Maybe we should all re-think this whole "pre-order" thing...

JetEngineJesus

JetEngineJesus

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I'm going to go ahead and post this knowing full-well that I'm opening myself up to the most vile, most needlessly-angry attacks from the nerd herd. This is obviously a free country, and I'm not going to sit here and tell you how you should (or shouldn't) spend your money; do what you like! FREEDOM, AMIRIGHT?!? That's why we went to war over 9/11, you guys!

Now that I've gotten the preamble out of the way, here we go: maybe we should think twice about pre-ordering video games. *cringes* *tomato hits face*

I'm hardly the first person to say this; if you like the readin', here are some links:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/12/30/do-not-pre-order-halo-5-guardians-9-months-early/

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/804186-halo-the-master-chief-collection/70740836

http://kotaku.com/5909105/stop-preordering-video-games-please

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/18/editorial-lets-not-pre-order-games-any-more-eh/

http://www.canada.com/need+stop+ordering+video+games/10690632/story.html

I've typically pre-ordered most of my games, usually suckered in by the FS/BB E3 Pre-order sales. I managed to avoid the Driveclub/MCC debacles (MCC only by virtue of my lack of an XBone...), but got bitten hard by the ACU gong show, and by Destiny --- Destiny has somehow managed to avoid most of the bad press, thanks to how massively DC/MCC/ACU failed, but absolutely deserves to be lumped in. The launch day bugs may not have been as catastrophic as DC/ACU/MCC, but it's clearly a rush job of the highest order, laughably lacking in content (with Bungie having the audacity to turn a round and charge $20 for an even more pathetic amount of "content"). Sorry, video game industry, I'm out; I won't be pre-ordering games any more. The industry's lack of respect for their customers is, quite frankly, insulting. As consumers, our only power is in choosing not to purchase; the industry will keep pushing the line further and further back for as long as we happily chow down on whatever garbage they shovel onto our plates...

Realistically, not pre-ordering games won't effect me at all; my backlog is so huge at this point, that I can easily wait until a title hits the $30 mark before buying. Maybe I'll just wait for the inevitable GOTY edition that includes all of the bullshit pre-order "bonuses" and DLC!

/rant

Again, I'm not telling you guys what to do; I know that a lone post on CAG won't change anyone's mind (especially when there are COOL, PALETTE-SWAPPED COSTUMES AVAILABLE WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER!!!!!). I guess I'm just hoping that a few of you will at least think twice before pre-ordering.

Anyway, internets, it's time for you to do what you best. LET THE HATE-FILLED VITRIOL SPEW FORTH!

 
I certainly understand where you're coming from. I really only purchase Nintendo games, so I've never been burned by any of my preorders launching with horrible bugs. Nintendo games actually work. Plus, Nintendo games don't often drop in price, so preordering during the E3 sales saves me plenty of money.
 
I don't speak for everyone, but I think it's safe to say that most of us here pretty much only pre-order:

  1. collector's editions or niche titles that will be hard to find and/or be more expensive down the road.
  2. games from series or developers that have endeared or appealed to us over the years, eg. Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Zelda, etc.

I agree with you, though. I think Mike Futter of GameInformer said it best:

2015 needs to be a year in which trust is rebuilt. And it needs to start before the calendar page is turned. We’re not off to a great start, unfortunately.

Today, Microsoft announced two limited edition versions of Halo 5: Guardians. Neither have been fully detailed, but you can go and pre-order a $250 Limited Collector’s Edition with a statue you’ve never seen even in rough sketches. It’s absurd, especially after the brand-weakening problems that have plagued Halo: The Master Chief Collection since its November 11 launch.

This is a mistake, and one that should not be replicated. The mysteries of the season pass should not be extended to game purchases that amount to over 70 percent of the price of the console on which they are played.

Gamers are still ready to be enchanted by games and give themselves over to the fantasy. In order for that to persist, they need to continue to feel good about buying in and that starts with respect. Publishers need to start treating customers as a vital part of the ecosystem once more and not rubes at the carnival.
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I've learned my lesson with season passes, though; Destiny was my biggest regret this past year. I definitely see myself pre-ordering and buying into the hype less in 2015 and onward.

 
That describes me perfectly. Even with house payments I still preorder NISA collector editions :( My one and only drug.

