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[FMX]

I do like digital downloads but I really miss the good ol days when the crowds would gather for the midnight launches for the big games. I always preordered my games at Blockbuster. Chatting with fellow gamers while you wait in line was just the best. Exchanging gamer tags. Fun times that are gone forever!!!! What's your definitive midnight launch experience?? Mine was definitely Halo 3. I picked that game up at midnight and then proceeded to play for 8 straight hours!!!

 

[joeygreco1985]

I think Halo 2 was probably the first midnight launch I ever went to

 

[EverydayBeast]

OP will make midnight launches come back lol!

I do not miss those, sore legs standing, downloads are fine.

 

[HogIsland]

i wish they brought these back so i could hang out playing the game on a steam deck while everyone waits.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Fuck. I was managing a Blockbuster Video Game Store when Halo 2 launched. Time has flown by.

 

[yogaflame]

MS xbox wasted Halo Franchise. I'm a PS owner and I's use to be jealous on MS xbox side that they have Halo. They have a pot of gold in front of them that MS xbox let it turn into dust.

 

[Dacvak]

Midnight launches were fucking dope. I miss them so much. Even when I was working at GameStop, I enjoyed the midnight launches.

I’d almost always go out and buy two of those big containers of Starbucks coffee and hand it out to the crowd in line. I met some super cool people that way.

When Brawl released, I even brought and set up a CRT with Melee and challenged people in line. Whoever beat me got a donut. (Actually I gave them a donut regardless, cause I’m fuckin cracked at Melee.)

Those were some good times.

 

[MacReady13]

Don't miss it at all! I know get to download my favourite games on my firestick and all I need is a controller! Xbox has taught me the right way! YAY!!!

In all seriousness though, I miss these days immensely. Lining up to get games and consoles on a midnight launch was great! Meeting like minded people was great!

 

[Dacvak]

On this point, I also miss Black Friday. (Yes, I’m an insane person.)

Back when Black Friday was a big thing, I used to go out a day or two before and find all the products I wanted that would be on sale, and literally hide them throughout the store.

I remember one time in the early 2000s, there were spools of DVD-Rs on sale for like $5 a piece for Black Friday, which was ludicrously low. It was a certified “Door Buster.”

Well, two days before, I went to Best Buy and hid like 4 spools in random dryers and refrigerators so that I could focus on getting a new HDTV, instead of worrying about getting those DVD spools before they sold out. And of course they ran out of those DVDs within minutes of the store opening.

I remember walking past a few long lines about 45 minutes after the store opened (and after I already bought all of my big ticket items), walking up to the dryers and fridges I hid those DVD spools in, and just casually grabbing a handful of the most coveted item there. And the people in line looked at me like I fucking discovered Narnia in that refrigerator.

It was awesome. I was such a little shit lol.

 

[Mitsurux]

Didn't go to a ton of them back in the day but the ones i did go to were quite fun.

Halo 2 - (Gamestop) I remember if was SUPER cold out, and my girlfriend (now wife) tagged along and was just as excited as I was about Halo 2
Halo 3 - (Gamestop) Me and my (now) wife went to the launch together, there were these two guys dressed like Mario and Luigi that brought a camera and were sort of harassing people, they also most got beat up by some of the people in line.
Halo ODST - (Gamestop) went with a really good friend to the midnight launch, got our games then just both went home and met up on Xbox live to play.
Halo Reach - (Gmaestop) went with a different friend and came back to my place, set up a two system Lan (I guess it would have been Xbox live) and played though the campaign in one sitting, (2 systems, 2 TVs)

Some great memories

Also remember waiting in line for the Wii launch... 12 hours, had people bring us food (My wife sold her spot in line for 100 dollars... lol) and played DS with complete strangers.

 

[DirtyBast8rd]

Attendend one for GTA5, stood in line for 15 minutes, felt like a stupid jackass and sheep at the same time. Went home.

 

[ReBurn]

I don't miss it at all. I used to go to them because for the big games if you weren't there at midnight you might be waiting a few days before you got to play. But with digital availability, developed immunity to FOMO, and being so old that I'd rather sleep that play a game as soon as it releases, I don't need midnight launches any more.

I think for many people preorders going live and getting one in is what is more anticipated than freezing their ass off at midnight in some parking lot.

 

[Jigsaah]

I've replaced midnight launches with standing in line for new PC hardware at Microcenter. It doesn't hit the same but hey, take what you can get. Funny thing is, as many PS360 erra games I have, I can only really remember Halo , Dark Souls 2 and COD games that I would go to. Though in reality I probably attended many more.

 

[Ainem Enamas]

Gaming is so beautiful

 

[ConkerTheSquirrel.]

Last I went to was for Red Dead Redemption 2.

 

[Iced Arcade]

absolutely loved midnight launches at stores BUT I couldn't imagine doing that anymore