Need for Speed Pre-Orders Are a Slap in the Face

Pc Aficionado: "Ghost Games and EA announced the next entry into their, increasingly subpar, racing series. Need for Speed Pre-Orders are insulting."

[Whirlwind_Fanfare_08]

If others on other platforms can't get those, that is indeed a slap in the face. They should rethink this!

[poolbuddy]

I understand pre-orders, but putting your customers at a disadvantage because they didn't pre-order just seems dirty to me.

[freshslicepizza]

The whole business model is very shady but if people are willing to put a down payment early then maybe they should get something in return. You even have retailers like Gamestop adding fuel to the mix. What worse is having console exclusive items where the other fanbase has no option to even get that content when they buy the game while paying the same price.

[Whirlwind_Fanfare_08]

Indeed.

[XbladeTeddy]

Sega has been the worst I've seen, stopping people playing an entire faction if they didn't pre-order in Warhammer: Total War. If you didn't pre-order you had to pay around £5 to unlock the Chaos faction.

[Pro_TactX]

XbladeTeddy

Then they aren't stopping people from playing a faction. If the faction can be purchased for £5, then the preorder bonus, for all intents and purposes, is a £5 discount.

[XbladeTeddy]

@ Pro_TactX: Still a bad thing to do though. Chaos is a major faction in Warhammer. Shouldn't penalise people just because they don't want to pre-order by charging them extra for an unlock code to a whole faction.

[bouzebbal]

This series lost every bit of appeal since PS2.
Dirt 4 will be the racer I will buy this year together with GT and WipEout omega

[indyman7777]

If it seems dirty to you, then that means it seems EA like to you. See what I did there? EA is Dirty.

[Liqu1d]

I'm sure people who don't pre-order will be able to get them at a later date, for a fee of course.

[poolbuddy]

Yeah, probably for a fee. Which is insane.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

"a slap in the face"

Settle down the melodrama there bud, it's a friggin videogame. A videogame that is giving out a few extra cars for pre-order in, this isn't he end of the world man.

[super_cuddles]

The end is near, I miss out on my turbo vee dub cuz I no preorder my beloved 6 months til bargain bin race game

[Derceto]

EA. Pre-order bulls**t. Ya, just another day in the gaming world.

[Phill-Spencer]

Yes it's bullshit but it's the gamers fault for not boycotting it. I mean do you guys remember that last gen there was a time when publishers tried to force us buying a code to be able to play online multiplayer when you purchased a used copy of a game. That thing disappeared so fast that i sometimes even forget it existed, because seemingly and thankfully users didn't fall for that crap. Same would happen with preorder dlc's and season passes in no time.

https://www.google.de/amp/s...

Imo far back in the days preordering games was kind of useful because it could happen that you wouldn't get one at release but nowadays i really believe that 95% of the games are available in enough quantities so everyone gets one copy at release, and ofcourse i don't even have to talk about digital versions at all. Preordering only makes sense for niche games where stores don't get flooded with copies.

[dilbig5]

That online Pass thing was technically kind of fair. While not appealing from a customer side, it is their game that you aren't paying them for.

And season passes have been around for quite awhile. I see no downside to those lol.

[Phill-Spencer]

I won't argue with you on your first point. You bought the product used and still use their servers, i don't like it as a consumer but i understand that. But as ea states themselves consumers showed their dislike by voting by not buying said online passes.

But spending money on dlc in advance for a season pass, when you know know nothing about the quality of said dlc is almost the same as preordering a game when you know nothing about the final quality of the game. And just like preordering you also mostly get items you can only receive through a season pass.

[JBaby343]

I wish people would stop jumping through whatever hoops companies present for "extra content". I hate season passes and never buy them even more than preorder bonuses. If I pay for the game I should get the game in its entirety. Don't try to syphon more money from me. Especially when all I'm paying for is an unlock code for what's already there. People need to stop supporting these practices.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Hell I thought they still did it, lol

[dilbig5]

I always wait for a season pass to get all the stuff at once, I only get it if I'm really into the game. Personally though, I've probably only bought maybe 6 season passes.

