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If the gaming industry is an automobile, and the game designers are the drivers, then that makes us, the players, backseat drivers, and we'll be damned if we're gonna let the industry keep on heading the way it's going (good or bad) without letting them know what we think. So buckle up, feel free to complain about there being no air in the back, and bring your most critical and analytical mind to the open air discussion of the current age, Backseat Gamers!
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Monday, February 4, 2013

Pre-ordering and Day 1 DLC: I've had enough

Is anyone else sick of this trend in gaming? Why do I need to pre-order a game? Are they gonna run out of copies?

I was super-pumped to play the 3rd chapter in the Dead Space series, which releases tomorrow. I was set to order it to get a $20 credit, but then I read this article about the Day 1 DLC and microtransactions in the game. I don't know why, but it's really getting under my skin with this one. It's pretty much convinced me to not get the game, and just wait on a sale down the road.

It reminded me of this article I read a few months back. I really enjoyed reading it then, and it immediately shot to the front of my mind here. Why do we need to do it? I don't have to pre-order anything else in life. My favorite line brings to light how the developer has you on the hook before you can be warned off. Essentially paying for something before it's even completed. It's crazy. And stupid.

I ask again....is anyone else tired of this? Day 1 DLC (why can't it just be on the disc if it's done?), useless pre-order bonuses spread across retailers, using real money to buy stuff in games? I have an idea: just make a great, complete game and have it ready when the game launches. Stop trying to squeeze more pennies out of me when I'm already paying $60 to buy a new game. It's a really expensive hobby.
Posted by at 7:52 PM

2 comments:

  1. I 3N3MY IFebruary 5, 2013 at 10:48 AM

    Agreed. Wholeheartedly.

    There's not much I buy at launch anymore and I can't remember the last game that I actually preordered and KEPT the preorder (as in didn't actually cancel it before release). I think it was CoD: MW2.....

    Oh well. "Informed" gamers like the people on this blog will take the necessary steps, but when you've got Frat Boy Steve and Madden Lover Bob forking over cash left and right for yearly installments I think the "informed" gamer message is going to be lost amongst the mainstream gamer rabble.

    It's a battle worth fighting, but that, I feel, will ultimately prove worthless.

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  2. Sporadic SpiderApril 16, 2013 at 9:02 PM

    I give a hearty Amen to that.

    I'd echo the fact that not pre-ordering really doesn't rob me of anything. Say for that groovy weapon skin which, if i really wanted such a frivolous extra, i could take a few bucks from the big pile of money i was just about to set fire to.

    I do feel it's good to pre-order some of the big title games since they might sell-out and never be restocked... oh wait. I've NEVER felt like that.

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