Do you buy games?

[TheUnk]

The best benefit of a console, imo, is the ability to rent.

GameRang Rental - $15/mo.
New Release Purchase - $60/life.

Basically a game would have to last me 4 months for it to have been better to purchase. The majority of games never make it past 1 month.

 

[mundane]

Used games FTW.

 

[mugs]

I buy, but almost always used. I have about a dozen Xbox 360 games, and the only one that cost more than $25 was Forza 2 (got it new for $40 shipped off eBay)

That's why it's nice to buy a system after it's been out for a while - there's a good supply of good used games.

 

[purbeast0]

i buy but it depends.

a game that i know will have a lot of replay with multiplayer (Halo 3, Call of Duty 3, and Gears of War) I will buy first day and don't feel any regrets spending $60 on it.

Now if it's mostly a single player game and I'm not DYING to play it, typically I will just wait a few weeks and buy it used somewhere.

I havent rented a game in probably 10 years.

 

[exdeath]

Depends on the game. Zelda, Metroid, Xenosaga, Xenogears, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy I-VI & X (screw the others), Resident Evil, etc, are all keepers.

I still have Lunar I & II and Vay and such for the Sega CD and all my Square carts for the SNES that are a testament that there was a time that Square didn't suck and cater to ravers and ricers! 😛

Last game I bought was Dead Rising for $40 new, but when you consider I had to buy the console just for the game... been wanting it for a while and holding out for a co-op version and took the dive when I was surprised to see an Elite in stock. Rather an expensive impulse buy, but a 30 yr old guy in a bright blue foam Megaman suit mowing down zombies in a truck just never gets old.

Used to do the pirate thing when I was younger but I found that all it did was accumulate a bunch of burned CD-Rs I never really touched, and all the games that really meant anything to me I wanted mint condition originals anyway so it was rather a waste of time and money and it was more for the thrill of the online treasure hunt than anything else.

Unless it's something I really must have on the first day (say oh when Xenosaga III came out or if a co-op Dead Rising or Resident Evil came out) I typically wait until I can get a used or discounted copy a month later in the $39.99 bin. No big deal, I usually don't have time to play most games right away the day they come out so by the time I get around to getting them, they are cheaper. I still have a pristine copy of the original Final Fantasy Tactics that I still never played 🙂

 

[MikeyLSU]

Used to buy everything new, then with the new gen costing $60, that was my tipping point.

I now try to buy all games used. What you are forgetting in your calculation with 4 moths to get the full value is that you can sell your games after you finish them.

I generally buy a game used($20-$40), then play through it and when I'm tired of it, sell it for practically the same price, I may take a $5 loss on some games. The only games I lose more on are sports because their value goes down so fast since they only last 6-9 months.

 

[PricklyPete]

Since most games I play have a social or multiplayer replayability factor...I often purchase. Some games I own do not have this, but often times they were gifts from someone and not straight out purchases.

 

[BladeVenom]

There's also trading and piracy.

 

[A5]

The only game I've paid more than $35 for on my 360 is NCAA 08. If I don't have to have it on release, I wait for a hot deal (like I just got Mario Strikers for the my Wii for $40 brand-new). Thanks to liongames, I'm going to get Halo 3, Mass Effect, and GTA 4 for smoking prices on launch...gotta love it.

 

[bucwylde23]

I only buy games that I KNOW I will play a lot. R6:V, Halo 3, GTAIV, etc etc

I use gamefly to play pretty much all the rest of the games. i've played a lot that way and am glad I didn't buy most of them.

 

[CKDragon]

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
Used to buy everything new, then with the new gen costing $60, that was my tipping point.

It's funny, my buying habits are right in line with you even though I think it is unreasonable to not expect game prices to increase over the years.

I generally will not spend $60 unless I'm sure it will be an AAA title. That said, with few exceptions (cartridges, etc.), new games have been in the ~$50 range since the 80's. Occasionally people will do the conversion of $50 in the 80's to the equivalent dollar amount of today and I think we're getting a pretty good deal at $60.

Not that I'm going to pay it. 😛

EDIT: My lazy self actually Googled for an inflation calculator:

What cost $50.00 in 1988 would cost $85.54 in 2006.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: CKDragon

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
Used to buy everything new, then with the new gen costing $60, that was my tipping point.

