that went on for over an hour of them just playing through 2 missions, talking about various things within it). I suppose it's rare to have THAT much insight into a game before release, but from that I knew I would enjoy the game. I prepaid because on top of getting a game I was 99% sure I would love, I also got Civ V (always loved Civilisation, had heard good things about this iteration) and some nice little features within XCOM that would have otherwise been DLC.

Anything else you need to know?
 

Bat Vader

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If a game has a Collector's Edition coming out for it I will usually pre-order that if I am really looking forward to the game like Bioshock Infinite and the Ultimate Songbird Edition. If there isn't a Collector's Edition coming out I will wait to pre-order it until I find out what the pre-order bonuses are for the Steam and Retail editions.
 

xshadowscreamx

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mohit9206 said:
xshadowscreamx said:
for me..

if its a multiplayer game and my firends are going to get it
and pre-order loot

GTA5 will get this treatment

but i don't pre-order often. anyway i have been thinking of these deals below

(360)bioshockI looks amazing and comes with, premium ed ($99)
art book
lithograph print
3 power ups (digital of course)
handyman figurine
murder of crows key chain

but its single play only, so your hoping that it has replay value


(360)pre-order TOMB RAIDER ($79) and get
well, combat-strike package dlc


(ps3)the last of us ellie edition ($114) and get
(physical)

mini art book
comic book
a new skin for your ps3 controller (ellie)
screen print effect poster of ellie

(digital)
soundtrack
2p sn avatars
new ps3 theme
Ellie skin sackboy
and a bunch of multiplayer benefits


so what do you guys think i should choose? if any
seriously ? a skin , a theme , an avatar , a soundtrack ? those are all poor deals. to just sucker you in to invest in the game. so do yourself and the industry a favour and dont pre-order. these bonuses are not reason enough to pre-order if the games turns out to be not good
yes, but what about the things you can touch?
 

Jfswift

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I preordered Dead Space 3 just so I could get my paws on that SMG. Normally I dont pre order though.
 

Urh

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Assassin Xaero said:
Seeing that it is from TotalBuscuit, your post just lost any credibility to me. Problem with him is that he gives his opinion on a game, and the people who praise him unconditionally will take his opinion as fact and bash a game just because he doesn't like it without having ever trying it or attempting to think for themselves. So anyone who gives a reason to why something is good or bad, or why you should/shouldn't preorder games and just leave a link to one of his videos, I ignore it completely.

But anyway, judging from the rest of your post, I'm guessing it is about how by preordering you are buying crap and showing that people will pay for crap? To go with my above remarks, did you even read my original post? I'm going to buy the game on launch anyway. If reviews say it is bad or not. All reviews are opinions, so who are they to say if a game is bad or not? My taste seem to be a lot different anyway. For example, I won't touch another BioWare game again since they are some of the most bland and boring games I've ever played (Mass Effect [1], Dragon Age: Origins). On the other hand, I really enjoyed BlackSite: Area 51, Dirge of Cerberus, Brink, Rage, and other games people say are horrible. Only game I ever preordered that I disliked was Zombie Driver.
How about you take the time to actually listen to an argument instead of simply dismissing it because of its source, or because of how a person points you to an argument? By saying "Oh, it's totalbiscuit, I don't listen to him because his fans are sheep" you're simply engaging in an ad hominem attack. You want to disagree with somebody? Fine, but actually listen to their argument and present counter-arguments.

By the way, you're completely wrong about what TB had to say about pre-ordering. But that shouldn't come as a surprise, seeing as you didn't even fucking bother to listen.
 

Not Matt

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Nov 3, 2011
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free STUFF! because stuff is cool

and some times it's because of the prize. and you can bet your arse on that i am gonna pre order the collectors edition of the new batman for example for the cheapest one i can find ANYWHERE (and i do mean anywhere) on this green and blue ball we call 'tellus'

captcha: do want
 

Vegosiux

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I don't know, I suppose people have reasons. Most of which I disagree with personally, but, hey. Let's see anyway.

Preorder bonus: Irrelevant if it doesn't do anything with the game itself, and if it does, I tend to see it as underhanded unless it's purely cosmetic (in which case it falls under irrelevant again). And if it's merchandise, well, I just don't like clutter.

Brand loyalty or "I know I'll like it": Yeah well...this is an iffy one, but I myself lack a crystal ball or any other kind of powers of clairvoyance.

To make sure I get a copy: Made redundant by digital distribution.

"Because I just gotta have it the second it comes out!": Well that's just an unhealthy lack of self-control.

Preorder discount: The only one I could actually get behind, what with my shameless pragmatism and all; but the lack of clairvoyance kind of gets in the way.

No, this isn't an attempt to be edgy and jaded, but I do tend to be the cynic often. Then wonder why I drive people mad with my presence. But what I'm saying is, preorders are something I simply let fly under my radar.