[Phill-Spencer]

Dilbig5

Yes imo that is a very reasonable way to do it. Wait until you see what you get and then buy the pass. But season passes are clearly intended to make consumers pay for stuff they have no knowledge about what they get and i strongly believe that most interested buy it already when the game releases, i don't have any evidence though.

[StormLegend]

Back in the day when we had no online EA was one of the best developers around. It's sad how they've fallen with season passes and pre-orders.

[Princess_Pilfer]

Stop buying their games, and email them telling them why. If enough people do it, they'll stop. As long as people continue to act against their own best interests, EA will keep exploiting everybody.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

Pfff HAHAHAHAHAHA "exploiting".

You're joking right? Diamond companies using children to mine precious resources is exploiting. This is a videogame company offering preorder bonuses and season passes for what amounts to a luxury.

A luxury that has zero bearing on anyone's life. You don't need a videogame to survive. This isn't a necessity to survive here, it's a VIDEOGAME. You have the choice not to buy it, there is no exploitation going on here at all.

It is fantastic that your life is so well put together that you would consider a season pass and preorder bonuses as exploitation, I hope it continues this way for you, but get a little perspective here.

[DreadGara]

And yet people are buying their garbage games.

[Princess_Pilfer]

Wether or not it's a luxery has literally no bearing, and just because some companies take exploitation of customers or (in this case) workers much farther doesn't mean that isn't what EA is doing.

What you've done is the equivilant of saying "Serial killer? There are governments and effective governments that kill thousands of people per year, Ted Bundi isn't a serial killer," which, needless to say, isn't an argument. One is worse, both are bad.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

@Princess_Pilfer

There is zero exploitation going on here. As per definition...

"use (a situation or person) in an unfair or selfish way.
"the company was exploiting a legal loophole"

benefit unfairly from the work of (someone), typically by overworking or underpaying them.
"making money does not always mean exploiting others"

The first definition doesn't apply here because you have the choice whether or not to purchase the season pass or preorder crap. It has zero bearing on the full game. It is literally "bonus" stuff.

The second definition doesn't apply for obvious reasons. There is nothing exploitive about what EA is doing. Give it up.

[Princess_Pilfer]

1: google what it's like to work at a place like EA or Ubisoft. Spoiler: It's exploitation.

2: Yeah, trying to bully people into buying a game before it's out based on literally nothing but pre-release info the company trying to sell you a product has exclusive control over by punishing you for not buying early by carving out sections of the game is unfair. They're punishing you for being a good consumer and waiting for 3rd party info and reviews that are more representative of the product than the info EA will ever give.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

@Princess_Pilfer

Are you like 14 years old or something? That had to be the most ridiculous responses I've read on here today. The working conditions at EA have literally ZERO to do with what we are talking about. Way to move the goalposts there champ. I'm not even sure what you're trying to say with that first "point". I'm assuming you googled the definition of "exploiting" and finally realized it has nothing to do with preorder bonuses and season passes being offered ON A VIDEOGAME?

As for your second point, if you could even call it that, is this how soft society has become? Has society been pussified to such a degree that when a videogame publisher offers an extra incentive for preordering (which amounts to a few cars?) it is considered "bullying"?! Are you for real right now?

So the definition of bullying is the use of force or intimidation to force him or her to do what one wants. Please, please show me where this intimidation is. Please show me this use of force that EA has applied upon the masses in order to get a bunch of preorders and season pass sales.

It is brutal to think that there are fragile enough minds out there that people feel intimidated and bullied when presented with a superfluous addition to a game. I'm trying to think of something more entitled than this and I'm drawing blanks right now. Let me guess, you were there on the picket lines protesting Bioware and EA's creative decisions on the Mass Effect 3 ending as well eh?

[Princess_Pilfer]

It's called Fear of Missing out (not to mention pre-order restriced stuff is often objectively better than it's competition) and they are deliberatley exploiting it. They aren't "rewarding" pre-orders, they're punishing good consumer behavior by charging extra for the same product (or denying parts of it to other outright.) It's not collectors items for super-fans, it's actual in game stuff that impacts the play experience.

The rest of your post is semantic garbage that attacks an argument I didn't make.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

@Princess_Pilfer

No sir, my second point was not "bullshit". You said that EA was "trying to bully" people. It was completely relevant.

