So I was just checking steam headlines and I saw XCOM: Enemy Unknown was already available for pre-order, and I thought I'd give it a look. That's when I saw this:

What the actual fuck

It amazes me the new type of bullshit devs/publishers seem to be coming up with.

EDIT:
I find this even better. First screenshot was taken at the time this post was made, 1-2 hours ago. This screen was just taken. Here Notice anything strange? (Tip: Check the percentages)

12 years ago*

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It's currently the top seller on Steam...

12 years ago
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Good for them? I don't know what point you were trying to make.

12 years ago
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That people are stupidly eager to waste their money?

Between the butchered remakes, the glitchy new titles and the high prices, preordering doesn't make much sense anymore, except for supporting Indie devs maybe but this isn't the case here.

12 years ago
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Oh, yes, that is quite sad indeed.

12 years ago
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After Dark Souls for PC nothing PC gamers support will surprise me. (unfortunately there will probably end up being something that does end up surprising me)

12 years ago
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Lack of a specific numeric goal is FUCKING RETARDED and simply bullshit. It would be like hiding the goal funding on kickstarter. So, meaning Valve can skew the percentages however they want. They will make this first type of an event a smashing success, they have to so it looks like it truly was a huge ''success'' and get even more publishers on board.

ValvEA.

12 years ago
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doesn't the steam nda prohibit giving actual sales numbers?

12 years ago
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They could have milestones. Many times I've seen sales claiming a game reached 1.000.000 copies sold and stuff like that.

12 years ago
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Even if final stage will NOT be reached, I'm pretty sure that those devs/publisher would give everyone all bonuses.
Why? Because it will make them look nice and they definitely prepared to deploy everything already anyway.

12 years ago
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Check the comment right above.

12 years ago
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It still has a month to pre-sell to get those rewards. I can almost guarantee it'll at least hit reward tier number dos. Since your posted screenshot, the bar has already risen significantly, and considering that it only just got put up recently, you shouldn't be worried about getting your rewards.

Bee-tee-dubs the pre-order bonuses are all looking pretty cosmetic that don't affect gameplay at all. If you don't want free frivolous goodies, then piss off and wait until it goes on sale. (If it hits reward tier 3, I'll pre-order this in a NY minute)

12 years ago
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You completely 120% missed the point of the thread. I don't give a shit for this game, have not pre-ordered it and will most probably never buy it nor play it. The point is that this new sale gimmick is bullshit.

12 years ago
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It's "sweets" to add to the pot to sell pre-orders. If you hate this so much, I'd hate to see how you feel about Borderlands 2 giving pre-orders the Mech class, or how quite a few games in the past give you free skins / tf2 hats. And if I recall correctly, on this forum, you bitch about everything. Mann vrs. Machine update? Nothing but bitter cynicism. Maybe you just hate everything.

I'd rather a game have little gimicky pre-order bonuses like this to sell a game rather than utilizing ridiculous DRM to stop people from pirating any day.

12 years ago
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I don't know how I feel about Borderlands 2 because I haven't even looked at it, but (if it's as you said) when you pre-order it, you are guaranteed that content, same with all the games giving TF2 promo items, which is NOT the case with this game. You are guaranteed nothing other than the base game.

And, although completely unrelated to this thread, Mann vs. Machine was a piece of shit, not only buggy as hell but boring too. Unless you had never before in your life played another game other than TF2, that is.

Finally, DRM and this pre-order thing have absolutely nothing to do. It's like saying: "I rather have pre-order bonuses than a game that doesn't work on windows 7."

12 years ago
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The pre-order is an incentive to buy the game at full price, and early. If you don't, you miss out on the extra "sweets" on the pot, that's all. Every gimick ever, whether it be from Valve, EA, or Ubisoft, is about creating incentive to buy a game instead of pirating it. To say they have nothing in common just shows how little you know about the industry. I'm out.

12 years ago
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And what does DRM have to do with an incentive to order a game before it's out? Please, be my guest and leave, it's the best thing you can do.

12 years ago
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Didn't 2k mention that all preorders would get the "Elite Soldier Pack" DLC for free? Why is steam offering it as a bonus then, only if enough people pre-order it there?

12 years ago
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Don't know since I have no interest for this game and never payed attention to it before.

12 years ago
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What's the problem?

12 years ago
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People being locked out of pre-order bonuses depending solely on the success of the game sales pre-release.

12 years ago
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Why should there even be a preorder bonus?

12 years ago
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There shouldn't. But we are long past that. At least before games either didn't come with pre-order bonus or you were guaranteed one.

12 years ago
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But I don't see anything wrong with a chance to get a bonus (or a boner <stupid laugh>).

12 years ago
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We are changing from a guaranteed bonus to a chance of getting one. Either put the fucking bonus or don't put it at all, what is this "if we sell xxxxxx copies you get it, otherwise fuck you".

