Why I am, very purposfully, not entering the Watch Dogs givaway

She-Pudding

Grand Poo-Bah of Tittles
Apr 29, 2014
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Now I don't mean to be preachy. If you have or will be entering The Escapist's latest event, by all means, do. Good luck, even. But I tend to overthink everything, and that pretty little banner on the homepage turned out to be no exception... because... you know... maschochism.

So anyway.

When I saw that offer, I got pumped. Watch dogs looks fascinating, money is tight, and getting a copy for free? That would kick some serious fruit cakes. I've been entering these gaming contests for as long as I've been a gamer, but I'd yet to win one. You know, like you, most likely. And gaming's an expensive hobby, you know?

But then, I think of all those previous contests. Back when I was in school, games were my passion... a passion I couldn't really afford. If a controller broke, or the used game cost too much, even all the trade-ins I sacrificed on the alter of Gamestop may not be enough. That month just may not be a gaming month. And buying a *new* game? Fogedabowdit. And if my *console* broke? I mean, I don't even... dark days, my friend. Dark indeed. Of course, cliched and anti-social as I was, I'd fear winning those really exotic grand prize. You know, picking between the friends and relatives to go somewhere with you, being made to meet celebrities who for all intents and purposes were just plain better than me... traveling? No. Just no. But a new game, when it came out? Had that day come, it would have been in serous competition with my birthday.

But... entering this sort of contest now? It doesn't feel right. I'm by no means rich, but if I really want to be frivilous, none of the practical aspects of gaming which I so longed for are out of my reach. I have an old console by choice, 2 brand-name controller, and a small collection of games I consider worth owning- most bought new. My Gamestop membership card languishes somewhere in the back of my wallet, outdated and nearly forgotten. Gamefly (a game rental company) sends me a new title as soon as I finish the old one. But somewhere out there are a hundred chicks 'n dudes in a similar situation to my younger self. I really want one of them to win. So, for me at least, it feels better to know that there's one less name in that hat and that much greater of a chance one of them could get that brand new, cutting edge, sparkley-shiney toy. And I'll... Just keep an ear out for Yahtzee's review, and maybe rent it in a couple months.

Of course, that doesn't stop anyone else, and I don't think anyone else should act or refrain from anything for whatever convoluted reason spews out of my brain machine, but... I dunno. How weird am I? Can anyone relate? I know this was rambly, but if anyone got through it... what do you think?
 

Barbas

ExQQxv1D1ns
Oct 28, 2013
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I've refrained from entering a few competitions in my time for that reason - I just don't need it and in this case, I'm not particularly excited about it either. I'll let the people who are eagerly anticipating the game have their chance.

I've grown to enjoy browsing the internet for various deals, anyway, because it just holds a certain appeal to me that brand-new games have all but lost over the years.
 

Legion

Were it so easy
Oct 2, 2008
7,190
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Well that is certainly more admirable than my reason, which is the game doesn't interest me in the slightest. I suppose the fact that I didn't enter the competition with the intention of selling it if I won is a point in my favour. But I think apathy/laziness would be a more honest explanation than decency.

I can certainly understand the sentiment though. There are plenty of people for whom winning the game would be more meaningful than it would be those of us who are better off or not as interested. So it's much fairer to allow them to have the chance to win it.

That said, there are also plenty of people who would do the above and sell the game on if they won it. Not everybody is after it for the "right" reasons.

Still, you have a refreshingly pleasant perspective.
 

MisterGobbles

New member
Nov 30, 2009
747
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I thought the reason was that you didn't wanna fill people's news feeds with advertisements for the game but I guess that's just me.

Nah, that's a good reason, and I think that's mostly the reason people don't enter every competition they see, albeit with a less altruistic spin. If the payoff of thinking you might have won something (that's the real prize most of the time) isn't worth the entry cost (here it's sharing stuff on social networks which is a tad time consuming), then people won't enter it, especially if the reward isn't enticing enough. MetalSucks.net runs contests for CDs all the time, and I usually only enter when the prize isn't named or when it's something I know I'd definitely like to have. I did win once when it was something I cared about, so it's something I keep doing.
 

IceForce

Is this memes?
Legacy
Dec 11, 2012
2,384
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There's a thread where people are discussing this giveaway: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.848789-Get-Into-the-Running-for-a-Free-Copy-of-Watch-Dogs

Anyway, there are some social network hoops you have to jump through, to enter.

If that's your thing, great.
If it isn't (as is the case with me), then entering is not really an option.
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
13,769
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Sure. It's a sound bit of reasoning.

Personally I don't enter competitions because the time spent filling out forms or whatever isn't worth the minuscule chance of winning. Also, the Escapist competitions generally aren't open to Australians. Also, I don't think I own any platforms capable of running Watch Dogs.

But if I'm ever asked why I didn't enter a given competition, I'm totally going to copy your reasoning to make myself sound like a nicer person.
 

She-Pudding

Grand Poo-Bah of Tittles
Apr 29, 2014
21
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@Barbas I know the feeling. With two coinciding sales and a coupon, I once traded my old Xbox 360 and it's games for a new PS3, a used game, and a pre-order. Of course, it took quite a bit to ring all that up, decide on what exactly I wanted, and then use that credit to buy it... The holiday shoppers around me were not pleased. -.^

And for the record, young me totally would have traded that game in for credit. Sandbox games and shooters have always been a hard sell for me.