Support NeoGAF

[The Take Out Bandit]

Due to all the Next Generation of consoles talk recently I've been thinking about hardware pre-orders and the lousy time I had back during the PS2 launch.

My thinking is this. Customers who have paid in full for their pre-orders should take priority over the bums who have only deposited a few dollars.

Having spent a few years at Software Etc. I became familiar with the practice of persons placing a pre-order deposit, then losing interest in the passing time and coming in to cancel, or move it over to another item.

Not to mention the outbreak of persons placing minimum deposits at several locations in the hopes that on launch day they can secure a console.

With hardware there's really no guarantee at launch that you'll be able to obtain a hot console with the current pre-order model.

When I pre-order, I'd like a sense of security that come launch day I won't have to dick around, or be dicked around obtaining my shiny new toy.

What are your thoughts?

Also, since there was an interesting discussion about the condition of used game quality in Japanese gaming shops versus American gaming shops I'm curious about the pre-order practices of the Japanese retailers. Are they any different from our system?

I'm hoping that come PS3 launch that retailers will be a bit more accomodating of the freak campers in their parking lots. Perhaps handing out tickets to X amount of persons in line so they can come back to pick up the hardware, or something less vague than camp in the parking lot and maybe get a PS3.

I really didn't have any problem obtaining a PS2 at launch via camping in Best Buy's parking lot, but it isn't something I look forward to doing again (Thanks in large part to the guy sitting next to me that wouldn't shut up about his copy of Evergrace and constantly showing me the box and manual).

PS3 launch is going to be Hell. =_=

 

[drohne]

it occurs to me that i haven't bought a console at us launch since the saturn, and of course the saturn was a special case (i just walked into a software etc., was shocked to see it on sale, and then somehow bilked $500 out of my parents). so i have no idea what a hectic console launch scene is like. i doubt i want to know...i'll just preorder my xbox 2 and ps3 online, and swallow some odious bundle. grumble grumble.

 

[The End]

I didn't get a PS2, Cube or Xbox at launch because in all three cases the launch lineups sucked. I took a day off of work to pick up my DC preorder, and I'm planning to do the same for the PSP.

 

[Mejilan]

I had a GREAT time waiting in the freezing cold outside the Manhattan Mall a few Novembers ago, waiting for the Gamestop there to open at 12:01am for the GameCube launch. There were tons of us receiving free goodies from the patient GS crew, playing GBA together, etc.

I'd kinda like that again. But also don't feel like dealing with the hassle. Hence I didn't preorder the DS (but got the 2nd to last one at my local Target after a walk-in) and preordered a PSP bundle online.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Yeah, if things go as they as now; a new console is the last thing I'll be looking forward to buying.

Assuming my financial situation straightens out between now and then, I'm kind of hoping that I can put off buying a console at launch just to be obtuse and in theory spend time catching up on my game queue.

I'm just terrified there will be some awesome launch title that I must have or DIE!

The PS2 launch was pretty ridiculous, by 11PM there was a line wrapping around the side of the local Best Buy. By opening time, the local television stations had come to point cameras at the nerds and interview a few of us, and everybody was just tired and raring to get in and get a system.

Fortunately camping wasn't so bad due to people generally being accomodating, and it helped that there were three of us so that if someone had to use the john at the gas station, or grab some junk for the maw at Dunkin Donuts they could without losing their space in line.

 

[psycho_snake]

I will never buy a console at launch. i know I will miss a lot of talk on GAF, but I dont really mind. The luannch lineups sucked for all three consoiles this gen. i usually wait for about 6 months after the consoles launch and see what games are going to come out. If I like what I see, I will buy. The only way that I would buy a console at launch is if PS3 came out with either MGS4, GT5, a tales of game, FFXIII and DMC4, Revolution came out with both Mario and Zelda and Im not gonna buy Xenon at all unkess it has something really impressive.

 

[xsarien]

My thinking is this. Customers who have paid in full for their pre-orders should take priority over the bums who have only deposited a few dollars.