12 years ago
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But why that matters to you? I still don't see what's wrong with it?
It's not "fuck you", but "hey, if we sell xxxx copies you'll get a bonus".

12 years ago
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It matters because this is how it starts. One random company tries a new shitty method and other companies start using it, and this particular method is terrible. No, it's not "hey, if we sell xxxx copies you'll get a bonus", it's "hey, if we sell xxxx copies you'll get a bonus, if we don't you get nothing".

12 years ago
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Except for the guaranteed tier one bonus. Oh. Noes.

12 years ago
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Dude, I don't really know where's the problem.
"No, it's not "hey, if we sell xxxx copies you'll get a bonus", it's "hey, if we sell xxxx copies you'll get a bonus, if we don't you get nothing"." - Not "nothing" but the game you've payed for. What's wrong with it? It just encourages people to promote this game among their friends. It's not shitty but smart.

12 years ago
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Remember with the promo of Afterfall: Insanity at 1$?
Which was lame because the counter never increased.

12 years ago
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A new level of stupidity, and all thanks to customers. Keep supporting this king of shit guys, you are doing a terrific work!

12 years ago
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I don't think there is anything wrong with the pre-order bonus, however if it's true they are changing the amount of pre-orderes needed to reach each level after they started, then that is pretty pathetic.

12 years ago
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That was most likely a glitch, but it shows just how easily it can be changed. Pre-order bonuses are crap, but at least before you either had no bonus at all or you were guaranteed one. With this game you have a possibility, and that's about it.

12 years ago
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I don't pre-order games anyway. Not after Mass effect 3. I'll wait till it's cheaper.

12 years ago
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I'm with you on that one.

12 years ago
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Holy crap that level 3 reward.

Like wow. Seriously. Wow Firaxis.

12 years ago
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pre-ordering anything is always a bad idea, with very few exceptions. not just as the buyer but you generally stimulate the worst aspects of game dev like advertising over content. fuck em

12 years ago
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I agree that pre-order is a terrible thing to do, and it encourages not only that but developers releasing half assed games because they sell them beforehand anyways, but at least with the previous pre-order model the game either came with bonus or didn't. Now, with this game the game can either come or not with a bonus depending on the game's success.

12 years ago
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Of course, I think that goes without saying, but then again maybe it should be said, that the easiest way to sell a game that is garbage is to sell it before anyone knows its garbage... once the word is out, you've already made all your money. its so scummy. It's sad that the quote "top" companies rely so heavily on it, because its so shitty. I dont know that this development is that different, but it shows that they are putting in considerable thought and resources into expanding the pre-order model, so thats never a good thing.

12 years ago
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I get the points, much better what borderlands 2 does, giving for free a future DLC, or those games that gift the soundtrack, which later will be an extra, separate ítem.

And fuck brackets and unlockeable shit.

12 years ago
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What's wrong with getting a soundtrack or future DLC for free via pre-ordering? You're buying the game when it's at its most expensive.

12 years ago
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Nothing wrong in getting some bonus material for your money. Though, I would still state that blindly buying a product is not good business. In case of a bad commodity, you end up supporting either bad practices and/or low quality production values.

12 years ago
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This + GMG25-1BW0K-K1A3G = Borderlands 2 for 40% off ($36USD).
Cheapest price yet, and I figure the cheapest price for a while.

12 years ago
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37.50€ shit. I can buy it for 30€ (4copies) from Gamersgate.
BTW your link doesn't work.

12 years ago
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First off, $36 USD = 28.08 Euros, not 37.50 Euros which is $48.06 USD.
Second, after currency conversion it's the same if not slightly cheaper. Plus, the GamersGate 4pack is $179.85 USD or $44.96 each copy, nearly $10 more.
Third, the link works, but it's to the US store. You're clearly not from the US so the link wouldn't work, though I'm not sure why it won't redirect you to the applicable European (wild guess) store.

12 years ago
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What? I can do conversions, I say what happens on my country, my prices, MY SITUATION. And I have the ign pet on GG, that's why I say my situation.

When I checked greenman offered the game with all the discounts for 37,5€.

12 years ago
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Nothing bad. the word better is commonly used to determinate something of more value/interest. Just the contrary as worst. Oh wait, you read it as an irony? Wasn't the intention, the internet, so hurting for the mind.

12 years ago
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Sooo, what's your actual problem with it?

12 years ago
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WOW, authors giving free items in reward, it's so very, VERY bad...

12 years ago
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"Complete color customization
A variety of colors and tints for all armor sets in the game allow players complete control to customize their squad’s look."
Free item in reward? What DAFUQ is that? Did you ever seen Warhammer - Dawn of War? You could paint your army FOR FREE. Few textures (or just color masks) is now "new item" and i should paid for it? Not in F2P game, but in $50 title?

