Who needs preordering when you have digital purchases?

[The Evil Overlord]

Agree that buying a physical copy and going to the store is still very festive, and has that exciting "new game" feeling to it. This is also with downloads, but to a lesser degree.

Not to mention, a little safer when considering midnight launches, if one went with a group of friends

[neoadorable]

Not to mention, a little safer when considering midnight launches, if one went with a group of friends

 

Heh yes, those can get quite rowdy. Unless you meant digital midnight launches? Why would those be unsafe? Unless Jigsaw is your interior decorator?   :|

[PGHammer]

Now that we can purchase games directly on Xbox Live or PSN (or Steam if you're a PC gamer) I really do not see the need to pre-order a physical copy through a store anymore. The last 2 games that I bought (MLB 14 The Show and Watch Dogs) I purchased directly from PSN. Bypassing the pain in the butt of going to <enter brick and mortar store here>.

 

Your thoughts?

As much as folks hate EA, Origin has done its part to put the OUCH into physical game purchasing - of all the games I have gotten over the past year only ONE (all services) was a physical purchase - Simcity 2013.

I am not counting free games as purchases, however, I AM counting DLC packages purchased either physically or digitally - still, there was (again) a single - Cities of Tomorrow was purchased/delivered digitally - purchased from EA/Origin partner GameStop via the ImpulseDriven e-store and delivered via Origin. The price disparity is, by and large, nation-specific - oddly enough, the United States, by and large, is, surprisingly, the MOST active when it comes to digital sales of software, and especially games (someone from outside the US would think it would be the most restrictive - however, it has been one of the least).  It will be highly unlikely that I will be purchasing ANY PC game physically over the next year UNLESS there are specific deals for physical-copy purchases of specific game titles. (In other words, there has to be a price reason to justify a physical purchase - otherwise, why bother?)

[PGHammer]

Oh yeah EA wants to control the population size, they need more living space. Who designs their pre-order system, Frau Engel? :rofl:

 

Oh yeah EA wants to control the population size, they need more living space. Who designs their pre-order system, Frau Engel? :rofl:

 

Oh yeah EA wants to control the population size, they need more living space. Who designs their pre-order system, Frau Engel? :rofl:

It's not like that can't be end-run - go to an EA/Origin partner, instead of directly.  (That is why GameStop remains on the shortlist - they are FASTER than EA/Origin as far as order processing goes - including on Origin-delivered titles; that they are also cheaper besides is icing.)  Further, GameStop/ImpulseDriven has titles that most retail GameStop locations don't - and will never - stock; anyone that visited an old Babbage's/Software etc. location (GameStop acquired Babbage's - which also ran the separate Software etc. sub-brand) will certainly recognize the turnover in terms of emphasis.

 

And there is the OTHER reason I prefer Origin (as a service) to Steam - unlike Steam, there is actually price competition within the same delivery system (at least in the US).

[CrossCheck]

Since i am a PC gamer, I haven't bought a physical copy of a game in years. Don't have to worry about lost or scratched media, loss of case with cd key and i have no clutter from cases on my desk.

[neoadorable]

It's not like that can't be end-run - go to an EA/Origin partner, instead of directly.  (That is why GameStop remains on the shortlist - they are FASTER than EA/Origin as far as order processing goes - including on Origin-delivered titles; that they are also cheaper besides is icing.)  Further, GameStop/ImpulseDriven has titles that most retail GameStop locations don't - and will never - stock; anyone that visited an old Babbage's/Software etc. location (GameStop acquired Babbage's - which also ran the separate Software etc. sub-brand) will certainly recognize the turnover in terms of emphasis.

 

And there is the OTHER reason I prefer Origin (as a service) to Steam - unlike Steam, there is actually price competition within the same delivery system (at least in the US).

 

I hear you man, grew up on Babbage's, Software Etc., EB, and even Egghead. For sure online stores carry far more than physical retailers, there's no contest there.