VetraX said:
I don't speak for everyone, but I think it's safe to say that most of us here pretty much only pre-order:

  1. collector's editions or niche titles that will be hard to find and/or be more expensive down the road.
  2. games from series or developers that have endeared or appealed to us over the years, eg. Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Zelda, etc.
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I really think this thread should go in "discussion". not here.

 
denpanosekai said:
That describes me perfectly. Even with house payments I still preorder NISA collector editions :( My one and only drug.

I really think this thread should go in "discussion". not here.
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Ya realized this last year, so barely buy any games unless I feel like they'll be hard to come by or the collectors edition is a must have.

 
i always preorder from gamestop, because i trust them. their preorder dlc is one of a kind, which cannot be found anywhere else

 
I agree 100%

Someone else on one of these sites brought up recently that pre-orders were originally done to ensure you didn't miss out when stock was going to be questionable about a really great game (Halo 2 comes to mind). Now EVERYTHING is pre-order, and for no good reason usually.

Pre-orders happen so early now a days, that they could just order the amount of copies they need. Or you can order online somewhere and have it delivered. They take pre-orders so early that they make huge delays. Months? A Year?

Most pre-order goodies aren't that great anyway. A special gun? Outfit? Different character? Save your money, play your backlog (most people should have one) and then buy the GOTY edition in 6 months+ or wait for a great sale - they always happen. GTA V - $15, Diablo 3 Reaper of Souls Edition $20, the list goes on.

I understand if it's a collector's edition and you want something specific - I think back to getting the Fallout 3 collector's edition (which I bought on release day - not even pre-ordered), but I look at my other collector's editions (COD night vision and Assassin's Creed statues) and I managed to get them on clearance at places for dirt cheap compared to release prices.

Whatever people decide, I appreciate the post and think your opinion is very valid.

 
YBX87 said:
i always preorder from gamestop, because i trust them. their preorder dlc is one of a kind, which cannot be found anywhere else
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Good luck finding next year's Call of Duty during the first few weeks if you don't pre-order.

 
I haven't pre-ordered a game since MW3 I think. It's been a really long time and I see no point in pre-ordering anymore because the bonuses they give me aren't worth while. Plus I can just get games on the cheap elsewhere months later. I can wait. 

 
Honestly, the bug ridden, broken, yearly release "we'll fix it next year" games and the rigid DLC/microtransaction crap had a large hand in driving me to PC gaming. I have way more control gaming on PC, a larger variety of games, and genuine innovation (Oculus Rift, Leap Motion, motion rigs, etc). If a game is broken and/or abandoned, often the modding community will fix it themselves.

Many games have community workshops with an endless supply of free bonus content that could keep you playing for years. I still bought an XB1 about 8 months after launch because I'm a big sports fan. But if you're getting to a place where you're frustrated with the bureaucracy of video games, giving PC gaming (and the indie scene in general) a look might be worth your while.

 
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Rozz said:
Good luck finding next year's Call of Duty during the first few weeks if you don't pre-order.
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I actually already preordered Call of Duty: Advanced Wafare 3: Get a Boner from Shooting Space Nazis Edition preordered from Gamestop earlier this week. Set for release in 2016. It takes all of what made this year's game great, replaces it with unwanted modes and cut the campaign down to 35 minutes of pure blowing stuff up action, because NO ONE plays that shit, they all want multiplayer. According to Jason at the Gamestop in Nitro, WV it's already sold out on every console.

Best $285 I have spent this week, and it's only Wednesday.

Pretty much anything else is in high supply at release except those niche titles and Call of Duty.

Sometimes I wonder if developers use preorders to decide if they will even give 2 shits about DLC and patches for games. I know sales factor in, but if a game doesn't presell, what's the point, right?

 
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The last game I pre-ordered was Mario Kart 64 almost 18 years ago. With games dropping in price so fast now, I'm in no rush to ever get a game on day 1 and don't collect limited or collector's editions which I can understand wanting to pre-order if they are really going to have a limited supply.

 
Equistina said:
Unless it's Nintendo, which never goes on sale, or a CE, I wait till everything hits $10 or less :D
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There were at least 10+ Nintendo games on sale this week alone during Boxing Day. I wouldn't say they never go on sale.

That describes me perfectly. Even with house payments I still preorder NISA collector editions :( My one and only drug.
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The S&H kills buying CEs from NISA. That, and the terrible state our dollar is in atm.

