-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Are you agree with Cartman that "'Pre-Order Doesn't Mean S**t'" ?
- Thread starter Yukari
- Start date
I used to do it on the DS and 3DS a lot as some genres (usually JRPGs etc) would either not get released here at all, or get tiny print runs (hi Atlus) and be three times the price from third-party sellers only a few weeks later. These days that's less off an issue, although I'll still do it for Etrian Odyssey Nexus in February as the print run on that is going to be tiny.
It used to be something worth doing, when supplies were often limited. Not so much anymore for the vast majority of games.
The fact that preorder bonuses have dwindled down to next to nothing says to me that people preorder way too easily. Preordering is valuable to developers and publishers, and as a whole we have squandered that power.
Preloading is really nice, of course, but I usually only do it if its something I can't wait for. Usually some big MP release. But if there's no good preorder bonus (and since we're talking about digital, there usually isn't), I usually wait until the week of release to preorder/preload.
The fact that preorder bonuses have dwindled down to next to nothing says to me that people preorder way too easily. Preordering is valuable to developers and publishers, and as a whole we have squandered that power.
Preloading is really nice, of course, but I usually only do it if its something I can't wait for. Usually some big MP release. But if there's no good preorder bonus (and since we're talking about digital, there usually isn't), I usually wait until the week of release to preorder/preload.
If we talk about digital, then yes, it makes sense to pre-order sometimes because you can pre-load the game before it's launch. About physical, when you pre-order something you don't usually pay anything so it doesn't really matter if you pre-order or not. The only thing that I really hate about pre-orders is when some content is getting locked behind pre-order paywall.
When I was with my ex we would preorder 40-50 games per year and then take the preorder recepts and pin them onto the wall in a release schedule calendar.
They required no money down, unless it was some sort of collectors edition, so if I decided I didn't want to pick them up it made no difference. If I decided I didn't want the collectors editions then I could just put that preorder towards another game.
I quite liked it honestly. It was fun having a visual representation of upcoming releases in my home, and it helped make the build up to new releases exciting.
They required no money down, unless it was some sort of collectors edition, so if I decided I didn't want to pick them up it made no difference. If I decided I didn't want the collectors editions then I could just put that preorder towards another game.
I quite liked it honestly. It was fun having a visual representation of upcoming releases in my home, and it helped make the build up to new releases exciting.
E3 sales alone made me preorder two games this year. So yeah, I'd rather get a 30% discount on Smash Bros then be on some weird moral high ground in this pre-order debacle.
Only other reason I'd preorder is to predownload games, but that's a once in a couple years situation.
Only other reason I'd preorder is to predownload games, but that's a once in a couple years situation.
This is the problem with South Park. Sometimes Cartman makes valid points, other times he's spewing a bunch of hateful, racist bullshit. The character who is meant to be a monster should not also double as the occasional voice of reason, especially when your audience is mostly impressionable teenagers.
It's pretty fucking rare that Cartman is the voice of reason. That's generally Kyle's and sometimes Stan's role. You can't even name 5 times that Cartman was the voice of reason in a 250+ episode show.
When I was growing up, there was a legitimate concern that many games would be sold out the day of release if you didn't preorder, but videogames went mainstream and it hasn't been like that in a long time.
Niche games there's obviously still some reason, but like... pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption 2? lol
Niche games there's obviously still some reason, but like... pre-ordering Red Dead Redemption 2? lol
Ive got no complaints about preordering.
Its especially worked to my benefit this year since I never had to deal with the Amazon/Sony fued and I've locked in the 20% discount on a ton of 2019/2020 releases. If I decide not to buy the game then Ill just cancel the preorder.. it costs me nothing but a click.
Its especially worked to my benefit this year since I never had to deal with the Amazon/Sony fued and I've locked in the 20% discount on a ton of 2019/2020 releases. If I decide not to buy the game then Ill just cancel the preorder.. it costs me nothing but a click.
True enough.
A bigger issue is a character who acts that way being the show's most iconic and marketable character and people thinking that acting like him is just good fun.
I remember watching Jewish friends of mine be constantly mocked at school because they were emulating Cartman's antisemitic jokes.
Sorry about the slight thread derail. Just venting a bit.
I think that speaks way more about the person watching and spouting the crap than it does the show. The show itself doesn't leave it up to interpretation, Cartman's character. From day one, watching new South Park(then in season 2) as a 10 or 11 year-old, it was pretty damn obvious to me I shouldn't be saying or thinking what Cartman says or thinks.
If a young person is acting like Cartman unironically then they were raised by shit parents with no moral guidance.
But at the same time, which character is presented as the star of the show? Which character is front and center on their movie posters, their game box arts, the splash screens advertising new episodes, and most of their merchandise?
He is positioned as the show's "selling point."
Pre-ordering anything other than those really niche titles that will be hard to get hold of is an exercise in self-owning. Especially nowadays, when games can get shat out before they're ready, or released VERY content light and need a year's worth of patches and additions to become anything like what was promised during the hype phase. You pre-order, then you pay more for a crappier experience out of the gate.
Pre-ordering AAA games has always, always been dumb. I've seen people mention pre-loading, but even that small "bonus" means little nowadays when games often need patches on top of that to get them going on launch day, a la Fallout 76. I'm not going to shame people for this, but I would ask that they consider the message it sends to an industry that already has a habit of dicking the end user over. "Take my money now, I don't care how it turns out, I support you whatever happens!". The big publishers seldom deserve that level of support.
Even special editions with their bonus tat often end up not justifying the pre-order and extra expense. We've got a thread pointing out the worst examples of it. Even in the best case scenario - the items are all well made and the added content is substantial and satisfying - so many of these Special Collector's Editions end up on clearance shelves and in bargain bins after a few months, it again pays to wait and get a better deal.
