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[danklord]

For my entire lifetime I felt compelled by it. The constant expansion of gaming: better graphics, better fidelity, better games. There's always something new and I'm always someone interested.

But the acceleration doesn't seem to be a curve. As time goes by the question comes up - do you, as a gamer, gain ANY value in being a Zero Day player?

On one hand you have a pulse on what's happening in the culture and you understand the nuances of why each new game pushes the ball forward incrementally.

But on the other hand you are succumbing to a corporate treadmill that pushes you to buy these experiences at their peak of cost and scarcity to what?

Experience a game before someone else? There's no way to work a normal job, have a normal life, and complete games at the clip of culture.

The games that are monetizable run on everything and perpetually, the exclusivity of time doesn't matter.

There is no value in living in the cutting edge of this hobby. In fact, if you stick around long enough, mostly everything is free. So why do we care about day one sales, day one reviews? What's the point?

 

[evanft]

 

[DarkShadowXI]

My ADHD like...really cares about day one games lol

 

[epicurius-seven]

Unless games are part of your social life, there really isn't much point in chasing the edge instead of just waiting for a sale, bugfix and/or remaster.

 

[neocycle]

Buying first day has too many disadvantages for me. Especially for the big AAA games.
Expensive. Buggy. Feature incomplete.

 

[Deficit]

For my entire lifetime I felt compelled by it. The constant expansion of gaming: better graphics, better fidelity, better games. There's always something new and I'm always someone interested.

But the acceleration doesn't seem to be a curve. As time goes by the question comes up - do you, as a gamer, gain ANY value in being a Zero Day player?

On one hand you have a pulse on what's happening in the culture and you understand the nuances of why each new game pushes the ball forward incrementally.

But on the other hand you are succumbing to a corporate treadmill that pushes you to buy these experiences at their peak of cost and scarcity to what?

Experience a game before someone else? There's no way to work a normal job, have a normal life, and complete games at the clip of culture.

The games that are monetizable run on everything and perpetually, the exclusivity of time doesn't matter.

There is no value in living in the cutting edge of this hobby. In fact, if you stick around long enough, mostly everything is free. So why do we care about day one sales, day one reviews? What's the point?

A lot of truth in this. I have more fun on cod4 2007 than BO7. I still find loads of fun on my Xbox 360 and PS3. Even though I have a 5070ti.

 

[IAmRei]

learn to not fomo, and open to spoiler, it will make Your life easier...with games come out fast and so much game not much time, only unemployed or riches can take this hobby full force. I buy games that bit older, like months after released or doing LTTP, I'm fine with it. still got lot works to do, family and friends, and job networks to be attended to...
so much games, so little money and little time. : ))
unless You can get money from games, like reviwer jobs or something else, don't push your time to follow video games fomo

 

[BlackCharlieBrown]

GTA VI will be my first day-one release since the 7th Gen. FuncoLand used to be a second home, as did the arcade. Different priorities take precedence over time as times change.

Nothing wrong with being at the cutting edge of gaming. However, being a 'patient' gamer has likely saved me thousands of dollars. My brother keeps up with everything, but I don't feel like I've missed out on much based on the state of the industry.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Often it's a lot of fun to be part of the buzz and just general zeitgeist that's there day 1

for that I'm often day 1 but only for games I am very hyped about

 

[Avid Reading Horse]

Pay full price day one for multiplayer games #omegagenres. Nickel and dime the single-player dinosaurs, time is on your side and most of them will beg for your pennies in the end. If you feel the extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, invest in hardware and/or hookers.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Very true.
But it's still fun to be there day one and participate in the discussion when a game is fresh.
And discussing the products you like is no little part of the enjoyment.
I buy most games way after release these days, but somehow I still get a game day one. It's nice to see what the fuss is all about, and being at the forefront for a while.

