Pre-Orders and You

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I just got into a healthy (non-violent) discussion with a few others at MMGN HQ about video game pre-orders.

I often find myself pre-ordering more out of excitement, rather than a fear of missing out on a game at launch. I guess it's kind of like me saying, "I really like your game/franchise, so take my money early!"

I probably only pre-order once or twice a year though, if that, maybe 2-3 months before a release (at most).

Although, I've never pre-ordered online: only at retail stores, but online pre-ordering is something I'll probably do in future if the incentives are good enough.

So I ask you, my fellow MMGN'ers!:

How many games a year do you pre-order?
Is it always the same sort of game/same franchise, or random games you think look good?
Have you ever pre-ordered a game online before?
And when you do pre-order, how long before release do you do it?

30/04/2012

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Matthew

I pre-order 0 games per year. The last game I pre-ordered was Rock Band 3 back in October 2010. Before that, was GTA: Vice City in 2003 (?).

If Rock Band 4 comes out, I'll pre-order that.

Never pre-ordered a game online.

I pre-order as sson as pre-ordering is available.

Like you Beta, I only pre-order out of excitement. I haven't been excited enough to pre-order a game in nearly 2 years. Plus, it's cheaper to buy online (but you have to wait for the shipping).

30/04/2012

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Silence

I occasionally pre-order games on Steam due to excitement. But because I have such a big backlog of games that keeps getting bigger, I changed my ways to only order things if it's being discounted and I'm definitely going to be playing it on launch.

While I don't care for pre-order incentives such as artbooks and such, I find myself throwing the extra few dollars away to get the digital deluxe editions where available. Since I don't think I can repurchase or upgrade from the standard edition,I get it anyway just in case I change my mind some time down the track.

30/04/2012

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M@ndyz

How many games a year do you pre-order?
Depends.. Usually around 10 I think

Is it always the same sort of game/same franchise, or random games you think look good? Mostly game/same franchise

Have you ever pre-ordered a game online before? Yes
And when you do pre-order, how long before release do you do it? Sometimes I have preordered from playasia, payed express and received it a day before release.. Happened a few times.. Even with express I'm still only paying cheaper then the price here.. I don't order from stores like ozgameshop if I want it on release date.. Most of the time if it's a MAJOR game I want I buy it from my local EB.. And that's only for my Xbox, wii and 3DS games.. I usually don't need to preorder my PC games from steam unless I get something for free like team fortress 2 hats

30/04/2012

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GreenThumb

I've only ever pre-ordered Black Ops and Gears of War 3 [MOG]

30/04/2012

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M@ndyz

This year I'll preorder animal crossing 3DS, Bioshock I, and my wii U.. Pretty much will be ordering these from EB so I can pick them up on the day or midnight launch

30/04/2012

Add me on steam........... bootie [mmgn] Or raptr.......... bootie101 Or wiiu. actually don't add me on wiiu im never on it :p

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Milky

How many games a year do you pre-order?
Depends on pre-order deals, but usually 2 or 3 a year. Last year I didn't pre-order many, just BF3. This year so far none.

Is it always the same sort of game/same franchise, or random games you think look good?
I always pre-order GTA games, they usually have good packages and back in the old days they would sell out.

Have you ever pre-ordered a game online before?
Nope.

And when you do pre-order, how long before release do you do it?
I try to do it as soon as they announce the packages, usually they have a limit on the special editions so I like to know I have it.

30/04/2012

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stublu

I only pre order in store if I want the special/collectors edition, but I don't buy those very often.

I have also pre ordered + pre loaded a few games off steam before (portal 2, HL2 episodes)

30/04/2012

Perth

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Gryllis

How many games a year do you pre-order?
None. I might have pre-ordered about 3 in my life. I really don't see the point as collector's editions aren't my thing and you can normally get then on launch day without an order anyway.

30/04/2012

The member formerly formerly known as ICC_06, formerly known as Ben.

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Blob

Skyward Sword is the only game I've ever pre ordered. Didn't want to miss out on a gold remote.

There's just no point usually, there's always enough stock.

30/04/2012

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Kerosanak

Last game I pre ordered was Dead Island. Nuff said.

Haven't preordered anything since I had my 360 so that's a fair while back now. Don't really see the point in it anymore, seeing as I got all this junk sitting around my room I want to get rid of left over from pre orders.

30/04/2012

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MicDaMan

If you pre order a game online...do they send it to you???

I am considering pre-ordering Resistance on Vita, and I have NEVER pre ordered before, prob is I am no where near any gaming shops so if they don't post it, it's not worth it for me....

