When to pre-order or pay for early access

d_20

A lot of people say they have soured on pre-orders and early access, but clearly a lot of people still pay up before knowing what they are getting. 

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

Albatroes

d_20 said:

A lot of people say they have soured on pre-orders and early access, but clearly a lot of people still pay up before knowing what they are getting. 

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

I'd say people are more inclined to pre-order something they know they are going to buy anyway, like an expansion, so its like getting something extra on something you're gonna buy anyway. As for something "new" that will always depend on each individual. For me, I rarely pre-order anything and even more rarely buy into early access (I've done it no more than 2 times I think, which also depends on what is considered early access since some companies try and sell it as an early release).

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Lokero

blueturtle13 said:

I think most 'average' gamers do not really care if something is labelled early access. 

Well, that's largely because everything is labelled early access these days, with the few exceptions of big AAA releases from EA, Ubi, etc.
The EA label has basically lost any and all meaning it had at the start.  If a game is being sold in EA, it's basically no different than a release at this point to anyone with a brain.

If you release a buggy product into EA for $$, most of the time that would hurt you more than help you due to word-of-mouth and bad reviews. I don't think most 'average' gamers differentiate between EA and 'official' release at all.
If a game is for sale, then a game is for sale and should be fully-functioning and playable.  If it's not, then people will bash and review bomb it pretty quickly.

Personally, the only time I really ever bought in early to a game was Mount&Blade back before Early Access was even a thing.
And, the reason I was willing to do that is because they had a free demo trial thing that really let you experience the game before purchase.

For the most part, these days, I always wait until games have launched, released all their DLC, and bundled it all into one GOTY edition pack, etc., rather than buying half-finished games, or buying them piece-meal.

Quizzical

I want to encourage companies to make games I like, not to make unimplemented sets of proposed features that I like.  As such, I try to wait until the game is far enough along that I want to play it as it is before paying for it.  That commonly means some months after launch.

Beezerbeez

Quizzical said:

I want to encourage companies to make games I like, not to make unimplemented sets of proposed features that I like.  As such, I try to wait until the game is far enough along that I want to play it as it is before paying for it.  That commonly means some months after launch.

Exactly this. When I was a bit younger, I'd dive in to a lot of games based on emotional expectations. These days I tend to favor a more patient, measured approach. Nothing wrong with joining in after release, after all. 

It's for a similar line of thought that I will not financially support the development of a game unless that support comes with the potential for financial return on my end. 

Lowellsanders

d_20 said:

A lot of people say they have soured on pre-orders and early access, but clearly a lot of people still pay up before knowing what they are getting. 

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

It's just a Hype that people use to buy games or other stuff like you can take an example of Iphone, so its all about their perception that they will get to play that game before everyone

Mendel

If I had a video snippet of Micheal Caine saying "Never", I would link it here.

Kyleran

Only if the game has completed its final wipe which then I consider it "launched" no matter what the devs care to call it.

I'll consider buying Crowfall and paying for VIP under this situation as the skill training (progression) counter gets started.

Outside of training I may not bother to log in much until they finish their "tweaking" and go into full launch (start marketing it, their words) as I hate major change on a new game I'm trying to enjoy.

Heck, I might buy 2 or 3 accounts and VIP sub if it looks like multiboxing is worthwhile. 

After all, I enjoy "cheating" and spoiling every one else's fun, or so I'm told.

Finally I get to grief others, maybe I should buy 4 or 5 to start? (That way I can be a whale too)

 

alkarionlog

d_20 said:

A lot of people say they have soured on pre-orders and early access, but clearly a lot of people still pay up before knowing what they are getting. 

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

never

Shaigh

If the company has a history of delivering on kickstarter I will pledge money for their future kickstarters. If I can get the game for 25% off and its a game I was really looking forward to I will pre-order the game within 30 days of release. If its a game I want I will look at the reviews prior to the release, if there are no reviews before release I'm not going to pay.

I don't do early access.

AlBQuirky

d_20 said:

A lot of people say they have soured on pre-orders and early access, but clearly a lot of people still pay up before knowing what they are getting. 

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

Never. Show me a complete product and I'll take a look and decide. I have backed 2 kick starter projects (both video games) with one still in the works (City of Titans, no hurry here) and one a majorly fucked up mess (Worlds of Magic by Missing Worlds Media).

Quizzical

I wouldn't quite say "never".  I'd be fine with paying for a game that stable, polished, and fun, but nominally in early access because the developers have unusual ideas of what should count as the official launch day.

Cleffy

Never. A game at launch is usually pretty bad. You are paying more to be an early adopter. Depending on the company, it may take them 6 months to a year to work out most of the kinks. When you are working full time, you may not have time to play games a lot. So waiting a couple months isn't that big an issue.

FrodoFragins

Blizzard used to be trustworthy on preorders, at least until D3 broke that streak for me.  I'll preorder the next Total War: Warhammer game but not many other games.  I generally rely on Twitch streamers getting early access so I can see what the gameplay is like before purchasing games.

AlBQuirky

Quizzical said:

I wouldn't quite say "never".  I'd be fine with paying for a game that stable, polished, and fun, but nominally in early access because the developers have unusual ideas of what should count as the official launch day.

Since I've really never "been in a hurry" to get a game, I find waiting works just fine for me. I am currently, though, biting at the bit because I want to purchase Rimworld, but it has not released yet (and also on Steam only, for now)

Waiting has reaped many benefits for me, though. Many bugs fixed, mods ironed out if modding is an option, and cheaper prices often including all DLC in a nice "Game of the Year" or similar package.

I just find waiting preferable to paying to be a tester

Octagon7711

I'll pre-order if it's from a series I like. I'd pre-order the next Splinter Cell, Division 2, and Wildlands as I have enjoyed what they've done so far.   Everything else is wait and see or try out a free beta or free weekend. 

Renfail

Frequently. 

I have my own set of criteria that are independent of the masses or critics. But I enjoy supporting creative artists in all types of endeavors, and I pre-order projects across a range of genres, not simply in video games. Books, board games, tabletop games (the Expanse Kickstarter blew my mind; TAKE MY MONEY!), MMORPGs, scrollers, adventure games (playing Hero-U presently, from the folks who made the Quest for Glory games back in the day). 

I love supporting artists, and I enjoy watching projects unfold, as well as being able to be hands-on during development. 

Have I been let down a few times? Yep. So what. I've had some shitty hamburgers at some shitty restaurants in my life, but that doesn't stop me from loving hamburgers and eating them a few times per year and trying new ones at new places. 

d_20

Octagon7711 said:

I'll pre-order if it's from a series I like. I'd pre-order the next Splinter Cell, Division 2, and Wildlands as I have enjoyed what they've done so far.   Everything else is wait and see or try out a free beta or free weekend. 

This is what I did with Destiny 2, including paying for all the DLC in advance. This is probably my biggest/only pre-order regret. I should have waiting a month for the reviews on this one.

Though I fully expect to play The Division 2 (I love the original), I'm going to wait this time because of what happened with Destiny 1/2.

Scorchien

Renfail said:

Frequently. 

I have my own set of criteria that are independent of the masses or critics. But I enjoy supporting creative artists in all types of endeavors, and I pre-order projects across a range of genres, not simply in video games. Books, board games, tabletop games (the Expanse Kickstarter blew my mind; TAKE MY MONEY!), MMORPGs, scrollers, adventure games (playing Hero-U presently, from the folks who made the Quest for Glory games back in the day). 

I love supporting artists, and I enjoy watching projects unfold, as well as being able to be hands-on during development. 

Have I been let down a few times? Yep. So what. I've had some shitty hamburgers at some shitty restaurants in my life, but that doesn't stop me from loving hamburgers and eating them a few times per year and trying new ones at new places. 

Same sentiments and ive supported /backed/and invested in alot of Dev/Pubs over the years, Im watching your projects progression closely .. it looks really promising

d_20

Renfail said:

Frequently. 

I have my own set of criteria that are independent of the masses or critics. But I enjoy supporting creative artists in all types of endeavors, and I pre-order projects across a range of genres, not simply in video games. Books, board games, tabletop games (the Expanse Kickstarter blew my mind; TAKE MY MONEY!), MMORPGs, scrollers, adventure games (playing Hero-U presently, from the folks who made the Quest for Glory games back in the day). 

I love supporting artists, and I enjoy watching projects unfold, as well as being able to be hands-on during development. 

Have I been let down a few times? Yep. So what. I've had some shitty hamburgers at some shitty restaurants in my life, but that doesn't stop me from loving hamburgers and eating them a few times per year and trying new ones at new places. 

That's a nice sentiment, but I have to say there's a difference for me between supporting artists (I'm backing Camelot Unchained) and pre-ordering Destiny 2 with the season pass. 

Ungood

Typically.. I will NOT pre-order a game.

I normally won't even buy a game like an MMO till after it has launched and been around for a few  months to work out it's kinks and problems. 

At the same time, I will gladly Pre-order expansions if I like the game.

With that said, I did pre-order EQ, but that was.. well OMFG Everquest, dawn of the MMO as we know it today.

I will also be pre-ordering Crowfall, only because I really like what I have seen so far from them, and unless something goes Dali on them, the game looks solid and like something I will enjoy.

In the end, I guess it's up to an individual to chose what they want to invest into, and need to find something that works for them. What works for me, does not work other people, as I know many that really take a lot of issue with being in beta or first day kind of stuff, where that is mainly meaningless to me.

So to each their own.

immodium

d_20 said:

Under what circumstances will you pre-order or pay for early access?

When a title is getting overwhelmingly positive feedback on Steam.

Rimworld, Factorio and Oxygen not Included are some of the best management simulation/base building games I've played.

I also take a punt if the game is something I'm interested in and sub £10.

I'm having a good time in Empyrion: Galactic Survival which I got for £7.99.

Scot

I never have pre-ordered, but there are always going to be new teenagers coming up who will keep that revenue for nothing system going. Ok you do get some benefits from a pre-order, usually ones that players can buy if they come into the game after launch.

I would rather pay that bit extra if I really felt I wanted the pre-order specials (usually don't) than buy games I find I don't want to play.

Phry

Mendel said:

If I had a video snippet of Micheal Caine saying "Never", I would link it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsifLPFAxjE

funnily enough....

Lowellsanders

I would recommend you to go for Early access so that you can judge the game first and then buy it!