 
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OmegaChaos said:
There were at least 10+ Nintendo games on sale this week alone during Boxing Day. I wouldn't say they never go on sale.



The S&H kills buying CEs from NISA. That, and the terrible state our dollar is in atm.
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Those aren't sales. I never see them for like 'ore than $5 off the msrp :/
 
Equistina said:
Those aren't sales. I never see them for like 'ore than $5 off the msrp :/
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Canada here. On Boxing day I picked up Animal Crossing New Leaf and Mario 3D Land for $15 each. That's CAD, which is $13.something USD. I snagged Pokemon Gates to Infinity for $10 around Black Friday.

Nintendo sales are just more irregular.

 
Equistina said:
Those aren't sales. I never see them for like 'ore than $5 off the msrp :/
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Luigi's Mansion/OoT/A Link Between Worlds were $24.95 each. Animal Crossing New Leaf/Donkey Kong 3DS and Super Mario Land 3D were $19.99 each.

Super Smash Bros was $44.99. The list goes on.

 
This year's E3 deal was the first time I've made a big preorder, I've finally learned my lesson after missing the previous 2
I like to think I was a smart preorderer
I did over $1000 on my orders, but only kept them if they were worth it (I ordered anything I was even remotely interested in. I see it as getting my foot in the sales door)
Yea, I preordered and committed to buy the game from them, only if they kept their commitment of quality.
I had 2 copies of sims 4, but 2 days before it came out I read an article on "80-something things they removed from sims 4 that were in 1/2/3. Yea, instant return.
The same went for nhl. I went crazy on the demo, then read this was 1/8th of the game I was expecting (no 3 stars after the game, REaLLY!?!?!?! How much code/time does it take to put that in the game.
Like I said before, I made a huuuugeorder just to cover myself. If it's bad, so what, I return it. If it turns out to be a quality game I want, I saved myself some money.
 
Totally agreeing with you JEJ, I think pre-ordering is not giving us enough benefits for the trouble we're going through. I agree with pretty much all that's been said in this thread... the day one malfunctions, the quick back end rebates and price drops, the eventual GOTY edition with all the DLC at a cheaper price than the original...

Off-topic but not by too much, I'd like to share my 2014 pre-ordering experience... it's not about the manufacturer but rather about the retailer...

I did like Pajo and went insane on the E3 pre-order plan, amounted up to about $1100 (over 18 months of releases, seemed like a good plan). When I received the first 2 games, all went smoothly, as they seemed to calculate the transit time accordingly and shipped the product 2 business days before the release date so it shows up in my mailbox at the right time. Turns out it's not one of their foremost preoccupations, as the busy season started and they started shipping on the release date itself, even later sometimes. I tried to ask them to make sure they always ship my stuff with a 2-day buffer, and they flat out told me that's not possible. Whatever... if my kid and I are eager to play a game, I go to my local store on release date, buy the game, play it, wait for my belated copy in the mail and return it for a full refund. They've asked for it.

For 2 months now, I haven't been able to access the details of my big ass preorder, and after about 6-7 e-mails and 5 phone calls, I still can't access the damn thing. As Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for Wii U was initially announced at $65 then dropped to $45, I asked them if the rebate (30%) I was entitled to would apply on the newer price, and i was told that prices were automatically adjusted in case of a price drop. Not much of an answer but okay... As I received the game, my order details were still unavailable and I didn't know what price I paid for the game. I had to drive to my local store to figure out how much I paid, only to realize that that I've been overcharged and when I asked if they could apply the rebate on the newer price, they said they couldn't as it was a special fixed price (no it wasn't, it was a percentage... funny how they turn things around in their favor)... So then I asked the clueless clerk at the counter: If I can't get my games on time and I can't get them at a decent price... WHY THE F... SHOULD I PREORDER WITH YOU GUYS ?

An awkward smile and a pathetic pre-written apology ensued...

So it seems pre-ordering gets us no love from certain manufacturers and no love from certain retailers...

Let's keep pre-ordering for the rare stuff and the "labor of love" projects.

 
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On average, I pre-order maybe two games a year. It's just not worth it to pre-order and/or buy day one. These games ALWAYS (always) go on sale within 3-4 weeks. With my backlog high as it is, there's no reason to buy day one other than to have bragging rights (if that even exists).