"Fear of Missing Out"

Ugh, is that a real term being used to describe the supposed "bullying" going on? Do you realize how just pathetic your whole argument is? It is a videogame man. A videogame. If this just bothers you THAT much don't buy. Meanwhile there will be millions of other people out there enjoying their hobby and not letting such petty things ruin what is supposed to be enjoyable.

"Gamers" are quite possibly the worst group of hobbyists in the world. They whine and bitch and moan about the most trivial crap. They send death threats because a game isn't made out to be what they expected. They mock and bully fellow "gamers" for their differences. The most vocal of these "gamers" appear as if they HATE videogames what with the amount of vitriol vomited from their brains on message boards daily. I mean really, look at this exchange here. You are claiming that they exploit customers and bully them into buying their games. Because they offer a preorder bonus. Something that companies have been doing for years and years now.

Gamers are in this hobby with the intensity that a district attorney would have when it is entertainment. That's all it is. Don't like it? Don't buy it. No one is forcing you. No one is bullying you into anything. Man I'd hate to see how these people would react to an actual REAL issue that occurs in life.

[hiredhelp]

Thats cos EA are not same company thought bought into manynyears ago.. Google it the 16bit days long gone they were great days.

[Aenea]

Since when is this new? EA does this with all their games and later you can buy them anyways. Yes that costs extra, simple really either you preorder or you don't and pay for these extras.

[dilbig5]

Or just wait for a goty or complete edition.

[Cobra951]

Right. A game has to be worth the asking price when you buy it. If it has important chunks of it cut out (for any reason, preorder shenanigans included), it isn't worth full retail. It's not like we're hurting for things to play either. Let it sit on the shelf for however long it takes to get good value for the money.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

Neckbeards gonna neckbeard man.

[Jakens]

The pre-order bonus will be availible to all, if they pay the fee ($$) No surprises.

It is a slap in the face for EA to show No gameplay and expect a pre-order from this guy.

[ThatGuyDart]

It's EA so why are we still surprised at this point?

[ziggurcat]

how is that a slap in the face when it's a pre-order *bonus*? meaning... you get a *bonus* for pre-ordering the game.

[Summons75]

Don't defend locking content from everyone putting some people at a disadvantage. Preorder culture is destroying the industry but seeing as you defend it you must be so rich that you can preorder a copy from every single store when there are multiple incentives or console exclusive BS.

[ziggurcat]

I don't see how this is locking content out, and putting anyone at a disadvantage.

I would also love to hear how pre-ordering is "destroying the industry."

[dilbig5]

I mean if you are going to get the game anyway, why would you not preorder it, especially when it gives something extra. That's the benefit over getting the game later. It's no different on PC or any other digital game, early adopters always get the initial benefit in any industry.

[Aenea]

It's not locking content from everyone since it will be available a short time after the game releases as a separate paid for DLC.

It's also not putting people at a disadvantage since they can still buy it afterwards. Besides, this is a single player game...

If you can't pre-order for financial reasons than you just wait until it drops in price enough so you can get it. If you feel the pre-order bonus was essential for your enjoyment you just calculate that additional price into the total of the game.

People wanting to get rid of DLC, Season Passes and pre-order bonuses are the ones who are trying to destroy the industry since it will mean less income for the publishers which means they take less risks, make less games, etc., etc.

People need to think before they grab their pitchforks....

[TheColbertinator]

I recall Watchdogs doing something similar. How shady.

[Retroman]

" Need for speed pre-orders are a Slap in the Face."

Could one reason be fans not gallable this time around not to buy into the fake Hype train. if the failure from the reboot game any indication that should be a sign.
Without gameplay footage to show interest pre-orders should be none.

my own opinion of course .

[DeathtoOtakuDJ]

EA/GameStop did this with Dead Space 2 (or was it 3???). You could only get this (crappy) SMG like gun, if you pre-ordered. Also, many items for Dragon Age Origins were originally tied to retailers and even RAZR products (thankfully they gave everyone the items free... many years later).

[metalgod88]

Why do racing games need a story? Why not say..."here's a car. Go race so you can save money to upgrade your current car or buy a better car." If the game was actually good, you wouldn't need to add a "gimick" story line to feel like there's progression. Racing in and of itself has the feeling of progression when you start at the bottom and work your way up.