Hopefully Heller gets it for me cheaper on MyGames =D

30/04/2012

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MyFragian

MicDaMan said: If you pre order a game online...do they send it to you???

Yeah they normally do

30/04/2012

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Tsunamo

I generally only pre-order games if they're low stock to secure a copy, or there's a bonus involved. If not I have no reason to, so I generally don't bother.

30/04/2012

[Perth, W.A | MMGN]

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Gryllis

Tsunamo said: I generally only pre-order games if they're low stock to secure a copy, or there's a bonus involved. If not I have no reason to, so I generally don't bother.

How often does this happen? Only with really niche games.

30/04/2012

The member formerly formerly known as ICC_06, formerly known as Ben.

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Desi

How many games a year do you pre-order? Is it always the same sort of game/same franchise, or random games you think look good?
If there is a new game that I am interested in and I am fairly confident that it will be good, then I will usually pre-order it. I can get a good feel about the game from having played in a beta, or knowing that the devs will do things right (like CD Projekt RED and pretty much any indie dev).

Have you ever pre-ordered a game online before?
I am a PC gamer, and only buy games digitally.

And when you do pre-order, how long before release do you do it?
Usually as soon as the option to pre-order becomes available. I've pre-ordered Shadowrun Returns 18 months early, according to the dev's Kickstarter page.

30/04/2012

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Pact

The only time I preordered was for a Collectors Edition, thats is the only time I feel it is necessary.

If I walk into a store on a games release day and get told that becasue I dont have a pre-order I cant have the game, I'll just go do a different store and spend my money elseware.

I'M LOOKING AT YOU GAME!!

30/04/2012

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Makra

Only one game I've ever pre-ordered from memory: MW2 (first ordered Hardened then upgraded to Prestige when more became available). =D

Even though I've only pre-ordered once, my philosophy is that I'll only do it if there's a chance I'm going to miss out on some good collectors edition stuff. I never have any problem finding copies of games in the first few days after release, even when other people say all their stores are sold out.

30/04/2012

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Tsunamo

Ben said:How often does this happen? Only with really niche games.

Yeah, it's pretty rare. Unless it's a super limited edition of a game that only comes to PAL regions and costs about double what the game by itself costs.

30/04/2012

[Perth, W.A | MMGN]

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Tyrus

I only ever pre-order a game if I am loyal to the franchise and/or am extremely excited for it. Back in the Gamecube days I pre-ordered Super Smash Bros Melee, Metroid Prime and Animal Crossing (this one I pined over for a year while Nintendo took their time to release it in Australia) and didn't regret it one bit, even if the RRP was ridiculous for a kid in primary school. For the original Xbox, I pre-ordered Halo 2 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II. For the Xbox 360, I've pre-ordered Gears of War 2, Fable II, Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Fallout: New Vegas, and Skyrim. As I've become more knowledgeable about importing, I've ceased pre-ordering locally unless it's got pre-order goodies and/or I'm crazy about it.

30/04/2012

Senior Games Writer and Reviewer for MMGN and GamesFix. Twitter: @nathmisa.

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XxmadmanxX

i dont pre-order much last game i did pre order was Fable 3 I believe tho i recently pre-ordered sleeping dogs

30/04/2012

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Desi

I think PC gamers will pre-order more on average because Steam usually has such good deals for doing so. Often there's free DLC, or a free game from earlier in the series (like Dungeon Siege 3's gift of DS1 and DS2, or Torchlight 2's offer of Torchlight 1), or else there's a 10-20% discount. And with a monetary discount there's really no reason not to pre-order a game unless you're unsure of its quality.

30/04/2012

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iamtom

I pre-purchased Guild Wars 2, which is kind of the same thing. Don't usually do that though - places I find never run out of a game so I just go buy it.

30/04/2012

/no1

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Snix

I will preorder a game for two reasons.
A) it's a collectors edition and I'm worried I'll miss out of I don't secure the order
B) if I'm concerned I won't have expendable funds at the time of release. A preorder will allow me to pay it off gradually or just ensure that it will be there a little longer afte release If I need to wait for money.

The last game I preordered was Sonic Generations, and that's because I knew that the "limited" edition really was limited, and I was damn sure I was gonna get it.

As someone who works in gaming retail, i can say that Preordering is a good thing. It is not always a necessary thing, but I'm sick of people saying its useless. Tell that to everyone having a cry that they won't get a Collectors Edition of Diablo 3. I've had at least one enquiry a day since a release date was given about that damn collectors of D3. Sometimes you really need to place an order for it, or you will miss out. Some games (like d3 and the witcher dark edition) we only get enough of to supply the actual order that we have. All it take is $10 now and you get the game later on.

30/04/2012

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