 

[Judge Magister]

There is no value in living in the cutting edge of this hobby. In fact, if you stick around long enough, mostly everything is free. So why do we care about day one sales, day one reviews? What's the point?

Maybe supporting the devs is the point. Just sayin'.

 

[Soodanim]

I just picked up the Metro franchise bundle on GOG and Lords of the Fallen (the newer one) for less than £15 total.

The last day 0 purchase was RE9 for somewhere around 4x that, and when I was done I wondered why I bothered playing it day one. All I gained was not being spoiled by the Resident Evil Podcast talking about it, but even a franchise I've been a fan of since the early days isn't guaranteed to be a winner and I can delay a podcast as long as I like.

I'm happy living in the past for almost every game now, and a backlog makes that very viable.

 

[CashPrizes]

There are some games you can feel pretty secure about buying day 1.
Silksong is a good example. It was in development for so long you knew it was going to be feature complete and not some buggy mess, it came in at an amazingly low price point so you knew it wasn't going to go on deep discount in 6 months, and part of the fun was the discovery of the world and bosses.

That being said, in general I agree. Especially for games like Persona 5 or Death Stranding that 2 years later come out with a greatly improved version of the game. Like the day 1 buyers were testers for the actual release years later.

 

[winjer]

With so many companies releasing broken, unfinished games at launch, there is no reason to buy games on day one.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

There are reasons to buy day 1 other than FOMO. In my case:

- Support devs who deserve it.

- I value my time. If I want something very much, waiting just to save a few euros is not making my life any better.

Disclaimer: I only buy day 1 games I am 100% certain I will enjoy.

 

[MrAlwaysRight]

With so many people not willing to pay a fair price for games it's no wonder the industry is in such a mess and has publishers chasing GAAS models and filling games with microtransactions.

Pay for your games.

 

[Viruz]

With so many companies releasing broken, unfinished games at launch, there is no reason to buy games on day one.

Add to that the price they are asking for, it's almost a scam.

 

[TintoConCasera]

With so many people not willing to pay a fair price for games it's no wonder the industry is in such a mess and has publishers chasing GAAS models and filling games with microtransactions.

Pay for your games.

If I'm not willing to pay 80 bucks for a game on release it's because it's either poorly optimized, broken or just isn't a very good game.

Never dare put the blame on the consumer. If they want us to pay those prices, they better make it worth it.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Often it's a lot of fun to be part of the buzz and just general zeitgeist that's there day 1

for that I'm often day 1 but only for games I am very hyped about

Exactly how I feel. It's fun picking up a new game and being part of the community, sharing info and figuring shit out for the first time.

Lately though (especially with western AAA games) it just means you pay the highest price to play the worst version of the game.

 

[Cumulus]

k

 

[winjer]

Add to that the price they are asking for, it's almost a scam.

Often cutting content to make DLC or MTX to sell later, making the game even more expensive.

 

[Dutchy]

A lot of people these days lack self control and crave being part of something 'bigger'. They treat their game's like nothing more but collectibles and getting platinum in a title is a neccesity rather than an option.

I think I figured this out around the Doom 2018 days. Last game I bought on release and it dropped to 20 bucks less than 6 months later. I could have played it then and there instead and my perception of the game wouldn't have changed a bit. Heck, I probably would've liked it more with all the bugs ironed out.

 

[StereoVsn]

Yeah, I pretty much stopped buying new games for the most part after Cyberpunk.

I still sometimes get new titles to support devs I like (Owlcat or Warhorse or Larian as an example) when I feel the game will meet or exceed my expectations, even if some patching may be needed.

The above is quite rare though. Usually it just makes sense to wait a few months (or years) for the game to get patched and by that time price will drop.

For MP folks it might be different but for SP it's almost always worth it to wait.

 

[Toots]

OP you are going to cut yourself with all that edge.
Good for you to have understand corporations don't want your good, just your money and they want it with the less effort possible on their part.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Great post OP.

