Yea I'm gonna be super selective moving forward. Something like GOW2 I'll buy Day 1, no question about it. Other stuff, either I wait for a sale, or ask my friend if he's interested in splitting the cost with me lol
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Day 1 Purchasing is Making Less and Less sense
- Thread starter dex3108
- Start date
Yea I'm gonna be super selective moving forward. Something like GOW2 I'll buy Day 1, no question about it. Other stuff, either I wait for a sale, or ask my friend if he's interested in splitting the cost with me lol
Ding ding. First answer gets it. It's worth it to me to play full price so I can get at the game sooner.
If its a developer you WANT to support don't wait for sales. Period. I mean, I could have waited to play uncharted 4, but instead I threw my hat in at full price, as did tons of other people. The result is that those games generate so much revenue and positive sales reception that the company is incentivized to keep pushing forward.
On the other hand if enough people bought Drive Club at full price upon release the studio would have likely not shut down either. I know I wish I did.
On the other hand if enough people bought Drive Club at full price upon release the studio would have likely not shut down either. I know I wish I did.
Day one is reserved for games I've been looking forward to for months/years (why wait longer at that point?), but the real FOMO for me is "limited" editions with fancy packaging that sometimes are still in stock somewhere months later for half the price, so I guess I'm a sucker for the marketing of those things.
I am pretty much done with Day 1 stuff. Might get Mass Effect Legends like Day 3 after looking at reviews and impressions, but that might be it for the year. I do get the FOMO or wish to stay in the conversation as it releases but I find that that's becoming almost irrelevant to me.
I'll buy day one Nintendo stuff because their price rarely goes down. I'll also buy games that I wanna experience on day one, or because I wanna support those games/franchises/developers as much as possible (Yakuza, for example).
But, unless I'm dying to play it day one, buying an Ubisoft game day one is like paying full price at kohl's. :D
But, unless I'm dying to play it day one, buying an Ubisoft game day one is like paying full price at kohl's. :D
I agree with OP. Got Black Ops Cold War at launch and regret it.The game released with like 8 maps and a ton of bugs. To this day, the game is still a mess outside of zombies. Waste of $50 for me and game won't be a fully featured game until the new COD is ready.
People like to crap on Nintendo for their software remaining at MSRP for years and years, but honestly this is why it doesn't bother me. I feel more confident buying Nintendo titles day one and knowing they won't see a significant price drop for a long period of time.
Yup, I'm done day 1 buying. Just too much savings to be had by having a little bit of patience.
I still haven't played TLOU 1 or 2 (while owning both) and neither have been spoiled in the slightest for me. One day I'll get around to playing them, but it's no big deal at all to me to wait.
Its good that your habits wouldn't expose you to that stuff, but mine absolutely would.
Fair enough, for games like that are important to you then of course I would want to play them soon after launch as well. For me it's not a huge deal, but that is only my case. Same for all media really, I could go years without playing a game or watching a movie/TV show and not be worried about it being spoiled.
The experience of discovering a game with the entire community of my friends and people online is worth the extra cost for me. Coming in later there's no real discourse and everyone's mind is made up so there's not as much community energy around a thing which while not damning can pull me out of a game that I only partially connect with at the start.
I'm also weird and enjoy broken messes/funny glitches that usually get patched down the line sometimes. For instance in many ways the glitches in CP2077 made the game more enjoyable because I spent a lot of time laughing at the ridiculous stuff that would happen.
I'm also weird and enjoy broken messes/funny glitches that usually get patched down the line sometimes. For instance in many ways the glitches in CP2077 made the game more enjoyable because I spent a lot of time laughing at the ridiculous stuff that would happen.
Yeah, that's why, when I was re-buying a PS4 Pro recently, I got the one that was bundled with TLOU2. Otherwise, I'd just be waiting for it to get to PS+, and it would be really hard to avoid all those whiney spoilers for so long. Good reason to actually play through it once right away, too. Generally speaking though, buying Playstation games at all now seems kinda counter productive, with my huge backlog I'll most likely be getting around to playing most of them so late that they might as well be available to me for "free" by then.
On the other hand, since PS3 and Vita games are no longer being included in that, it would make sense for me to start buying a lot of those now... but they stopped doing discounts on them so no.
