This is the decade when midnight release events died.

[Slipknot666]

I have fond memories of the midnight releases of Halo 2(2004), Xbox 360(2005), Wii(2006),Halo 3(2007) and GTAIV(2008). They were big events! Basically every store(Gamestop, Target, Walmart, Best Buy etc) were having midnight launching parties at the same time for big AAA games and those events were always packed with people in the stores forming lines across the block. You will also see the news next days with parties in LA, New York, London etc and they were crazy big.

At the start of this decade those events started to die thanks to amazon and digital. Now the only store that still does that is gamestop(I went to the Red Dead 2 and Switch release) but they are not like they used to be. Now you just show up at 12:00 pm, pick up the game/console and leave 10 minutes later.

 

[steviestar3]

Good

 

[Orayn]

Some traditions don't deserve to continue for their own sake. Midnight releases are marketing stunts that also make retail workers deal with crowds and cleanup at ridiculous times.

 

[Baphomet]

Thank the heavens, midnight releases were stupid, glad the digital age is here :)

 

[CloseTalker]

They were fun, but having a digital copy unlock instantly is about 1000X better.

 

[RecRoulette]

Imagine going out at midnight and then having to go to bed because the install/update download wouldn't be finished for a few hours.

 

[JamRock7]

It's only gonna be held for really huge game launches like GTA6 or Cyberpunk now

 

[Gots]

We just had one for Pokemon, they are still popular where I live

 

[Sacul64]

When I was still at GS they were doing 9pm release for basically any non Nintendo game.

 

[Another]

Loving the replies so far, not what I expected! Agreed, btw. Good riddance, these sucked.

 

[Abuguet]

I was at a midnight release event last Friday. But yeah, definitely dying. Maybe for the better. I'm a collector so digital unlocking doesn't do much for me.

 

[I KILL PXLS]

I can understand the nostalgia for it, but realistically I never want to have to do it again so I'm good with it dieing off. All about that anticipation for a digital unlock now. I imagine it will still be a thing for new consoles though.

 

[Chris McQueen]

Good

Click to shrink...

.

 

[Gunny T Highway]

I enjoyed them last gen, but the convience of digital unlocks makes midnight launches obsolete.

 

[Rirse]

Honestly a lot of stores in my area don't even do them anymore. Best Buy near my house never does them anymore. Didn't have one for Mario Odyessy and there wasn't even one this week for Star Wars and Pokemon.

 

[Zukuu]

Good riddance.

 

[hydruxo]

I've been to a few over the years and they were never particularly fun. Whole time I just wanted to get my copy of the game I was there for and go home. Nowadays I'd rather just have a digital copy unlock right at midnight or buy a physical copy first thing in the morning on release date. Less of a hassle.

 

[Strangelove_77]

I never went to one. Did everyone just stand around waiting til midnight for them to give you your copy of the game and then head home to play it?

 

[III-V]

It will be back next year for the console launch, no doubt.

 

[Glio]

Much better for store workers.

 

[Umbrella Carp]

The last thing anybody wants to be doing is lining up to buy something at midnight (unless you're an Apple fan, and thus beyond help.)

 

[DrScissorsMD]

Good

Click to shrink...

1st post nails it. At the risk of showing my age, there isn't a single enjoyable experience I've had from going to a midnight launch that I couldn't have just had the next morning (arguably an even better experience as I would be well-rested). If they want to keep doing a similar style of "release event" they should do early morning store openings. Same result with less sleep deprivation.

 

[digit_zero]

Can't say I ever did a midnight release, but can't say I missed out either.

It's not just games where midnight releases died this decade - movies have as well as movie premieres have crept up from 12:01 am Friday to primetime Thursday afternoon.

 

[pleaseinsertdisctwo]

I miss not being able to use the computer when someone is using the house phone :(

 

[Shakerovic]

It will be back for PS5 launch

 

[GJ]

I just went to one for Pokémon and about 60-70 people showed up (they had little over 100 pre-orders for Pokémon in total). A couple days earlier staff was even 'fighting' over who could work at the midnight launch because they all wanted to work that shift but there were only an x-amount of spots.

They are happening less and less (didn't have one for CoD or FIFA for example, but they did have 'em for those games before), but they are still happening and I think they're fun.

 

[skeezx]

it was "fun". last one i went to was the FFXII launch in some podunk town i didn't think anybody would show up to but that gamestop was lit up AF and we had a good time

but i'll take being alone and miserable and waiting on my amazon package/preload just as well. it's whatever

 

[bbq of doom]

I'm too old and have too many responsibilities to stand around in a GameStop or Best Buy waiting for midnight just for the privilege of having a physical copy of something I could have digitally preloaded days if not weeks before.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

Can't download a console so I Guess those would still have launch parties at midnight

 

[Nintendo]

GTA V in 2013 was the last midnight release even I went to. They were fun, but I don't miss it to be honest. We only did it because we wanted to play the game ASAP, but now we can play digital copies the moment they release.