The upsides are minor, the downsides are more numerous and overall harmful to our interests as consumers.
Pre-ordering AAA games has always, always been dumb. I've seen people mention pre-loading, but even that small "bonus" means little nowadays when games often need patches on top of that to get them going on launch day, a la Fallout 76. I'm not going to shame people for this, but I would ask that they consider the message it sends to an industry that already has a habit of dicking the end user over. "Take my money now, I don't care how it turns out, I support you whatever happens!". The big publishers seldom deserve that level of support.
Even special editions with their bonus tat often end up not justifying the pre-order and extra expense. We've got a thread pointing out the worst examples of it. Even in the best case scenario - the items are all well made and the added content is substantial and satisfying - so many of these Special Collector's Editions end up on clearance shelves and in bargain bins after a few months, it again pays to wait and get a better deal.
The upsides are minor, the downsides are more numerous and overall harmful to our interests as consumers.
Bad guys often are...they're often more interesting and memorable than the good guys. Walter White, Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader, Jason Vorhees....all are assuredly bad guys. Charismatic, cool looking, responsible for awesome moments...but still bad guys. An audience member losing sight of that is the fault of the audience member.
In a more serious work where the villains are complex in their motives and ideology, I can understand that. In a comedy where Cartman's entire punchline is "He's a racist and a psychopath" and that's played up for laughs and profit, it feels entirely different. He's treated as endearing.
It's not. Some time yes but it also depends on the game and system.
I'm amazed Ubisoft didn't title this the Dick In Your Mouth bundle, since it came out after this episode aired:
![iquote]](https://gamepreorders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/towelie.jpg[/img[/iquote])
Never preordered anything. I have never gone without because of that rule. In most cases, waiting is smart since digital preorders are usually traps you can't get out of. Buyer always beware. You should always know what you're going to get before putting down your cash, and in this industry we have people that earn their living by giving their opinions on a product's quality so it's quite easy to make an informed purchase.
What Cartman was saying made sense in the context he said it in. I wasn't sure why being granted an automatic preorder of MGSV was supposed to be appealing. Unless the preorder includes some kind of content or discount incentive, having a preorder of a digital game grants absolutely no benefit.
Yes. There's no reason to buy anything sight unseen, let alone something as trivially easy to acquire as a video game.
Never understood preorder. Physical or digital, I always have my game the day I want them. Maybe it's useful if you want to have it day one from online shops that sell physical copy, like Amazon. But otherwise I find not useful to preorder.
The bonus for preorder... Usually are shitty thing or equipment that feel like cheat. So I never cared.
The bonus for preorder... Usually are shitty thing or equipment that feel like cheat. So I never cared.
So this whole pre order and get a 20% discount.
Battlefield V went for $40 after a week since release
and Shadow of the Tomb Raider which you know had that early access pre order for $70 and went down to $40 a month later.
Waiting after the release, seeing the reviews and waiting for the discount is better than any pre order.
Battlefield V went for $40 after a week since release
and Shadow of the Tomb Raider which you know had that early access pre order for $70 and went down to $40 a month later.
Waiting after the release, seeing the reviews and waiting for the discount is better than any pre order.
I never cared about the preorder bouns. But if I want a game day one I might just preorder it a few days earlier so I don't need to pay close attention to the exact release date. To me, preorder a game and buy a game day one is almost the same, you pay the most to get the least.
I can't be anti-pre-order because there will always be certain games I want to play as soon as they're available and pre-order is the best way to assure you'll get it day one.
When it comes to great games I don't mind paying full price.
It's not hard for me personally to figure out which games I know I'll love and thus are worth buying at full price.
DMC 5 and Sekiro are too good examples of games I want to get day one. Though I'm trying to be more financially savvy so I won't be picking up Sekiro day one because DMC 5 comes out before it.
When it comes to great games I don't mind paying full price.
It's not hard for me personally to figure out which games I know I'll love and thus are worth buying at full price.
DMC 5 and Sekiro are too good examples of games I want to get day one. Though I'm trying to be more financially savvy so I won't be picking up Sekiro day one because DMC 5 comes out before it.
I agree to some degree, I blindly pre-ordered ME:Andromeda and we all know how broken that game was, others got it with recently Fallout 76. I no longer blindly pre-order games.
That being said, I pre-ordered Smash Ultimate because I know I'm not going to get shafted at all. I've heard nothing but good things and reading from those who managed to get early copies.
That being said, I pre-ordered Smash Ultimate because I know I'm not going to get shafted at all. I've heard nothing but good things and reading from those who managed to get early copies.
This clip is South Park making fun of themselves - this 3 part series is basically advertising for The Stick of Truth (the final episode literally ends with an add for the game). SoT had been delayed a bunch of times and had a troubled development, they're poking fun at themselves. Not sure where the angst is coming from.
I typically pre-order all the new games I buy, because I want to buy the games, and it makes no difference if I order them now or when they're out a couple of days later. Same thing.
The only value of pre-ordering long ahead of release is if I actually get something out of it. For instance a lower price.
Pre-ordered Hitman 2 Gold Edition some months before release because I effectively got half off the two planned expansions.
Buying day one is a related but separate can of pineapples. You always day one when pre-ordering, but you can day one without pre-ordering.
Just a matter of being aware of the risks of the game being broken or otherwise subpar, and either accepting them or not.
The only value of pre-ordering long ahead of release is if I actually get something out of it. For instance a lower price.
Pre-ordered Hitman 2 Gold Edition some months before release because I effectively got half off the two planned expansions.
Buying day one is a related but separate can of pineapples. You always day one when pre-ordering, but you can day one without pre-ordering.
Just a matter of being aware of the risks of the game being broken or otherwise subpar, and either accepting them or not.
