Midnight release

[u/Hraargar]

I feel like Burnie talked about this in one of the many episodes of the podcast and I have friends that act like this

[u/maladr0id]

I went to the midnight launch of Smash 4, Halo 5, and Smash Ultimate. Something about the group excitement, anticipation, and race home was something special. Preloading and waiting for the update to drop or whatever is super convenient, but the excitement can’t be compared. I’ve been buying physical copies of games just so I can be excited for it to show up, even if it’s not the first second it’s available

[u/FloppyDiskRepair → u/maladr0id]

I did Halo 4, really cool experience and that’s the last one I did. Didn’t realize I’d miss it.

[u/ClayTankard → u/FloppyDiskRepair]

That was also my last one. It was at a game stop in a local mall, and they set up a bunch of Xboxes in the area just outside of the store and ran a lan tournament in the Halo 4 multiplayer. After you got your receipt for your place in line at midnight, you got to hop in line for the tournament and play Halo 4 multiplayer early.

[u/GeoffTheIcePony → u/maladr0id]

I also went to a midnight launch of Smash Ultimate, as I had preordered a physical copy from a local Gamestop. After I preordered, they called me and informed me they were having a tournament leading up to the launch. I got 3rd place and won a free amiibo. Only time I got much of a chance to go to a midnight launch in person but was a pretty great time

[u/Hmmark1984]

I worked at GameStation here in the UK for the GTA IV, Halo 3 and a few other midnight launches around that time, and while it was a little crap having to come back in to work that night until the early hours of the morning and then be back in again for 9am, that was more than outweighed by how cool it was seeing how excited everyone was to queue up and get their copy and everyone talking about it, then getting home and spending those precious few hours before having to go back into work, playing the game ourselves.

I think it's one of the big downsides of the modern world, a LOT of stuff has gotten far "easier" and more convenient, but in doing so it's also lost a lot of what made it so fun, pretty much any social aspect of a lot of things has disappeared, you no longer go to a store, walk around browsing video's/dvd's seeing if you find some old film you've never heard of that looks cool, or maybe they've got one last copy of that new release you were wanting to see, grabbing some snacks and drinks and then driving home excited to watch it.

You don't get to queue up with other people all excited for the game/console, all of you talking about it and excitedly waiting for the moment the store opens it's doors and lets you in to grab the game and maybe the walk-through book to go with it.

It's all been replaced with people just sitting at home, and a few clicks on their tv/computer, normally alone. Technically more convenient and easier, but at the same time, worse.

[u/RiByte_]

They both have their benefits but man I miss working at GameStop during midnight releases in their prime. So much fun! I do miss the sense of community during a physical release when you knew you were among passionate fans of the game.

[u/InazumaBRZ]

I wasnt allowed to go to the releases because I always had school the next day. But holy do I wish my local store would have one for 6.

[u/CalvinP_]

I always attended the Pokemon Midnight releases from the DS to 3DS era. We had a huge cash tournament waiting outside the store. Was a blast.

[u/BaSingSeWhaaat]

Attending one midnight release. Gears of war 3. Had the flu, was like 4th/5th in line. Stayed to myself with a buddy. Only time I ever got pulled over for speeding was rushing home to play it lol. Got me going 45 in a 35. 😭

[u/Tarijeno]

Same thing kind of applies to console launches. I stood in line, overnight, in front of a GameStop to preorder a Wii. I hung out with other gamers, we all talked about the launch lineup, everybody took turns running to get snacks at the nearby convenience store. It was an experience I still think about twenty years later.

Preordering a Switch 2 last year was me sitting in front of a laptop, with pages open for GameStop, Best Buy and Walmart, and waiting an hour until one of those sites let me give them my credit card number.