OK so what's the incentive to buy a game at launch anymore?

[camarotuner]

This is the pattern I have been seeing the last 2 years or so. Game releases (I'm going with game X to not turn this into a flame war or some idiotic argument). Then 99% of the time one of the 2 things happens...

1: It tanks, hard. The manufacturer panics and immediately slashes the price by 20/30 bucks and puts it on immediate sale to spark something. Even sweet games like Deux ex, Alice, and lots of other "mid tier" or "lower upper tier" titles have had this happen.

2: It's the sickest most badass thing on the planet. Which leads to it selling a bajillion copies and getting released as a "game of the year" edition a short wait later with more content, usually all the DLC included, and like half the price.

So assuming one has patience, what's the motivation to get anything at launch? The only exceptions I've found are the major sports franchises (if you're into those).

[SpaceHarrier]

Other than making retailers and publishers very happy, and getting to play it before alot of people.. .. . I'm drawing a blank.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

Some companies have materialistic preorder bonuses, but nowadays that's rare. Usually companies do some in game DLC as a bonus which in my opinion is utter BS. Honestly who cares if you get some special in game golden chain mail or a gun that shoots purple laser beams? The only real draws i see are if you want to support the developers or if you want to keep a copy clean and or sealed.

[treismac]

I am MORE than with you on this, my friend. I have been applying this strategy for years. The only way that I buy a game at launch is if I am on the verge of dying to get my grubby mitts on it. The last time this happened was Okami for the PS2. Since the game was postponed from its original release date (I think- it might have been We Love Katamari that I am thinking of), I rationalized this decision fairly easily. About four years later, I picked Okami up again for like $10 new for the Wii, so I feel like in a strange non-logical mathematical way I made up for that launch purchase. ;)

[retroman]

it matters if you are a online stat junkie that wants to stay in the top 10 playing online.

[kupomogli]

it matters if you are a online stat junkie that wants to stay in the top 10 playing online.

Similar to this, but if you start playing a game like the next Call of Duty, Battlefield, Killzone 3, etc, you're at a major disadvantage because by the time you start, most of the noobs will have quit playing leaving mostly better players. Players that have studied the maps, have high rankings so have all the best weapons, etc. You may or may not be better than some of the people playing, but you come in at a disadvantage.

Another reason to purchase games early is if it's a first party title. Whether it's Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo, the price is more than likely going to remain at $60 for a long time. It might get a daily deal or a great deal during November/December holidays, but usually won't drop for awhile. In the case of Nintendo exclusively, the deals are few and far between, and they almost never drop price but it's mostly the same for all three.

A few final reasons. You really want to support the developer. You want the next in the series to come out. Can't wait to play the game. Or the one that rarely happens anymore but there's always that possibility, you won't be able to acquire the game new condition or at a reasonable price. Atlus tries to catch people with that last one and sometimes you really want to take the plunge. Crimson Gem Saga and Hexyz Force for example.

[camarotuner]

You know I'd forgotten Nintendo in this equation (sorry Nintendo fans). They never do seem to drop the price on the mario stuff and then half the time it gets discontinued and out of print for no reason! Mario Baseball on wii was out of print for a long while before they finally re-released it. That's a really good point.

I'm not much for online play. I play NHL12 online but that's about it. I play COD when I'm bored and just want to shoot stuff. I guess since I prefer single player games the "online component" never really figures into my thinking unless I get more game out of it like the GOTY edition of oblivion.

[Aussie2B]

I would assume that the main reason is just because someone wants to play a game right away.

[Richter Belmount]

some games could become rare later on still like nisa , or xseed titles , plus some come with launch or preorder bonuses.

[G-Boobie]

For some genres, such as fighting games and competitive first person shooters, if you wait three or four months for a price drop then you're already pretty far behind if you play them competitively. For Call of Duty and Street Fighter, that's a bigger thing than you probably realize.

Other than that, though, I buy games on or near launch because I want to support the developers. I winced at the sixty dollar price tag Rayman: Origins came with, but I want more games like that. So I bought it. Same with Dead Space 2 and Dark Souls.

[heybtbm]

Sometimes I just really want to play the game I've been waiting years for. (Skyrim, GTA, Mass Effect, Zelda, etc.). Price is irrelevant in those cases.


