[OPINIÓN] If you’ve been enjoying games as long as I have, you may have even queued outside a store to pick up one of those video games you absolutely didn’t want to miss out on. Those were other times, when he sent the physical support, floppy disks to be exact, and he didn’t even dream of digital games. Today, buying games at launch has become a high-risk exercise. Book them even worse.
Beyond that you do not finish liking the game itself and there is little to claim, what you do have to demand is that they arrive in reasonable technical conditions. There are more games than ever and the segment will continue to grow, you just have to see the amount of cash that Microsoft will pay for Activision Blizzard and King, 68,000 million dollars (which is said soon) and the absorption and concentration movements that this will entail. operation in other big ones like Sony.
It is not general, fortunately, and games arrive on the market in perfect technical conditions, but others confirm that some developer missed the “optimization” class that they taught us in the programming languages subject. Or the production companies press so hard with the deadlines that they have to be released in any way. Opt for work for consoles and PC ports (more laborious) are left in the background. Or try to cover too much. Or what is promised is not fulfilled. Or the experience is harmed by the fateful DRM. In short: the player is not respected.
Some reasons not to buy games at launch
It must be said that some studios/producers/distributors make it a healthy rule to launch their games perfectly. But there are other great examples of fiascoes and in recent times we can cite two triple-A titles that due to saga, study and expectation deserved to have arrived in perfect condition and not in the sorry state that they were released: Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042.
Patches and more patches are managing to improve them, but they are a sign that in the current situation it is better not to rush. Better wait a bit and check the analysis. And not only those of the media, not always as objective as they should (and we get involved), but also the comments of users that sometimes detect problems beyond the media. Although there are games that – for whatever will rule – we will book and buy “come as they come”, there are reasons to stay away initially.
Digital games have unlimited supply
Pre-ordering games made sense at a time when the number of physical copies was limited and you could be without them until the publisher analyzed the release data and shipped more. Today, with the large digital video game platforms and the growth of the sector, this problem has been solved. Although physical copies are sold out, you can always get a digital copy.
prices drop fast
The average price of video games has risen appreciably in recent years. Especially the PC versions that today cost the same as the console ones (60 euros) when they had always been lower in general.
Once a game is released, the vast majority of costs (development, distribution, marketing…) are already covered and all the clients you can add from there increase the almost net return. Especially those that do not need to increase much multiplayer support that does have more costs. It is because of that the price of games drops so fast. Something that the player can take advantage of just by waiting a few weeks.
Games 1.0: worse quality and more price
The video game industry has long since surpassed the combined income of movies and music, and if we add what comes indirectly or directly from hardware (consoles, PCs, peripherals, accessories…) we reach a colossal figure. Launching a triple-A game is critical when hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested. When a distributor sets a launch date, it must be met no matter what its status, since delays usually penalize sales.
Thus we find ourselves not with bad games, but they just aren’t finished. Is the game good? Will the user who buys it like it? Will it work fine? Many unanswered questions to deliver 60 euros even before the game has been released and is a mere promise. If you think about it (generally because there are honorable exceptions) buying games at launch means getting the worst version of the game at the most expensive price. As good as the video game is, it will need improvements and in a few weeks it will be more polished and cheaper.
‘FOMO’ is not a good reason to preorder games
“FOMO” is described in English as an acronym for “fear of missing out.” The anxiety of losing opportunities, which added to the idea that others take advantage of them drives more than one head crazy. The video game industry is an expert in generating enthusiasm, sometimes artificially and with titles that don’t deserve it. We should value more rationally in the games we invest.
Offers
Related to the rapid drop in price that video games generally have, all digital distribution platforms offer massive offers in campaigns that are reproduced throughout the year and that they lower the rate of games with great discounts, in different packs or in new or old titles. Although without so much discount, there are also daily or weekly offers. It is a good time to acquire those games that we have on the wish list.
Concluding. There are reasons not to buy games at launch (let alone pre-order them without knowing how they’re going to hit the market), but like in many situations in life, heart often wins over head and, well, we all have our weaknesses and it’s not unusual for more than one game to end up being a huge disappointment.