Waiting, and gathering patience does nothing but pay off in droves. It makes 0 sense to be there day one for gaming. Its only a negative move, zero positives outside of potential spoilers which Ive rarely had happen anyway.

 

[balls of snow]

Im contemplating the idea of doing a backlog year in 2028 or when Witcher 4 is out. Just a year. The absolute savings its gonna bring by buying 1 year old games on sale in the next year.

 

[winjer]

Yeah, I pretty much stopped buying new games for the most part after Cyberpunk.

I still sometimes get new titles to support devs I like (Owlcat or Warhorse or Larian as an example) when I feel the game will meet or exceed my expectations, even if some patching may be needed.

The above is quite rare though. Usually it just makes sense to wait a few months (or years) for the game to get patched and by that time price will drop.

For MP folks it might be different but for SP it's almost always worth it to wait.

With MP is also not worth it. Sometimes it's worse.
For example, I bought BF6 at launch for full price, and despite having some fun with it, it's clear that the game is unfinished. Even after half a year later, the game still has issues with netcode, team balancing, lack of a proper server browser, lack of good maps, issues with graphics and visibility, terrible unlock progression, and a ton of minor bugs. Dice is very slowly fixing some of these issues, but it's clear that most will only be fixed a long time after launch.

 

[John Bilbo]

Advertisement, being part of something bigger, exhilarating feelings, heart palpitations, sweat. Money drain, numbness, move on to the next product. The name of the game not the game itself. IP recognition, I remember that, it's Sonic.

Turtles are left in the shadows of the plastic toys of Turtles.

Lose the artistic intention to a copy made to resemble the image of a memory of a memory.

 

[Shockwave_Fox]

I've only had disappointment from the last day one releases I've bought.
Plus the bugs that seem to be rampant in games when they first release take a while to be sorted.
Games just don't hit the same for me these days and I usually wait a considerable amount of time to get them on sale.

I'm not really fussed about spoilers either - I'll happily watch reviews and bits about a game I'm interested in mainly because I only care if it's fun to play, story doesn't matter that much to me honestly.

So I agree with you completely - cutting edge and day one is overrated in my opinion.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Day one has been a scam for a long time and yet we still go for it. We can't escape our consumerist blood and we will always want the coolest thing even if that thing has its core totally busted.

 

[BlackTron]

There was once no force on Earth that could keep me from getting a new game day one. I remember walking to Gamestop for a GBA game because I didn't have a car yet.

In time, publishers made me feel like a chump. Whether it's a new game or nostalgia grab, they completely shattered my spending habits.

 

[Felessan]

Experience a game before someone else?

Together with other people
Writing LTTP thread is pityfull at best
It interesting to share experience and thoughts with other on the same page, not when game long forgotten
If you are a lo ner without (gaming) social life - that's another story.

There is no value in living in the cutting edge of this hobby. In fact, if you stick around long enough, mostly everything is free. So why do we care about day one sales, day one reviews? What's the point?

Not everything comes down to money

 

[poodaddy]

Maybe supporting the devs is the point. Just sayin'.

We're the consumers. Consumers should never get suckered into thinking about their consumption as some form of charity, it is an economic relationship and nothing more; they have produced a good or service that I wish to partake of, then I will purchase it from them when it hits the price I'm willing to pay for it. The support of the developer is on the publisher to figure out.

On topic: Been gaming for nearly 40 years soon, never been the type to waste money on games day one, in fact I tend to think it's asinine. That being said, I respect that some people get way more out of talking about games as they play through them online than I do, and I think you should do what makes you happy. I tend to play through games very slowly, (still haven't finished Lost Judgement, been at it for literally years now), as I'm a busy guy and I don't get much time for games, so there's no point in discussing games as I play them in my scenario, but I do enjoy discussing games after I've beaten them, which means I've essentially got unlimited time to get to it. Everyone likes a good LTTP

 

[analog_future]

I mean the value is you get to play stuff that's cutting edge.


But yeah, if you don't value that, you could buy an Xbox 360 today and play endless games for incredibly cheap.

 

[dragonyeuw]

The closest I've ever been to being 'day one' in recent-ish years was BOTW Switch back in 2017. And even then I only purchased it day one because I wanted the Special edition with the case, poster, coin and CD, I didn't get the Switch until a month or so later.

Generally, I'm a few years behind releases. I just played and finished RE4 Remake a month ago and it's probably gonna be at least 2028 before I play Requiem, whenever it hits $20 or less. Games drop in price too quickly and receive all kinds of post-release patches and bug fixes to pay full price, and I'm not someone who needs to be part of the launch buzz conversation.

 

[Bondo]

I like games that look and run better than the gen before. How big a jump that is - varies. Obviously the bigger the jump the better.
So that's a starting point. That jump in tech generally leads to advancement in gameplay or what is possible - technically.

Just like any other hobby- waiting is always beneficial. With two years and its $150 off(In the old days) - or whatever. But I also lost some enjoyment i may have had with it in those 2 years. Its like anything else, YOU determine if the cost is worthy of your time in that moment.
The value- is the experience with day one Consoles. Games- well, that's a crap shoot as they drop pretty quick and the financial commitment is low in general.

I collect Corvettes. I dont buy em day one- i wait many years, cause that is what works for my wallet. lol. Do what works for you.

 

[LyricalShrike]

With so many people not willing to pay a fair price for games it's no wonder the industry is in such a mess and has publishers chasing GAAS models and filling games with microtransactions.

Pay for your games.

Who is to blame for game prices falling off a cliff 6 months after release?

 

[CuteFaceJay]

I just want GTA 6 dood!

 

[Hollywood Hitman]

If I want it I'll buy it day one.

 

[dotomomo]

I am discovering Sony's PS4 catalogue (a few of which have remaster editions) on the PC for the first time - currently playing through Day's Gone.

They look stunning, run incredibly well, technically 'solved', patched and updated. Any minor lack in fidelity is more than compensated by the fact i'm playing them without the need for upscalers AND the maximum refresh rate of my freesync monitor. This has resulted in an incredibly friction-less, immersive experience. I'm not going into menus to change my graphics in a particularly heavy scene, i'm not crashing, i'm not working around bugs. I'm not looking at roadmaps to find out when core missing features are going to be patched in.

I value immersion above everything else and playing these 'technically solved' games that have extensive post-game support permit that.

I have only had disappointing day 1 game experiences over the last several years - i'm largely done with it.

 

[Euler007]

I don't really agree. It's fun to be in the hype cycle, playing games when lots of other players are also involved. That's a thing of the past for me now with young children, but I enjoyed it.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

I saw the title expecting this to be about technology and not day 1 games.

If I want it I'll buy it day one.

It's as simple as this.

If it's something I'm excited for I'm buying it day 1. If not then I'll wait for a sale.

 

[Fbh]

For several years now I've stopped caring about playing the latest games as soon as they are out. I make an exception for single player FromSoft games and the occasional indie and AA game sold at a lower price (like Silksong and E33), but for the most part I just keep an extensive wishlist on PSN and Steam and when I'm done with a game I decide what to buy next based on what's on sale and what I feel like playing at the moment.

Unless you really want to support a dev/franchise or you are always on social media and find spoilers hard to avoid, it doesn't even make sense to buy games for full price.
You can pick them up in a 6+ months for a lower price and they'll usually be in a better state after multiple patches and updates.

Same with games that don't run well on Ps5. Why spend $70 for a game with shit image quality and frame rate drops like Crimson Desert. I'll just put it on the wishlist then buy it for $20 in a few years when I it's on Ps6 and it actually runs well.

 

[pudel]

There are reasons to buy day 1 other than FOMO. In my case:

- Support devs who deserve it.

