Preordering: still worth it a day from release?

[Togath]

So there's a game I want coming out on the 20th(Dragon Quest 8)...
...But I'm not sure if preordering it will be likely to get me it on release day.
The soonest I can is tomorrow, the 19th, and while there is a shipping option for "on day of release"...
Does anyone know if that will actually work? I was going to order from Gamestop, if that matters.

[Yuki Akuma]

It's probably too late for you to get it on release day unless you go into a physical store. Some places will mail them out early so they reach you on release day but they need a couple days' wiggle room to do that, and you're not giving them that.

That said, if you want to guarantee you'll get a copy of the first printing and think it'll be popular enough to possibly sell out, preordering is probably a smart move anyway.

[Togath]

Well that's just the thing, it's a series that's famously struggled in sell in the US...
...On the other hand, it's a remake of the best selling member of that series.
I really have no idea if it'll sell out or not. ^_^;
(The fact that the closest gamestop, game store, or even walmart type store is 45-60 minutes away does not help. Heck, it's that distance to reach even the most basic electronics shop.)

[factotum]

No, pre-ordering games is never worth it unless there are also pre-release reviews of it from sources you trust. It's like buying a car without ever seeing it or driving it--you wouldn't do that!

[GloatingSwine]

Amazon can probably still do you a next day delivery if you're in anything like a reasonable area.

Amazon tend to be cheaper than physical retail too, at least in the UK. (They'll also charge you the cheapest price it has at any point your order is placed, rather than the final price or the one it was when you ordered it).

[Togath]

No, pre-ordering games is never worth it unless there are also pre-release reviews of it from sources you trust. It's like buying a car without ever seeing it or driving it--you wouldn't do that!

It's a remake/port of a game I've nearly 100% multiple times.:smallsmile:
Plus the remake's been out in Japan for a few years.

[danzibr]

No, pre-ordering games is never worth it unless there are also pre-release reviews of it from sources you trust. It's like buying a car without ever seeing it or driving it--you wouldn't do that!

It's a remake/port of a game I've nearly 100% multiple times.:smallsmile:
Plus the remake's been out in Japan for a few years.
I *rarely* pre-order games, but when I do, I end up enjoying them.

Like Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

[Yuki Akuma]

No, pre-ordering games is never worth it unless there are also pre-release reviews of it from sources you trust. It's like buying a car without ever seeing it or driving it--you wouldn't do that!

Preordering a game you're absolutely going to buy on release day no matter what is totally fine, dude.

[snowblizz]

Well that's just the thing, it's a series that's famously struggled in sell in the US...
...On the other hand, it's a remake of the best selling member of that series.
I really have no idea if it'll sell out or not. ^_^;
(The fact that the closest gamestop, game store, or even walmart type store is 45-60 minutes away does not help. Heck, it's that distance to reach even the most basic electronics shop.)

Pick up a phone, call them and ask them to hold a copy for you? Surely this is something a physical stores does in this day and age to secure a sale?

[factotum]

Preordering a game you're absolutely going to buy on release day no matter what is totally fine, dude.

Yeah, and then you find out the game you bought on release day was Might and Magic IX, or Ultima IX, or Battlecruiser 3000AD, or X: Rebirth, and suddenly you realise that buying things on release day sight unseen is a daft thing to do and you should stop doing it. Heck, even really good games like Half-Life 2 and Fallout: New Vegas were a mistake to purchase on release day, because they had bugs up the wazoo and it took weeks before either of them approximated something playable. Nowadays I wait for reviews and possibly a couple of patches before I buy any game.

[Zevox]

Yeah, and then you find out the game you bought on release day was Might and Magic IX, or Ultima IX, or Battlecruiser 3000AD, or X: Rebirth, and suddenly you realise that buying things on release day sight unseen is a daft thing to do and you should stop doing it. Heck, even really good games like Half-Life 2 and Fallout: New Vegas were a mistake to purchase on release day, because they had bugs up the wazoo and it took weeks before either of them approximated something playable. Nowadays I wait for reviews and possibly a couple of patches before I buy any game.
That's fine and dandy for you, but plenty of people don't need to wait for release to be sure they want a game. I've been pre-ordering games for as long as I've been able to buy them myself, and never once regretted it. Anything I have actual doubts about I'll wait on, sure, but most games that catch my attention I don't end up uncertain about at all.

