Opinionation: Holiday Buying Habits
I'm not sure about you, but taking a look at our weekly round up of releases has become something that's just a little scary. Every week this month has seen multiple high-profile releases (this week's highlights include Uncharted 2 and Brutal Legend) and the pace doesn't appear to let up until the last week of the December. With only so much love (read: money) to go around, a few titles that I want to pick up will just have to wait until later. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks? You're in! DJ Hero? I love your Daft Punk, but I can't swing the asking price right now. Half-Minute Hero? I'm not sure I'll like you yet. Tropico 3? Let's see a demo first.
Only after seriously thinking about my purchasing plans for the next coming months did I realize that I'm spending much less on games this year than I did last year. In previous years, I was one of those sad, sick people that absolutely had to buy the latest and greatest title on day one, but I'm finding myself being a little choosier. I'm sure part of it is due to our lackluster economy, gearing up for some vacation expenses, and whatnot.
I then wondered if any of you dear readers have been going through a similar pinch yourself. Are you spending less on games this year compared to last year? What titles made the cut and are "must haves?" What titles have slid to the backburner? What factors have played a major role in making your picks? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments.
Game-Boy
Posted to Miscellany, Video Games on 14 October 2009
· Comments (4)
Other stuff like this: buying habits, holiday season, money, opinionation
I only buy one game in the holiday shopping season, last time it was Left 4 Dead (Money well spent). But this year's going to be different. Contrary to the recession, I'll buy three games. Not necessarily the smartest thing, but all these games.
Yes, I've definitely made changes to the way I buy games (only PC, no consoles). The most recent game I've bought on release day was Fallout 3 (actually that was even a pre-order!). Otherwise I'm waiting until they go on sale, or even better, get them used.
That said, I think I'm still spending about 75% of what I did in the past, because I'm also getting older games that go on insane sales (like a triple-pack of Space Siege, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory, and Lost Planet: Colonies Edition I got for a total of $10).
The fact that I still haven't bought Arkham Asylum or Rock Band: The Beatles should say volumes about how my spending habits have changed. There was a time I'd have had both of those games day 1, but it's been awhile since I've been able to justify that.
I have a pretty strict regiment of not buying myself anything in November and December unless it is a necessarily expense (food, bills) or a periodical. I have a sneaky suspicion that system is going to break down this holiday season with in invasion of on downloadable games into my life. My budget will probably be $9.99'd to death.
If I don't get something I want prior to November it goes on the Christmas list, otherwise there is little chance I'll have money for it until tax return time. Our household is still down one job, so this is going be a tight holiday no ifs-ands-or-buts. On the bright side, I have found that my overall satisfaction with the smaller and cheaper downloadable titles has been higher than traditional and more expensive physical titles lately. It would probably be more accurate to say that play-wise my experience is comparable between the two, but I feel much better knowing I have not blown quite as much cash.
This is particularly true because popularity for traditional board/card games are on the rise in my social circles and board games are at least as expensive as physical console titles. It also seems to be easier for people shopping for me to get the more mass-market console games than to try and find the specialty stores for board games I would like.
It might seem a bit self-centered, but I have been pretty staunch about not cutting back too much on games. I pay the bills, and make cuts in other areas. No more buying coffee every day, we started a coffee pool at work and I only go out for coffee on Fridays. No more big parties with lots of food every couple of months. People still come over, but we just don't make a big production of it.