12 years ago
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The problem is that they ony give the free item as a reward if their game sells well.

12 years ago
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consumer sheep will buy, resistance is futile. in a few years you will have 50% of the game unlock as a reward if enough poeple buy self insertable dildos. and consumers will still buy.

12 years ago
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^ this

12 years ago
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Sad truth.

12 years ago
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Very sad truth. I don't buy into that crap more as a personal but I also don't want to be responsible for this shit. I never once paid for DLC.

12 years ago
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I think this is a great idea.

And i'm sure i also saw this on reddit somewhere..

12 years ago
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They have to do something to generate sales in the era of piracy. PC game purchases are a joke compared to any other medium, especially when you look at the comparative ratio of players.

12 years ago
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Do you have any sources to back up your claims?

12 years ago
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Are you kidding me? You don't know that?

Also, feel free to look at the steam statistics. At max, fewer than 100 thousand players play at the same game, and on consoles it can reach millions of players.

+Bonus

12 years ago
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90% of all statistics where made up 10 minutes ago. There are multiple reasons for why more people are on consoles then on computers and piracy is huge on consoles as well if you want to get technical.

12 years ago
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You can keep making excuses, but piracy is still the elephant in the room. Look at any other media source: music, movies, tv. It's all been hit the exact same way.

12 years ago
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You realize BF3 didn't sell well on PC mostly because of Origin, right?

12 years ago
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That post is so bad... It's almost like you're trolling.

1) Can you provide a source on that chart? It seems fake. Also, it ends 5 years ago, so not exactly relevant.

2) A few problems with this claim:

  • How do you know more people play the same game on consoles than on PC? Source?

  • How is this relevant? Considering the regularity of Steam sales and indie bundles, and the lack of such on consoles, it's quite likely the average Steam user has a lot more games than the average console owner. Thus, it's expected to see a reduced amount of time spent playing highly popular games in favor of more time spent playing less popular games, compared to consoles. But that doesn't mean that fewer people BOUGHT the highly popular games.

  • Steam is not the entirety of PC gaming. So comparing Steam stats to console stats is bound to produce irrelevant results.

3) You should read your own links. The person who posted that was called out for not giving a source, and it was pointed out that, if even real, those stats only count retail sales of the PC version. That aside, BF3 is a horrible choice for a sales comparison, due to its Origin exclusivity.

12 years ago
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PC game purchases are a joke because of region locks, tons of shit they call DLC, $60 bullshit price tags for unfinished buggy games. PC game sales are shit because PC games are shit.

12 years ago
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Calls PC games shit
Signs up on a site that gives them away

I don't see the point, blue heavy. You clearly won't win this match.

12 years ago
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Doesn't enter any giveaways.
You forgot that part.

12 years ago
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Giveaways Entered 481

12 years ago
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Registered 11 months ago
Last giveaway entered closed 1 month+ ago

12 years ago
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"Doesn't enter any giveaways"

I don't think you know words that great.

12 years ago
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And I'm the one trolling lol

12 years ago
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The word "any" implies that you have never entered a giveaway, past or present. If you had a brain, you would say something along the lines of "I no longer enter giveaways."

12 years ago
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And if you had one you wouldn't take every word literally.

12 years ago
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Yes, let's throw out the correct way that every word should be used right out the window.

I just realized why I hate you so much. You are from Argentina. One of the worst gaming communities in Dota along with Brazilians.

12 years ago
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And I just realized why I hate you so much...no, wait, I don't, I don't give a fuck. But now you really made me want to reinstall dota 2 and go grief some games.

12 years ago
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"I don't give a fuck"

Replies to all my comments

You obviously give a fuck and I rustled your jimmies.

12 years ago
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Don't feel special, I've replied to almost everyone who posted ITT. My jimmies are far from being rustled, I have plent of spare time. It's nice to see that you care so much about my replies.

12 years ago
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$60 Bullshit price tags
Doesn't use steam sales effectively.
PC Games are shit
Only plays team fortress 2 all day and has 400+ steam games

1/10 troll, made me reply.

12 years ago
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Has 400+ steam games
Plays none
9 out of 10 PC games released lately are shit. Point still stands.

12 years ago
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Astrar, you are at the point where you are a big huge whiner and a shit troll. I can't take anything you can take seriously anymore.

12 years ago
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I'd love to say I care.

12 years ago
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You cared enough to go out of your way to tell him you didn't care.

12 years ago
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Oh god I wish I could get those 30 seconds of my life back.

12 years ago
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You cared enough to waste those 30 seconds of your life!

BAZING POAH BOOM

12 years ago
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You can keep making excuses, but piracy is still the elephant in the room. Look at any other media source: music, movies, tv. It's all been hit the exact same way.

None of your "reasons" are exclusive to PCs over consoles, and games on PC that did none of those things (Witcher 2 for example) were still pirated 10x more than they were purchased.

