Gaming Spending Habits

[Starscream]

Do you spend too much on gaming?

How do you manage your "gaming fix" when you're "jonesing" for that latest release game?

Can you really justify paying the higher cost of that collector's edition over the normal edition?

Having a quick scan of the latest catalogues for this Christmas season, there are some quality titles and some great console bundles.

For me, I usually save and buy the gaming stuff I want. I usually look in the bargain bins and get some decent titles at bargain prices from online retailers. And thank goodness for ecogamer.com and backlog of games I have to clear. :/

In saying that, I think I've spent a bit too much this year. :(

Collector's editions are nice but when comparing our (Western) CE's against the Japanese CEs, they are really crap. Two classic examples would be MGS3 on PS2 and Valkyria Chronicles on PS3. I've only bought 3 CE games: Gears 2, RE5 and SFIV.

And who pays full RRP for a game these days? Lucky those who are in the industry and get "promo" games.

Trading in games to get the latest release isn't an option as our gaming collection is shared amongst the family. And by that time it's usually made it on the JB exclusion list.

And FTR, I don't use the 7 day rental at EB games.

2010 is going to be killer year for gaming with a lot of anticipated game sequels coming out. Ouch.

[grimace06]

I wish I could spend more on games but I still manage to buy games regularly, they're rarely brand new releases but I like to fill out my collection with a bit of back log. I never trade-in anymore.

Some CE's I buy, some I miss out on. I don't like how every new release has one these days

[Readman]

I pretty much only buy games from GoG.com and download freeware indie games these days.

Aside from those, the only commercial game I play is Civ. Would like to play Dragon Age but my computer is too shit.

[AranchineD]

The way things are going it seems it's going to be necessary to buy CE's just to get the full game FFS.


But yep, I won't buy a new game on release unless I really, really, really want to play it as soon as possible, and unless it's an RPG I'll probably buy it from EB so I can then abuse the hell out of the 7-day return for a few other games. And that first game I'll probably pay with a few trade-ins.\ too.

Otherwise I'll wait til it's like $50 or under, generally.

[Readman]

What's a CE?

[AranchineD]

Cash Edition

[Starscream]

Cash Edition
and/or Collector's Edition.

[Readman]

The Chinese word for cash is 现金, which roughly translates to 'on-the-spot gold'.

Edit: collector is 收藏家

[adam_91vn]

Never buy collectors additions. I don't pay more than I need to. If I can find it cheaper on a forum then I buy it from there.

Lately though with Big W, DSE etc lowering the prices for new releases I didn't mind paying $77 for Forza, borderlands and MW2

[MacGuyver]

I don't buy collectors editions either and I'll always check on the internet first to find out who's selling for the cheapest. I don't mind buying from overseas or from eBay either as long as the game and seller are legit. Of course it also helps that my platform of choice at the moment is the 360 and not all of its games are region locked.

Because of this however I've now got more games than I know what to do with. I've become really weak willed when it comes to stupidly cheap sales like Play Asia's game of the week or some of the crazy prices at Fishpond and other internet games stores.

Just because a game is cheap doesn't mean I'll buy it though, I don't buy crap but a cheap price might persuade me into trying something that I know is meant to be pretty good but might have slipped under my radar otherwise. I'll always read up on it first!

[Beinkasaurus Rex]

I purchase games impulsively. Never really spend over 80 dollars, or I at least try to avoid doing so.

[oogi2000]

Regarding CEs, I am a sucker for good soundtracks and art books. If it is just a free weapon or a shitty DVD with the trailers I can get from the net, I get the regular release.

I am a bit of an impulse-buying whore regarding games, it just depends on my budget for the week. I delude myself into thinking it is OK as I don't smoke and don't drink enough. :D

Yeah, and anything Resident Evil is pretty much an automatic purchase regardless of price.

[Mr.Mew]

Yeah, and anything Resident Evil is pretty much an automatic purchase regardless of price.

Same. Picked up The Darkside Chronicles with the Wii Zapper recently just because I could, now I'm behind on fundings for Christmas presants. I'd planned to buy it next year.

I buy fairly often, I wouldn't say compulsive, but if there's a game I'm gunning for then I put it in front of everything else (Everything else being vehicle registration, credit for my modular celltronic phone). Thankfully I have a fairly specific choice for my video games, there's a lot of genres I don't care about which whittles down the selection nicely. Recently however I've been spotting a lot of Wii games which I've heard nothing about that I just want to pick up and play. So I suppose I'm in decent control of my spending habits for video games.

