The hype for any given game generally dies down about a week after release, unless, of course, it's a really big game. The problem is that, unless it's one of those really big games, few people beyond those really excited pick up a game immediately, which means that many games get missed in the whirlwind surrounding the next set of upcoming games.When do you think we should stop showing off media for a particular game -- right around release, or a few weeks after? When do you usually pick up new releases, on average?













Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-29-2008 @ 8:10AM
Mike D said...
For me I follow a game hype pretty well. Then unless its a for sure first day buy (brawl, galaxy, zelda), I"ll wait for some reviews to trickle in. From there I'll decide whether to buy it at full price, wait till it drops in price (like boom blox, I'd pay $20 not $50) or forget about it all together (decasports). I used to say I'd "rent it" and try it out for some, but honestly I havent rented a game in ages, of course that might also be do to the fact that it costs about $8 to rent a game.
So yea, imo its kinda pointless hyping a game anymore after its out unless its to say there is a price drop.
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5-29-2008 @ 8:19AM
Sisyphus said...
For me, it's only worthwhile to hype a game prior to its release or following a price drop. I'm very interested in Boom Blox, but I'll probably wait until a price drop. With most games, I'll at least wait until some reviews come from various sources.
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5-29-2008 @ 8:26AM
sn1per said...
^^ I'm pretty much the same. If it's a game I'm really interested in, I'll probably get it in the first week. It it's something that I'm kind of interested in, I'll wait for a pricedrop. I'll usually read a couple reviews and a bunch of user opinions first though. For NMH, I wasn't sure whether to take a chance at $50, cause every negative review said it was terrible. In the end, I waited for a pricedrop, and got it when it was $20 at circuit city. (it's a great game, btw, and if you haven't already, you should get it).
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5-29-2008 @ 10:19AM
Peter S said...
Ditto the above. The only game I picked up right away was Zack & Wiki. (well worth the $40) Other than that, I tend to wait a while to see if I really want the game, find out what actual players think, and to see if the price will drop. Still haven't bought any of the Mario, Zelda, Metroid franchise for the Wii just because I find it hard to justify dropping $50 for any new game unless it's really, really good and I know that I'll play it.
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5-29-2008 @ 10:56AM
BrainTrust said...
Super Mario Galaxy is really, really good. That game definitely justifies $50
5-29-2008 @ 10:19AM
Grimes said...
I actually really dislike it when a game disappears from the blog the moment it's released. It makes it seem like you can't think of anything to do beyond repeating press releases and such.
If the game means so much to you the whole time it's approaching, why wouldn't you continue to care about it?
I like seeing things like the brawl stage of the week, where a game continues to get coverage and attention _while_ we own it, not just before.
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5-29-2008 @ 10:25AM
Grimes said...
And I'm with you, Sniper and Peter S - my buying habits are like yours.
I use paying full price pretty exclusively as "voting with my wallet" -- if I believe in what a game maker is doing and really want more of it to happen, I do the best thing I can to encourage companies to do so. Which is paying full price when the game first comes out.
Zack & Wiki and Boom Blox I've paid full price for on Wii. Other than that, nothing but Wii Play, and that was for the extra 'Mote.
I have to be judicious with it, as I've only got so much to spend on games per year. Otherwise, stuff like NMH would get my votes as well.
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5-29-2008 @ 10:27AM
David Kearns said...
I'm all about GameFly, so I like the press when I can add a game to my queue. GameFly helps me from overbuying, and gives me a few bucks off of games I end up buying.
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5-29-2008 @ 10:55AM
F0EHammer said...
I would see good continuing coverage as reviews, reader reviews, give aways, and maybe even sales numbers, if possible. Another possibility for some game is coverage of any user communities that pop up, say a Wii Fit Forum (much like the SSB:B maps).
Obligatory Boom Blox review: (Hey, I didn't choose the pic)
Very fun to play. The grab tool takes a little getting used to, but this does not hurt the playability. The MP is really fun. My non-gamer wife (hates SSB:B) likes to play the party games. There is plenty of solo play to keep me busy for a while, too.
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5-29-2008 @ 11:15AM
trE said...
I would keep posting about it if it is a game that you think is worth the price. If it isn't, a one time posting should suffice.
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5-29-2008 @ 11:36AM
Peter S said...
And I will say that Zak & Wiki still hasn't quite disappeared from this blog - still see links to it periodically. :) To each their own (though I'm not complaining about that one).
-Pete
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5-29-2008 @ 12:58PM
Cleveland said...
I say keep on talking about it if you are still excited. I wouldn't have picked up Zach and Wiki if you had not sung its praises long after it's launch.
It's really hard to cut through the hype on a new game so if you keep on talking about it then I figure it might be something that I take a serious look at.
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5-29-2008 @ 2:54PM
Codimus said...
I waited for a good deal to come on Boom Blox. Luckily Target had it for $50, but you got a $10 gift card. It's a great game, but it's not near the hype that a 1st party game gets.
I've said "oh I'll wait for the price to drop" before. By the time it starts to get cheap, most stores quit carrying it and I'll have to hit the secondary market. Or I'll forget about it, and never play.
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5-29-2008 @ 2:56PM
Brucie B said...
Boom Blox is Great, The Only problem I have is it's NOT ONLINE! This game would be Awesome Online, with your Custom Blox!!!
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5-29-2008 @ 5:08PM
Mr Khan said...
I'd say you keep talking about a game proportionally to how important it is to the general reader-fanbase of this site. If the trend is everyone's still playing Mario Kart Wii, talk about it occasionally
I find it quite off-putting that games like GTAIV are hyped to the sky, and now nobody's talking about it, they've all moved on. Now the focus is on MGS4, but for how long?
a few weeks, perhaps, after launch, so long as its a relevant title
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5-29-2008 @ 6:16PM
Ghen said...
You should stop bothering with media at release. After release I either have it or I don't care enough to look at more media.
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