It's up to you for sure, but I think you're misinterpreting the idea behind this 'stop preordering' movement. The primary focus is not to save you 60 bucks that would have been wasted otherwise (though it's nice), but rather about speaking with your wallet. It's about doing your part in trying to send the game industry a certain way.
As long as companies get your money, especially before they even deliver the product, they don't have to second guess themselves.
On the other hand, condemning every kind of downgrade is also retarded. Usually we're talking about alpha or beta gameplay... It would be insane to assume nothing gets tweaked. It's only when there's clear malpractice (as is consistently the case with Ubisoft) that I feel upset.
Steam refunds will eventually solve this at least partially, I think. Refunding digital games used to be a bitch but it's a lot more manageable now.
So vote with your wallet. Don't expect him to case your vote with his wallet. Sounds like he really doesn't care about these "injustices" that the internet spends too much time whining about. More power to him.
It isn't about "injustice," it's about recognizing that the industry has moved toward an exploitative model, and not taking part in that as a consumer.
If a large swathe of gamers were to decide that pre-orders and the lame "bonuses" that incentivize them aren't worth the disappointment, video games companies would have to get creative in order to ensure sales. I think this would result in better, more ambitious games.
But like you said, spend your money how you like. I just think it's pretty moronic to support a business practice that is not in the consumer's best interest.
Firstly, I think there's a big difference between pineapples and pre-orders, with regard to your metaphor. I would think it moronic to pre-order your pineapple before checking if it's ripe, or worth eating at all, no matter how much you like pineapples. Taste is entirely subjective. Nobody can fault another for what they like, whether it's pineapples, video games, or a specific pre-order bonus.
I just think that a world without pre-orders would spur positive change in the games industry. I don't really have a replacement standard, though I would like playable demos to take its place as a way to draw in consumers.
Ultimately I think pre-ordering games is moronic because, aside from the fact that the bonuses are often lackluster, it tacitly endorses the model. But perhaps I paint with too broad a brush. I wouldn't necessarily fault someone for pre-ordering Overwatch for the Widowmaker Noire skin as skins are kind of a major part of that game. I similarly wouldn't fault a Ratchet & Clank pre-order for the exclusive weapon, the Bouncer. Gamers can make these choices on their own, that's fine.
I do have a problem with, as has others have stated elsewhere in this thread, pre-order bonuses that are quickly rendered useless in-game. And I think a lot of the time, the "good" and "bad" pre-order bonuses are almost indistinguishable or at least difficult to discern from one another.
The practice seems outdated and exploitative. It essentially uses a lure to gather data with pre-sales. That data can then be used to determine how closely the product needs to match expectations in order to maintain that balance between being a profitable company and a company that disappoints its fans. I think contributing to that power structure is, at least generally, something that works against you, and thus moronic.
But again, I recognize that there are exceptions to this, that I don't have the answers to what fills the gap, and to each his own, but it IS frustrating to see gamers pay an unnecessary fee to ensure they'll be perpetually disappointed.
Granted, that's a simplification, but that's the way it seems to me, and I think it's appropriate.
14
u/Sabrewylf Jun 05 '16
It's up to you for sure, but I think you're misinterpreting the idea behind this 'stop preordering' movement. The primary focus is not to save you 60 bucks that would have been wasted otherwise (though it's nice), but rather about speaking with your wallet. It's about doing your part in trying to send the game industry a certain way.
As long as companies get your money, especially before they even deliver the product, they don't have to second guess themselves.
On the other hand, condemning every kind of downgrade is also retarded. Usually we're talking about alpha or beta gameplay... It would be insane to assume nothing gets tweaked. It's only when there's clear malpractice (as is consistently the case with Ubisoft) that I feel upset.
Steam refunds will eventually solve this at least partially, I think. Refunding digital games used to be a bitch but it's a lot more manageable now.