What Do You Do Before A Game Releases?

[RepentantSky]

I don't know why I do this before a game comes out, but suddenly everything else I own becomes boring, and I feel a need to try something new in the last few days before release. Since I'm usually pretty low on cash, that mostly means I end up finding a free to play game on my PS4 and/or Switch now, or some mobile game to keep me from going crazy, and then drop said game and never play it again once the game I'm waiting for is out. It's a weird pointless cycle and yet I always, always do it. It got me thinking though, what things does everyone here do in anticipation of a big release?

Do you play other games that are from the same series if that's an option? Or maybe something similar to the game you are about to get? Or do you do something drastic and totally break down and stop gaming altogether until said release is out? I'm generally interested to know.

[ryvrdrgn14]

I don't really pay attention to when a new game is released since I wait for a lot of post-release reviews before even considering it. It doesn't affect my enjoyment of the titles I am currently playing. The last game I bought on release day was maybe the Cataclysm expansion for World of Warcraft back when I was still playing it.

[TelperionST]

I'm usually reminded that I should play the previous game in the series, so I know how to play the new one. For example, Tropico 6 is getting released in a couple of months.

[jwarrenviola]

I research what is known about it, and then wait for post release updates/ sales. I got kind of burned on mass effect andromeda when I preordered it, not to say I didn’t enjoy it, probably one of the few that stick by it, despite it’s bugs. It was the discontinued support and well failure to deliver on dlc. Hopefully a couple years pass and this title can be reborn properly. Only title I’m considering preordering and that’s still iffy, is cyberpunk 2077 and maybe the Star Wars title by respawn.

[Saskia]

Schedule two weeks off work, and make sure the fridge is fully stocked so I don't have to leave the house.

[Saskia]

Now that sounds like fun! Ahh the good old days of WoW.
The last time I took a break from work for a game release was when Battle for Azeroth came out. That was a good time, but it got old fairly quickly and now I don't play WoW any more at all lol.

[TelperionST]

I did that once
No Man's Sky.

I played the game for about 12 hours nonstop and then uninstalled it the following morning.
That was a learning opportunity like few others in my entire lifetime.

To be fair, I have heard that No Man's Sky has gotten heavily updated since then. I'm tempted to reinstall the game and see how it plays now.

[Saskia]

Ouch, uninstalled after 12 hours....that's disappointing. I never played NMS but the graphics style really impressed me.

[James27]

Most of the time I'm keeping my head down trying to finish what games I've got and working through my Steam wishlist. When a new game I want to get is released it's simply added to my ever-growing list of games to get. Luckily, there aren't a huge number of games I'm looking forward to at this time.

[Valkenr]

Previously, if I was mostly in online-only games, so pre-release was almost always some open-beta or head-start event.
Now, my anticipation has been killed by deceptive business practices, so I don't really pay attention to new game coverage. I watch very few titles these days, mostly PS4 exclusives and Nintendo series', as they are being less scummy.

[isturbo1984]

Not trying to lecture you, op, but this is why it is important to beat the games we play. I can make a multitude of arguments, but relevant to the topic, simply playing through and beating a game puts your library through an elimination process so you don't feel bored of what you currently own. We all have a limited amount of time and money. Focus on the good games. Ignore the new or old status of titles.

Going off what I just said, If there is an upcoming release of a game I want, I'm prepped. I already don't buy tons of day one releases. So if I do at full price, it is because I am going to be playing it right away. So I clear my gaming schedule to make sure there is a spot open for it when the time comes by making sure I beat one of the games in my "now playing." It's not good to have too much on the plate. And if I don't manage to finish what I've started by the release date, I wait until there is a spot before putting the new game in. Yes, it can be torture with a day one purchase in plastic wrap sitting in front of me for sometimes days. This is how I don't go stir crazy and managed to beat 42 games last year.

Figured I'd say a little something on the subject since when I posted my number in the "beaten games" thread, a lot of people freaked out and accused me of lying or just having too much free time on my hands, lol.

[Animusisters]

Eat, sleep, breathe, work, the usual stuff.

[RepentantSky]

Not trying to lecture you, op, but this is why it is important to beat the games we play. I can make a multitude of arguments, but relevant to the topic, simply playing through and beating a game puts your library through an elimination process so you don't feel bored of what you currently own. We all have a limited amount of time and money. Focus on the good games. Ignore the new or old status of titles.

