Purchasing games Day 1 is less and less appealing with each release

[dex3108]

Since this generation of consoles started, purchasing games Day 1 became less and less appealing. Games are released incomplete, full of bugs and performance issues. At first reason was new hardware that devs had to adapt to but what is reason now, 5 years later? When was the last time that game was released without any major issues or lack of content?

This year alone we got Anthem, Wolfenstein Youngblood, Control, Crackdown 3, NBA 2K20, Borderlands 3... If issue are not technical we get lack of content. And in general buying game 6 months later means that you get better experience in every possible way, starting with lower price (because prices are dropping faster than ever). Things get added to games, bugs fixed, performance improved and so on if you are just willing to wait few weeks or months.

Is it so important for you to be there Day 1 for the conversation about the game or you are willing to wait to have better experience for less money?

 

[Kenzodielocke]

So same as it was 10 years ago

 

[dex3108]

So same as it was 10 years ago

Click to shrink...

Not really. Console manufacturers charged for each patch, internet wasn't that widespread, games didn't depend on online infrastructure or internet...

 

[Alvis]

Yeah. I only have a PC and a Switch. I only buy games at launch if it's a Nintendo game or if I can get a good deal on a Steam / GOG key. Other than that I always wait for sales and patches. For example I really want Spyro for PC but not paying 40€ lol, also it has problems with 144 FPS monitors apparently even though it supports unlimited FPS so whenever I do get it'll hopefully be fixed.

The appearance of EGS exclusives also reduces the number of PC games I buy at launch even further since I refuse to ever install that store

 

[Exist 2 Inspire]

If i'm remotely interested in a game, i'll buy it day 1.

 

[Deleted member 23212]

Not really. Console manufacturers charged for each patch, internet wasn't that widespread, games didn't depend on online infrastructure or internet...

Click to shrink...

Wasn't that just Sony? Did MS do that as well?

 

[Kingpin Rogers]

I've not had that problem personally. The only games I've been interested in buying Day 1 this year are Resident Evil 2. Mario Maker 2 and Fire Emblem. All games which felt complete and worked fine. Maybe it's just my tastes but I can't remember the last time I bought a game which felt overly buggy or incomplete.

 

[asd202]

Yeah it feels like when you are buying a Western 3rd party AAA game you're going to have problems on release. 1st party or Japanese games in general are not as bad from what I have seen.

 

[dex3108]

Wasn't that just Sony? Did MS do that as well?

Click to shrink...

As far as i remember both did it.

 

[c0Zm1c]

Very rarely. Depends if I can't wait to play it and how much it costs (I don't buy full priced games any more, though I might make an exception for Cyberpunk 2077). None of the poll options fit that. :\

 

[Ashhong]

Not really. Console manufacturers charged for each patch, internet wasn't that widespread, games didn't depend on online infrastructure or internet...

Click to shrink...

10 years ago was about 3 years into the PS3 and 4 into the 360. There were plenty of day 1 patches

 

[liquidtmd]

Kinda

If it's a title I REALLY want I'll jump in day 1, but caution and holding back is more prevalent definitely these days

£10 off RRP and the benefits of most glitches being addressed / performance updates by waiting 30 days or so is v.attractive in the face of my backlog

 

[Fredrik]

Sometimes. But it's a rare thing, usually just when it's on Game Pass. You'll just end up paying too much and having to play a buggy version.

 

[Deleted member 50232]

It's such a shame as I like to support the developers, especially on story driven single player games. But yes, if you wait, even just weeks or months you are going to get a much better experience for less money.

 

[Kolibri]

I rarely do it anymore. There's so much stuff I haven't played yet, so I don't feel like I'm missing out. I'll just play something else.

I really prefer my games to be as complete as possible the moment I buy the disc. Enormous downloads and patches are an extremely annoying trend to me. Now I often just wait for a GOTY edition, or a next gen port that has all the extra content and patches.

 

[Pyro]

It's case by case.

For example, I'm getting FFVII mostly because I'm just really curious to see what that game even is (especially since I'm very familiar with the Midgar section/first continent and nothing else), whether or not it's good is kinda irrelevant to me.

 

[lucebuce]

Unless it's a fighting game, I just see no reason to get in there day one. The game'll be in a better state with patches, DLC will be out and it'll be cheaper if I just wait a while.

Though I already broke that rule by pre-ordering the super duper edition of Vampire Bloodlines 2 because I need that shit.

 

[adumb]

I tend to pick up first party Nintendo games on the day, because they're always a safe bet. But you don't really lose anything by waiting. You can only gain. I'm glad I slept on Control a short while. I don't know if it was ever that bad (the 60fps LiTeRaLlY UnPlAyAbLe UNACCEPTABLE!!! crowd on here tend to blow these things out of proportion) but I've only had minor hiccups with it. Playing day one could've been a different story.

I'm not picking Borderlands 3 up until later this week, either. There's no rush. There never has been.