Similar to this, but if you start playing a game like the next Call of Duty, Battlefield, Killzone 3, etc, you're at a major disadvantage because by the time you start...players that have studied the maps, have high rankings so have all the best weapons, etc. You may or may not be better than some of the people playing, but you come in at a disadvantage.

This is true. Main reason to buy Battlefield/COD right away IMO.


Another reason to purchase games early is if it's a first party title. Whether it's Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo, the price is more than likely going to remain at $60 for a long time. It might get a daily deal or a great deal during November/December holidays, but usually won't drop for awhile. In the case of Nintendo exclusively, the deals are few and far between, and they almost never drop price but it's mostly the same for all three.

This is the reason I buy right away when it comes to 1st part Nintendo titles. More often than not, they're not lowering the price anytime soon.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

For some genres, such as fighting games and competitive first person shooters, if you wait three or four months for a price drop then you're already pretty far behind if you play them competitively. For Call of Duty and Street Fighter, that's a bigger thing than you probably realize.

Other than that, though, I buy games on or near launch because I want to support the developers. I winced at the sixty dollar price tag Rayman: Origins came with, but I want more games like that. So I bought it. Same with Dead Space 2 and Dark Souls.

This, a hundred times this!

[Oobgarm]

Only games I buy at launch anymore are either part of series I enjoy or are niche titles in genres I like.

Everything else is now a wait-and-see game. I have tons of stuff to play now and if I wait, I can save tons of money on titles I'm semi-interested in if I just wait for sales.

Some sales, like GameFly's end-of-year, make it worth my while to subdue the need to buy and own right away. It's tough to get away from after having done it for so long, but I'm working myself into it. After I saved $175 off 4 games I wanted from this year by waiting till the end of the year sale, I can see myself continuing on this path.

I understand wanting to support the devs and all, but if means I'll have more money in my pocket and I don't have to worry about scraping funds together or trading off stuff at pennies on the dollar, well, I'd rather support myself instead.

[fahlim003]

Buying games at launch, locally? That's essentially the only time I would buy a game on day one of it coming out. The reason is simple - X game has a small print or X store(s) will only be carrying one or two copies. This occurred strictly last generation and I don't I've saved much money but I was able to get them new and that's all that matters.

[Emperor Megas]

Another reason to purchase games early is if it's a first party title. Whether it's Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo, the price is more than likely going to remain at $60 for a long time.Honestly, there are SO many games that come out today, I really don't even understand purchasing even first party titles that take longer to drop in price. There's just no reason to purchase a game when it's released, IMO unless the focus is multiplayer.

I haven't purchased a launch game for more than $29.99 (that wasn't multiplayer that my wife wouldn't play with me) in WELL over a decade. Even then I've only done it a handful of times, and NEVER more than $45.00. There's just too many games for me to pay launch title prices.

[Sunnyvale]

I haven't bought a game at launch for close to ten years, and I don't feel I've missed out on jack. I am perfectly content being 2+ years behind on the 'in' thing. Matter of fact, I do this with all technology but the essentials (can't be 3 years behind on virus protection ;)). I save a small fortune, and still have plenty enough to keep me happy.

[Chadt74]

Support the developers, that is it, and I think I've only done that twice in the last 5 years.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

it matters if you are a online stat junkie that wants to stay in the top 10 playing online.


or if you dont want to be at a severe disadvantage 3 or so months down the line when you eventually do pick it up and get raped nonstop for the next 3 weeks because you dont know the maps or have any unlocked equipment that can help equalize the gap in skill



edit: also the whole support developers thingie

[Kitsune Sniper]

I only buy indie games at launch, or close to it. For everything else, I'll wait for the eventual Steam sale or Game of the Year release. (Especially since I'm a PC player for the most part.)

Then we have asshole companies like EA who only include certain items on preorder, and never sell them again. Like Alice 2? New console copies include the original game, or I think you can buy it if you get it used. We PC players got shafted and we didn't get the game unless we preordered directly from EA's Origin client.

YES I'M STILL BITTER SHUT UP. :(

[JSoup]

There was a time in my life where I'd buy games via pre-order only, but those days have long since passed. If I buy a game at launch, then the game was:

1. A deal because I had a crap load of saved up Amazon credit (this happens more often than you'd think).
2. The game was hyper niche and showed every sign of eventually getting more expensive/hard to find.
3. Pre-order came with something I wanted. This mostly happens with niche titles where I like the artist and want the art book, like with Atelier Rorona.

