Why do we buy games at release?

lariat

Well-known member
It's no secret that most if not all games are released in a broken or not functioning as advertised state when they first release. Yet it seems no one really cares that their full priced game is a buggy mess since the publisher promises to fix it later. I wanted to get some of your thoughts about this. I didn't buy street fighter 5 since I'm not really that big of a fan but I've heard that the online isn't working and several modes that have been in every fighting game are missing.

Now before all the street fighter fanboys start to sharpen their pitch forks thinking I'm attacking their game. I want to remind you this doesn't apply to just sf but every big budget game that releases in a broken state. This entire generation has been nothing but publishers pushing games out the door with the mentality ''we'll fix it later after we made our money''. The most disturbing thing is that many gamers are willing to accept this and seem content with paying for a ''promise'' instead of full functioning game that they payed their hard earned money for.

Thoughts?
 
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It's no secret that most if not all games are released in a broken or not functioning as advertised state when they first release. Yet it seems no one really cares that their full priced game is a buggy mess since the publisher promises to fix it later. I wanted to get some of your thoughts about this. I didn't buy street fighter 5 since I'm not really that big of a fan but I've heard that the online isn't working and several modes that have been in every fighting game are missing.

Now before all the street fighter fanboys start to sharpen their pitch forks thinking I'm attacking their game. I want to remind you this doesn't apply to just sf but every big budget game that releases in a broken state. This entire generation has been nothing but publishers pushing games out the door with the mentality ''we'll fix it later after we made our money''. The most disturbing thing is that many gamers are willing to accept this and seem content with paying for a ''promise'' instead of full functioning game that they payed their hard earned money for.

Thoughts?

Money grows on trees... well atleast my tree... so im happy :)
 
Actually I wait till the price value drops or the game of the year edition drops. Either way I use to buy games that released but I am playing it smart these days.
 
People want to play their anticipated game as soon as possible. Why else do you see big publishers feeding their audience with trailers and other stuff before the release?

When it comes to online play, you get most players participating early on. You may save money by waiting a couple of years, but you will have a harder time finding other people that will still play the game online. I mean, less than 6 months after the release of MKX, a few people here were dropping the game.

SFV was created with long-term support in mind, adding more content over the course of several years as opposed to upgraded editions that series has been known for doing in the past. It's not like somebody just found out on release day. Aside from online issues that plagued the first couple of days, the features that are present function like they are supposed to. It's definitely bare bones, but I wouldn't call it broken.
 
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also you cant get all that stuff that's with the collectors/special edition with the GOTY editions. you want the scorpion statue? you have to get the collectors edition. you want the fightstick? you have to get the collectors edition.
 
People want to play their anticipated game as soon as possible. Why else do you see big publishers feeding their audience with trailers and other stuff before the release?

When it comes to online play, you get most players participating early on. You may save money by waiting a couple of years, but you will have a harder time finding other people that will still play the game online. I mean, less than 6 months after the release of MKX, a few people here were dropping the game.

SFV was created with long-term support in mind, adding more content over the course of several years as opposed to upgraded editions that series has been known for doing in the past. It's not like somebody just found out on release day. Aside from online issues that plagued the first couple of days, the features that are present function like they are supposed to. It's definitely bare bones, but I wouldn't call it broken.

I watched Aris from avoinding the puddle stream his ps4 version of sf5 and it kept crashing every other online match. Of course this was when the game just released but it's something worth noteing. I get that some people (mainly the FGC )will gladly shell out for a ''bare bones'' game because they love that franchise that much. Again Im not trying to just single out sf5 but it is a recent example of many examples My question is why do we accept that our games are bare bones, buggy and lack content at release? I love being hyped for a games release I want to play but is it worth it to be treated like this?
 