Edit: come to think of it, I've definitely already seen TLOU2 sold for the equivalent of $30, maybe less.
I actually look forward to some games and have been excited for them for a good amount of time, I'm not waiting several months after wanting to play those games Right Now.
Also, Week One MMO periods are the absolute best, and the upfront price is worth it for the experience I won't get anywhere else. And other community-oriented games for that matter. Sometimes I don't want everything to already be discovered when I get around to it.
Also, Week One MMO periods are the absolute best, and the upfront price is worth it for the experience I won't get anywhere else. And other community-oriented games for that matter. Sometimes I don't want everything to already be discovered when I get around to it.
Buying day one for reusable physical carts has been my MO but it's still making me anxious. Now limited print publishers scoop up publishing rights to smaller indie titles months after they launch and driving up prices.
I will say one thing about going 100% digital these past five-years: since there is no day one discount when buying digital, I now always see reviews before anything is purchased. This has certainly saved me from a few duds I initially was excited about.
I still buy highly anticipated games on day one. I did 5 day one purchases on Switch, and I have no regrets about the games that I ended up enjoying.
Games have to be supported by the players. If everyone waits months for a discount, then the game has already flopped. Goodbye to any sequels for that franchise/series.
Games have to be supported by the players. If everyone waits months for a discount, then the game has already flopped. Goodbye to any sequels for that franchise/series.
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Because i want to support the devs of the franchises i enjoy and love.
I am at the point where I do maybe...6 games a year day 1. Maybe a few more if it's a blockbuster heavy year. I typically will do something like COD, big first party Sony releases (Spider-Man, GoW, etc), and a few select third party AAA type things (Outriders came out of nowhere this year and took me by surprise and pre-purchased that). But generally my backlog is SO long, that I don't NEED to buy anything day 1 - so I truly reserve that full-price purchase for games that I am pretty much positive will instantly get moved up to be played first on my list or that I am just extremely excited for.
This year is a good example - I got in on that really good Target deal with a gift card for AC Valhalla and Immortals. Now, I love AC and buy every game, and Immortals looked good and I thought it had potential, but I knew I wouldn't play them until probably around right now - March. But the deal basically made each game around $30. Well, a few days after I started Immortals that game is down to 27.99 and AC:V is 29.99 and you can get them for about the same on digital.
There was no reason to not just wait is my point. I think unless you actually plan to play the game within say....2 weeks? of release, you should not be buying it day 1. Making that switch has saved me a bunch of money, and I need to be even more aggressive to not jump on deals until I am good and ready to play. Worst thing happens is you miss the deal and decide soon after you are in the mood to play the game - you can still probably get it for a good price on our trading forum.
Anyways, that's my rambling thoughts.
This year is a good example - I got in on that really good Target deal with a gift card for AC Valhalla and Immortals. Now, I love AC and buy every game, and Immortals looked good and I thought it had potential, but I knew I wouldn't play them until probably around right now - March. But the deal basically made each game around $30. Well, a few days after I started Immortals that game is down to 27.99 and AC:V is 29.99 and you can get them for about the same on digital.
There was no reason to not just wait is my point. I think unless you actually plan to play the game within say....2 weeks? of release, you should not be buying it day 1. Making that switch has saved me a bunch of money, and I need to be even more aggressive to not jump on deals until I am good and ready to play. Worst thing happens is you miss the deal and decide soon after you are in the mood to play the game - you can still probably get it for a good price on our trading forum.
Anyways, that's my rambling thoughts.
The only publisher I buy Day One games from is Nintendo because:
A) They are typically pretty polished even at launch
B) Price drops take forever anyway
A) They are typically pretty polished even at launch
B) Price drops take forever anyway
Game Pass has made me both more willing and less willing to buy a game on day one. On one hand, I feel that I have been saving a lot of money with it regardless and I'll be pretty willing to buy a game I am really excited for on day one (or pre-order it, most likely) but on the other hand, I feel like in the future I may be less willing to do it based on how close games on Game Pass will be releasing with third party games.
