Watch an ad for the latest video game, and you'll spot those familiar words at the end: "Pre-order now!"
It seems every publisher urges you to pay months before release. As gaming enthusiasts with years of experience tracking industry trends, we're here to explain why skipping pre-orders is smarter.
Pre-ordering means paying for a game before launch, whether physical or digital.
For physical copies, stores like GameStop typically require a $5 deposit to reserve, with the balance due at pickup. Amazon charges your card fully upon shipping.
Digital pre-orders on PlayStation Store charge immediately. Xbox uses your account balance right away, or bills your card about 10 days pre-launch.
Here are the key pitfalls, drawn from real-world examples like those in our coverage of 6 Ways Modern Games Ruined the Fun (and How to Fix Them).
Pre-orders rely on trailers and hype, without reviews, YouTube playthroughs, or hands-on demos.
Trailers often don't reflect the final product. No Man's Sky (2016) exemplifies this—hyped as a procedural space epic (see our piece on No Man's Sky and the Future of Procedural Games), it launched missing promised features. Developers stayed silent amid backlash, with one Reddit user listing absent content.
Screenshots and videos were pre-rendered "shots," misleading buyers who paid full price.
AAA games launch at $60, excluding DLC (learn more in The Story of Gaming's Downloadable Content). Prices drop fast, especially for underperformers.
No Man's Sky now sells for $20 after updates. Games often hit $20 within months. I snagged Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for $12 last week—full game ($60 original), The Frozen Wilds ($20), and extras.
Pre-order discounts have vanished: Amazon Prime shifted from 20% off to $10 credits on select titles; Best Buy's Gamer's Club 20% is gone. Digital PS4 pre-orders are non-refundable ("except where required by law"), unlike Xbox.
Pre-orders guarantee sales, letting publishers skip quality focus (as seen with big studios in Big Game Companies Are Killing the Video Game Industry). Assassin's Creed Unity launched broken yet sold millions.
Demos are rare—why bother with guaranteed buys? Betas go to pre-orderers. Retail-exclusive missions fragment content (Watch Dogs needed a spreadsheet to track). Deus Ex: Mankind Divided's tiered bonuses were scrapped after backlash, but highlight publisher greed.
Pre-orders solved stock issues in the past, but hits like Call of Duty ensure plenty of copies. Digital options eliminate shortages.
Extras like missions, cosmetics, or statues sound appealing but are often scams (check These 7 Game Pre-Order Bonuses Are Total Scams). Missions hit "complete editions" later; cosmetics are superficial; my Fallout 4 Pip-Boy edition was a regretful gimmick. Sonic Lost World's 25 extra lives? Pay-to-win nonsense.
Even favorites flop: Resident Evil 6 panned universally; Sonic Forces disappointed (Sonic the Hedgehog Story: Beloved Pet or Better Forgotten?); Batman: Arkham Knight's PC port was unplayable at launch.
Every game risks disappointment. Wait for reviews.
Rarely: for obscure imports or digital pre-loads (with slow internet). But reviews trump midnight launches.
It's cash upfront for them. Join /r/PatientGamers for older titles. Save with tips from 5 Great Ways to Save Money on Games.
