isnt that how hype kids buy games?
200 years and they couldnt make it better for the average citizen?:O
maybe they should be changed

We don't have many alternatives, often we have to choose between bad and worst XD

I can relate to that :P

It's never really much of an issue for me, as I'm always way behind with new games, and I don't really care at all about playing them when they are new. A combination of GOG's decisions and my finances made me buy very little this year (and already my spending habits were I think much more humble than many users here with 4 digit collections), and I still didn't do away entirely with my backlog. Not to mention my wishlist, which has over 100 titles on it. So yeah, I can wait.

That said, if there's still a choice of multiple editions or bundle/no bundle I will usually only buy the base game and see from there. I'm usually unwilling to pay even a little extra for DLCs and stuff I may not even want to play. For example Deus Ex Mankind Divided - the DLCs are even on sale right now, but the base game somewhat disappointed me, and the first of the extra missions (or "Jensen's stories") included with it was really weak, so I don't care to pick those two extra missions even on sale. Or Little Nightmares - it has a crapload of DLCs, and I didn't even finish the base game, I didn't like it. If I bought them blind, I'd be pretty pissed.

So no price considerations then.

As I wrote in my first post, this discussion is not really pertinent, if you are affluent and happy to spend big money. Or maybe you and I have different ideas of what constitutes good value for money. Most people, even in this day and age I guess, have a budget and try to stick to it. Expensive AAA games for instance are not that considerate of the budgets of average folks.

And just because I could buy 20 lower priced games for the price of one expensive AAA game, doesn't mean that is how I operate. It's never quite like that and certainly not deliberate, as I have a lot of interests and necessary things to spend my money on. For me, it is always about justification for the amount of money spent ... even if you could argue a game is that great it is worth the money, one still has to be realistic. And personally, I am not in favor of encouraging ever more expensive and huge file size games, if just for the fact you need to also keep buying ever more powerful etc PCs. I also don't care to subsidize late comers to a game either, where I paid a lot for it and they get it dirt cheap because folk like me did that. That's not a good way to treat the early supporters of a game.

It's a weird world we live in at times. DEVs and especially PUBs are so keen to get their game out, they don't bother to finish it or test it properly, kind of taking the long view that they will handle any issue with later bugfixes, while at the same time, not taking the longer view with pricing and investment, to balance things out. Of course they do that, because many customers let them get away with it ... and how often do some bugs remain unfixed, mostly because their budget is now allocated to the next game in production.

Many might suppose it is quite cool or glamorous to work in the gaming industry. But from all I have seen and read, it seems quite the opposite in most cases ... full of frustration, pressure and lack of satisfaction for a job well done. Many seem burnt out and don't realize their full creative potential or the joy thereof, as the moneymakers force them to cut corners etc etc. Sometimes it must be almost soul destroying and difficult to work on something you cannot afford to care too much about.

You'll probably be horrified to know I have 811 games or DLCs currently on my wishlist. Many of course I am not greatly keen on but only have some level of interest, where maybe if cheap enough I would take a punt and buy. I see my wishlist as much more than a wishlist though. In fact I rarely look at it, I use a program of my own instead, which has a history of prices element to it, so a kind of record that you can glean various things from. And there aren't even many expensive games on my wishlist ... or they weren't when I put them there.

In fact, most games I have bought have had some element of taking a gamble with them. I didn't pay a lot for them though, so not an issue for me ... and I love nice surprises & variety, which that kind of randomness can give you.

All that said, it feels like I am reaching a kind of shutoff or cutback point of purchasing games. Most of my probable needs are now catered for. There are a few outstanding games I still want, some already at GOG but not at a good price and some aren't available here yet. In fact, I did cutback at GOG for a while in my second year with them, but the Year Of COVID saw me increase a bit again, and there have been some good releases and prices here this year, and I am a sucker for a seemingly good deal. My bucket list of must have games has significantly lessened now though.

I've collected a number of things in my life, and I always reach a point of saturation where I decide to stop. I'll never really want for books or movies or music or even games now ... or tools etc.

Now I just need to find a way to extend my life and quality of life ... sacrificial virgins anyone ... or that cup of life from the Fountain Of Youth ... or maybe a brain or soul transplant to a cyborg.

No, not really. I do my research before buying the game so I know what kind of game it is, and I don't really buy that many games. I have an OK job so I make enough to have a bit extra. I also know that developers depend on making monies to be able to make more games, so I have no problem with supporting those I like when I know I will be playing their game.

It's not that I always or necessarily plan to wait for a sale, it's that I'm too busy playing something else and want to finish that first. By the time I finish it, the desired game is usually on sale.

I do "hoard-buy" when sellers like the Matrix store and Wargame Design Studios have sales, because they rarely have them, especially on all their products. The current winter sales is a prime example: I haven't bought anything from GOG this winter because I know the games I want will be on sale relatively soon again. In the other two stores they won't be, so I'm opportunistic that way. Although, some GOG games are rarely on sale as well.

Some deals are just too crazy to ignore, where they are like 90% off or something.

It is really refreshing to read how many people take care the way they spend their money. I join that annoying effort

About your question: Buy DLCs only as self-gift to wait a better future chance to get the base game. Under the risks that practice involves.

The fellows here have said well enough about the No-DLC &/or Complete Editions patient wait practices, count me on that. Therefore I have 0 experience on your specific question, but I highly suggest you: Listen to your inner little annoying voice saying "don't do it" :)

Why would you need to run risks? Seriously.

DLCs to me mean a low respect from the devs/publishers to give us complete games (Stretching it a huge little: A dishonest practice).
Granted, we could talk deep enough about the pros DLCs also have like keeping fresh &alive a game, extend your investment through new campains with lesser investment, and so on. But... we could also find the tricky dishonest part on them. Why are out there successful games that do not need DLCs then?

Sorry to finish answering your question with a rethorical question:

Would you join the questionable practice doing something similar?

I invite you to be patient enough instead or consider No-DLC games :) Wise words man! Thanks for sharing, I like them. I will make an effort to remember, having you as the autor.
The closer wisdom reference I have is an anecdote I read somewhere talking how in the past pinnaples and other nowadays common fruits were exclusive of Kings.... mindblowing. Without noticing it, the variety in many areas we enjoy today is worthy of Kings :)

Well, I never said I did (some free DLC aside) or was going to. Just interested to see who might have, to great benefit. Life is about risk in any case ... risk nothing you get nothing. That said, you do have to be smart about risk.

While I accept that some DLCs are indeed a shonky practice, there are many that aren't, especially Expansion packs and similar, or even soundtracks etc on occasion.

I don't mind the developer, backed by the publisher, getting further support for their game. In one sense at least, and I am sure there are others, it keeps the game alive and more likelihood of bug fixes happening. Many game providers are all too happy to move onto their next production.

So what matters, is that the base game is decent on its own, without any DLC, plus any forthcoming DLC are either free if just something basic like a skin, or a decent fair price if something more. I'm a fan of more variety of choice in a game, and many DLC offer that.

No idea at this point. It would likely depend on the game and provider.

I am already doing that, been doing that a long time.
But I am open to other possibilities, hence my query.

Indeed and thanks. In some ways it is like mind over matter. You don't indeed need to be a King or Queen to feel like one. I find there is some sense of freedom in taking that approach, especially in a world where everyone wants to control your life in some way. What matters in the end is your own sense of satisfaction ... or level of it.

That said, it doesn't mean you should rely too much on worldly possessions. I also get a lot of joy in other areas of my life. As they say though, every bit helps. :)


Fair enough, each to their own. :)

Indeed, though I have seen many liberties occur over time with what the normal price is. Sometimes the game was cheaper to buy not all that long ago at 80% or 75% or less. I keep records so I know this to be a fact.

So marketing ploys occur all the time at GOG, just as they do elsewhere.

That said, we really do get some fantastic discounts sometimes at GOG. Not sure about other stores, as I rarely buy games there. I guess I did see some at Steam, when I bought a few very cheap Tomb Raider games ... but then amazingly they came here too, many months later ... luckily they were very cheap here as well, so I bought them again ... having already factored that in when buying them at Steam. You can be lucky sometimes.

And I never forget for a moment, that GOG have given a lot of great games away free over the years, and support has treated me well so far. So I always try to give GOG the benefit of the doubt ... I owe them that at least ... though that never causes me to turn a blind eye to their behavior at times ... or other issues with them.