Does The Pre-Order Need To Die?

Pixel Gate UK writes:

''2014 was a pretty rough year for video games. Culture wars, shady business practices , a whole host of delays. The year felt like a true transitional period. In terms of the quality of games, 2014 was fair, and quite diverse. 2014 was also the year of broken games, so broken that the consumer started express frustration. If there’s one thing 2014 proved, at least to me anyway, it was that pre-orders need to die.'

[WilliamUsher]

Of course they do. They're scams designed to help bolster pre-release revenue for the publishers. There's no benefit for the end-user pre-ordering stuff.

Yeah there are some people who will argue that they get special launch goodies or retailer specific DLC, but they seem to forget that ALL pre-order DLC bonuses are just cut from the main game and resold to you. It's BS and it needs to die.

[nucky64]

I'm with you on the pre-order bonuses...that needs to stop. but I like preordering some games so I know i'll have a copy waiting for me.

[Rhezin]

agreed. I like walking in there day 1 and just pick up the game. I don't really care for the bonuses, but hey it's a bonus.

[ginsunuva]

Name me the last time in the past decade a game has gone out of stock on you

[twiggytree12]

I definitely like having mine already paid for, especially on days like this past Nov. 18th when Dragon age, GTA5, Farcry 4 all came out on the same day.

[nucky64]

ginsunuva - you must live in a cave and never get out....you want examples - black ops 1/2....red dead redemption....ANY GTA game.'
if you want to guarantee a copy of big game on launch day - preorder it.

[CorndogBurglar]

Pre-orders help retailers know how many copies of games to order. If Pre-orders were to go away, then we would fall back to the times when new releases sold out on launch day because companies aren't going to over-order games just to have them sit on their shelves unsold. That loses money for the retailers. Anyone old enough to have been a ganer before pre-orders became a thing should remember the frustration of wanting a game only for it to be sold out all over town on launch day.

So there are benefits to pre-orders. So instead of blaming pre-orders, lets blame the publishers/devs for their shady business practices. There doesn't have to be anything wrong with pre-orders. Its the publishers and devs that make them that way.

[PixelGateUk]

Errr...we did blame the publishers. We even named the worst ones lol

[No_Pantaloons]

You seem to forget in those days options were limited, only a few stores like funcoland and toys'r'us had large quantities. Now bestbuy, target, walmart all carry a fairly large inventory of video games.

Personally I never preorder and have never had to go to more than 2 stores the day of release to get what I want, and even then its less than a mile out of the way.

[Sieg]

I only pre-order when I want a certain jrpg or collectors edition. The deal with those games is there is so little copies going around and if you're not fast enough to get one fast. It will be sold out and you'd have to pay more to get it.

[kneon]

I pre-order most of my games when there are the "pre-order 3 or more get 30% off" deals, I don't care about pre-order bonuses. I can't remember the last time I paid full rate for a game.

[RosweeSon]

What apart from getting it delivered to your door sometimes a day or 2 early and for cheaper than it is in the majority of shops sometimes... Think ill stick to the pre orders for the big ones thanks, that and the cool physicial pre order bonus' I'm talking about actual items for my collection not a free gun or costume that I can download for ordering with a specific company that will nornally get released as paid content at a later date that just sucks.

[prodg52]

I live in a small town and out local gamestop only orders a few copies of each game. Especially on Vita, so if I don't preorder I'm sometimes out of luck.

[Dmagic]

@ginsunuva sf4,ggxrd,rainbow 6 vegas,tales game just a couple for me

[kparks]

How can anyone complaine about free shit??? Whats wrong with yall. If i know im going to buy mlb the show and they have a pre order 10k pack skill points for road to the show or something why would i not pre order im getting the game anyway and dont pay for the game till i pick it up! And get a little bonus not much but its soomething and im buying it anyway..So what exactly is the problem? If there was no bonus no1 would preorder and nobody would know roughly how many copies they need.

[snarls2000]

ginsunuva: more niche titles where the store only gets a copy or 2. Farming Simulator was constatntly selling out. Shadows of Mordor sold out quick

[TrollsBringer]

Well said. If people don't preorder, all these extra DLCs will be given to us for free.