 

[Dphex]

prices drop too fast and frankly, often i consult ebay to buy them used. 3 days after release there are already numerous copies on ebay from people who either didn´t like the game or already played through. i only go day one if it is something i REALLY want or sometimes if i have nothing else to play anymore because i have no backlog(played already everything i want to play).

take Control for example, fullprice for a messy release on consoles, now you get it for 30bucks on ebay and it is patched up...

also, i only buy digital if it is a digital only release so i can also sell the games i played through. digital is a waste of money.

 

[cw_sasuke]

Unless it's a Nintendo game or an absolute must have there is no point in getting a game on Day 1 at full price.

Youll get it for half the price a couple months in.

 

[TaySan]

I don't mind jumping in day 1, but i rarely if ever buy a game full price anymore.

 

[Noppie]

I rarely get games day one anymore. Backlog, patches down the line, GOTY editions and steep discounts, DLC and whatnot. There hardly is an incentive to be there day one anymore.

 

[Ushojax]

I only ever buy Nintendo games on day one, because you know the price is unlikely to come down that much.

Almost everything else can be bought for half price within a few months and you will probably get a game that is much better after a few patches too.

 

[Temascos]

I usually make sure to buy brand new copies (If not digital) so at least some money will go to developers but as I'm getting older I'm not in as much of rush to get releases Day 1 unless I really trust the developer (Sadly not too many at the moment).

Game of The Year Editions tend to be where it's really at as the launch issues will be gone by then, improvements will have been added (IE, New Game + in games like Days Gone) and it's at a better price. Plus with next generation on the horizon there's a good chance a lot of games will get updated versions that have improvements to graphics and framerate. Not assured for every single game but a good chunk of them for sure!

 

[FreeMufasa]

Shenmue 3, FFVII remake and that's probably it for me in terms of day ones.

EDIT: and if Sega stops fucking around and hurries up with PSO3 or PSO rerelease

 

[Deleted member 10737]

i'm only day 1 with nintendo games (their games are always solid from day 1 and the prices won't drop anytime soon) and indie devs i trust.

 

[shark97]

I am reverse of this. I generally buy day 1 or never. Dont care about problems/ never experience them.

 

[Cecil]

If a game is being released where I'm really hyped for it, trust the developer to deliver, and I know that I want to try it myself as soon as it's released, then of course I'm getting it day 1. When something like a new XCOM games is being released, then of course I want to be there at release.

That games get cheaper some time after release is only relevant if you're short on money, or you know that you will not play it immediately. But if you know that you will jump in and give it a proper go as soon as it's installed for you, then get it. Getting what you want when you want it is a factor in the price that's as important as all others.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

I've always jumped in day 1. But as this gen has gone on I've felt that this isn't always the best option. When I finish playing a game, that's it, I'm done, sell it and move on. But a lot of games now get new content or expansion added over time that I miss out on. So as much as I love getting games as soon as they come out, I feel now I could just wait it out on some. But it'll be tricky to wait in some regards.

 

[Reddaye]

At this point I only buy day one for certain Nintendo franchises, and that's it. The quality is usually top notch, and the prices rarely ever drop. The rest of the time I'm in on Game Pass, or wait for decent sales.

 

[blitzblake]

Next you'll be saying it doesn't make sense to preorder.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

That's very true.

It has become rare for me to get games day one. Most of the games I get day one are indies or low priced games and Yakuza. Though the latter might change because I want to vote with my wallet against the combat change.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

Bloodstained (Switch version) and River City Girls kinda have me reconsidering my priorities on day 1 purchases. I think I'm still interested in buying early on but pre-order and pickup without questioning might be out going forward -- might be waiting for reviews and DF performance analyses more, so maybe giving it a week or a week and a half before I go in on something.

 

[Cliff Steele]

I buy stuff day 1 a lot. But with control, BL3 (which I've gotten through Gamesharing thankfully) and a shit ton of other games that released broken and unfinished this year, I think I'll stay away from Day1 purchases aside from Nintendo or MMO add-ons like Shadowkeep for a long time. Borderlands 3 is a dreadful experience atm

 

[daninthemix]

Not really. Console manufacturers charged for each patch, internet wasn't that widespread, games didn't depend on online infrastructure or internet...

Click to shrink...

Sure, but it's certainly been this way for at least 5 years.

 

[Dark Ninja]

Never buy day 1 chances of a game dropping in price is high. Wait a month and it may be half off. Its been like this over a decade now.

I just buy Nintendo games day 1 those dont normally drop in price and the quality is usually high.

 

[Doctor Avatar]

I play games 1-2 years after release. I get them on PSN sale for a fraction of what they cost, with all the DLC and all the bugs patched out of them.

The people that pay on release are paying 2-3x what I do to play the game and basically beta test it for me. More power to them, but there are way more good games to play than there is time to play them so there really is no need to play on release. Work through your backlog at your own pace, wait for games to be complete and cheap, and it has never been better (or cheaper) to be a gamer.

Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to gaming these days.

 

[mxbison]

If I want to play a game, I buy it day 1.

I think 60€ is more than fair for a good game and I don't have that much time to play anymore so I want to play what I want when I want.