Like for an example, let's say that God of War 5 or Bayonetta 3 or some other game I am excited for comes out in May 2022, and Avowed or Hellblade 2 or some other Game Pass game or games I am excited for also come out in or around May 2022, I may also be less willing to buy those third party games on day one and would likely wait for a sale instead of having them sit in my backlog
Like for an example, let's say that God of War 5 or Bayonetta 3 or some other game I am excited for comes out in May 2022, and Avowed or Hellblade 2 or some other Game Pass game or games I am excited for also come out in or around May 2022, I may also be less willing to buy those third party games on day one and would likely wait for a sale instead of having them sit in my backlog
It doesn't make any sense if you're not excited to play the game right away, especially for Ubisoft games.
If you are excited, it works out just fine.
If you are excited, it works out just fine.
I don't even really play CoD much, but out of all the games out there, they're one of the few series that I think could justify it; the amount of content they deliver for your money is ridiculous.
I can't see myself buying any non-From Software games day one at this point anymore.
I get wanting to be a part of the conversation, but I also definitely get the benefits of experiencing a game after all of the major patches and DLCs for a lower price, and From games both give me a conversation worth being a part of and a highly replayable experience that I'll still be constantly revisiting as it keeps improving, so I won't miss on the additional fixes and content.
I really enjoy figuring out and discussing the lore in those games, so being early has an extra appeal in that there's actual back and forth between players as we go over our findings. If I started playing Bloodborne now and started sharing what I learned, the responses would mostly be either people confirming I'm right or telling me why I'm wrong, instead of adding their findings that relate to this from elsewhere and we both coming to another conclusion based on the combined evidence.
It's not the main draw or anything, but it's an experience worth more than the money saved by waiting. I don't have an experience this meaningful (to me personally, of course) with any other games I bought day one, so I can't see myself doing it anymore with current prices.
The huge backlog also plays a large role in this. I'm still finding out new favorites 20 years after their release, I'm definitely in no hurry to play another spin on AAA The Game. My favorite game I played for the first time in 2020 was Vagrant Story.
I get wanting to be a part of the conversation, but I also definitely get the benefits of experiencing a game after all of the major patches and DLCs for a lower price, and From games both give me a conversation worth being a part of and a highly replayable experience that I'll still be constantly revisiting as it keeps improving, so I won't miss on the additional fixes and content.
I really enjoy figuring out and discussing the lore in those games, so being early has an extra appeal in that there's actual back and forth between players as we go over our findings. If I started playing Bloodborne now and started sharing what I learned, the responses would mostly be either people confirming I'm right or telling me why I'm wrong, instead of adding their findings that relate to this from elsewhere and we both coming to another conclusion based on the combined evidence.
It's not the main draw or anything, but it's an experience worth more than the money saved by waiting. I don't have an experience this meaningful (to me personally, of course) with any other games I bought day one, so I can't see myself doing it anymore with current prices.
The huge backlog also plays a large role in this. I'm still finding out new favorites 20 years after their release, I'm definitely in no hurry to play another spin on AAA The Game. My favorite game I played for the first time in 2020 was Vagrant Story.
Yep. Buying day 1 is basically the same as paying for early access so you can be a beta tester…
My strategy is to wait for a game to hit the $20 mark. Buy it, get the plat, and then sell it on eBay for $10-15. I'm not a speedy gamer, so I probably end up paying 10-25¢ per hour of gaming.
My strategy is to wait for a game to hit the $20 mark. Buy it, get the plat, and then sell it on eBay for $10-15. I'm not a speedy gamer, so I probably end up paying 10-25¢ per hour of gaming.
Because they wanna play it now? Some of us don't have backlogs so when a game we want comes out, we just buy it. I'm not gonna replay an older game or something just so I save some money on a game I've been anticipating. Now if I've already got stuff to play, I'll of course wait. Though chances are that by the time I have time for it, I don't even want it anymore.
I agree and to be honest, unless it's going to be a niche title, I see no point to buy day 1. I used to be annoyed by spoilers but I'm so in the dark now on YouTube and hardly ever go on Twitter that it won't matter.
Besides an occasional Nintendo purchase I haven't been a day 1 buyer of games since the PS1 days. Back then my parents were buying my games and I only got a few a year and they were usually launch window purchases. For the last 20 years I have found it mind boggling how some gamers buy multiple games a month at full price. To top it off, some of these gamers are buying collectors editions of games, a bunch of gaming crap like Amibo's and art books. I know it's nice to be part of the conversation but I'd just rather invest more money in my retirement accounts and be a little late to the conversation. Gaming Forums, youtube, social media and podcasts provide enough enrichment for me and they're all free.