Going off what I just said, If there is an upcoming release of a game I want, I'm prepped. I already don't buy tons of day one releases. So if I do at full price, it is because I am going to be playing it right away. So I clear my gaming schedule to make sure there is a spot open for it when the time comes by making sure I beat one of the games in my "now playing." It's not good to have too much on the plate. And if I don't manage to finish what I've started by the release date, I wait until there is a spot before putting the new game in. Yes, it can be torture with a day one purchase in plastic wrong sitting in front of me for sometimes days. This is how I don't go stir crazy and managed to beat 42 games last year.

Figured I'd say a little something on the subject since when I posted my number in the "beaten games" thread, a lot of people freaked out and accused me of lying or just having too much free time on my hands, lol.

You might be surprised to know that I've never bought a game I didn't put at least 25 hours into if there was enough content for that to be possible. I play a lot of RPG's, and rarely do I not finish them. I once bought 4 in about two weeks, and because I planned a vacation around that time actually unintentionally, due to some moved release dates, I ended up beating them all. My point in telling you that, is that I do beat most of the games I buy, and is pretty unfair and presumptuous of you to assume that just because I said other games get boring that I didn't already finish them once, or in some cases even more. It's like you're looking down on me because I like getting new games I'm excited to play and that's really not cool.

The point of this thread wasn't for people like you to come off all high mighty, but simply to ask what you do when you are getting a new game, which is actually why I wonder why so many people have been saying "I don't buy a lot of games new for this and such reason" If that's the case, this thread isn't for you, and certainly isn't for someone who going to assume things and lecture people based on that presumption you clearly had going in. People like you are exactly why assuming makes an ass out you and me.

[isturbo1984]

Don't take it personally. It isn't unfair to presume that you don't beat your games. The vast, vast majority of "gamers" don't. And everyone knows it. But you do beat your games, so that is cool. Unless you are lying, which would explain why you got so offended. I was mostly speaking of myself anyway. I have the same struggles I am preaching against, just so you know. But in any case, now that that's cleared up you can relax, lol.

But just to inform you of the nature of threads and responses, if I wanted to slow jerk my cock while I responded, that is my prerogative. I answered the question you presented in the original post and stayed on topic. So again, fucking relax, man.

[Lehran]

Research, lots of research. Is the Dev's/Publisher's reputation trustworthy? How much actual gameplay has been shown vs useless trailers? Are they confident enough in what they made to allow the reviews to release before the games set release date? Does the game have a demo? Were there any major issues during development?

[Murray]

Depends on the game really. Most games, I pay little attention to before release. If they release and turn out to be really good, I consider having a closer look and eventually buy it.

If a game is on its way and I'm really looking forward to it, I might be doing some less smart things, like preordering or buying the game on release etc. This doesn't happen too often. It's usually things like like the Souls/Borne games. Latest game I did this for was Monster Hunter: World on PS4. Luckily that game turned out to be my favourite game of 2018, so no harm, no foul.

[Spacewolff]

Not too long ago I felt the same with the waiting, but lately I’ve used it as an excuse to knock out my massive backlog.

[Irritablesquid]

I don't pay attention to when games come out, I don't buy them until at least a month after release anyway.
I never rush through games so chances are I'm still playing the last game I got.

Worst case scenario I'll just replay something, I do that if there isn't any games I want. That's becoming more common now, with all the things publishers are doing now.

[ollie191]

I usually just keep myself occupied with games I already own until I'm comfortable buying something new. Since I only really play single player games, I'm happy to wait a few weeks/months (depending on how excited I am for it).

There have been multiple cases of me buying on a whim and not actually enjoying the game I got (NMS, Fallout 4 (it was the first Fallout game I'd ever played and wasn't a fan of the gamplay)) but there are cases where I've been so desperate for a game that I've bought at almost full price (e.g. Nier: Automata, Spider-Man PS4). So I guess what I'm saying is it really depends, but more often than not it's recommended you just play a game from your backlog - lord knows I have tons of them in mine - and wait a month or two before getting a game. If it's died out of relevance by then, that says a lot