 

[roguebubble]

Almost never really. Even trusted developers can still screw up from time to time (or go into a spiral of decline *cough* Bioware *cough*). Maybe if reviews and impressions are released early and are overwhelmingly positive I would consider it if I'm excited for the game. I will buy DLC day 1 if I enjoy the base game and the DLC offers content I'm interested in.

 

[shinken]

Only Nintendo published games mostly or developers I trust that will make good games, like From or the Monster Hunter Team (Capcom Osaka).

 

[Bishop89]

An "incomplete" game can still be heaps of fun.

I only buy must have games on launch

 

[ThreepQuest64]

Is it so important for you to be there Day 1 for the conversation about the game or you are willing to wait to have better experience for less money?

Click to shrink...

Better product for less money is an obvious no-brainer for me if not for some rare exceptions. With my backlog being piled up it's also not like I have nothing to play and desperately need something new whenever a game that interests me launches.

 

[Paul]

Sometimes I buy a game day 1 to support developer and then play it year later when it is finished and all patches and DLCs are out.

 

[Doctor Avatar]

If I want to play a game, I buy it day 1.

I think 60€ is more than fair for a good game and I don't have that much time to play anymore so I want to play what I want when I want.

Click to shrink...

Have you bought into the Cult of the New?

There are SO many games that are amazing these days, you telling me there is NOTHING you want to play except the brand new release which may not even be better than older games that cost a fraction of the price and are bug free?

I find it basically impossible to believe that people have played every game they want to play except the newest hotness, especially when they're making the argument that they don't have much time to play anymore.

God of War is likely going to be better than the latest game. You could buy into the "must play the new thing everyone is talking about" and pay $60 to play a worse game with more bugs, or you could pay $20 for GoW in a sale and play a far better game that is bug free. Bit of an extreme example, but illustrates that just because something is a new release it doesn't mean that it is better than older releases so therefore there is no real reason you "have" to play it as soon as possible especially if there are plenty of other games that may be both better and cheaper.

Temporality doesn't matter. Quality does. Stop worrying about playing the latest thing. Worry about playing the best things and being able to do so at a fraction of the cost.

Better product for less money is an obvious no-brainer for me if not for some rare exceptions. With my backlog being piled up it's also not like I have nothing to play and desperately need something new whenever a game that interests me launches.

Click to shrink...

This person gets it.

By not playing games on release and buying them opportunistically when they're deep discounted in sales you have both a better and cheaper experience. No brainer.

 

[OG_Thrills]

Day 1 purchase if I like what I see and hear about the game.

 

[Ravelle]

It's always better to wait be it for patches and the price.

I have bought games first day but never really ran in to issues.

 

[The Doomed One]

I used to buy games day one at the start of this gen, but I have not done it in several years now.
Main reason is that I don't play games that much anymore, and by the time I get around to playing it has already dropped in price.
So, what I do now is have a list of games I'd like to play, buy one on sale and play it until I'm either finished or tired of it. Then I look at the list, see what's on sale and buy it and so on.
I probably played 3-4 games this year, and I have about 15 games on the list, meaning I'll probably never play around half od them, so why waste my money and have them sit in the library forever.

 

[Mbolibombo]

Day 1:
Indie games I want, Nintendo games I want, Blizzard games I want
Indie games for the support, Nintendo games since they rarely drop in price anyway and Blizzard games I want because I always play those a lot and want to be there day 1.

Outside of that I cant rationalize going in day 1 since the likelyhood I'm playing it day 1 is low, the likelyhood of it falling in price soon is high.

 

[mxbison]

Have you bought into the Cult of the New?

There are SO many games that are amazing these days, you telling me there is NOTHING you want to play except the brand new release which may not even be better than older games that cost a fraction of the price and are bug free?

I find it basically impossible to believe that people have played every game they want to play except the newest hotness, especially when they're making the argument that they don't have much time to play anymore.

God of War is likely going to be better than the latest game. You could buy into the "must play the new thing everyone is talking about" and pay $60 to play a worse game with more bugs, or you could pay $20 for GoW in a sale and play a far better game that is bug free. Bit of an extreme example, but illustrates that just because something is a new release it doesn't mean that it is better than older releases so therefore there is no real reason you "have" to play it as soon as possible especially if there are plenty of other games that may be both better and cheaper.

Temporality doesn't matter. Quality does. Stop worrying about playing the latest thing. Worry about playing the best things and being able to do so at a fraction of the cost.



This person gets it.

By not playing games on release and buying them opportunistically when they're deep discounted in sales you have both a better and cheaper experience. No brainer.

Click to shrink...

Well if I really wanted to play that 1 year old game, I would have bought it 1 year ago.

I'm not into extremely long games or multiplayer, I can usually buy and finish a game before the next one I want comes out.

 

[ryushe]

I only ever buy Nintendo games day one. With them rarely going on sale and their games usually not being broken, I feel safe in my purchases.

That said, if I'm interested in a game, I have no problem day one-ing it.