Pre-order DLC Now Available for Purchase

(thesuzukimethod) #161

that’s the power of a dynamic market. I would argue that rather than having lost an original purpose, it’s a bit of a dance, and the current scenario(s) is(are) at the point where the cynical and/or savvy consumer has reason to think critically about the process…while the average consumer probably doesnt give a ****. Now that pre-orders are ubiquitous (or almost so) I’d love to see the percentage numbers of the pre-order codes that are NEVER redeemed. People who dont care, dont access the PS store, etc etc. etc. I wouldnt be shocked if it’s 50%, as crazy as that sounds.

(Jimmy James) #162

I believe a couple of the original reasons for the pre-order are still valid today:

  1. Publishers can use the pre-order statistics to predict the total sales of the product on release.

  2. The developers can start bringing in revenue as soon as possible.

This morning I sarcastically referred to the pre-order bonus packs as “Customization Packs” and Throbblefoot replied: “Pfft, renaming a product because you decide to re-purpose it is weak.”

-JJ

(thesuzukimethod) #163

Certainly still valid, but as companies have shifted towards more aggressive measures**, it’s logical for consumers to think about whether a pre-order is actually a good deal (critical of the entire process, as it stands now), or at least think about which one…

**i think it’s safe to say that multiple pre-order bonuses that vary by retailer are not meant simply to reward early purchasers, but encourage either multiple purchases OR competition amongst retailers for the best bonus…the former is good for the dev/publishers, while the latter is (marginally) better for the consumer (arguable? on the internet, of course)

(BROTOX) #164

If it’s not about money then it must be about not feeling as special because everyone has access to your preorder gear, which ultimately is a pretty selfish reason. I preordered at gamestop because they are the closest and most convenient. I didn’t like the doom pack but I wasn’t about to cancel my preorder and run around town trying to find out who carries what pack… let alone buy multiple copies of the game to get all the POC. Neither was I willing to risk dealing with shady people on the internet to buy codes which would be another inconvenience. My point is that I preordered too just like you but I still want access to the other POC without having to go through hell and highwater to get it. Putting them in the store is the best way to make the POC available to everyone and make a little extra money out of it. Hence, I don’t see what the problem is and I’m honestly having a hard time understanding how some of you are making such a big deal about it screaming bloody murder claiming you’ve been betrayed and will never buy another SD game again. Really? Give me a break.

(Hot-Wire) #165

I take a shot each time someone says it is the principal of it.

Please don’t kill me.

(Jimmy James) #166

Yes, exactly! Thank you. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult to get people to understand this.

-JJ

(wolfnemesis75) #167

Now that they’ve made the Pre-order DLC available for everyone, what they need to do is add some stuff into the game for the people who’ve put in a ton of time and garnered a bunch of EXP. Something money can’t buy, only stick-to-it-ness. :slight_smile:

(Kurushi) #168

Come on, we all know we order this stuff to feel special, you’re not telling us anything new there…

(Dragnerok X) #169

Now that they’ve made the Pre-order DLC available for everyone, what they need to do is add some stuff into the game for the people who’ve put in a ton of time and garnered a bunch of EXP. Something money can’t buy, only stick-to-it-ness. :slight_smile:

LOL then the servers would be full of idlers.

(wolfnemesis75) #170

[QUOTE=Dragnerok X;375171]LOL then the servers would be full of idlers.[/QUOTE]You don’t get much Exp for sitting idle. Just make it 1 Million EXP. :slight_smile:

(Jimmy James) #171

I hate to contradict you but I was able to make 500K xp while I slept.

-JJ

(Cep) #172

[QUOTE=zenstar;374803]It’s not the money that’s the issue. I personally don’t mind too much that they released the dlc. I would have liked it to remain exclusive as a thank you for those who invested money early but the actual release isn’t a massive deal to me. I do mind that they package it in such a way that anyone who did preorder has to basically “rebuy” their preorder. Not to mention that some people did pay extra for their preorder content: GAME.co.uk was selling the preorder + bonuses for more than a preorder without bonuses. Also: their gave 2 bonuses (not 1) and the way the bonuses are packaged means that anyone who preorder those bonuses has to still buy both packs which means that they pay for 4 but get 2.
How is that fair in any way? Just because you don’t feel screwed on the deal doesn’t mean that people aren’t getting screwed on the deal.

As for the exclusivity: why shouldn’t something remain exclusive? Plenty of games have exclusive rewards for all sorts of things. L4D2 has the baseball bat for preorder customers. MNC has the cardboard tube samurai for PAX attendees. SD/Beth could have released the greeneye scope to everyone and then there’d be no valid “unbalanced bonuses” reason to release the DLC. Part of why I preorder things (not necessarily a big part, but still a part) is to pick up the pre-order bonus which I expect to either be an exclusive bonus or to have some nice incentive (such as 1st content expansion free to preorders). Releasing the bonuses as 2 packs in the way they have means it costs more per outfit for those of us that preordered. Is that the thanks we get for coughing up the full price before the game was released? That doesn’t seem like much of a bonus to me.
And when did it have to be practical to own all the bonuses? If you play a CCG and wanted to own a full set it’s generally not very practical to collect it all. That’s the price you pay for wanting completeness. And there are people who bought multiple copies to get multiple bonuses.