That said, I'd say there's only really two reasons to pre-order something: one, there's a pre-order bonus attached that you want. Two, the game is either exceedingly popular and likely to sell out, or so niche that a store is likely to only order as many copies as they have pre-orders anyway, and thus it behooves you to have a copy reserved ahead of time to make sure you get it. Dragon Quest I'd be more worried about falling under that last category than anything, but it's probably not quite that bad.

In any case, odds are you're too late to ensure a copy the day before it comes out, so I'd just call the store and check the next day, and have them hold a copy for you if they have it. If not, ordering off Amazon or the like should work - or grabbing it as a download if that's an option (don't know if it is in this case; I ordered my copy of DQ8 off Amazon, personally, since I'm not going to play it immediately).

[danzibr]

Yeah, and then you find out the game you bought on release day was Might and Magic IX, or Ultima IX, or Battlecruiser 3000AD, or X: Rebirth, and suddenly you realise that buying things on release day sight unseen is a daft thing to do and you should stop doing it. Heck, even really good games like Half-Life 2 and Fallout: New Vegas were a mistake to purchase on release day, because they had bugs up the wazoo and it took weeks before either of them approximated something playable. Nowadays I wait for reviews and possibly a couple of patches before I buy any game.

That's fine and dandy for you, but plenty of people don't need to wait for release to be sure they want a game. I've been pre-ordering games for as long as I've been able to buy them myself, and never once regretted it. Anything I have actual doubts about I'll wait on, sure, but most games that catch my attention I don't end up uncertain about at all.

That said, I'd say there's only really two reasons to pre-order something: one, there's a pre-order bonus attached that you want. Two, the game is either exceedingly popular and likely to sell out, or so niche that a store is likely to only order as many copies as they have pre-orders anyway, and thus it behooves you to have a copy reserved ahead of time to make sure you get it. Dragon Quest I'd be more worried about falling under that last category than anything, but it's probably not quite that bad.

In any case, odds are you're too late to ensure a copy the day before it comes out, so I'd just call the store and check the next day, and have them hold a copy for you if they have it. If not, ordering off Amazon or the like should work - or grabbing it as a download if that's an option (don't know if it is in this case; I ordered my copy of DQ8 off Amazon, personally, since I'm not going to play it immediately).
I'm in the same boat. I only rarely preorder, but every single time worked out swimmingly.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Preordering a game you're absolutely going to buy on release day no matter what is totally fine, dude.

"Buying on release day" falls under the purview of "pre-order" in this case. Getting the game immediately before waiting to see.

Of course, there are certain exceptions. Like Pokemon. Pokemon has consistently displayed a certain level of game design, so I can trust not to regret buying a Pokemon game even if it's a little underwhelming. So when every trailer for Pokemon Sun/Moon showed more good features, it was an easy choice. Oh, and the reviewer I found who got to play a bit of it turned out to be wrong on a notable, if nowhere near game-ruining point (he said the pokemon-catching tutorial was quicker...).

Also Atlus games, I'll probably get Etrian Odyssey V without looking at a single review (because I don't trust reviewers with that particular subgenre of RPGs), though I think I'll read up on Persona 5.

[Driderman]

No, pre-ordering games is never worth it unless there are also pre-release reviews of it from sources you trust. It's like buying a car without ever seeing it or driving it--you wouldn't do that!

Except that preorders aren't actually binding so you can always change your mind so long as you haven't actually purchased the damn thing.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Except that preorders aren't actually binding so you can always change your mind so long as you haven't actually purchased the damn thing.

It's binding on release day, it entirely depends on how comprehensive pre-release reviews are.

[Aotrs Commander]

These days, I tend to only pre-order anything if I can get a good deal and usually only then pretty shortly before the release date (day before is favourite). I got Deserts of Kharak on day-before pre-order, since I got Homeworld Remastered with it; I pre-ordered Stellaris because I was able to get one edition up cheaper. I will back the occasional kickstarter1, and buy things from publishers I trust (a short list at the moment, considering largerly of Paradox Development Studioes and Obsidian) on day one, otherwise, like factofum, I'll wait for the reviews.

Bioware can be largely blamed for this, since it was them blotting their copy-books which meant they went from "guys who make some of my favourite games who do no wrong" to "not even interested in the next games in the current series anymore."