- I value my time. If I want something very much, waiting just to save a few euros is not making my life any better.

Disclaimer: I only buy day 1 games I am 100% certain I will enjoy.

Thats how I handle it as well. Ofc I need to like the genre/game in general...but in the end its more of a support decision than anything else. Just making sure that I do my part that these games/devs continue to exist and creating more stuff which I like. Pretty simple concept to understand imho.

 

[viveks86]

Do we really need this philosophical and moral diatribe over a one time hardware purchase for a hobby that we enjoy and day 1 games? Our phones cost more. Our TV costs more. Heck, many are probably spending more per year on entertainment subscriptions and onlyfans. Just buy it if you are keen on being on the cutting edge. Or not. No need to moralize it. There are far worse corporate treadmills to be running on than gaming.

 

[Thebonehead]

My philosophy

Wait for software
Zero day for hardware

Caveat being unless it's something I really want to play like Re:Requiem

 

[danklord]

This went better than I thought it would, thanks for the replies.

Do we really need this philosophical and moral diatribe over a one time hardware purchase for a hobby that we enjoy and day 1 games? Our phones cost more. Our TV costs more. Heck, many are probably spending more per year on entertainment subscriptions and onlyfans. Just buy it if you are keen on being on the cutting edge. Or not. No need to moralize it. There are far worse corporate treadmills to be running on than gaming.

I think it's worthwhile to reflect on consumption habits, especially in a medium we're all hardcore about like gaming.

If I want it I'll buy it day one.

No question, it's a fun dopamine rush to be able to do that. But at a certain point if the games aren't being completed, is it actually MORE fun to buy the things than it is to play them?

I don't really agree. It's fun to be in the hype cycle, playing games when lots of other players are also involved. That's a thing of the past for me now with young children, but I enjoyed it.

Maybe there's a reason why it's more of a thing in the past for you. I enjoyed it a lot as a kid too.

We're the consumers. Consumers should never get suckered into thinking about their consumption as some form of charity, it is an economic relationship and nothing more; they have produced a good or service that I wish to partake of, then I will purchase it from them when it hits the price I'm willing to pay for it. The support of the developer is on the publisher to figure out.

On topic: Been gaming for nearly 40 years soon, never been the type to waste money on games day one, in fact I tend to think it's asinine. That being said, I respect that some people get way more out of talking about games as they play through them online than I do, and I think you should do what makes you happy. I tend to play through games very slowly, (still haven't finished Lost Judgement, been at it for literally years now), as I'm a busy guy and I don't get much time for games, so there's no point in discussing games as I play them in my scenario, but I do enjoy discussing games after I've beaten them, which means I've essentially got unlimited time to get to it. Everyone likes a good LTTP

The way my friends light up when someone new says "I just started/beat Red Dead Redemption 2" - LTTPs are always welcomed.

Day one has been a scam for a long time and yet we still go for it. We can't escape our consumerist blood and we will always want the coolest thing even if that thing has its core totally busted.

Agree

 

[viveks86]

I think it's worthwhile to reflect on consumption habits, especially in a medium we're all hardcore about like gaming.

That's certainly fair, but gaming is pure entertainment. The only "value" it generates for consumers is joy and possibly something to internalize and reflect on, so that we can be more productive human beings in other aspects of our lives. If being on the cutting edge gives you joy, it absolutely has value. If that doesn't give you joy, because of other conflicting life priorities, then it isn't valuable. It's an entirely subjective proposition.

There is no day 235 without day 0. Without people "succumbing to the corporate treadmill", you don't get to play it at your leisure, because it ceases to be commercially viable anymore.

The emerging trend is that hardware and game sales are having much longer legs than they used to, much to the detriment of the whole industry. Not the other way around. So the more relevant question for me is, why are humans happy playing the same mindless shit over and over again?

 

[tr1p1ex]

I didn't understand. I didn't get why graphics improving tech curve was related to day 1 FOMO.