Opinion: When It's Okay to Pre-Order Games

Critics often warn against pre-ordering games, since doing so benefits publishers more than gamers, and those little DLC bonuses are rarely worth the effort. Despite an uneasy feeling sense of putting down a bet, the way some pre-orders might be like, there is a plus side to pre-ordering. 

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Forbes and many other sites often caution against pre-ordering games, even ones that have tremendous promise and have a great track record, like Fallout 4. When you get down to it, pre-order sales only benefit the game developer and publisher. Customers are spending money on a game, sight unseen, without the benefit of reviews or word of mouth, hoping that it will be worth the upfront investment on release. Although most cases work out, there is the risk that you'll get stuck with a disappointing game.

E3 is a massive event, where publishers and developers from all around the world come together for the purpose of showing off their games and convincing fans to pre-order. But, given how gamers have been burned by games like Alien: Colonial Marines, and how we're living in a time when Steam sales offer deep discounts for patient buyers, is it ever ok to pre-order a game?

Why should anybody ever pre-order any game? In a sense, pre-ordering a game is sort like a vote of confidence. Pre-order sales demonstrate the popularity and importance of certain games to the community. Additionally, they generate a sense of hype so that others that might be on the fence about buying a game will be more willing to pick it up. That means a greater potential for fans to all be playing the game around the same time, sharing their experiences with each other, instead of playing catch up weeks or months later.

Then there are those pre-order incentives that are often scoffed on by critics. Some might consider a few extra costumes or bonus weapons silly (which is usually what a free upgrade to the "Limited Edition" amounts to), but there are more meaningful ones. Soundtracks and artbooks are nice, but Mortal Kombat X offered Goro as incentive, saving pre-order customers five bucks. Some games up the ante by offering tiered bonuses, the way XCOM: Enemy Unknown did leading to up to its launch on Steam, which included classic costume sets, some Team Fortress 2 hats, and building up to a free copy of Civilization V. The brilliance of a tiered bonus system is that it practically turns the act of pre-ordering into its own game, and while it's visual graph creates an almost herd mentality. It's easier to put down money toward a pre-order if you know that ten thousand other people have already done so. The rewards themselves are almost incidental.

Arguably, the best pre-order incentive of all is offering beta or early access. Gamers who picked up The Master Chief Collection within a certain timeframe were allowed into the Halo 5 beta. Advanced Warfare went with a Day Zero launch, which allowed pre-order customers to jump into multiplayer a day ahead of the official release of the game. This incentive, above all others, even the silly digital DLC bonuses, might be the single best reason to pick up a game, even though it's kind of absurd when you think about it. You're essentially paying full price for a game that hasn't released yet so that you can play it or a demo of some other game before they release.

Still, even the its relevancy may be passing, with so many games being made available in Early Access or Open betas. Those customers who picked up Evolve, after it had two major weekend beta events, should have known exactly what sort of game they were picking up. Same thing goes for Battlefield Hardline. As we move forward, we should expect to see more games hold limited public betas to help alleviate some of the guesswork that goes into pre-ordering a game.

There are also other factors that will help ease the risk associated with pre-orders. The newly instituted Steam refund policy is a great step, should it remain in effect. Furthermore, customers can always cancel pre-orders at any time, no strings attached. In that sense, pre-ordering isn't much of a risk or gamble. Except, there are instances when customers forget that they've pre-ordered something. So, let's just agree that if you're prone to such forgetfulness, you probably shouldn't be pre-ordering anything until a week or so before the game releases. Set a reminder.

Ultimately, there are factors that make pre-ordering that go beyond the utility of waiting for price drops, or the arguable incentive of digital bonuses. I don't want to have to always have to think and plan around game releases. There's a feeling of comfort in pre-loading a game and having it ready to go on the hour of a game's launch. Playing a game at launch and experiencing the zeitgeist of the moment can be a reward in and of itself. Launching The Witcher 3 for the first time, around the same time as thousands of other people are doing it, has an almost spiritual connection to it. Plus, there's the added bonus of having no spoilers yet on the internet.