I will make concessions for special/limited/deluxe editions, and games that get a physical release that will likely be in low quantities, but otherwise, I usually hold off a month or two before buying a newly released game.

 
Last year, I only preordered Mario Kart 8, Smash 3DS and Smash Wii U bundle.

This year I'm preordering Splatoon, Zelda U, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Majora's Mask 3D, Monster Hunter 4 ultimate CE and maybe Star Fox U and Mario Maker.

As many others, I just preorder Nintendo stuff. I'm gunna go broke this year by CAG standards.
 
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Right now, my pre-order list consists of Project CARS (PS4). I'll be pre-ordering No Man's Sky whenever it becomes available to do so. other than those two, there's nothing that I feel the need to pre-order and have day one.

 
SynGamer said:
These games ALWAYS (always) go on sale within 3-4 weeks.
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4 weeks. Never 3, as most stores have a 30 day return policy. Although it's worth noting that Walmart has a 90 day return window. So if you're going to buy stuff that's guaranteed to drop in a month you may as well do it at Walmart. I don't think Walmart price protects, so just manually do it by buying a cheaper copy and promptly return it using your full price receipt.

 
First off, I seldom regret a pre-order. I for one enjoyed playing Destiny with friends and while I felt the story was lacking, the gameplay and fun factor more than made up for it. I still have yet to buy the DLC. Another polarizing release that I enjoyed was Watch Dogs.

Also, all of my preorders were done through the Futureshop E3 sale (preorder 3 or more, receive $20 off each game). Even if I lumped Destiny, Watch Dogs and NHL 15 in with  the bad games, the $20 I saved on the likes of Far Cry 4, GTA V, Smash Bros. Wii U, Mario Kart 8, Infamous: SS, Alien Isolation and Donkey Kong Country: TF more than make up for it.

With that said, if it were not for the $20 E3 sale, I probably wouldn't preorder any game.

 
I started doing this a few years ago. I have a hard rule, I don't buy a game, unless I am out of games to play. I limit myself to 1 online multi-player and one single player game at a time. I keep a list of games I want to play. Often by the time I am ready to play a game it has dropped in price quite a bit, and in the case of PC games, many times 2/3 off retail.

I used to make exceptions when BestBuy would have discounts on pre-ordering multiples, or steam giving 10% off for pre-orders, but I no longer even take the bait on that. The reality is the amount saved by playing a game when I am ready for it, not when I decide I want it saves me more than those deals anyway. Plus I end of finding that many of the games I thought I wanted, end up being shitty, or I just flat out change my mind on it, which saves me 100% of the cost of that game.

This strategy really has saved me tons. I think the key is to keep a list of games you want to buy, because then when you don't pre-order or pickup a new release, you don't have to say no to yourself, you are just saying "not yet". Much easier. Plus as I mentioned above, sometimes you many just not end up buying it.

Games almost never sellout... especially anything with any amount of hype.The only games I ever see sell out are surprise hits, like the original Demon Souls kept selling out because no-one thought it would have the legs it did. I am sure there are more recent examples of this. But you can be damn sure that Microsoft is going to have 2 billion "Halo 9: MasterChef Edition" ready for people to buy on launch day. So I don't think fear of not getting a copy should be a factor.

Getting the dolls, and coloring books for free when you pre-order is a valid reason if you want those things. Just make sure you really do want them, I often ended up just tossing them in a year or two wondering why I wanted it at the time.

Another good reason to pre-order is to purchase the guide book along side it. Yeah I know some game pre-orders include a guide book, but usually if they do it is a 'light' version to get you to buy the full version, or some shitty electronic guide.  But the big detailed guide books which can be handy for epic titles like Fallout, Dark Souls, Borderlands, Dragon Age, Witcher, etc you have to buy, and EB often gives a discount when bought together, but they don't stock the guidebooks. Plus those books usually only have a single printing. I went to buy a guidebook a couple months after the launch of a game, and none of the 5 EB's in my city had it, they said they generally only order them when you pre-order, except in special cases. I had to buy the book from a 3rd party on amazon, which meant an inflated price, and I had to *gasp* pay for shipping.

Sorry that was a long rant, but I see people wasting a lot of money by paying full price just to keep their physical backlong 20 titles deep. Keep your backlog on paper kids.

 
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