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[Joe T.]

I really do miss the midnight launches, even those that were held on cold, rainy nights. The Halo and Grand Theft Auto series are the only two I can recall attending, five games between them, and all of them were great experiences. Not technically a midnight launch, but I remember lining up at Walmart around 3am or so with a friend for the PS2's launch later that morning, freezing our butts off with people making several coffee runs for the crowd at the Tim Hortons across the street, sharing stories about how we all got into gaming and how cool it was that it had become mainstream. The Halo 3 midnight launch at a downtown Montreal location featured a tournament to keep attendees occupied with a couple of charismatic event hosts and someone in a Master Chief costume entertaining the crowd, probably my favorite of the ones I attended.

Those face to face interactions with other fans are similar to the frenzy of opening night blockbuster movie showings, far more satisfying than waiting to download/receive/watch it at home and discussing it online, not that the latter doesn't also have it's benefits. It's why I'll opt to watch Sony's conferences at a theater rather than at home when given the opportunity.

 

[manfestival]

I always just went to walmart. Waited like 2 minutes for people in line in front of me and I was happy leaving. Screw going to gamestop or these other game stores that had massive lines and stupid stuff going on. Plus most of them seem to be in places with garbage parking spaces too so it was hard to get in and out of those places if it was busy

 

[Kadayi]

I like games, but never to the extent that I'd actively queue up to buy one at launch, versus picking it up at a sensible hour when I'm able to. It's a phenomenon I just don't understand. But spoilers? Is it so hard to resist gaming sites that much? Not in my experience.

 

[Makariel]

Nah I'm good. I rather have it delivered or just buy online and download on launch day instead of standing in a queue around midnight.

 

[MetalSlug]

I preferred pre-ordering the game and having it one day before release

 

[JimmyJones]

Last midnight launch I went to was Halo 3

 

[Akuza89]

I've been to 2 in my entire life, I never saw the point in them personally, even before the internet became the big buying place... if you pre-ordered it, your copy is secure, whether you pick it up at midnight or when the store opens the next day...

Besides that, when I started getting new games 2-3 days earlier than launch from online retailers, it pretty much killed pre-ordering in a store for me.

 

[Revolutionary]

Nah. I never talked to anyone in line anyways - I just wanted the damn game and to go home. Digital midnight unlocks are a thousand times better.

 

[Codes 208]

I was unintentionally at the midnight launch for spiderman at my local gamestop (ironically to pick up some games for my switch, not spiderman) and it was pretty busy, i guess it couldve been busier but it didnt seem like a dying habit there.

The only difference is that it was 9pm instead of midnight.

And do i miss the large launches like skyrim or halo? Hell no. I live in minnesota, on 11/11/11 we had a major blizzard during skyrim's launch.

Though against better judgement i will probqbly be at the 9pm release of pokemon and smash bros.

 

[Hendrick's]

They were fun when I was younger, but fuck that shit now that I can just sit on my couch and buy the game.

 

[Airbus Jr]

With all these broken games at launch + patches weeks latter+ dlc announced early + goty edition I doubt many people here going to do that anymore

 

[120v]

i never did the midnight launch thing (came close a few times) but i do miss launch day fanfare in general... walking out of a brick and mortar feeling like you just made a huge score, getting into your car and doting at the at the jewel case (or fresh cardboard box, for us old timers).

 

[Spheyr]

LOL - I want to a 9 PM launch event at Best Buy (in Pittsburgh) for Spiderman yesterday, and the store was closed and locked at 9:16 PM. The employees were very nice and actually brought me the game (after unlocking the doors), since I had pre-ordered and paid for it.

I simply did not even occur to me that the event would have been over at 9 PM.

This is such a change from the old days of a midnight launch (like for the Sega Dreamcast) that went on way past 1 or 2 AM.

McKnight or Robinson?

 

[sublimit]

We've never had midnight launches in my country so the concept always felt strange to me. Then again we never had any shortages either. Even in the days before online shopping and pre-orders If i wanted something i could just go to the shop the next day and buy it.

 

[Rhetorical Question]

Midnight launches were prohibited by the law in my country, but I really loved to lineup at the shop in the early morning to get a game I way eaggerly waiting for. I remember the release of Half-Life 2. My dad allowed me to skip school on that day, and because I was too young to buy it on myself, he even went with me to the store and we purchased that game together. I remember the ride home, holding that game in my hands, thinking about how I'm gonna spend the whole day playing it. Yes, it is something I miss a lot.
But it's not only the lack of physical media, or the online shopping why it doesn't work for me anymore. I just rarely get hyped about games nowdays. In general I think that >99% of the videogames release in the past 5 years are boring as shit. So yeah, there's that.

 

[SpaceNoodles007]

I attended these events a few times in the past. No, I do not miss them lol. I used to think i would pull an all-night the moment i get the games but when i go back home, i just go to sleep lol. Blamed myself for not just picking it up the next morning.

 

[Bluecondor]

McKnight or Robinson?

McKnight. The guy said to come to the store at 8:30 PM on launch day. Works for me.