[Griking]

I'm with you on the Game of the Year edition thing. I'll generally wait for these releases myself but that being said, is there really that much of a difference between a Game of the Year edition and a Platinum Hits copy of a game as far as collectors go? Most collectors seem to avoid the greatest hits versions like the plague.

[Junkyrdsalesman]

I'm with you on the Game of the Year edition thing. I'll generally wait for these releases myself but that being said, is there really that much of a difference between a Game of the Year edition and a Platinum Hits copy of a game as far as collectors go? Most collectors seem to avoid the greatest hits versions like the plague.

I'll be honest, I don't buy GOTY editions either. Yeah it has more features and stuff, but it's just nailed in my head to buy first print everything. The box art usually has a bunch of quotes and bs about it being such a great game, i'd honestly rather just enjoy the art.

[Leo_A]

I'll be honest, I don't buy GOTY editions either. Yeah it has more features and stuff, but it's just nailed in my head to buy first print everything. The box art usually has a bunch of quotes and bs about it being such a great game, i'd honestly rather just enjoy the art.

I'd rather get things like DLC and patches right on the disc itself. There are games where I wait specifically for such rereleases now, including the Forza series and series like Elder Scrolls.

[substantial_snake]

Personally for a lot of the big titles of X year I wait for the DLC heavy version. Its not really to save cash so much as I much prefer having all of my content on one disc rather then having to trust in the integrity of game download networks in the future. That and having a fully patched version of a lot of these titles like the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series gets rid of a lot of headaches from either bugs or downloading constant patches.

Outside of that in order to keep my backorder reasonable I usually wont pick up another title unless I've built up some credit or cash from trading in another game. When I have about 30 bucks saved up I can usually justify paying the other 30 to get a game on release. The only other exception is when I want a special edition of a title that I know will sell out quickly due to brand popularity. In those cases I'll pay full price for a title as well but really that about it for me.



That being said the OP seems to imply that this is something game-changing in weather people buy titles on launch or not and it isn't. Weather to buy a game on launch or not really comes down to weather you are patient. A price drop will eventually come for all titles its just a question of weather you want to wait till then or not.

[duffmanth]

The only time I get a game at launch is if it's a game that I have really been looking forward to like Metal Gear Solid 4 or if it comes in a collector's edition at launch and quantitiies are limited like GT5.

[goatdan]

So assuming one has patience, what's the motivation to get anything at launch? The only exceptions I've found are the major sports franchises (if you're into those).

The online component of it is huge, add to that wanting to be able to talk about it with friends and / or not come across any spoilers, or the fear that it could potentially be a rarity in the future could all make you do it.

Let's be frank -- motivations for buying *anything* at launch have never really been there beyond the above, with the exception that once in a great while you'll have some sort of nifty pre-order bonus. It just depends on how long you can wait for the price to fall.

[Nz17]

How about those times where there's something in the original release that's not in a later re-release? For example:

"Sonic The Hedgehog" (1991) had a level select code that wasn't in all other Genesis reprints.
"Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing" had artwork featuring Sonia from Sonic Underground instead of Amy Rose on a racetrack in the Wii and PC versions.
"Plants vs. Zombies" originally had the Thriller-inspired zombies until the Michael Jackson estate complained.

[Nikademus1969]

If it's a game from a series I like (Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age, Fallout) I'll get it within the first month or so of launch if my budget allows. If said game has a collector-type edition with content I consider worthwhile, I'll likely get that if possibile. If that sometimes means pre-ordering a game in order to get said bonuses (Dragon Age 2's Signature Edition for example) then that's what I'll do.

Otherwise, I wait till it comes down in price.

[skaar]

First!!

[duffmanth]

I would assume that the main reason is just because someone wants to play a game right away.

Games are so hyped up these days, that a lot of people can't resist getting them at launch.

[duffmanth]

some games could become rare later on still like nisa , or xseed titles , plus some come with launch or preorder bonuses.

This is another reason why I buy certain games at launch. I would always buy certain Konami games at launch like any of the Silent Hill or Castlevania games, because they always became much harder to find later on.

[Emperor Megas]

This is another reason why I buy certain games at launch. I would always buy certain Konami games at launch like any of the Silent Hill or Castlevania games, because they always became much harder to find later on.Really? That's weird. I've never had a problem finding any Silent Hill or Castlevania game (save one or two of those GBA Castlevanias).

