Activision suggests video game pre-orders are on the decline
86 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Activision has noticed an industry-wide downturn in video game pre-orders, previously thought to be the best indicator a publisher has for demand. Publishers have long used pre-orders to help work out how popular their games will be, and to convince shops to stock their shelves with their products. They often encourage gamers to pre-order by offering exclusive content. Indeed the recent Destiny beta was initially restricted to those who had pre-ordered the game.
But it seems the influence of pre-orders may be on the slide.
Last night, during an investor relations conference call, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg was asked about pre-orders and how they relate to the company's raft of titles due out this year, including first-person shooters Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Destiny. [B]He said pre-orders were on the decline not just with Activision games but across the industry[/B], and suggested a number of reasons for the trend.[/QUOTE]
[URL]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-06-activision-notes-industry-wide-downturn-in-pre-orders[/URL]
I've definitely made a conscious effort not to pre-order games anymore, at least not from major publishers (I'm looking at you Ubisoft). It's become a ridiculous system that only still exists because publishers and retailers dangle "exclusive" content in front of our faces and we continue to lap it up. It needs to stop, and the only way that will happen is if we stop pre-ordering.
lets hope early access doesn't take its place.
I have abstained from pre-purchase since BF4 violated my nether-regions, and trust.
well no fucking shit, people are sick of being lied to by vertical slice demos and sub-par delivery of too many promises.
[QUOTE=LZTYBRN;45608414]well no fucking shit, people are sick of being lied to by vertical slice demos and sub-par delivery of too many promises.[/QUOTE]
... or delivered an unfinished product, with the fixes in the form of expansion DLC.
Yeah I just flat out stopped pre ordering things after being burned by games that turned out to be shit once I got them.
Fuck pre orders, like hell I'm buying your game before I know if it's any good or not.
I stopped pre-ordering after Crysis 2. I wait for reviews now. Hopefully if preorder numbers are falling, it'll encourage developers to actually put effort into making a good game that people want to buy.
The only games I've pre ordered have been Grand Theft Auto, and that's all I'll be pre ordering.
And rightfully so. Real people wait patiently for intel on the game from the guys who bite the bullet as their job like TB and AngryJoe, they don't hold blind faith in a company and lay down their money before it's finished. An intelligent informed purchase is always the best kind of purchase.
AC3 ruined it for me...
Last game I preordered was Dark Souls 2, and that was cause I wanted the Black Armour edition. One before that was Aliens CM (killme).
When I was younger I use to preorder games to like, secure my copy from the local shop. But nowadays copies don't run out, you can get them pretty much anywhere at anytime so there's no need to preorder.
Personally Mass Effect 3 was the last time I pre-ordered. And the last time I ever bought an EA game, at that.
Portal 2 is the only game I ever pre-ordered. I was not disappointed, but it just wasn't worth all the worry and questioning before the game is released (have I wasted my money?).
Rome 2 is the only game I regret pre-ordering. That game was a disaster.
What about all the people who use gamestop preorders as their bank?
I preordered Skyrim and I still regret it today
[QUOTE=usaokay;45608538]Sometimes I preorder games so I can participate with other like-minded nerds in a ritual we call, "Midnight Launch."
I remember playing Cards Against Humanity with some teenagers while I was waiting to pick up Pokemon X, and they passed out free Pokemon masks to attendees (I didn't get one because I had to go #2). I watched Futurama with some stranger while I was waiting to pick up Dead or Alive 5 (WoW panda expansion was also coming out on that day). I got a free sandwich and 5 Hour Energy when I was waiting to get Black Ops 2. I got a free Gears of War 3 t-shirt and keychain when I was waiting to pick up a bubble gum (Gears of War 3 LE).
With digital pre-orders, there isn't much of a bonus to consider. I preordered Call of Duty: Ghosts on Steam, and it was a mistake. Not only is the price not worth it ($120 for a shitty recolor of an existing preorder emblem and banner), but I honestly thought the game would be slightly better than MW3, which it isn't.
So vote with your wallet, and do a ton of research on what you're going to get. For example, if you're going to preorder the upcoming Assassin's Creed games, then you need to know what development studios also worked on, and think how the new gameplay mechanic will be better than the studios' previous work.
Oh, and I preordered Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and I plan to preorder Dragon Age: Inquisition soon. Fuck it all.[/QUOTE]
I went to a midnight launch for BF3 and some dude brought his laptop with one of the Star Wars movies. The Gamestop we were at ordered a bunch pizzas and soda, the manager was a chill dude and paid for all of it.
Last game I preordered was csgo which I love to this day. In my opinion the best preorder yet.
[QUOTE=erfinjerfin;45608575]I preordered Skyrim and I still regret it today[/QUOTE]
what? why? skyrim was amazing.
I mean I don't preorder games at all, but if I ever did, skyrim would be one of those.
[QUOTE=Mandems;45608598]what? why? skyrim was amazing.
I mean I don't preorder games at all, but if I ever did, skyrim would be one of those.[/QUOTE]
I just didn't enjoy it, that's all
[QUOTE=Grandzeit;45608557]Rome 2 is the only game I regret pre-ordering. That game was a disaster.[/QUOTE]
Yep that was the last thing I pre ordered, never again.
Last game I pre-ordered was Pokemon Y because I got a good deal on it. Nowadays it's just better to wait for a while and watch them drop in price.
Unless it's an Atlus or NISA release. Getting hold of those after release date tends to be an absolute nightmare.
[QUOTE=Mandems;45608598]what? why? skyrim was amazing.
I mean I don't preorder games at all, but if I ever did, skyrim would be one of those.[/QUOTE]
I pre-ordered Skyrim back in the day, and whilst it wasn't exactly Oblivion I still managed to get some joie de vivre from it. Didn't have all that much time to invest in it, but nowadays I still have the spare hours to pop in and quest.
Wasn't as much of a disappointment as ME3 either, especially since ME3 didn't have a thriving modding scene.
[QUOTE=TheFilmSlacker;45608630]I've never pre-ordered a game before. [B]Never really saw the point[/B], it's not going to make you get the game faster or anything.[/QUOTE]
Sometimes it's cheaper to preorder.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance preorders on STEAM got you the game for ten bucks less, for example.
[QUOTE=TheFilmSlacker;45608630]I've never pre-ordered a game before. Never really saw the point, it's not going to make you get the game faster or anything.[/QUOTE]
It is if there are no stores that sell games near you and you have to buy online. Yeah I could download but games these days are ridiculously huge.
the last thing i ever preordered was all points bulletin
never again
Last thing I think I pre-ordered was mw3, I can't see myself pre-ordering anything soon because if I want it places normally have it in stock on release day or I just wait a couple of weeks to see if the hype was really worth it
[QUOTE=usaokay;45608754]The Witcher 3's preorder has a ton of goodies on CDProjektRed's Good Ol Games, and you can get a larger discount if you own any or all of the previous installments.
[url]http://www.gog.com/thewitcher3/en[/url][/QUOTE]
I have Witcher on Steam, is there any way I can get the product key to use it for this? Since I didn't buy it through GOG.
last game I preordered was Halo 4, twice, One for me and a friend, I regretted it, since both of us didn't really like it and it didn't seem much of a Halo game.
I refuse to preorder anything unless there is a demo for the game.
Also, Gamestop(or at least the one near me) likes to pressure me and other customers into preordering crap to the point where it is REALLY uncomfortable.
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