That said, it's easy to drop 300 bucks into my favorite GAME store.

[Bokracroc]

I'll drop money on a CE if it has something I like in it but I won't buy a CE for the sake of having a CE.
I'll also generally look-up on a game if I see something unfamiliar in store that catches my attention.

[9warbane]

Do you spend too much on gaming?

No where near as I used to. I must of spent at least $500 when EB were getting rid of their gamecube games. Now it's about 1 game a month on pc.

How do you manage your "gaming fix" when you're "jonesing" for that latest release game?

I generally don't play newer games. Found it amazing people were paying $110 for batman.

Can you really justify paying the higher cost of that collector's edition over the normal edition?
No. The only CE I've got is farcry 2 and that's because it was cheaper then the regular edition at the time.

And FTR, I don't use the 7 day rental at EB games.

Same. Only been playing pc games, so I don't think they would like me doing that, what with the whole activation key and internet activation thingo.

[Zan]

Games no.

Sticks, screens, recording equipment etc yes.

[Second]

If I want something, I'll buy it. I don't want a lot of things though.

I'll buy CE if it has more in-game content or it's got a wicked art book I'm interested in. I don't really give a shit about Tin cases or other random crap.

I'll tend to pay whatever the local places are offering. I don't really care enough about ~$20 to really go out of my way just to get a game.

[Stevorooni]

I've been better this year, only getting the titles at launch that I really want and holding off on the others, I've also started taking advantage of some of the less crappy trade deals, especially using any freebie retail games I've scored.

Having said that I did walk into a shopping centre on Saturday to get a quilt cover and came out with a copy of Rock Band and the full band kit of Band Hero >_> BUT THEY WERE BARGAINS! and I've been itching for a plastic drum kit but didn't want the crappy editions (RB1 or World Tour versions). I also got the quilt cover, it owns.

[Readman]

How much do people spend on consoles?

As in, hardcore gamers - do you just buy every console that comes out and keep an expensive PC as well?

[Mr.Mew]

I was planning on getting the Bayonetta Climax Edition even though I don't want the game. Just for the replica Scarborough Fair. Thankfully I don't think I'll have any money around that time.

do you just buy every console that comes out and keep an expensive PC as well?

More or less, only I think my PC ranks moderately expensive to how much a Hardcore PC would cost.

[REQUIEM]

How Much ? = Way too much

Special Editions ? = Not unless they are the same cost or within $10


After nearly 30 years of gaming I dont want to think how much I have spent.

[Starscream]

Not going to buy any more consoles on launch date. By that time, I will still be trying to clear my current backlog. :<

[Dr Skinnybones]

I spend too much on games. I know this simply because I have more games than I need.

I rarely buy new releases unless it's something I've been waiting some time for. AC2, ODST and RB: Beatles were new. Everything else has to be under $50. Simply there are too many awesome games out there for cheap to justify full RRP.

I rarely go for CE. Often the goodies are poorly made and in-game items are cosmetic (although this seems to be changing). I'll go for the steelbooks if they are within $10 of the regular version.

I don't do trade-ins, the effort doesn't justify the ends. I'd brefer something to hit the bargain bin than trawl around a dozen stores looking for trade bait. Games in my collection are most likely on the exclusions list due to age or being too awesome to trade.

Usually I'm not an early adopter of hardware. High entry cost, and absence of killer apps usually stay my wallet. Exceptions are the Xbox, which I bought when it was dropped to $400 w/ Halo a month or so after release and the Wii, bought a month after release. Just had to play Wii Sports.

I really hope this gen stays around for a while. My time and interest in games is changing. While I have much more income to blow on gaming than ever before, I don't have the same want to do so. Nostalgia speaking: I miss owning only one console and a handful of games and loving the absolute sh** outta it. No point in owning all the great games of a generation if you don't have the time to absolutely love them.

[enrique]

Nostalgia speaking: I miss owning only one console and a handful of games and loving the absolute sh** outta it. No point in owning all the great games of a generation if you don't have the time to absolutely love them.


So true-I can definitely identify with that.

How much do I spend on games? Not enough recently-just havent had the coin. :(

My spending habits have certainly changed over the years. In years gone by I would be buying games a lot more frequently and was much more of an impulse buyer. These days I buy new releases if its something I've been waiting for and really want badly. I've got more into the habit of waiting for prices to fall, hardly shop at EB or Game unless they pricematch. The larger department stores have some pretty good prices these days so that's where I find most of my bargains and often close to release too.