[TheXgamerLive]

Pre orders are an awesome thing, it's merely the developer releasing due to financial reasons before it's time that pisses us off.
Developers work on a game of substance anyways from say 9 months to 2 to 3 years and during this time the books wont show the effort or monies spent as a plus so they release a bit premature to recapture some of that, thinking they'll patch it after release BUT when the games riddled with more bugs an they know it, again it pisses us off.
The main issue w/pre orders is they truly need to be pre order BONUS and not a rifle I can better 30 min. later

[SpiralTear]

Yes. It should've died a while ago, in fact.

Lame pre-order bonuses, store-specific pre-order bonuses that end up being widely marketed six months later, the risk of playing a buggy mess at launch that needs seven patches to function, crowded broken online servers at launch, and the store-specific deals and sales pitches when you actually pick up the game?

Hell yeah. Get this crap out.

[ScorpiusX]

I dig pre-ordering games , like promotional goods and all that other stuff. Doesn't bother me

[TheBurger29]

So broken games that can take months to fix dont bother you either?

[josephayal]

I rarely buy games at full price

[kurruptor]

Why does it need to die? If you don't wanna pre-order, don't do it? Not rocket science.

[PixelGateUk]

While we understand your point...the whole post is about the impact they are having on the industry. I don't per-order games (bar Nintendo titles) but i can still see the growing issues with pre-orders and publishers twisting them

[Summons75]

That's not the issue. The issue is there is no point because they send out tons of copies to stores anyway and they are beginning used to block content from the game and make certain things store exclusives locking everyone else out. That's not good. Pre-orders USE to be a good thing because they determined how many copies a store needed and the pre order bonuses were physical items that were really neat (Art books, soundtracks, demos, scarfs, bandanas, statues) that doesn't happen anymore or rarely.

[CorndogBurglar]

No, publishers dont just send out tons of copies to retailers. Thats the problem. The retailers have to order and buy those copies, which is why pre-ordering helps retailers to know how many copies to buy.

If ore-ordering went away, we would see retailers sell out of games a lot more often. Pre-orders help retailers kniw hiw many copies they need at launch. They order enough for the pre-orders, then estimate how many more to buy for walk in customers. Without pre-orders its a crapshoot, and retailers aren't going to order a hundred copies when they dont know how many people are going to buy them. That could potentially leave a lot of copies in the store unsold which is a big waste of money.

[Spotie]

First: they don't send out tons of copies for most games. Some of the larger titles send out tons, which is a learned behavior from when there frequently weren't enough copies to go around. Eventually- and still- preorder numbers didn't come close to representing the numbers of people who would pick up a game in those first few days, before another shipment of copies could come in.

Second: there's still no obligation, so you can cancel whenever and get your money back. The publishers get nothing out of that; it's the retailers that would make money, unless you order straight from the publisher. Remember: retailers pay in advance for the copies. When they take that five dollars and put it in the bank, they can earn interest off it. It's not much for one preorder at the minimum amount, but it does add up when there are thousands or more. This can help you make a decision on which retailer to preorder with, if you don't or do like certain companies enough(i.e. everybody hates Gamestop).

Third: it's a good, visible way to see yourself save up money for a game. You may say it's just as easy to put a few bucks aside and leave them in the bank or at home, but either of those things is easier to draw on than a preorder at a retailer, and you'll find it easier to be discouraged if you have to go into the store, meaning you won't try and take the money and spend it elsewhere.

Fourth: most of these DLC bonuses aren't anything to get your panties twisted over, anyway. It's usually just a cosmetic change, or a weapon that's useless after the early goings of a game, anyway. Can't say I can, off the top of my head, think of one preorder bonus that was anything more than that.

I fail to see the problem you're all making over this, honestly.

[halfblackcanadian]

I personally don't see what the big deal is. I pre-ordered games long before DLC incentives were a thing and I will continue to do so if it's a game I really want to play anyway (in which case putting my money down early gets me something that I wouldn't get if I waited a week and bought the same game at the same price anyway)

I think, if anything, pre-order bonuses need to be a little more robust (I like physical things) and DLC needs to be curbed in general. By all means keep selling in-game currency and whatnot to those who want to speed up their experience (why?) but cool it on the costumes. Unlockables like Strider (the modern one) is the way to go

[DXDA]

For me it depends on what game I want to preorder. Preorder doesn't have to die just don't shove it down my throat like gamestop. I get a bit annoyed when I'm making a purchase and they tell me okay what games are you going to preorder. I dislike gamestop, but there are times I don't have a choice. Usually Walmart and Target are out of games or just over priced i.e. Alien Isolation is still priced at $59. I saw it brand new at gamestop for $37. I would order from Amazon but the purpose of buying a game is to play it right now not 5-6 days.

