How long do you wait to buy a game and why?

[TCO]

When a big game (like civ3) comes out, do you buy it ASAP or wait a while? I hear a lot of whining and moaning when people buy games and are dissapointed, but people don't seem to learn. What goes into your calculation of when to buy a game?

[KrazyHorse]

Where's the "I steal the games until I decide if I like them enough to reward their makers with my money" option?

[TCO]

aaaaah. I forgot that one.

I guess put yourself under the people who wait before buying because they don't want to spend too much money.

[loinburger]

Most of the time I don't really care one way or another about a game (even a lot of games that I cared about at one point in time go under this category, like Civ3 or MoO3). Once in awhile I'll actually care about a game, but will wait for the reviews to come out before purchasing it. The only times I ever buy a game ASAP are when I've got a bit of cash flow, I've been happy with the game series in the past, and I've no reason to believe that the game series is deviating so significantly from its previous mechanics that I ought to wait and see if the new title is really an "improvement" or is actually a step backwards.

I preordered Morrowind, something I've never done with a game before, because I was happy with Arena and Daggerfall and saw no reason why I would be unhappy with Morrowind. I might be tempted to preorder Thief 3 or Deus Ex 2 for the same reason, assuming I've got cash flow at that time (something that is less than certain given my less than certain future). I was dubious of Civ 3 and MoO3, as with most other games that I'm moderately or even intensely interested in--I had no real confidence in the final product, so I reserved judgment.

[Skanky Burns]

I might be tempted to preorder Thief 3 or Deus Ex 2

Same here, both Thief 1 and 2 were excellent, Deus Ex was also excellent. Some of the same people are working on the sequals, so all in all I'm confident that they will be great games.

For everything else, I'm gonna see what others say about them.

[TCO]

I put myself in the diffident category. I should really be in the I don't buy games. Have only bought Civ2...

[Imran Siddiqui]

It depends on the game. Some games I follow from early on, and get them as soon as they come out, by preorder, or just run to the store on that day.

Others I wait until I get reviews to see if it is what I want.

[notyoueither]

Grog want civ NOW!!!!

[Scouse Gits]

The only game I have ever pre-ordered was Civ3 - guess I won't be repeating that venture anytime soon :sad:
I got SE4 pretty much as soon as it came out - since I knew it would not be in the shops and I would not get to see it around - a good game, but it doesn't get much play.

Games like Pool of Radience, BG I & II, Fallout I & II very rapidly went on my 'must buy' list and were probably obtained about a month after release (in the UK)

I have a bad case of the I wants for Morrowind - I believe it is now avaialbe in the US - and probably for Neverwinter Nights - other than this sort of thing I brouse the discount bins ...

(I voted third down the list)

SG[1]

[Jethro83]

Depends on the game. If it was something that is said to be an innovator, like Red Faction, or Deus Ex, I'd probably buy it right away (if it could run on my dinosaur). If it is just another one in the pack, like Red Alert 2, I wait until they hit bargain bin prices before I think about getting it.

As for others, I download them off the internet, and try it out. If I like what I see, I buy it.

And others still, are ones I download off abandonware sites (look around for them, there's plenty of old gems around those sites).

[Urban Ranger]

Nowadays I usually want to try out the demos, or preferably, the fulll game. If I like it, then I buy it.

[Mercator]

With a few exceptions, I've never really been up to date with game releases anyway... I usually only notice when I see reviews, demos etc. I then often read quite a few reviews or any sort of opinions about a game (but I don't often actively look for them), if there's a demo I usually play that to death first (if it is worth playing to death of course). Finally I go find the game and see how expensive it is. If I'm in the mood, I'll buy it.

[Grrr]

I download or get a pirate burnt.

[St Leo]

I paid an arm and a leg for Europa Universalis II and Warlords Battlecry II and they were <b>worth it</b>. However, publishers won't see me shelling out $70 CAD for crud like Heroes IV even though I might buy it for $30 CAD.

[Standup]

And what about the "I live in Europe so we get most games a month after their release in N America" ?

Actually that's not always a bad thing as it gives you a chance to read US reviews and some games (Trade Empires + EU2 spring to mind) even come pre patched or with extra scenarios.