CE? Rarely although as has been said before it depends on whats included and not just in game content either. A well put together book etc can make the difference over an in game bonus (e.g car, weapon) in my eyes. I wish companies would put more effort into this, it would make more CE's worth buying.

Trade ins? Not very often, with trade values so crap I'd rather hang onto my games and get some enjoyment out of them even if they're not something I play often compared to my favourites in my collection.

[Australian Ninja]

I wait up to six months and then buy just about any game I want for under $50, either at kmart, big w or the various reputable US / UK online dealers, many of which I was referred to by these very forums.

Some games I just wait like 1-2 years and then buy them - like recently bought a new copy of Odin Sphere off ebay for $20. There's always games in my closet that I have "yet to play" so I've never been too interested in the newest thing (i just rent it), although I did buy As. Creed 2 full price recently after renting it for two days.

I think I've probably paid for about 5 full price retail games in the last ten years.
One was Paper Mario on N64, one was San Andreas on PS2 (when it was banned in oz), and the rest I forget.

[Mr.Mew]

Now might be a good time to point out the contradiction in an older issue of Hyper, where one article insisted you buy CE's for the extra videogame merchandise while another feature on saving money on games said to wait for the price on titles to come down.

Unfortunately I can't stand waiting past release for prices to drop, and sometimes they just don't drop for a very... very long time.

[Starscream]

....
My time and interest in games is changing. While I have much more income to blow on gaming than ever before, I don't have the same want to do so. Nostalgia speaking: I miss owning only one console and a handful of games and loving the absolute sh** outta it. No point in owning all the great games of a generation if you don't have the time to absolutely love them.

Agreed. Money rich and time poor.

...
CE? Rarely although as has been said before it depends on whats included and not just in game content either. A well put together book etc can make the difference over an in game bonus (e.g car, weapon) in my eyes. I wish companies would put more effort into this, it would make more CE's worth buying...

So true. Got the SFIV CE AU version only because orders for the US CE version had run out and the normal version had sold out. :( FTR SFIV didn't get a CE version in Japan, you only got the free movie if you bought on release day.

And I can't really justify the price of CE games these days. Unless (I have the opportunity and the cash) I would buy the Japanese versions of certain games I really really want.

*cries at not being able to buy MGS3 and Valkyria Chronicles CE versions*


Now might be a good time to point out the contradiction in an older issue of Hyper, where one article insisted you buy CE's for the extra videogame merchandise while another feature on saving money on games said to wait for the price on titles to come down.

LOL

[Campdog]

This year i don't think i have bought one single game in this country. They have all been imports from either the US or UK as its been cheaper.

I don't mind CE's as long as there is something good in it. Like a soundtrack/art book i would like. Got the Demon's Souls CE this year and it was Awesome! Wouldn't get one if it only had in game items. I feel like Ive been ripped off if i have to pay extra for something that should have been in the original game imo.

[Xanafalgue]

I buy based on hype. They system works!

[Australian Ninja]

Now might be a good time to point out the contradiction in an older issue of Hyper, where one article insisted you buy CE's for the extra videogame merchandise while another feature on saving money on games said to wait for the price on titles to come down.

Unfortunately I can't stand waiting past release for prices to drop, and sometimes they just don't drop for a very... very long time.

What world are you living in? You can get practically anything these days a few months after release for half price or less.

[Mr.Mew]

Really? So Call of Duty 4 didn't remain at the $100 margin for ages after release where you are? The Umbrella Chronicles is another title that wouldn't budge for a long time. And very much ever retailer I've set foot in insists on selling Twilight Princess for nothing less than 80 dollars. A PS3 title half price two months after release is very unusual.

[Starscream]

And that's why importing is a good option.

[Australian Ninja]

Really? So Call of Duty 4 didn't remain at the $100 margin for ages after release where you are? The Umbrella Chronicles is another title that wouldn't budge for a long time. And very much ever retailer I've set foot in insists on selling Twilight Princess for nothing less than 80 dollars. A PS3 title half price two months after release is very unusual.

I don't play/ follow COD, and have not attemped to buy it. But I'm not you, and I don't know where you are looking.

If you ONLY look in retail stores then your comment makes perfect sense.

But if you look in 2nd hand dealers, and online foreign stores, then you can buy just about anything after six months of release in oz for $50 or less. (I use the various ebays also)

Often you can get a game 2-3 months later for that price, which is why I RARELY break the $50 rule.

I waited for Fallout 3 on 360 to drop in price, but it didn't. Then the bloody PS3 version started selling for $50, while the 360 version was full price. AT that point I went **** and bought it for $65 AU from cduniverse or whatever. but even then I did not pay full retail price, the only game I paid full retail for in the last 2 years was assassins creed 2, as I was impatient.

