Should You Pre-Order That Video Game? Let Us Help You Decide

Do You Definitely Want the Game?

As we approach the peak season for video game releases, there’s a good chance you’re trying to decide which games you want to spend your hard-earned cash on. On top of that, there’s the whole question of whether you should pre-order those games you’re most excited for. Well, fear not! We’re here to give you a helping hand with the decision process. Simply answer the questions by clicking on the answer that best matches you at the bottom of each page. Ignore the arrows up top, they only want to break the quiz and confuse you!

First and foremost, you shouldn’t be going ahead and putting money down on a game that you’re not 100% certain you want. While a trailer may be all some fans need to see to know they want to experience an upcoming title, others may want to hold out until reviews and other players have had their opinion on it.

If you’re not absolutely convinced you’re going to play the game immediately, or just want to play the game at all, you may want to reconsider putting down a pre-order.

I Absolutely Want the Game

I’m not 100% Sure

Does it have Pre-Order Bonuses?

If you know for a fact that you’re going to be picking up the game, the next thing you want to be thinking about is what putting a pre-order down does for you. Sure, you’ll guarantee yourself a copy, but considering you can get most games both physically and digitally now, stock shortage is, for the most part, a thing of the past when it comes to software.

To entice fans into pre-ordering, most developers or publishers now have a neat piece of digital content or a cool collectible to secure your hard-earned cash.

Yeah, it Has a Pre-Order Bonus

Nothing Here but a Guaranteed Copy

Do You Care About The Bonus?

Just because a game has a pre-order bonus doesn’t mean you need to be doing a Fry from Futurama and handing over fists full of cash without question. In most cases, pre-order bonus DLC is often made available a few months down the line for a couple bucks. Other times the bonus mission, outfit, weapon, or collectible just simply isn’t a good as you’d hoped.

It all comes down to whether you actually care about the pre-order bonus on offer. Not everything is going to appeal to you or will be worth taking the risk on the off chance that the game turns out to be a huge disappointment for you, so don’t let the shiny reward entice you into the wrong decision.

Heck Yeah, I want the Shiny Pre-Order Bonuses!

Meh, I can Do Without

Is it a Limited or Collector’s Edition?

When you start introducing Limited or Collector’s Editions of games into the mix, the question of whether or not you should pre-order gets a little trickier to answer.

You know, especially with Collector’s Editions, that there’s only going to be a finite amount. As such, the need to pre-order these editions tends to be much higher than just your average video game releases.

Yes, it’s a Limited/ Collector’s Edition

Nope, Just a Standard Copy

Will There be Limited Stock?

Each and every year, there are a number of games that sell millions of copies in its opening few weeks. While these are some pretty huge numbers, that doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily going to struggle to find a copy of the game. In fact, most of the biggest titles of the year will have more than enough copies to cope with the demand.

That isn’t always the case, though, as has been seen with the likes of Sleeping Dogs, and more recently, Nioh. If a game is a little more on the niche side, there’s probably a bigger chance that copies will be limited in order to allow the publisher to keep production costs down. Larger titles such as Call of Duty, Madden, or FIFA, however, are less likely to suffer from stock shortages, especially considering most are now available digitally.

It’s Niche, Stock Might Be Low

It’s a Huge Game, There’ll be Plenty of Copies to Go Around

Will You Have Major Regrets if You Miss Out?

While there’re few other things more exciting than opening a big special edition you’ve been waiting months for, it’s worth remembering that you are (in most cases) putting down a large sum of money for it. Other times, the idea of owning all the collectibles and additional content seems neat, but after unboxing it, it goes into the back of your closet for the rest of its days.

But then you have the select few Collector’s Editions that come packed with all the goodies you’ve ever dreamed of. Nothing will stop you from owning it, and you’ll proudly display the bag/ statue/ accessory for all to see. What category does this Limited/ Collector’s Edition fall under?

I Need it and Will Have Major Regrets if I Don’t Get it

It’s Cool, but I Don’t NEED it

No, Wait a While

Sure, that trailer or preview got you excited for that game arriving at the end of the year, but it hasn’t sold you completely, and that’s perfectly fine. Whether you just want to wait and see how the game shapes up in previews from your favorite critics, if the next trailer blows you away, or for full reviews to be released, you’re well within your right to do so. We advise sitting tight for a while before putting your pre-order down.

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No, There’s No Need

You cannot wait to get your hands on the game, but that doesn’t mean you have to or even should pre-order it. And in this case, you definitely shouldn’t. It’s not a special edition, doesn’t have a pre-order bonus, and there will be a ton of copies available at multiple retailers (not to mention your platform’s online store).

We advise steering clear of pre-ordering here. You’ve got nothing to gain, but if the game turns out to be a dud, you could be left regretting putting your money down so early.

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Maybe, Depends on Your Retailer Loyalty

While there might not be any bonuses for pre-ordering the game, you’ve arrived here because your anticipated game of choice is a little niche or, for one reason or another, might have a shortage of stock. Ultimately, shortage of stock isn’t a huge decider in whether you pre-order a game or not, as getting games digitally is getting faster and easier to do than ever before.

However, some players may really want a physical copy or might want to get their games from one particular retailer or store. If you’ve got some serious retailer loyalty, you might want to pre-order, but otherwise, you can probably get by just fine without.

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You’re Probably Better off Waiting

Limited and Collector’s Editions of games don’t come cheap, and that makes the whole pre-order process that much more of a risk when you need to put money down to secure it. If you’re not flush with cash right now, you’re probably best just holding fire and hoping you can pick one up if you have the money on the day.

Not everyone’s circumstances are the same, though, so if you happen to have more than enough cash to cover the cost of your pre-order without having to cut back elsewhere, go ahead and put the pre-order down if you really want that special edition.

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Pre-Order and Bag Yourself the Bonus!

If you’re already sure you’re going to be picking up the game and you get a cool pre-order bonus that you actually want all for paying in advance, what’s stopping you? It doesn’t matter that there’s going to be a ton of copies available on day one. You’ll want to be one of the first to play, and you’ll be rewarded for doing so. Sounds like a win win to us!

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Secure Your Special Edition and Put Those Fears to Rest

Whether it’s the sequel you’ve been waiting years for or a brand new IP that looks bigger and better than anything you’ve seen before, you just know you need this game. Its Collector’s Edition is filled to the rafters with neat digital and physical goodies, and it’s all at a decent price, too.

With all that in mind, go ahead and get your pre-order down as soon as you can. All you need to do is think back to how crazy Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition pre-orders were and you’ll realize how handy an early pre-order can be!

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