Soul of the Beast
Member
Ding Ding Ding
If the beta doesn't interests him then there's nothing wrong cancelling the game.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Is it wrong to pre-order a game for a beta key and then cancel?
- Thread starter TheDanger
- Start date
Ding Ding Ding
If the beta doesn't interests him then there's nothing wrong cancelling the game.
Booker Dewitt
Member
A company wants to win the sale. If they try, and you rebuff....they don't give a fuck if you're happy.
Demos are the same thing, it's just that they worked out a way to to possibly lock you in.
Demos are the same thing, it's just that they worked out a way to to possibly lock you in.
Wesley-Sigma
Member
I paid $40 for the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo and it was worth it.
Hoho for breakfast
Member
No. They say to preorder for beta access. You preorder and then cancel. You've fulfilled your end of the ridiculous deal and they theirs.
I think of it like a play stupid games win stupid prizes type deal. As in they want to be asshats and try and use that so you preorder their game. So you do, and then you give them the middle finger by canceling.
I think of it like a play stupid games win stupid prizes type deal. As in they want to be asshats and try and use that so you preorder their game. So you do, and then you give them the middle finger by canceling.
CaviarMeths
Member
Nope. As far as I'm concerned, there's no ethical boundaries with this as long as what you're doing is legal. We're talking about multi-billion dollar corporations finding new and exciting ways to charge you more than MSRP, charging you before you even receive a finished product in your hands. Why should you feel guilty?
Besides, it's basically a preview/demo. You shouldn't be obligated to keep your purchase if you don't like what you see.
On the other hand, if you don't want to be subject to scummy pre-order practices, stop pre-ordering. It's really that simple.
Besides, it's basically a preview/demo. You shouldn't be obligated to keep your purchase if you don't like what you see.
On the other hand, if you don't want to be subject to scummy pre-order practices, stop pre-ordering. It's really that simple.
texhnolyze
Banned
People seem to forget about the actual purpose of video games beta these days.
Beta was meant to help the developer find bugs and other technical issues before the game launches. But it turned out that people want to join beta only to play the game earlier. Watching the phenomenon, developers found opportunities to make money out of it instead. Gamers did this to themselves.
Beta was meant to help the developer find bugs and other technical issues before the game launches. But it turned out that people want to join beta only to play the game earlier. Watching the phenomenon, developers found opportunities to make money out of it instead. Gamers did this to themselves.
PhantomThief
Banned
Hahaha
Aeriscloud
Banned
I laughed so hard at this.
It's dumb to lock a "beta" behind a pre-order. A "beta" is something the developer puts out to make sure their game functions right, and doesn't destroy anyones hardware. They glorify them as demo's these days, and that is ridiculous. I pre-order and cancel right away, and I don't feel bad about it. I'm playing it to make a decision on whether or not to buy it anyway.
What? How is that comparable to getting a Beta key for free?
Sentenza
Member
I'm not "caping up" for anyone, but nice try.
I simply can make the distinction between not liking a business practice (which is why I never preordered anything just to access a beta) and cheating my way around it.
Just because I think someone is an asshole, that doesn't give me the right to steal his wallet.
This
But to say wrong is only valid if you feel you're entitled to it.
The Albatross
Member
No, you're the consumer, you're right to do what you want.
It's stupid for publishers to lock betas behind preorders, because it defeats the purpose of running a beta, and it's using early access to a game as a sales pitch.
I don't think that anybody is entitled to a beta (nobody does?), but the point of a beta isn't to sell a game, it's to stress test, find bugs, and work out issues prior to the v1/retail release. When publishers select beta testers based on their willingness to buy the game, they're corrupting their own data, which ultimately makes the game worse. Open betas serve as a better stress test, you encourage more people to do your QE/QA work for you, and you get better data.
It's stupid for publishers to lock betas behind preorders, because it defeats the purpose of running a beta, and it's using early access to a game as a sales pitch.
I don't think that anybody is entitled to a beta (nobody does?), but the point of a beta isn't to sell a game, it's to stress test, find bugs, and work out issues prior to the v1/retail release. When publishers select beta testers based on their willingness to buy the game, they're corrupting their own data, which ultimately makes the game worse. Open betas serve as a better stress test, you encourage more people to do your QE/QA work for you, and you get better data.
17 Seconds
Banned
It's dishonest and makes you kind of a hypocrite
IbukiLordSA
Member
Yes it is wrong because the place you are ordering from has to pay for the copies, if they get enough people cancelling then they lose money.
However tt's also wrong to lock betas behind pre-orders so hopefully if enough people keep pre-ordering and then cancel the orders stores will stop stocking them as pre-orders and developers will stop having them as incentives.
However tt's also wrong to lock betas behind pre-orders so hopefully if enough people keep pre-ordering and then cancel the orders stores will stop stocking them as pre-orders and developers will stop having them as incentives.
Mr. Phellps
Member
They lose absolutely nothing, it's all digital and the keys aren't sold separately, they're just a free bonus.
So no...
Pretty sure retailers don't pay for the copies they intent to sell until they are shipped, which happens only after the game has gone gold, which means it's long after any beta. So retailers aren't paying for those cancelled pre-orders.
So no...
Pretty sure retailers don't pay for the copies they intent to sell until they are shipped, which happens only after the game has gone gold, which means it's long after any beta. So retailers aren't paying for those cancelled pre-orders.
No. Locking beta behind a pre order is the shitty thing to do.