When new games are announced, it isn’t uncommon for many gamers to already be thinking about pre-ordering and the awesome perks they receive for reserving the game ahead of time.
In a previous post I mentioned that often consumers are left unsatisfied with games that they have pre-ordered because game designers wind up cutting corners to save money or promise amazing graphics that were never going to be delivered.
With E3 just a few months away, gamers will soon be drooling over new games, systems and tech. that will be announced and will be talked into making some pre-ordering decisions as well.
Ben Kuchera, a writer for Polygon, advises that you hold off on that pre-ordering because you’ll just be left with little reward.
Beta testing is often promised in exchange for a pre-order as well as other perks. Kuchera says that there is barely any upside for consumers when they pre-order, but companies are locking in your money and love it.
A prime example of a game that had too much hype and poor delivery was “No Man’s Sky”. The game was released in 2016 and failed horribly at reaching the expectations of consumers and expectations that the company had set for itself.
A review from Brendan Caldwell talks about his reaction to the game and how it ultimately let him down. He also writes about the gaming industry taking advantage of consumers by advertising game play that is never delivered.
Most gamers purchase their orders through Steam and other gaming stores, which gives them the chance to return a pre-ordered game. Steam only allows the return of a pre-order before the release of the game. If a buyer wishes to return a game after the release, then the purchaser must have requested a return at least two weeks prior to the release date.
So some argue that pre-ordering is fine because you can get the perks such as beta testing and then return it if you don’t like it, but others disagree and say that pre-ordering is a waste of time.
The best thing you can do for yourself as a consumer, and to limit being taken advantage of, is to pre-order wisely. Make sure that you are aware of the return policy for the store that you are choosing to pre-order through.
Don’t be afraid to pre-order, just be smart about it and don’t purchase the game until after it is released if you have an suspicion about the quality of the game. The pre-order perks aren’t worth being stuck with a game that didn’t meet expectations.
Gaming News, Girl's Perspective. 