Then there are games that I'll probably end up buying no matter what, like Batman: Arkham Knight, even with its insane DLC exclusives, because how can I resist the Harley Quinn Story Pack? Then, of course, there's Fallout 4. If XCOM 2 features a tiered pre-order event, I'll proably end up contributing towards it. For games like these, it's rarely a question of if I'm going to get the game, but a matter of when. Sometimes, it's ok to have a little faith, and to let developers and publishers know that you like what you've seen so far. I'm not saying that there isn't some sense of risk, but if you know deep down that picking up a game is an inevitability, then why not get some free stuff out of it too?

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    June 8, 2015 2:10 PM

    Steven Wong posted a new article, Opinion: When It's Okay to Pre-Order Games

    • reply
      June 8, 2015 2:20 PM

      "the best pre-order incentive of all is offering beta or early access."

      I dont know if I agree there. Maybe for getting a couple days early access in an MMO is nice but I dont care for beta access at all anymore. I have so little gaming time at the moment I typically avoid all beta and early access and just play things that are already finished, out and hopefully patched.

      and Ive pretty much stopped pre-ordering anything at all except for games that I already know I have to have day one, like Fallout 4, if they have some pre-order bonus attached that I want.

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        June 8, 2015 2:24 PM

        The best pre-order incentive is a discounted price, especially if you are in that "For games like these, it's rarely a question of if I'm going to get the game, but a matter of when."

        Getting access to a beta at full price just means you are doing free quality assurance labor for a game maker.

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          June 8, 2015 5:56 PM

          I got arkham knight for a killer deal, something like 30 bucks? from GMG. Granted those codes are all over and I don't trust people, but whatever. I dont have a code yet so we will see if I get one at launch.

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          June 9, 2015 6:16 AM

          the best pre-order incentive was pre-ordering Bioshock Infinite for $40 and getting XCOM for free less than a year after its release. Plus the rest of the Bioshock series, plus some dumb TF2 hats that you could sell to take $5 off the total price.

          Nowhere seems to get involved in those pre-order arms races any more - I guess it was cutting too much into their margins.

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      June 8, 2015 2:26 PM

      Unless its a huge discount or a very limited edition with quantifiable numbers there is no need to pre-order in the digital age.

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        June 8, 2015 2:41 PM

        agreed.

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        June 8, 2015 5:42 PM

        Triple agree

      • Ebu legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
        reply
        June 8, 2015 5:54 PM

        Even then, fuck them. If there were assurances of quality and/or a full refund policy, *maybe*. But even then, only in extreme cases where the dev has an impeccable track record and all released media for the game looks perfect.

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        June 9, 2015 6:15 AM

        Of course there's no need. Since when does something have to be a "need" in order to justify doing it?

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      June 8, 2015 5:58 PM

      It's totally fine to preorder a game if you are going to buy it regardless of whatever reviews or such might say. The addition of preloading is helpful as well in this case.

      E.g. GTA 5 for me.

      Otherwise, yes wait.

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      June 8, 2015 6:02 PM

      Some preorders like Amazon has very little commitment since they don't charge you anything until it's about to ship. It'll reserve a copy if it's physical or limited and you can cancel prior to the game coming out.

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      June 9, 2015 5:20 AM

      Even after reading this article I still ask myself 'Why wouldn't you pre-order?' I see it almost like voting, in the sense that it's a way of making your voice heard as one saying 'This developer is awesome, and I support them.' I also pre-order because I'm a bit silly when it comes to $$-paying for a game in $20 increments just makes me feel less crappy about spending $60 that could have gone to home improvement, or whatever. I also pre-order games that I'm not sure will be available long (don't want digital copies)-like I've pre-ordered a few not so popular shoot em ups from Amazon because I have no idea how many will be available. I also pre-order, and this kind of goes back to the 'making my voice heard' part, to make sure I don't cheap out later and buy the game used. Example-recently bought Bravely Default used, and I so regret it. It's so good I want to rebuy it, so my $$ doesn't just go to gamestop.

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      June 9, 2015 6:07 AM

      I'll preorder a game if I know I'm going to be buying it on day one anyway.

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      June 9, 2015 9:27 AM

      There are plenty of games I will buy on day one without waiting for reviews or word of mouth. I'll pre-order those games regardless of any pre-order offers. Yes I risk getting a crap game, but I also avoid having my opinion of a game tainted by the opinions or expectations of others. And I'm willing to loose the money once in a while on a crap game I expected to be good.

      Of course this is only for certain games. If the game doesn't fall into the category above then I will wait for reviews and oppinions, again regardless of any pre-order offer they have available.

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