I better not rent Borderlands, that will probably make me break my $50 rule also (which reminds me, recently saw Borderlands and Batman AA going for around $35 AU on a UK site, after linking there from one of the two hyper bargain threads)

That reminds me, I've picked up maybe ten games in the last twelve months WAY cheaper thanks to links from the hyper forums, so thanks to everyone for your posts to sales etc

[Starscream]

I follow the sub $50 as well, but more importantly I buy the games I will play and enjoy.

For example COD4, COD:WAW, bargain prices $29 each at JB. Wanted to buy both, but I didn't. I thought, I could use that $60 towards something else, e.g. a new release I really want next year. What really stopped me from buying the two COD games was the backlog of games I have to clear.

[Roman Salute]

I try to keep up with release dates and make sure I've got the money for the stuff I'm really keen on. If it's a 2D shooter it's mine on release, I don't care how much I just have to have it. That really screwed me over when the exchange rate was rubbish and I was paying $110 or more for stuff like shooting love 200x and Dodonpachi DOJ BLEX (which is more or less a double dip as I've got the ps2 DOJ). Same thing for 2D fighters and SNK stuff, I'm very nostalgic about SNK and will get almost anything related to them. I grew up next to an arcade so of course any arcade style stuff interests me, even if it's not 2D.

I'll also consider buying anything with non-gun combat, especially sword fighting. Any game first or third person with shooting needs to be quite a bit under 50 bucks for me to even consider it. I can put up with it in something like uncharted due to all the climbing. I used to like FPS but those games used to have ultra violence combined with humour and now it's just world war this and that, very boring imo. The attitude I have towards these games saves me a lot of cash and makes up for the over-enthusiasm in other areas.

Limited Editions almost never have extra stuff that interests me. I did get the HOTD overkill one for the best plastic gun shells ever, and the mamoru kun one which had a mini soundtrack and a super replay dvd but if it's just a toy or remix soundtrack I won't go for that.

I do spend too much on impulse buys though, I'll pick something up I probably won't be that enthusiastic about just because it's cheap, only to find the superficial reason I got it isn't enough to sustain a full playthrough. I'll always take a chance on low budget, low rated japanese made games, sometimes like with vampire rain it pays off and other times like with onechanbara (got the wii and 360 games in one go one slow month) it's just a shit game.

Retro stuff can be the worst for impulse, I've got all the old systems as well and it's hard to go somewhere like Gametraders and not walk out with something. Half the time I'll know I could have gotten the games cheaper on the internet but I love the convinience of buying old games from a retail shop. Sometimes though I'll walk out with something like Mega Man on the Mega Drive having paid 10% of its value with a big stupid grin on my face. The people at my local GT recognise me and let me know when they're getting new old stuff. I'm probably going to go there today after I'm done on the computer to pick up the mint boxed r-type master system they want $20 for :/

This year I've tried not to get new games every week like I have done in the past and for the most part I've succeded but I still got more then I need and have time for, and the first couple of months next year are going to be a killer with No More Heroes 2 & the HD version of the first game, espgaluda II & Radirgy Noah. I'll probably get all that stuff on release and that's an easy $300 right there. Sadly with a lot of this niche stuff the games don't come out here or take too long to do so & prices very rarely drop.

I do trade in and get rid of stuff but not as much as I should. Used the EB 7 day policy maybe 3 times but I don't like exploiting systems like that. I won't go out and get cheap games to trade in to this shop for that credit to get this game to get that game, it's not worth the time, petrol and effort. I never rent because I don't want those dirty scratched discs straining my laser.

In summation my spending habits: a bit excessive. I don't like most movies though so apart from games it's just the odd book or record or maybe a dvd. There are far more expensive hobbies anyway, a mate of mine who gave me shit about all my games was the same mate that'd spend 100's of dollars for a part for one of his motorbikes, none of which were his primary mode of transport.

[Australian Ninja]

.

I'm just starting to fall into the online purchase phase, after discovering some classics over Ebay. I usually stick to retail though and just pickup a game every 4 months or so. Feb-March next year will be a hassle however.

I used to be retail only until I got a Debit card a few years back. I mainly buy movies / DVDs etc online, and only import games if can't find them locally, or the prices don't drop (or they have insane sales where everything absolutely positively must go)

Does anyone else agree we could do with a sticky that people add to all the online stores etc that are reliable, and add a bit of commentary etc. I know many users know the good stores already, but I stumble across ones I've never heard of all the time in random forums.