Paying in full for a pre-order is a horrible, horrible idea. Get a staff that's shady enough, said pre-order can just "vanish," get a store that is shut down out of nowhere, and you're equally screwed. (Or, at the very least, you're going to have to jump through a lot of hoops.)

Giving a store a fraction of the price is basically for your protection.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Get a staff that's shady enough, said pre-order can just "vanish," get a store that is shut down out of nowhere, and you're equally screwed.

I'm speaking mostly of the chain retailers whom give you reciepts for your purchases. Not fly by night mom and pop operations. We don't have many of those in this area, and due to their small time status; they're not high on the shipment priority from suppliers.

I'd like to see some douchebag at EB try to stiff me when I've got evidence of my transaction.

 

[VALIS]

i'll just preorder my xbox 2 and ps3 online, and swallow some odious bundle. grumble grumble.

Exactly what I'm going to do as well, and what I already do with those "launch day mania" games like GTA: VC/SA, Halo 2, new sports games, Zelda, Mario, etc. Reason being I'd much rather leave the fate of me receiving my item(s) in the hands of a warehouse/main office where they have policies and professional workers than to the post-high school slacker temps manning my local EB or Gamestop.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

I pre-ordered as early as I could for PS2 (about 14 months, actually) and slowly paid it off over time. I'm doing the same for the PSP and will do it again for PS3. I know I want it, so it's easy enough to pre-order early and then throw down $40 or so every few weeks. By launch, you don't even realize you've paid it off. The hardest part with PS2 was holding onto that damned ticket for more than a year, but now that Gamespot does it by name, it's no big deal.

I don't care about pre-ordering games now that I have expendable cash all the time and it's rare that I need the game the first day and my local GS in Los Angeles always gets hundreds of copies of the big games (like GT4, I just walked in the day after it came out and they had at least a hundred available for non-pre orders). Hardware is always nice to have secured as they aren't in such easy supply at launch. Plus, if I can't pick it up until after work or the next day, it's still waiting there for me.

 

[sorryaboutdresden]

Yeah I agree with you, but what would happen if someone came in like 2 weeks before launch and completely paid off the system. Would they get it ahead of those people whom had it reserved for months? I'll be pre-ordering a PS3 and a Revolution as soon as they are given a release date so I won't have to worry about getting one on launch.

 

[The Faceless Master]

hah, just today paid in full for my PSP/Lumines/Darkstalkers preorders that i had put a fraction down on in february... never thought about the gamestop going out of business... :lol :lol :lol

 

[Wellington]

I have decided that I am just going to go through Amazon or any other reputable online retailer for my (near) launch consoles, in order to avoid potentially missing out because of the shitty pre-order model outlined by TToB. Games I need the day of, but there is no console or launch game that I will need the day of.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Yeah I agree with you, but what would happen if someone came in like 2 weeks before launch and completely paid off the system. Would they get it ahead of those people whom had it reserved for months?

A valid point, but considering that retailers are only interested in actual sales and not potential sales this would benefit them. Having 300 people in queue and only receiving 50 units, for example, you're still going to end up with people that are going to be in queue after launch. The folks who haven't paid in full in advance would be none the wiser.

I guess the problem is just that pre-ordering is a completely broken business practice. For popular hardware, it's not a guarantee of anything; which just defeats the purpose of paying in advance.

You don't need to pre-order software because the manufacturer will just make a ton of copies for release. When was the last time this generation software was in such great demand and little supply? The last instance I can recall is GTA3. Though that was something of a fluke since nobody anticipated the success.

 

[sonycowboy]

Paying for ANYTHING in full in advance is the absolute dumbest thing that you can do. Sometimes stores require it, but otherwise, why would you ever give them the full amount?

Just complete insanity to me.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

In theory you would pay in full to take priority on the distribution list and guarantee yourself the item.

Unfortunately pre-ordering doesn't work that way. Which is why the practice is just lost on me. What's the incentive? Pay five dollars to have a stub that says you may or may not get what you're intending to purchase?

Why not keep the five bucks and just go in every Tuesday and ask if they've got any in stock?