This Generation is the worst imo. Last-Gen, I was pre-ordering games left and right whether I liked them or not. I tried that with Ghost and Thief...never the freak again this Gen. Now, the only way I'll pre-order is if it's Mortal Kombat or Mass Effect. Even though I dislike Mass Effect 3, it was definitely still worth a Day 1 buy for me and it worked. I don't care about Online because I literally cannot play online unless I'm at my aunt's house in Georgia, in which I was only able to do once (now for some reason, NBA, MGSV, and GTA5 online work). With Street Fighter, I hate that game with a passion right now because their is literally nothing in that game that has longevity for me unlike SF4 and its updates, and I've been following this game all the way until the reviews came out the day before.
 
The problem is bigger, since gamers already buy Betas...imagine in 10 years "Dad, i need these 60$ to buy concept art pictures" "preorder trailer teaser right now and get 5 more exclusive seconds"
 
The only games I buy at release/pre order are series that I love. Any other games I wait before I buy.
^^
This 100%.
This thinking may change for MK11, given KP2 / XL, though.
NRS fools me once, shame on them.
NRS fools me twice, shame on me.
I'd rather pay $60, even if both kombat packs / season passes for MK11 have characters that I don't want.
The XL / Komplete Edition will probably have DLC codes for the 9 DLC characters and you don't have to put them in for the characters you don't want, rather than paying $110 for just 1 game.

The ONLY game series that I'd be willing to shell out $80 for (the game + DLC) from now on is Dishonored.
Given how well they did the story DLC for the first game, which felt like I was getting a sequel within the first game, if Dishonored 2 follows the same path, then I'll do it again for that game.
THAT, and Arkane Studios doesn't release half-assed games (as most studios do today) that need to be patched later on.

This Generation is the worst imo. Last-Gen, I was pre-ordering games left and right whether I liked them or not. I tried that with Ghost and Thief...never the freak again this Gen.

Same here, regarding Thief.
I pre-ordered Thief and was hoping for it to be as good as the old Theif games.
I sold it to someone who wanted it for $60 after 1 week, and I went back to playing Dishonored.
 
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Star Wars:Battlefront was one of the most disappointments regarding lack of content in the base game. Thankfully, it was just a rental. Not even going the buy it later. The older games did it right.
 
Well... because it's exciting, shiny and new!
After having followed the development of a game I look forward to since its announcement, I personally can't wait to finally get my hands on it and try it out myself. Not exactly "giving in to the hype", as I like to remain critical of the product I'm handling, but I can't form a valid opinion on a game I haven't actually played - and when it's already a game I am looking forward to playing, I would like to do that as soon as possible.

Watching and following a game being developed, talking about it online and with friends, it all leads up to the moment where you actually have the game in your hand (or digitally) and can experience it all for yourself... for better or for worse.

I've been burned and disappointed by games I was expecting to be awesome, but I am glad I got to play the games and experience them for myself when they launched. After all, the only true opinion you can trust is your own. Someone else can't make your opinion for you, as people experience things differently, and though something is gold for some, it is garbage for others.

I don't always buy a game on launch though. It's very situational for me, depending how much I look forward to it and whether or not I can afford it, of course...
 
I watched Aris from avoinding the puddle stream his ps4 version of sf5 and it kept crashing every other online match. Of course this was when the game just released but it's something worth noteing. I get that some people (mainly the FGC )will gladly shell out for a ''bare bones'' game because they love that franchise that much. Again Im not trying to just single out sf5 but it is a recent example of many examples My question is why do we accept that our games are bare bones, buggy and lack content at release? I love being hyped for a games release I want to play but is it worth it to be treated like this?

The problem was addressed in a matter of days, hardly noteworthy in the grand scheme of things. It's unreasonable to expect the netcode to run without a hitch prior to release day.

As far as fighting games are concerned, they would be patched anyways to to balance the roster. Without patching, the other solution is to release updated editions, and so many people whine about it already.

That being said, in the event that devs stop supporting a game and the servers go down, this is a legitimate concern. Sadly, most games are dropped with the advances of technology, honestly both publishers and consumers are at fault for that.
 
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