And the “you didn’t pay for the DLC” argument doesn’t hold water either. As I stated some places charged for the preorder bonus and even if they didn’t we paid by putting up money without receiving goods for a while. Not only does that mean interest is accrued on that money that we didn’t get but it also means that the publishers/developers get our money to help them finish the game and (econimically speaking) that makes our payment worth more because it comes at a time when the devs/publisher wouldn’t have otherwise made money from the product.
And the reason why some places were allowed to charge for their DLC is most likely due to Beth’s contracts & exclusivity deals. I do not blame a store for charging for something when their allowed to but they should have been contractually obligated to give the bonuses away free with preorders if they were meant to be “free incentives to preorder” otherwise what they are are day 1 DLC which is not a good thing.

As I have stated before: If they’d released the bonuses seperately then they wouldn’t have caused this mess (as much of a mess) and fewer people would have felt burnt. I’m glad you enjoy your new outfits but you have to realise that this leaves a sour taste in some of our mouthes, and your blind refusal to see that there may be an issue (along with your barely veiled name calling) does not help people calm down about the issue. It may get them to keep quiet because they tire of repeating the same simple to understand point but they will walk away less likely to support the game or any other game coming from Bethesda or SD because they will feel like they got the raw end of the deal.

So after all that I still assert that your opinion is not gospel and there are valid reasons for people to be upset by either the release of the bonuses as DLC or the way they are released. It’s nice that you’re happy about it. Not everyone is. Telling everyone who doesn’t share the same opinion as you to “get over it” is basically inconsiderate and rude especially when they have a valid concern.

For full transparency: I did preorder, but I went through steam which means I got the spec ops pack only. I refuse to buy the bonus DLC because I’m not paying for 4 items only to receive 3 on principal that that is a bad deal which has either been put together maliciously or negligently and I don’t like supporting hucksters or morons. If this is truly a mistake then they need to know how people feel so they can rectify it.

BTW: I do like the way you wave away valid complaints as “soiling their daipers” and “feeling less special”. I bet you don’t even know what an Ad Hominem attack is.[/QUOTE]

This is bang on since because of what has happened not only am I not going to buy Skryim when it comes out I am telling all my friends and colleagues to avoid Beth products for the exact same reason. In addition I am also never buying anything SD produces in future associated with this publisher and on top of that I’ll never trust SD on pre-order ever again either. So SD/Beth is the damage to your reputation really worth the few extra quid you bring in from this betrayal? I doubt it.

(Dragnerok X) #173

So SD/Beth is the damage to your reputation really worth the few extra quid you bring in from this betrayal? I doubt it.

Seeing as how the DLC has been out for 5 days now, there isn’t much SD/Bethesda can do about it, even if they wanted to.

(iezza) #174

could change the packs around so that Special editioners dont get screwed up the ass

(Hot-Wire) #175

No skin off my back since only the UK got the special edition anyways. Chances are the special edition was a gamestation exclusive pack. If it was then your complaint is with them, not SD.

I mean Gamestop here always has their gamestop bundles or exclusive packs, which they package themselves.

(BROTOX) #176

You act like they raped your sister. What’s wrong with you? Have fun with your boycott and smear campaign. Don’t pass out from blowing your rape whistle too hard.

(zenstar) #177

[QUOTE=Hot-Wire;375205]No skin off my back since only the UK got the special edition anyways. Chances are the special edition was a gamestation exclusive pack. If it was then your complaint is with them, not SD.

I mean Gamestop here always has their gamestop bundles or exclusive packs, which they package themselves.[/QUOTE]

Actually the complaint would be with Bethesda since they contract out who is allowed to do what (and also probably decided on the bundling) but it’s not only the people who got 2 preorders that are getting screwed. They just get it more.
Lets say each bundle costs $2. For someone without a preorder bonus buying all 4 additional costumes costs $4 which means $1 per costume.
If you have 1 preorder bonus then it costs you $4 to buy 3 additional costumes which means each costume costs $1.33.
If you have 2 preorder bonuses then 2 additional costumes costs you $4 which means each costume cost you $2.

Notice how The preorder people get screwed while the people who were late to the game get all the thanks? And it’s not about the cash. It’s about Bethesda being money-grubbing soulless cash-leeches. I can happily afford the costumes but I won’t because I don’t think Beth should get away with this.

Bethesda and SD have handled this release abysmally. There has been radio silence about issues until just before they announce the fix. They don’t tell us what’s going on. The actual release was plagued with bugs. The UK couldn’t get the game on Steam post release because of exclusivity deals (that only ended just before the DLC) and probably cost them a hefty amount of PC players. And now they’re screwing the preorder customers? It doesn’t matter how much they’re screwing us or how much it costs to screw us, but they are screwing us.

If noone does anything about it and blindly keeps giving their cash over then eventually Bethesda will be knocking on your door and you’ll be waking up in a tub of ice with a missing kidney and some horse armour DLC. I doubt SD is to blame much in this except they have to know who they’re in bed with. Personally I’m sick and tired of dealing with Bethesda and will be wary of any game from their stables from now on (including Rage).

Wow. Could you be more of a condescending ass? Seriously dude. If you can’t put together a valid argument that is cogent and on topic then maybe you should go back to arguing with pre-school children. Thet’s about your challenge level.

(Jimmy James) #178

[QUOTE=zenstar;375239]
Notice how The preorder people get screwed while the people who were late to the game get all the thanks? And it’s not about the cash. It’s about Bethesda being money-grubbing soulless cash-leeches. I can happily afford the costumes but I won’t because I don’t think Beth should get away with this.[/QUOTE]
This is how I feel. It’s like the people who pre-ordered the game got punished instead of rewarded. WTF?!?!

-JJ

(DarkangelUK) #179

Not me, I got a special steelbox that can’t be downloaded :smiley: