The People Speak Week 5: Buying the first game of 2011

[danielrbischoff]

Figuring out where to buy your first game of 2011 can be about as time consuming as picking your first purchase out. Gamestop? Amazon? Best Buy?

With preorder bonuses, credit incentives, and retailer specific special editions, buying a game is a bitch!

This week, I want to know where you buy your vidya games. How much sway do the bonuses have over your shopping habits?

As a bonus question, what's the first game you're buying or you've bought so far in 2011? This means EVERYTHING, iPhone apps, Steam sale, xbla, psn, it doesn't matter, you gotta share it in this thread.

 

[danielrbischoff]

If you're looking for last week's TPS manifesto post, you can find it right here: http://www.gamerevolution.com/manifesto ... on-tv-3747

 

[Longo_2_guns]

By where I live, there's a big shopping center with a Target, a Best Buy, and a Game Stop.

If I'm buying it on release day or for consoles, I go to Game Stop. Otherwise, I go to one of the other two.

Mostly because I like getting used games, since they work just as well and cost much, much less. And to be honest, I kinda like the rewards points stuff they do now. I gave my card to my dad when he went Christmas shopping, and after buying me and my sister around $250 in games I can get a free HDMI cable or a poster or something. It's not a necessity, but it's a nice little bonus.

Also, I went to Game Stop and bought like $130 worth of stuff, thanks to gift cards. I got Epic Mickey, Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble, Killzone 2, SMT: SJ, and Bioshock 2. Basically, I got something for every console/handheld. I was planning on getting Civ5 too, but they were out of it.

 

[Rinnon]

I'm rather specific in where I choose to buy my games, and have a Priority system:

1st Priority: Buy Game New from Willow Video (A local to my area gaming store)
2nd Priority: Buy Game used from Willow Video. (I'm probably there looking for the new copy already)
3rd Priority: Buy Game New from Anywhere I can find it.
Final Priority: Buy Game used from EB.

I prefer to get my games new personally. First off, you know the condition it's going to be in, I'm kind of anal and like my things in near perfect condition. Second, you know where most of that money is going, the Publishers for the games, and I like to know who's pocket my money is going into when I buy something. I support Publishers of games I love by buying their games new. Finally, sometimes new copies come with codes for free access to online servers and DLC etc.

If I can't find a game new, and it's for sale Used from Willow, I buy it. I do that because I've been shopping there since I was a little kid, it's a local business that doesn't really spread outside of this area, and I like local business. If I can't buy direct from the publishers, I really don't mind buying from Willow. They are very reasonable in how much they purchase used games for from customers, and their used game prices are also reasonable when selling back to customers, at the very least always lower than EB games. Just the other day, I needed a Mic for my PS3 for Rock Band. EB wanted to sell it for 35 bucks, and Willow had one for 10 bucks new.

On the topic of EB games, I avoid shopping there whenever I can, and I try to ONLY buy new games there, never used. Their used game market is terrible, they pay next to nothing to acquire the games that they do, and then price gouge as much as possible. Buying new from them isn't terrible, because like 90% of that price goes to the Publisher anyway, but a used game is 100% profit for them... and I could have bought the same game from Willow, a company I LIKE, for cheaper. As such, I do not support EB games used game market both by not selling to or buying from, them. On the rare rare rare occasion they have a used game Willow doesn't, I'll buy it, because in the end, if I want a game, I'm going to buy it.

 

[danielrbischoff]

And to be honest, I kinda like the rewards points stuff they do now. I gave my card to my dad when he went Christmas shopping, and after buying me and my sister around $250 in games I can get a free HDMI cable or a poster or something. It's not a necessity, but it's a nice little bonus.

Ever since I got one of those rewards cards, I've been reaping the benefits from trading in games I got from work or buying new/used shit.... Haven't checked my account since before christmas and I bought a fuck load of stuff then... wonder what I can get now.

 

[TheDiesel]

Buying the first game for me now will only apply to STEAM since for anything console based, it'll come from GameFly.

I used to buy and sell games religiously from GameStop [I know, I know.] But the wear and tear with buying and selling games can do to your wallet was enough for me to succumb to a monthly fee instead of slowly but surely losing money in the long run.

Now instead of buying a $60 game, I rent it and send it back when I need no more from it. Now when I don't need a game anymore, I'm not down $30, and I only needed to pay $17 for one game plus however many I play during those 30-31 days.

But to answer your question: Pre-order bonuses do hold some value on which store one would buy from, but I feel it's a double edged sword.

To gamers, pre-order bonuses feel like you're walking through a busy market with everyone selling similar materials. Every one is out to make their buck, and will flash and flaunt anything and everything to make sure you buy from them. Whether it be new maps, new weapons, hidden cheat codes, wallpapers, or anything of the like: the recession has gotten businesses into a panic mode, and must have something to ensure them that the game will sell, even if it was going to sell well whether you had the super-duper new maps or not.