And then you have this pre-order nonsense. We haven't even see actual gameplay footage and EA wants to throw this at us? How about NO. By removing content from the game and only making it available to people who pre-order, you're not only giving the middle finger to those who have a brain larger than a peanut, but also the developers who actually built the car to do what cars do; the testers who made sure it was good to go; the artists who put it all together and made it look good.

I am so tired of this. People need to stop supporting this by pre-ordering. If you really really want this game (for whatever reason) do us all a favor and wait 1 month after release. The price will drop due to lack of sales or desperation and those cars will more than likely be added back. But, that will never happen if we do what they want.

[Retroman]

Ding,DING!!!!!!!! we got a Winner here. Good Question Metalgod
pre-orders don't mean she-it without gameplay footage. as you said (wait one month )after release . price will drop due to lack of sales . No more jumping in release date she-it .

[DillyDilly]

The first & last Need For Speed Game I liked was Most Wanted in 2005

[showtimefolks]

I just don't buy most games at launch channels anymore unless coming from a respectable developer

[annoyedgamer]

How about not buying EA titles.

[Cobra951]

Or any titles that don't give you your money's worth. It's really simple when you think on it a bit. Wait a while. The content chopped out will get added back in to some "GotY Deluxe Ultra Whiz Bang Edition" and you'll be able to get everything they should have given you on release day for the same or lower price.

[Valenka]

Right, because the whole world is going to come to an end if one doesn't absolutely have those five specific vehicles in their game. While one could argue that they've cut that content out and are making it exclusive to preorders, where's the proof to support the claim? Either way, if you want the cars, preorder. Don't want the cars? Don't preorder. Simple. It's a stupid business model but as always, vote with your wallet I guess.

[poolbuddy]

Right, and I will be voting with my wallet. I think something is to be said about insulting your customers by taking SIGNIFICANT content out of the game.

[Aenea]

Which you can still buy later....

It's really not that difficult....

[Ninver]

The little interest i had has just been thrown out the window. Developers killing their games before it's even released. Insane.

[rocketpanda]

The series has gone to the dumps over time, so instead of trying to salvage it and wanting gamers to buy the game EA being EA decides to pull this - although not surprising. But regardless you know gamers will preorder it and EA know it or else they wouldn't do such things.

[CitizenFour]

I used to be a big fan of the series, but I feel like NFS Most Wanted 2005 was their last really good game. For me anyway.

[mogwaii]

Stop pre ordering games, simple as that.

[ziggurcat]

You should maybe worry about how you spend your money, and not how other people spend theirs.

[Zabatsu]

You should maybe worry about how you handle things, and not how others handle things.

[XXanderXX]

Its a crappy deal , but damn those car are not worth the pre-order

[Jakens]

Lol

[Cobra951]

Nothing is worth a preorder in this industry. You have no idea what you're going to get. You might get a decent game, but it's more likely you'll get an unfinished mess of bugs for you to find for the developers without compensation. After a while, they'll fix most of the mess. After a while, the game gets cheaper too, or has more content added in without raising the price. So you see, waiting a while is the way to go here, nearly always.

[XXanderXX]

True , but am just an inpatient individual & never liked waiting . Lol

[DarXyde]

"While this isn’t 100% confirmed that only pre-order members will have access, it would be a slap in the face to those who buy the game."

Yet the title suggests this is surely so. That's irresponsible journalism.

[poolbuddy]

Based on EA's track record, it's pretty safe to assume I'd say.

[Aenea]

Based on EA's track record it is nonsensical to even think it! They do this with every single game and make the pre-order DLC available for a small price.

Yes, that means you have to pay for it! You want it? Pre-order! You want to wait it out, see how the review scores are? Then wait until the price drops to 10 lower so you can 'afford' the DLC and still have all the same content for the same price...

[aConIsDemocracy]

Need For Change.

[dilbig5]

Not the first game to do it, definitely not the last.

[MagicBeanz]

Well if its "increasingly subpar" maybe just dont buy it period.

[liran]

EA is a disease for gaming. Each of their games is a crap and their methods are evil.

[Einhander1971]

If the mugs stopped buying it, then EA would be fucked. most DLC is a rip off, they would of went out of business ages ago if they relied on me to buy.