12 years ago
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Piracy is not exclusive to PC either. If they made quality games, like Witcher 2, people would still pirate it, you can't stop it, but at least those who don't wouldn't mind paying $60 for a quality game. People who pirated the game were most probably not going to buy it anyways, so it's not a real problem.

12 years ago
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go have a real good into piracy and you will soon notice how sales have not gone down as piracy have gone up, it went the other way

12 years ago
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Kickstarter started this.

12 years ago
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Not sure what the big deal is. Level 1 reward is in-game content everything after that is bonus stuff that has nothing to do with the game. I agree that some dlc can be bullshit. But this pre-order bonus is not.

12 years ago
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I find this completely reasonable. It's a pre-order bonus for buying the game at full price when it first releases, you are entitled to get a tiny bit of extra content whether is be actual levels or cosmetics. In this case, it's cosmetics which don't change the game in a single way besides making you look differently. I can tell you get your jimmies all rustled over cosmetics seeing as how you play TF2 all day.

12 years ago
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It's a pre-order bonus for buying the game at full price when it first releases, you are entitled to get a tiny bit of extra content whether is be actual levels or cosmetics.
Minor oversight, when it first releases is AFTER the preorder period. And steam frequently has preorder discounts, so saying 'full price' isn't really accurate either. :P
But either way... getting extra content for preordering is just as bad as 0day DLCs. It's content that has been removed from the game in order to make people spend more money, or spend money earlier.
Cosmetics like this though I have no problem with. Or even bonus items like in Borderlands 2. You can still experience 100% of the game without preodering/buying the 0day DLCs.

12 years ago
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"you are entitled to get a tiny bit of extra content whether is be actual levels or cosmetics" Yeah, except here you are not getting anything unless the game sells well.

12 years ago
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Incorrect. Those tier 1 rewards are guaranteed. It's a franchise that's super popular and known to sell well.

12 years ago
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THAT is incorrect. They are not guaranteed. They'll probably give it because it's nothing important, but it's definitely not guaranteed.

12 years ago
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You just want to get mad at something, don't you? The tier 1 is guaranteed, you get that with the preorder, with more pre rders, you get tier 2 and 3, but that doesn't matter, still you get the game you preorder, is not like they going to keep the game, the money and everything if they don't sell over 1 million copies, you get what you pay, stop bitching about nothing.

12 years ago
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Well it's good to see that because of people like you publishers can get away with bullshit like this.

12 years ago
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This is not bullshit, day 1 DLC or specific locations and specific consoles DLC are bullshit, this has nothing important to do about the game, just cosmetic items and they gave a game at tier 3, a good game, if tier 2 or 3 is not reached, doesn,t matters because you still have the game you pay for how I say.
I like this idea and if you say because of me, I can see more publishers giving away things with the game I like and preorder like a Bonus, i'm ok with that, at least i don't get mad at stupid thing like others.

12 years ago
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Don't feed the troll.

12 years ago
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Sorry, it is YOU who is incorrect.
And not just because of the reason Yatterman gave.

12 years ago
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Only fucked up thing with what you mentioned was the percentages, show how much desperate they are. Other than that, it's just the usual "preorder and get this SUPER UNIQUE SPECTACULAR DASHING tf2 hat"

12 years ago
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Except in this case it's "preorder and maybe get something depending if we make 10 millions or 1"

12 years ago
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The image in your update doesn't work properly. What percentage does it show ?
Right now, I'm seeing 77% of Level 1 on the store page.

12 years ago
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First image shows 38%, second image shows 15%.
My guess it was a bug with the system when they were updating something and it either reset or an extra 0 got added or something. But that's IF the two screenshots were actually taken in that order. No way to verify that the one saying 15% wasn't taken 2hrs before instead of 2hrs after.
But either way, the point is moot since the % is up to 79% as of me typing this.

Now it's down to 35%...

12 years ago
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Thanks for the info.

It's up to 82% now - it does seem a bit buggy indeed

12 years ago
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A whole new level of suckiness

12 years ago
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Not sure how I feel on this, to be honest.
My initial, knee-jerk reaction was hate/rage... but it's just a bonus for preordering. Preordering gets you zero advantage over people who don't. Sure you get the Elite Soldier Pack, but it looks to be cosmetic.
Admittedly, the 'first tier' being something that is given for free anyway is bullshit, but that's not really your complaint.

12 years ago
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You're not entitled to pre-order bonuses. That being said, I have to admit, the sound of buying something without knowing how much you'll get is unsettling.

12 years ago
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Of course, but at least before I knew I was either getting a bonus or wasn't, and I was fine with that. Now you get a chance to get bonus content, depending on what the devs/publishers are expecting.

12 years ago
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Closed 12 years ago by BananaNation.