In a business standpoint, adding specific content not only ensures business for the sellers, but business to the developers. Working with game companies for a few years [Gonna withhold who because I'm not sure what I can and can't say specifically titled with that company.] We were in talks of what could be used to endure sales for customers since the game they were making was their first game with no first-party publisher to carry the game into success. As much as I don't like the bargaining chips companies use to garner sales: some companies NEED to, while others just do it for the quick buck.

And if you were wondering, Amnesia: The Dark Descent was my 2011 First Buy. 8)

 

[Green_Lantern]

I've never really cared for Gamestop...Their prices usually aren't that great, even for their used games. And I have a BestBuy reward card with their gamer zone or whatever so I get extra points for buying games.

If I'm looking to buy a new game, I will usually check cheapassgamers.com to see what place has the best deal for said game, or if it's online so be it. Lincoln isn't really a big town so pretty much any major retailer is within 10 minutes of my house so I don't really have a preference of store.

As for games I've already bought...Some things on the Steam sales, but I don't really remember if it was before or after the new year, so couldn't tell you...Really have no idea what brand new game I'm going to get first this year, nothing is looking that special until March.

 

[TheDiesel]

nothing is looking that special until March.

Dead Space 2's Single-Player not looking good to you? I'm probably gonna rent it since I have to buy the game for a friend on his birthday.

I just neglect to recognize Left4DeadSpace.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I'd buy games online, but my internet doesn't allow me to. Though I always prefer to have the physical copy.

 

[Green_Lantern]

nothing is looking that special until March.

Dead Space 2's Single-Player not looking good to you? I'm probably gonna rent it since I have to buy the game for a friend on his birthday.

I just neglect to recognize Left4DeadSpace.

Meh...Never played the first one, and I'm not really a big fan of the whole horror genre.

 

[NickKmet]

These days I only buy off of steam or Amazon, depending on which has a better price. Not sure what I'll be buying first this year. As a college student, I have a hard time justifying spending $50-$60 on a new game. So most likely, I'll just end up buying something that came out recently and the price has dropped considerably. I'm not sure what it would be though. Money is always an issue for a poor college student like me. Especially one with a girlfriend.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

Silly Nick. A thrifty man knows that if done right, you can get more bang for your buck with video games than a girlfriend.

 

[NickKmet]

It's too late Longo. She brainwashed me.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

Damn. Another good man has been lost.

 

[astrowabbit]

I'd have to say my first game will probably be Crysis 2. I'm not pre-ordering it and I'm waiting for your review before I plunk down the cash. On-deck is probably Gears of War 3.

I'd like Dead Space 2, Batman 2, or Dragon Age 2 but I'm not sure of those games yet and will definintely rent those before I pick them up.

 

[UghRochester]

For new releases I usually shop at GameStop in store. The prices for a new game are usually similar if I went somewhere else. So, I might as well shop in a gaming environment. Pre-ordering, GameStop wins it for me again. GameStop many of times offers a bonus DLC while Amazon.com, Wal-Mart ,etc will offer a t-shirt or something. I rather have an add-on to game than apparel, but that's just me.

When it comes to pre-owned games, I shop online because most cases I can find it much cheaper even with the cost of shipping and handling. I usually browse Amazon.com first, if I don't find what I want there, then I look at other places like Buy.com and GameStop.

I really don't have any idea what I first might buy this year...probably Bulletstorm so I can have a game to play, and and the beta for Gears of War 3.

 

[HK-47]

If I want a new game, it would most likely be a PC game or an Atlus game on a pre-order (For the bonus, I must admit, depending on where I can get said bonus) and everything else used based on price. I don't have much to spend, so the local used game store and a previous generation library make a great combination for getting cheap games.

Chances are the first game I'll buy this year is either an Atlus game on a pre-order or a few used GC games. But if there's a used Atlus game that I doubt I'll see in a while, I would probably buy it, even if the price would prevent me from getting anything else in that run.

 

[MattAY]

I always buy from Amazon, they always seem to be less than any retail around here. Plus I'm a prime member so extra delivery charges dont exist for me.

My first purchase is already done! A pre-order of Dead Space 2. Been waiting for this game since I finished with the first. And after seeing some exciting videos (the Halo jump and long 15 min demo), I really want Jan 25th to come along....like now.

 

[LinksOcarina]

See I kind of cheated at this because I already bought Lost In Shadow for the Wii at my local gamestop, and the reason why is because I get employee discount.

But I tend to buy games often since I collect them from a myriad of sources, Gamestop, mom and pop stores, Ebay, Amazon, etc. It is a very good hobby to get into if you can afford it.

 

[Green_Lantern]

Just decided on the first new game I'm picking up this year...

Radiant Historia, if I can find my DSi.