[WeAreLegion]

Pre-order bonuses need to die. Pre-ordering is fine. Pre-ordering is a good way to pay off a game slowly. And pre-ordering online is logical, so it arrives on the release date.

[ginsunuva]

Pre-order bonuses will just get more and more when we keep preordering them.

Stop it, and that stuff will either cease to exist, or be in the game itself.

[xXDerickXx]

I'm not going to preorder an other game again. Even if you are told you will get a bonus only if you pre-order their game there will still be copies that are Still the pre-order edition. I got the first day addition of SO and COD about a month from the release date.

[Muzikguy]

Short answer: YES!!

Preorder bonuses seem to me more like something that could just as easily be unlocked in game for doing stuff. I think it's especially stupid when they're store specific. Or you could buy them for a price in the store! That's really thanking your fans

[xwilldemise]

Nah, only pre order bonuses should.

[Bhuahahaha]

theres nothing wrong in pre-ordering stuff
the problem lies most within bad publisher/dev that is abusing it same with dlc

[RosweeSon]

Yeah who needs to pre order just camp outside the shop for 3 weeks like a retard for an Iphone or an original Wii as they were like gold dust when they launched.... No thanks, that's why I pre order so that it turns up when it's due out, like the smash bros with the gamecube adapater that costs £60 yet everyone is now paying £100... Pre orders all the way. Unless it's something that's not gonna sell out and be half the price within a day's if not a week or 3 tops. Just use a bit of common sense, the new GTA is never gonna go down to £20-25 weeks after launch. Other games will do within days. Why all this hate for pre orders tho I don't understand it's not like it's a life or death situation why do pre orders need to die when did they become a threat to anybody?!

[PixelGateUk]

Please actually read the post instead of answering the title. Your comment is all answered.

[yuukiliu]

I have 5 games preordered on the PSN. I didn't have to preorder any of them, but I did because I chose to. If YOU don't want to, then don't. With that said, retailer exclusive preorder bonuses are really stupid.

Best preorder bonus I ever got was a free download of the Puppeteer Soundtrack. Half my Top 25 most listened to songs on my Ipod are from that soundtrack.

[InTheZoneAC]

preorders will never die, regardless of how anyone feels about them

pointless article

[just-joe]

This. People like choice. You don't have to pre-order games however doing so does guarantee you a copy of the game. I do feel that they do need to change, mainly regarding exclusive DLC.

[Iceman_Nightmare]

Yes, I hate pre orders and the whole bonus content bs

[AKissFromDaddy]

Unfortunately, Sean makes no perception on why "shady deals surrounding" pre-orders are financial demerits for publishers. As long as publishers makes more money in this manner, there is no financial incentive for anything to change.

The only problem is for the consumer(s) who were going to that make a purchase anyway, yet now they're enticed into purchasing as soon as possible.

This opinion becomes fruitless and just a reason to bellyache for Sean after he makes the justification for the existence of pre-orders in the middle and towards his closing by stating:

"Pre-orders have became so important to publishers that games can been classed as a success even before the game has shipped...The chances are 2015 wont see any changes for the better. As ‘Triple A’ title cost more to make, the risks are natural increased, thus making finical success even more of a requirement."

*Spelling error with "finical" which should be "financial".

Sean never provides an alternative solution, for publishers or anyone else, towards pre-ordering other than an ineffectual "There’s still hopes...". This is a pretty feeble opinion piece that likely succeeds in convincing other consumers into bellyache along while accomplishing nothing else.

There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints. - Rita Dove

[Talgrath]

When the pre-orders started, it was a great idea. I remember that it was a way for me to guarantee that I got a copy of a game I was looking forward to after multiple times where my local EB Games (now defunct) ran out of a game I wanted to buy. Now, pre-orders are a grotesque animal all of its own, filled with incentives and anti-consumer deals. Pre-orders are almost as important as total games sold now, since the pre-orders are guaranteed money; so the hype machine has to get going early.