Primarily playing on Switch, there are two games that had issues like these:
-BotW had a patch almost a month after a launch that cleaned up the framerate. But this game, more than any other, was super engaging to discuss with my friends who were playing it
-Xenoblade 2 had a few QoL patches.
Otherwise, things work perfectly fine day one and are worth just as much years later. I also pay $45 for games these days, so it's totally worth it to me.
-BotW had a patch almost a month after a launch that cleaned up the framerate. But this game, more than any other, was super engaging to discuss with my friends who were playing it
-Xenoblade 2 had a few QoL patches.
Otherwise, things work perfectly fine day one and are worth just as much years later. I also pay $45 for games these days, so it's totally worth it to me.
The only reason there ever was for me to buy stuff day 1 was being really excited for it and wanting to play ASAP. Those are very few, though.
I do get feeling like you need to be there day 1 for multiplayer games, though. A lot of the stuff nowadays are timed events, and FOMO becomes real when you're actually missing out on stuff.
I do get feeling like you need to be there day 1 for multiplayer games, though. A lot of the stuff nowadays are timed events, and FOMO becomes real when you're actually missing out on stuff.
To me it's all about how much I am personally willing to pay to play a game that I know will be better in just a month. Sometimes I'm just really excited for something, and I think the experience is better during that excitment.
It made sense when amazon e3 sales got me new games for $55cdn.
now? Zero reason. I'll wait for gamepass or ps+ or steep ass salss And proper patches to fix the hit messes games are now.
now? Zero reason. I'll wait for gamepass or ps+ or steep ass salss And proper patches to fix the hit messes games are now.
The amount of games shipping with major bugs is becoming a serious concern, and it's certainly dampened my enthusiasm for buying on release date. I played through Control where one entire section of a level, including a big set piece, had horrifically broken lighting:
That particular bug did eventually get fixed... after I'd finished the game and moved into something else. I never experienced that level with working lighting, because I bought the game at release.
On top of that, launch pricing for Sony first party titles is now ridiculous in my country. We've gone from AUD$69 to AUD$109 with the jump to PS5. Fuck that. It's why I haven't bought Demon's Souls, and have no immediate plans to.
That particular bug did eventually get fixed... after I'd finished the game and moved into something else. I never experienced that level with working lighting, because I bought the game at release.
On top of that, launch pricing for Sony first party titles is now ridiculous in my country. We've gone from AUD$69 to AUD$109 with the jump to PS5. Fuck that. It's why I haven't bought Demon's Souls, and have no immediate plans to.
I basically only buy multiplayer games day 1 that my friends plan to play, but that's a very small set of games.
Having a console again may push me to do that, but most of the time games go on sale within a few weeks so it hasn't made much sense to buy Day 1 in a long time.
Having a console again may push me to do that, but most of the time games go on sale within a few weeks so it hasn't made much sense to buy Day 1 in a long time.
Nah played lots of games Day 1 and even if they do get patched, it doesn't really bother me. God of War was great day 1 and it was great after.
Some games launch with solid performance and are pretty polished already, if you can pay the launch price and are excited for a game: it makes sense.
Waiting is cool too, it's just all perspective.
Some games launch with solid performance and are pretty polished already, if you can pay the launch price and are excited for a game: it makes sense.
Waiting is cool too, it's just all perspective.
i have to be pretty excited to buy a game day 1
but when i do, i don't feel bad about it. anyway, it's nice to hang out in OTs while lots of people are playing
but when i do, i don't feel bad about it. anyway, it's nice to hang out in OTs while lots of people are playing
Have a huge bakcklog so no new games for me except maybe Elden Ring. Owning PS5DE I'm doomed to never buy games at launch or increase my backlog further because of the games cost.
I can also evade all temptations in form of cheap(er) physical deals and I have no reason to stress and finish a new game and sell it ASAP to get back most of the investment.
I can also evade all temptations in form of cheap(er) physical deals and I have no reason to stress and finish a new game and sell it ASAP to get back most of the investment.
As a game collector, I have saved so, so much money by literally waiting a few weeks to buy games. It is absolutely ridiculous. I have personally coined the situation the Ubisoft rule. Wait 1-2 months and the game is 50% off.
