Phantom on 14/1/2014 at 02:38
This is going to be way too long for such a silly thing but here goes. I guess I'm getting bummed that we are 6 weeks out from release and I haven't seen a pre-order available for a physical copy of Thief on PC. Yeah they show a picture of it on thiefgame.com, but you can click any of the pre-order links and find only digital downloads for PC. :weird:
I'm fine with Steam, that's where most of my games are anyway, but I've got a shelf full of Thief game boxes and I'd like to stick a new one up there next month. Sort of a collector's itch I guess. :thumb: I asked the guys at Gamestop if their system showed anything as far as a PC box copy. The first thing they said was they don't receive any PC copies unless they are preordered. Okay I get it, most people don't want to build and maintain a high end PC anymore and opt for consoles because it's less expensive and more-so right after a next gen system comes out. I'm fine with reserving a copy and standing in line at midnight to pick it up, it's always exciting to be one of the first people to get a new much-coveted game. :erm:
The guys at the game store also said sometimes, depending on the game, when someone pre-orderes a PC game all that they receive anymore is a download card, the same kind you can get on the rack at Wal-Mart and other various retailers that has a scratch off activation number key and download link. :mad: I don't really see the point in this unless you are a grandmother buying a game for a kid that likes to chew on compact discs or use them as coasters or frisbees. Every console has an internet connection now, so the people who want to download it will download it, don't punish the people with PC's just because it costs $1.50 to print a label and burn a disc. :grr:
I'm still cautiously optimistic that a PC box copy will surface before release, maybe even a special edition box copy, but they would typically be announced by now or at least be available for pre-order. I'll wait a couple weeks and if I don't hear anything I'll go ahead and pre-order the master thief edition download, maybe they are just gauging how many people are reserving the PC version before they place an order for physical copies. :confused: And I don't care if I have to install it into Steam off of a DVD or two from a boxed copy, but if I show up at Gamestop at midnight on release day and someone hands me a little download card for Steam, then someone at Eidos is gonna take a blackjack to the face...or maybe a strongly worded letter... either way I am unhappy thus far, am I alone here??
Splashcups on 14/1/2014 at 03:14
I always buy physical copies. Much rather installing off a disc than downloading and having it on my bookshelf. The PC version has a physical.copy, should be easy to get. The store I go to will have them even if you haven't pre-ordered, and the pre-ordered comes with the extras. Don't know why any store would sell just a download code.
june gloom on 14/1/2014 at 04:03
Boxed copies of PC games are becoming harder and harder to come by as more and more games require Steam or Origin. At best they'll have an outdated version of the game on disc; often, they'll just have a download code.
That's not to say they don't still do it -- my copy of Arkham Origins is definitely in a box, but my aunt (who got it for me for Christmas) complained that she couldn't find it in any stores, and I explained it to her that they don't really bother with PC games in physical locations anymore. Why would they? They can sell Steam cards and keep the inventory space for console games.
june gloom on 14/1/2014 at 04:48
No they're not. It's just that they're selective on what games get a physical collector's edition. I think it may depend on visibility -- Dishonored got one because it's a Bethsoft publication (same as Elder Scrolls and Fallout), Bioshock Infinite certainly got a (
http://www.bioshockinfinite.com/collector) ridiculous one. Publishers don't really throw money at collector's editions unless they're an absolute honest-to-god sure thing. Thief isn't one of those, even if you discount the weirdos who hate it out of principle, but Deus Ex HR was.
Thief
is getting a digital Master Thief edition, however -- and only on PC as far as I can tell. Hmm.
Splashcups on 14/1/2014 at 05:22
I have no idea wtf is going on in your countries, but I've been able to get boxed copies of anything I've wanted to buy, and I buy hundreds of games atleast a few a week. You get the box, disc, activation code, and any extras. I can't imagine any store not doing this. You will usually still need to download some of the game, because the version on the disc is before any updates.
Platinumoxicity on 14/1/2014 at 05:50
I have even seen boxed copies of games on the shelves that are not even out yet, and games that are downloadable content. There were Battlefield 3 boxes months before the game was released, and there were Blood Dragon boxes too.
I do have one useful piece of advice for you though. Do not pre-order. Try out the game for free at first, and see if you want to support the direction that the developers took with it. If you pre-order, you basically accept anything that they throw at you, and you say you want more of the same. It doesn't matter what you think of the product once it actually arrives.
Just try out the game for free to see if the full game is worth full price plus the pre-removed DLC ransom. If it is, then buy it. If the full game is only worth the full price, wait until it actually costs that, then buy it. (Full game = the incomplete game + pre-removed DLC) Deus Ex HR was the same for me. The game was good, but not worth paying extra for content that should have been part of the base product. So I dind't pay for the game until I got the full product at a reasonable price.
Do not allow companies to artificially inflate the price of their products and treat you like an idiot. You can make them pay for that. If you don't, they will continue to taff you over. Actually I take it back... You can't make them pay for anything, you can just make yourself not pay for the crap they try to get you to accept. You can't steal anything from them in return of them trying to rob you.
SubJeff on 14/1/2014 at 06:53
Where are you guys? I'm in the UK and although I haven't bought a physical copy of a PC game for ages I do go to Game to get PS3 games and there are always boxes of the latest PC games.
I was going to download Thief but actually I do want the box now because of what you said Phantom. I'll investigate next time I'm in town.
june gloom on 14/1/2014 at 08:21
Quote Posted by Platinumoxicity
Try out the game for free at first
You are basically advertising "try before you buy" piracy. I'm pretty sure that's a no no here, if not an actual rule. And anyway it's kind of a douche move. A lot of people pirate stuff, but it's just not polite to talk about it.