1Currently, the record stands at two games which have been extremely pleasing (Pillars of Eternity and War for the Overworkd), one semi-permenantly in development (Star Citizen, I'm only in it for Squadron 42) and four outstanding in various stages of completeion (Tides of Numenara, the Mandate, AI War 2 and another RPG who's name escapes me currently.)

[warty goblin]

Yeah, and then you find out the game you bought on release day was Might and Magic IX, or Ultima IX, or Battlecruiser 3000AD, or X: Rebirth, and suddenly you realise that buying things on release day sight unseen is a daft thing to do and you should stop doing it. Heck, even really good games like Half-Life 2 and Fallout: New Vegas were a mistake to purchase on release day, because they had bugs up the wazoo and it took weeks before either of them approximated something playable. Nowadays I wait for reviews and possibly a couple of patches before I buy any game.

I haven't found my rate of acquiring really unfun stuff is any better or worse pre-ordering than waiting for reviews. And frequently I can find a pre-order deal that's substantially cheaper than the game will be for months. This makes the pre-order a pretty good deal, particularly if I'm interested in the multiplayer. Plus, I like pre-ordering and being a bit excited for a new game. It's fun getting in the door early, and getting to make up my mind before the consensus view of the title solidifies.

More importantly, reviews would very seldom save me from purchasing a game in which I'm interested, but turns out to be a mistake. Worst I got burned this year was Civ VI, which reviewed fantastically, but I thought was a cluttered, unfocused mess. In plenty of cases in fact waiting for reviews has convinced me that a game I was (correctly!) leery about was something I'd enjoy.

Basically what I'm saying is that reviews do not, so far as I can tell, improve my error rate enough to be worth waiting for, instead of getting a good deal and getting in right at launch.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I haven't found my rate of acquiring really unfun stuff is any better or worse pre-ordering than waiting for reviews. And frequently I can find a pre-order deal that's substantially cheaper than the game will be for months. This makes the pre-order a pretty good deal, particularly if I'm interested in the multiplayer. Plus, I like pre-ordering and being a bit excited for a new game. It's fun getting in the door early, and getting to make up my mind before the consensus view of the title solidifies.

More importantly, reviews would very seldom save me from purchasing a game in which I'm interested, but turns out to be a mistake. Worst I got burned this year was Civ VI, which reviewed fantastically, but I thought was a cluttered, unfocused mess. In plenty of cases in fact waiting for reviews has convinced me that a game I was (correctly!) leery about was something I'd enjoy.

Basically what I'm saying is that reviews do not, so far as I can tell, improve my error rate enough to be worth waiting for, instead of getting a good deal and getting in right at launch.

Yes, well, you also have opinions on games that I will never understand.

As for Civ 6, it's by far the best launch of Civ. Civ 5 with all expansions is still better if you don't feel like you just can't play it anymore.

[warty goblin]

Yes, well, you also have opinions on games that I will never understand.

As for Civ 6, it's by far the best launch of Civ. Civ 5 with all expansions is still better if you don't feel like you just can't play it anymore.

I get that a lot.

Didn't think all that much of Civ V either. The AI was just as clueless, I remain unconvinced that one unit per tile was anything like a good idea, and global happiness was a mechanic of outstanding stupidity. It's about 900 AD, I'm playing as the goddamn Vikings, and seizing an enemy city causes my otherwise perfectly content people to descend into some sort of existential despair? They should be celebrating and sacrificing fools to Odin, not getting mopey because I was mean to the foreigners. Oh wait, they can't worship Odin, because even with the religion expansion installed, the religious model can't represent anything that isn't a centralized, urban and more or less Abrahamic religion.

Civ VI at least ditches global happiness, but the mechanics are just a hot mess. So I've got city improvements, which are paid for by city production, or gold, or sometimes faith. Then there's district improvements, which aren't in the city, but are built by the city, using one of the three previous currencies. Then there are tile upgrades, which are built using workers, which are essentially a different sub-currency you buy through cities. Then there's wonders, which are built by a city, but on a hex. So if I'm playing Egypt, I build monuments in cities, temples and stuff in religious districts, sphinxes with workers, and the Pyramids on a tile, but not using workers. Which seems a really confusing and unnecessarily complicated way to represent people making large piles of rock for religious purposes, particularly since the religious mechanics are basically the same as Civ V, and so don't represent anything that isn't about apostles running around playing religious whack-a-mole with each other at all well.