I'll start a thread if at least one other person agrees, it would be especially useful for new users and people who have yet to import / rarely import games etc, a good reference that has a diff purpose than the "where did you find it thread"

[Dynomite]

Really? So Call of Duty 4 didn't remain at the $100 margin for ages after release where you are? The Umbrella Chronicles is another title that wouldn't budge for a long time. And very much ever retailer I've set foot in insists on selling Twilight Princess for nothing less than 80 dollars. A PS3 title half price two months after release is very unusual.

it's the distributor that sets the price. A first party PS3 title will drop to 50 once it has gone platinum, despite how long it's been on the self.

COD 4 remained so expensive because Activision knows you will buy it.

And Nintendo won't do a player's choice range meaning any Nintendo distributed games will never be more than 20 under retail.

I don't agree, but that's the way it is.

Australian third party games general fall faster than American ones though.

[Readman]

Must've been a pretty cheap suit then.

Yep, I have good tailors in places of the world that have a favourable exchange rate.

[Starscream]

it's the distributor that sets the price. A first party PS3 title will drop to 50 once it has gone platinum, despite how long it's been on the self.

COD 4 remained so expensive because Activision knows you will buy it.

And Nintendo won't do a player's choice range meaning any Nintendo distributed games will never be more than 20 under retail.

I don't agree, but that's the way it is.

Australian third party games general fall faster than American ones though.

But in saying that, Australian games are more expensive than import tite (e.g. US versions) on release day depending on the current exchange rate.

If you're willing to wait more than a few months (just a under a year) you'll find that some games will go much cheaper.
Can't remember when Mirror's Edge was released, but initial RRP was $100 AU. I think GAME had a special where you could buy Mirror's Edge & Dead Space for a combined price of $100. Now you can pick it up locally for around $40 AU or even better import it for less than $20 AU.

And looking at the bargain thread today, DJ Hero renegade edition for $99 AU, when the RRP is $300 AU and discounted price is just over $200+ AU. What does that tell you about mark up on prices locally if they are willing to sell it that cheap?

I have a liking for music/rhythm games as well. :(

Back on track

No problem in spending the money on import consoles (although you run the risk of the console breaking down and not being covered by warranty. Will not buy an import 360 due to reliability issues ) because I can justify importing the games that will never see a western release.

The same goes for accessories/peripherals. Crappy 360 d-pad easily justifies buying an arcade joystick.

[Spazzallo]

Usually never spend over $60 on a game. I will always prepare trade bait or find a place online to purchase it.

The only Collectors Edition I bought this year was Dragon Age and after being so disappointed by it (the CE, not the game itself) I simply returned it and got the normal version the day after (saving myself $40, a cloth map and a shitty tips dvd is not worth $40 ffs).

Best bargains of the year for me was getting Borderlands for $21 and Dragon Age for $36 (after I swapped the CE version back), both on release :).

[Dynomite]

But in saying that, Australian games are more expensive than import tite (e.g. US versions) on release day depending on the current exchange rate.

If you're willing to wait more than a few months (just a under a year) you'll find that some games will go much cheaper.
Can't remember when Mirror's Edge was released, but initial RRP was $100 AU. I think GAME had a special where you could buy Mirror's Edge & Dead Space for a combined price of $100. Now you can pick it up locally for around $40 AU or even better import it for less than $20 AU.

And looking at the bargain thread today, DJ Hero renegade edition for $99 AU, when the RRP is $300 AU and discounted price is just over $200+ AU. What does that tell you about mark up on prices locally if they are willing to sell it that cheap?

I have a liking for music/rhythm games as well. :(

Back on track

No problem in spending the money on import consoles (although you run the risk of the console breaking down and not being covered by warranty. Will not buy an import 360 due to reliability issues ) because I can justify importing the games that will never see a western release.

The same goes for accessories/peripherals. Crappy 360 d-pad easily justifies buying an arcade joystick.
Well the unfortunate truth is that this industry's prices aren't universal, and are set to each countries economy (game prices were set in oz when the dollar was a lot weaker).

That said as least in Australia retailers give discounts upon a games release to help move it, in the states the distributer rebates retailers if they sell the games at RRP + state tax.

The case of a game going down in price like that could a number of things
A) Retailer brought a truckload at a reduced price (so cost is low). This happens when other retailers aren't showing interest in ordering large amounts.
B) Distributer isn't happy with sales and wants to move all stock out so retailers don't recall it.