It's funny, my buying habits are right in line with you even though I think it is unreasonable to not expect game prices to increase over the years.

I generally will not spend $60 unless I'm sure it will be an AAA title. That said, with few exceptions (cartridges, etc.), new games have been in the ~$50 range since the 80's. Occasionally people will do the conversion of $50 in the 80's to the equivalent dollar amount of today and I think we're getting a pretty good deal at $60.

Not that I'm going to pay it. 😛

EDIT: My lazy self actually Googled for an inflation calculator:

What cost $50.00 in 1988 would cost $85.54 in 2006.

Computers also cost $3000 in the 80s - we've become accustomed to electronics costing less.

If you had told me in 1988 that I'd buy a computer for $200 I'd have offered to sell you a bridge.

 

[KillyKillall]

You need an option for multiples of the above. I buy, rent, and buy used. Stuff like Madden, NCAA, etc.. I typically buy brand new because I want to play it immediately and will continue to play it all year or so long continuously. Stuff like Tony Hawk or games that have definite end-points (meaning you beat it and don't continue to play online), i will typically either get on Gamefly or buy it used.

 

[Slew Foot]

I typically buy games that are going to be hits or keepers new. If I want to try something, Ill buy it used and If I dont like it, Ill ebay it.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Honestly, a lot of my games are pirated these days. But the really good ones - Oblivion, Company of Heroes, Morrowind - I buy. It's nice to be able to get support from the company and to know that you own the game. But I just don't have the money to buy every game I want. I still buy the old games that have been fun in the past - Deus Ex, Mafia, GTA.

 

[CKDragon]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: CKDragon

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
Used to buy everything new, then with the new gen costing $60, that was my tipping point.

It's funny, my buying habits are right in line with you even though I think it is unreasonable to not expect game prices to increase over the years.

I generally will not spend $60 unless I'm sure it will be an AAA title. That said, with few exceptions (cartridges, etc.), new games have been in the ~$50 range since the 80's. Occasionally people will do the conversion of $50 in the 80's to the equivalent dollar amount of today and I think we're getting a pretty good deal at $60.

Not that I'm going to pay it. 😛

EDIT: My lazy self actually Googled for an inflation calculator:

What cost $50.00 in 1988 would cost $85.54 in 2006.

Computers also cost $3000 in the 80s - we've become accustomed to electronics costing less.

If you had told me in 1988 that I'd buy a computer for $200 I'd have offered to sell you a bridge.

I don't think that the price trend of a computer is analogous to the price of software. We do expect the price of hardware to drop over time because production costs go down but I believe the production costs for video games continue to rise.

I suppose you might also have to consider the increasing size of the market so this issue is more complicated than it first sounded. 😛

 

[caivoma]

I am renting right now with gamefly but their turn around really bad so i am thinking either jump ship or just cancel it.

 

[shortylickens]

Right now just renting. The monthly membership is a darn fine deal (at Blockbuster).
Have played about 30 games so far and only Test Drive: Unlimited was worth buying, and only then if I can find it cheap.

Gears of War was fun but there was no way in heck I was gonna keep playing with a gamepad.
Just found out they will release it for Windows soon.

I may end up selling my 360 someday, never having owned a game.

 

[eelw]

ARRR matey.

 

[ponyo]

I try to buy Greatest Hit titles or used. Occasionally I'll pay full price and buy it on the release if it's AAA game like Zelda.

 

[BoberFett]

I usually buy when games hit the $20 bin. There are very few games I'll pay full price for, but I can't stand buying used either. Used games always seem to have a manual that looks like it's urinated on, and the case has been chewed on by a dog. Even if the disc itself it in perfect condition, I hate having somebody elses beat up trash in my home.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
I usually buy when games hit the $20 bin. There are very few games I'll pay full price for, but I can't stand buying used either. Used games always seem to have a manual that looks like it's urinated on, and the case has been chewed on by a dog. Even if the disc itself it in perfect condition, I hate having somebody elses beat up trash in my home.

Exactly how I feel. I take great care of my games, and I don't like adding others people nasty crap to my collection. It's either new or nothing at all.