 

[Durden]

I had some good times at a few of them, but most of them were more trouble than they were worth. The truly memorable ones were for consoles. I'll never forget waiting in line for close to 48 hours for the Wii. With the crew that was there, it was actually an incredible experience.

So yeah, I get what you're saying, but I don't feel as though it's worth mourning that much. I love the clock ticking to 12:01 and knowing I can play my digital copy immediately. Most people that went to those I'm sure feel the same way, as the whole reason why we're there is we wanted to play is a as soon as possible. The social stuff was either just a time-waster or even a hindrance depending on what crowd you were dealing with.

 

[Twister]

I don't understand where people get the idea that digital is super prevelant. Nintendo says only 34% of all Switch games are purchased digitally and I'm in college right now and every single person I've spoken to that's around my age vastly prefers physical and will drive to a store or wait for shipments to ensure they actually own their games. I think this is blown out of proportion tbh.

 

[rebelcrusader]

Okay bye

 

[_zoipi]

I once thought it could be cool... Then i studies labor laws and eployee's rights and instantly thought that the idea of having a midnight release just to sell games at 0:00 instead of 9:30 was borderline stupide. Heck, for games i can wait till the afternoon or noon.

Midnight releases should be just outright ignored if there is no bonus for employees that have to stay up to mignight and have their sleep cycles bashed just to get early sales.

 

[MonsterJail]

Its the era of 'I changed my region to New Zealand' now

 

[ZeroX]

Video game stores are already hell on Earth, midnight launches were that but completely packed with the worst kind of fans. They fucking suck. Quickly realized it was better to show up at 12:30 after most people had left instead of waiting in a line for two hours. Good riddance and thank god for digital.

 

[Jon Carter]

The first midnight launch I did was for—don't judge—the Twilight New Moon blu-ray release. I went because I had just been in the U.S. for two years by that point and the concept of a midnight release sounded like fun, and it's something we don't do where I'm from. Turns out it was really just a small line of people politely and quietly purchasing a blu-ray.

 

[Jawmuncher]

Imagine going out at midnight and then having to go to bed because the install/update download wouldn't be finished for a few hours.

Click to shrink...

This is what really did Midnight Launches in. So many games with ridiculous day 1 updates.

 

[Anthony Hopkins]

The only midnight release event I experienced this gen was my trip down to my local asda to pick up RDR2, where I saw several other 25 - 40yr olds buying a copy to lol, it was pretty funny.

 

[Samaritan]

I do genuinely miss them myself, but yeah, they needed to go.

I think the last time I stood out in front of a store waiting for it to open was to get the second wave of Smash Amiibos back when those were super, super limited.

 

[ianpm31]

I don't miss them. Welcome to the digital world.

 

[nihilence]

It was fun for the swag. I only blew through a few games on launch night. Now with the installs Goodluck.

 

[SeriousGoku]

I'll be there at midnight for a brand new PS5.

Games though, yeah they are dead.

Good nostalgia. Those GTA midnight events were amazing.

 

[Smokey]

It will be back next year for the console launch, no doubt.

Click to shrink...

For sure.

I've got fond memories of a few midnight launches, namely Halo 2 and Halo 3, but nowadays with installs and patches, they sort of defeat the purpose of such an event, imo.

Got timed though.

 

[giancarlo123x]

Wait until the new consoles.

 

[Sincerest]

The first midnight launch I did was for—don't judge—the Twilight New Moon Blu-ray release. I went because I had just been in the U.S. for two years by that point and the concept of a midnight release sounded like fun, and it's something we don't do where I'm from. Turns out it was really just a small line of people politely and quietly purchasing a blu-ray.

Click to shrink...

Jesus Christ.

 

[Syranth]

Some traditions don't deserve to continue for their own sake. Midnight releases are marketing stunts that also make retail workers deal with crowds and cleanup at ridiculous times.

Click to shrink...

Sure, you could look at it that way. The way I looked at it as a former Gamestop employee was a way to get more hours to continue paying off my medical bills.

 

[Kayotix]

They were fun when i was young but im almost 40 and id rather pre-install then have it unlock a few hrs early :)

Love this day in age lol

 

[BackwardCap]

Coulda fooled me (and the rest of us out here at Nintendo NYC last night)

 

[PrionaceGlauca]

I've only ever been to one, I bought a new 3D TV and was dying to test it out, So I queued up for Gears 3 at midnight at my local GAME, I must admit there was a good buzz about it.