[UCForce]

EA is still the worst. "Sigh"

[teamtom15]

f*ck EA

[Zabatsu]

To be honest, I'm just not at all interested in what most developers call DLC. I don't mind DLC if I get a complete game without stripped parts. The worst thing I know is when you clearly see that specific functions, bits of story, items w/e has been removed from the game only to sell it to consumers as "DLC". It's a shady market and so many does it. I have no issues at all, buying DLC if my game was actually complete from the get-go. Like expansion-packs. For me, as a gamer, something devs has worked on after the release of the actual game and not something that has been created during development for the sole reason of milking your players with "DLC-content" that actually look more like packaged micro-transactions.

[CrimsonWing69]

I don't see the big deal, they are rewarding those who will purchase it Day 1. It's not like these cars make it a whole different game.

[zb1ftw777]

I like my solution best.

Boycott the game entirely.

[Nodoze]

EA not treating customers well. SHOCKER.

[super_cuddles]

Get over it no one gonna drive these lame cars fool

[feedthereaper]

Pre-Ordering is such a dinosaur relic that was invented to make sure games sold big on opening weekends by counting in sales from weeks before launch, while at the same time making sure there was enough stock to go around without over-ordering.
That has completely disappeared now that digital downloads are in infinite supply, getting rid of stock supply issues, and retail figures only matter for so long while the videogame industry catches up with the 8 year headstart that the music/movie and TV industries have over videogames. Once you can get AAA titles from Day 1 available as part of a Netflix-style subscription you won't see any need for pre-ordering whatsoever, because like Music, TV and so on, all that will matter is Streams/downloads, rather than sales and supply issues.

[SugarSoSweet]

Why do these publishers keep feeling the need to charge us for extra shit you don't need in the game to begin with. Always trying to break the game up and drip feed you parts of it. I'm getting sick of it just make a fully functioning game and charge 60 dollars for it ONCE and be done with it!

[LordJamar]

title really made it seem worse then it was lol, this is really not a big issue to me i dont really care i dont see why ppl do care so much cause if they do then buy the pre order stuff it you dont then dont buy the game with the high and mighty principles you guys pretend to have or be a normal person and just buy the base game

[poolbuddy]

I would say ripping content from your customers is a slap in the face

[LordJamar]

prove its rip content?

[Tallpine]

These kind of pre-orders are awful. Paying 80.00 dollars doesn't give you access to the full game right off launch. It's so frustrating when a game gets fragmented based on your purchase commitment. I only buy the base 80.00 dollar version of any game, Nobody should be punished because they didn't pay money sooner or not pay for the premium versions.

[jznrpg]

If they offer the cars as a low priced Dlc it's not a big deal to me, but if that's the only way to get them it's lame. Not many EA games I like these days and the list gets shorter as time goes on. I wouldn't call this a slap in the face because the writer doesn't know the entire story.

[IceKoldKilla]

Meh. Pre-ordering anyways. My favorite action arcade racing franchise.

[IceKoldKilla]

They'll sell them afterwards anyways. Just a way to thank those fans willing to pay beforehand. I don't mind it. If you can't get $60, £50 or 60€ in 6 months to pre-order then too bad. I know it sucks and it shouldn't exist but it isn't that big of a deal.

[TeflonHahn]

What I don't understand is this. If a game retails for $60, and you go into your local GS or whatever - when you place your $5 or what have you, down for a pre-order, you get a pre-order bonus and then that $5 gets taken off the $60 cost of the game - how exactly are you being shafted? It's not like you're paying for the game in addition to the pre-order fee. And half the cars on this list nobody gives a damn about anyway. I think people just want to complain. In my eyes, there's gray area with these things. Some companies take advantage, but I feel most of the time it's just "rabble, rabble rabble!" from gamers. There have been tons of cases for DLC consumer "robbery" (looking at you Activision and Capcom) but all in all, pre order bonuses are not a big deal nor are they a torches and pitchforks scenario the way everyone makes them out to be.

[modelgod]

When you have Godzilla lurking in the shadows (Forza), and Mothra (grand Turismo) buzzing ever so faintly, then there's no room for Need for Speed. If you put a down payment on this garbage then you need help. Even us xbots aren't that desperate to play new games. Lol!!