[AceAerosmith]

There is no reason to buy a game at launch IMO. I don't play online, no current gen game is all that hard to find if you know where to look, a lot of DLC is really just crap and doesn't add all that much to the game anyway, and the $60 spent on the game on launch day will get you that game and another game you waited for 6 months from now.

While this example may be an exception due to it being Black Friday and all, but I got 5 current games for $150 that day, spent more time browsing the store than I did in line to check out, and saved $150 bucks (had I bought them on Day 1) that will go toward other games in the future that I'm waiting to drop in price. And they always do.

With the huge backlog of titles I have, there is time to wait because I've always got something to play.

[duffmanth]

Really? That's weird. I've never had a problem finding any Silent Hill or Castlevania game (save one or two of those GBA Castlevanias).

Yeah man, Silent Hill and Castlevania for PS1 are virtually non existent at retail. Metal Gear Solid and MGS: VR Missions are also pretty rare in stores to. The Silent Hills and Castlevanias for PS2 are not super rare, but they're not very common finds around my area any way. The MGS games for PS2 are still fairly common though. I think Konami must do one big initial print run for some games, then really scale back production?

[Lady Jaye]

If it's a game from a series I like (Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age, Fallout) I'll get it within the first month or so of launch if my budget allows. If said game has a collector-type edition with content I consider worthwhile, I'll likely get that if possibile. If that sometimes means pre-ordering a game in order to get said bonuses (Dragon Age 2's Signature Edition for example) then that's what I'll do.

Otherwise, I wait till it comes down in price.

Same here. I rarely buy full price and even less so preorder games. Since I don't usually play games with a heavy online competition side to them, it doesn't matter to me if I wait a few months before buying something. This being said, there are indeed exceptions when it is from a smaller publisher or when the preorder bonus is interesting or if it's a game that interests me from a publisher that rarely does price drops (Nintendo being the main one that comes to mind), then yes, I'll buy it at launch price.

This also applies for a title like Diablo III: I've been waiting for a long time for this game, I'm really a fan, my computer can play it without too much problem, I know it's not gonna price drop anytime soon and registration code makes it difficult (although not impossible) to get it used. Skyrim on the other hand can wait a few months, even if I'm also itching to play it.

[8-bitNesMan]

Yeah man, Silent Hill and Castlevania for PS1 are virtually non existent at retail. Metal Gear Solid and MGS: VR Missions are also pretty rare in stores to. The Silent Hills and Castlevanias for PS2 are not super rare, but they're not very common finds around my area any way. The MGS games for PS2 are still fairly common though. I think Konami must do one big initial print run for some games, then really scale back production?

They are now but were plentiful when first released. I think that was Emperor's point.

[Gamevet]

some games could become rare later on still like nisa , or xseed titles , plus some come with launch or preorder bonuses.

The problem is knowing which titles are going to become rare. I paid $50 for Dark Souls, because I thought it would become one of those rare hidden gems on the PS3. Now, it's often talked about as a must own title for the system and there are plenty of copies out there.

I did the same thing with Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP). I'd noticed that Fry's was starting to run low on stock, so I bought a copy for $35. It wasn't two weeks later, that the price dropped to $19 and there are plenty of copies around still. :(

[kupomogli]

I did the same thing with Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP). I'd noticed that Fry's was starting to run low on stock, so I bought a copy for $35. It wasn't two weeks later, that the price dropped to $19 and there are plenty of copies around still. :(

If you still had the receipt you could have returned it and got the difference.

[Gamevet]

If you still had the receipt you could have returned it and got the difference.

I probably would of had to return the game and bought another copy. I don't believe Fry's has a price-match policy like Best Buy.

[ownerizer]

I usually only pay launch prices for 2 reasons, both of which have been covered:

A. I really, really want to play (Uncharted 3, Battlefield 3)

B. Some cool "collectors edition" stuff will be included for something I really, really, want to play (Uncharted 3, Forza 4)

I really would like to play CoD:MW3 also, but I'd rather play Battlefield 3 multiplayer, so I'll wait for it to drop in price.

[kupomogli]

I probably would of had to return the game and bought another copy. I don't believe Fry's has a price-match policy like Best Buy.

Return policy of all new unopened items should be 30 days in all stores. Or atleast most stores.

