# Civ 6 has an unusual preorder bonus **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 4, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638 "2016-10-04T16:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/1 "2016-10-04T16:25:59Z")
Civ 6 (pre order now! £50!) is holding back the Aztec civilisation for 90 days, as exclusives for people who preorder. After 90 days, it will be become available to all owners of the game. Another way for publishers to get people to preorder without annoying the people who don’t too much, I suppose. I remember when Steam had preorder targets for a while, where you could get other games if enough other people also pre-ordered. They don’t do that anymore, so it obviously didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/2 "2016-10-04T16:46:06Z")
I can wait ninety days. What a rip. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/3 "2016-10-04T16:53:50Z")
I preordered because I got it 22% off, don’t really care about the bonus. They dropped NDA already and there’s Let’s Plays and (very positive) reviews out so might as well buy it now. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/4 "2016-10-04T17:10:22Z")
I’ve never much cared for the Aztecs (except as allies I can easily bribe into attacking my enemies for me), but even so, the idea of not making all of the civs available right from the start does nothing to make me want to purchase this game at all. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/5 "2016-10-04T18:11:35Z")
I exchange currency for goods and services, not the prospect of goods and services that might come about later. What do they think I am some hot shot wall street futures trader? In short, no, this scheme will not get me to pre-order, just like none of the ones before it have. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/6 "2016-10-04T19:02:05Z")
It doesn’t make me more likely to pre-order but it doesn’t bother me at all either. Usually, games have “exclusive” pre-orders that become $5 DLC down the line. So this just saves me the five bucks when it goes live for everyone. I can’t complain. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/7 "2016-10-04T19:05:26Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I can wait ninety days. What a rip. I can wait a couple of years so they get the bugs worked out, add a shitload more content and then sell it all to me for about $15. I’ve recently tried playing Civ 5 again and found it boring and predictable. Beyond Earth was the same IMO. I really REALLY wish that there was a new Age of Empires on the way but that title seems to have been buried. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/8 "2016-10-04T20:10:16Z")
I find it difficult to get excited about a new.x Civ. Same ruleset with the occasional minor changes, different bells and whistles. The only one I play anymore is _Alpha Centauri_ which, miraculously, still works without an emulator. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/9 "2016-10-04T20:18:07Z")
I think it’s kind of refreshing that they’re not trying to hard-sell the pre-orders. Although I consider myself a longtime Civ fan, I might hold off on this one for a bit. The price is a bit steep, at least on the Canadian Steam store. Then again, I didn’t play much Civ V (“only” 334 hours), so I have a bit of an appetite for Civ built up. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/10 "2016-10-04T21:43:07Z")
I know that I’ll get the game, just like Civ I-V but I don’t know if I’ll pre-order or wait, but I usually try to get in early. Now I want to play Civ for the first time in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/11 "2016-10-05T04:33:53Z")
Seeing the title of this thread reminded me how close the release date is, and I got really excited and watched a whole bunch of videos detailing all the cool new abilities and buildings and units that the civs are going to have in the new game. On reflection, though, I haven’t decided if I want to jump in early or wait a little bit. As interesting as the changes looked, I’m not exactly tired of Civ V just yet. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/12 "2016-10-05T05:53:11Z")
I’m as tired of pre-order bonuses as anyone else, but I find it really difficult to want to raise a pitchfork over this. Non-pre-orderers get it for free after 90 days. That’s certainly a lot better than “available for purchase after launch for $5.99” or “never available unless you pre-order” that’s common for DLC. I think waiting for the GOTY or Gold Edition or whatever they call it is the way to go, but I’ll probably get peer pressured by my friends into buying it at launch to play with them. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/13 "2016-10-05T15:36:19Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Civ 6 (pre order now! £50!) is holding back the Aztec civilisation for 90 days, as exclusives for people who preorder. After 90 days, it will be become available to all owners of the game. Not really that unusual. Civ V had exactly the same sort of preorder deal, for the Babylonian civ. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/14 "2016-10-08T02:14:31Z")
I don’t really understand why game companies press pre-orders so hard. If it were a physical good, than it would make sense, since than they could know how many items to produce and get ready for distribution, lessening the chances of over/under producing and the associated costs. But the marginal cost of a copy of Civ 6 must be on the order of pennies. Especially since almost everyone uses digital distribution these days. Indeed, that seems like it would be the on big advantages of being a PC video game manufacturer, from the business prospective. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/15 "2016-10-08T03:43:28Z")
I’ve always thought it is all about accounting - for a customer, paying $60 now or in a month makes little difference but for a corporation having $6M a month earlier makes a difference. And of course for shitty games preorders are a way to get suckers to pay for a crap game before NDA drops and hope they bought it from a storefront that doesn’t give out easy refunds or even if it does, the customer won’t bother going through the hassle of getting one. One more reason is that people who have some extra money now might not have some once the game launches so pushing preorders increases the number of copies sold at full (or only slightly discounted) price. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/16 "2016-10-08T05:59:08Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > I’ve always thought it is all about accounting - for a customer, paying $60 now or in a month makes little difference but for a corporation having $6M a month earlier makes a difference. And of course for shitty games preorders are a way to get suckers to pay for a crap game before NDA drops and hope they bought it from a storefront that doesn’t give out easy refunds or even if it does, the customer won’t bother going through the hassle of getting one. That makes sense for smaller studios, but I imagine 2k games has enough cash on hand that having a few extra mill floating around a few months early wouldn’t be worth the bother. And similarily, they seeem too big a company to want to risk the rep of one of their most well known franchises by purposely shipping a lemon. > [@](#): > > One more reason is that people who have some extra money now might not have some once the game launches so pushing preorders increases the number of copies sold at full (or only slightly discounted) price. That makes some more sense. Plus I can see a bunch of people buyting pre-orders upping the hype surrounding a game. Making its release seem like more of an “event”. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/17 "2016-10-08T07:46:11Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > That makes sense for smaller studios, but I imagine 2k games has enough cash on hand that having a few extra mill floating around a few months early wouldn’t be worth the bother. And similarily, they seeem too big a company to want to risk the rep of one of their most well known franchises by purposely shipping a lemon. Like Civ 5? ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/18 "2016-10-08T12:45:53Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > And similarily, they seeem too big a company to want to risk the rep of one of their most well known franchises by purposely shipping a lemon. I didn’t mean Civ 6 when I was talking about crappy games. Their NDA already has already been dropped and there’s Let’s Plays and positive reviews all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civ-6-has-an-unusual-preorder-bonus/767638/19 "2016-10-08T17:50:13Z")
I have to say, I’m not very happy with this pre-order and it makes me not want to pre-order Civ 6. I feel like they’re punishing non-pre-orders instead of rewarding pre-orders. It is like they are saying “How _dare_ you buy the game on day 1 instead of pre-ordering?!? For that you shall have less content for 90 days! Now go to your room and think about what you’ve done.” It just feels wrong. I like pre-orders that give me something extra, like a unique cosmetic skin or something. It doesn’t throw off the balance of the game, but it lets me feel like I’ve been rewarded. Just my two copper pieces. So I’m not going to pre-order Civ 6 and I’m _definitely_ not going to buy it in the first 90 days. And since I’m not going to buy it in the first 90 days, I may as well wait for the first sale price so I’ll get it in the Spring or Summer. By then it’ll be patched anyway.