For example. I purchased Dragon Warrior 3 for the Gameboy Color for $35. I couldn't find a new copy anywhere. Then a week after I purchased it, it was in stock for $20 new. I complained how I just purchased it used, and at first they were like, well prices drop, etc, etc, despite that I told him I purchased it a little over a week ago. So I talked to the manager who saw that and then took the used copy as a return and gave me the new copy.

For used games Gamestop only has a seven day return policy, but thankfully there are some people who put customer service above screwing people over and also had some common sense.

[WCP]

In my old age, I've become a cheap bastard. Back in my younger years, during the 16-bit era, I was buying brand new games on the day of release all the time. Same thing with the 32-bit and 64-bit eras. I was even doing it during the PS2, GameCube and Xbox 1 eras, but not as frequently.

Starting around 2008 or so, my buying habits have changed dramatically. I've basically come to the conclusion that I'm about 2 or 3 years behind the current game releases, and I'm content to stay 2 to 3 years behind. Right now I'm playing games like Fallout 3 and Bioshock. I've got games like Far Cry 2 and Prince of Persia (2008) on my backlog list. The newest game I've bought recently is Bulletstorm, and that game came out earlier in the year. The only reason I snagged it was because it was only $4.99 from Amazon downloads. I bought Dead Space for $5 (Steam) and Assassin's Creed 2 for $5 (Amazon downloads), in the last 24 hours.

I'm way behind current times, and totally ok with it.

If a new Xbox or Playstation console comes out, then that will probably be the first time (in a very long time) that I've bought a brand new game on it's launch day.

[Gamevet]

Return policy of all new unopened items should be 30 days in all stores. Or atleast most stores.

For example. I purchased Dragon Warrior 3 for the Gameboy Color for $35. I couldn't find a new copy anywhere. Then a week after I purchased it, it was in stock for $20 new. I complained how I just purchased it used, and at first they were like, well prices drop, etc, etc, despite that I told him I purchased it a little over a week ago. So I talked to the manager who saw that and then took the used copy as a return and gave me the new copy.

For used games Gamestop only has a seven day return policy, but thankfully there are some people who put customer service above screwing people over and also had some common sense.

Gamestop will have a new game priced lower than a used game, weeks after the price drop. @_@

[Sunnyvale]

Gamestop will have a new game priced lower than a used game, weeks after the price drop. @_@

Seen the same thing at Hastings. It's pretty simple, really, albeit stupid: They buy used games for X, which is generally higher than the price of a new game. But, they get to have one copy of X floating around without dropping $500 on a bulk order, so it makes sense. My brother in law got Battlefront II for $5 less than new (seriously) used, sans manual. To someone who sells his games at times, WTF?!? To him, he saved 5 bucks, read the manual online, yahoo! I watched a copy of Beavis and Butthead Volume 2 DVD (green box, for those of us in the know (Kitsune, looking @ you here)) float around Hastings for over 2 years before they finally marked it down from $17.99 when a new copy (grey box, durp) was only $14.99. Unless Kitsune or I walked in there, they ain't never gonna sell it. But it did sell, and I didn't need it. This is why. A 'minor' variation (like a bonus disc, green box, etc) doesn't add up in the computer system, so all the owner sees is a treand: Used shit sometimes gets more or equal to new. So roll the dice, then mark it down.

[Rickstilwell1]

For me, the most exciting time to buy a new game is during the actual system's launch window. I'm always excited to get new hardware and I have to get at least 1 game with it in order to see how it does.

[Mayhem]

The only time I do is when I really, really want to play something at launch, or there's some sort of special deal going on (usually supermarkets) where you can get one game cheaper when you buy something else that I also wanted.


Similar to this, but if you start playing a game like the next Call of Duty, Battlefield, Killzone 3, etc, you're at a major disadvantage because by the time you start, most of the noobs will have quit playing leaving mostly better players. Players that have studied the maps, have high rankings so have all the best weapons, etc. You may or may not be better than some of the people playing, but you come in at a disadvantage.
Which is why I like the Gears of War series, no extra weapons or perks unlocked for however long you've ground the game into the floor, it's more about skill and teamwork as everyone starts with the same guns.

[Cornelius]

I'm quite cheap, so very rarely buy new games even, let alone new at launch. I have made a lot of exceptions lately, though. Had to get the Wii Super Mario All-Stars, then there was the Dark Souls CE, and most recently the Zelda w/ gold controller bundle. I actually pre-ordered these three, and I'm not sure I've ever pre-ordered anything before. Anyway, glad I did because they aren't super easy to find now.