We as humans love our rewards. We play games to acquire points, trophies, achievements and other trinkets. Sometimes the reward is just enjoying the plot or gameplay. It is in our nature to want stuff from our video games, be it virtual or tangible. But when we receive a reward before even stepping foot into a virtual world, we burst with glee. One of the greatest of all rewards is the pre-order bonus.
What is a pre-order bonus, you ask. Well, it’s usually a marketing tool to get gamers to pre-order a video game. A way to build up hype and generate more sales for a new game. Or if you would like to believe we don’t live in a world where consumerism exists, think of a pre-order bonus as a thank you for pre-purchasing a video game. It can be as simple as an in-game costume or weapon which seems to be the trend these days. Or it can be something physical like a poster or action figure. Better yet, it can be a whole friggin’ blue shell as was the case for Mario Kart 8. Whatever you get, be it at the time of pre-order or at the time of launch, it’s a bonus.
I have many personal favorites in my gaming past with pre-order bonuses, but number one would have to be the commemorative coin I received with Super Mario Galaxy. I remember waiting in line at EB Games all dressed up because I had an important presentation for school. I had to excuse myself from my group, the hype around the game had me a record level of excitement. Receiving this cool and unique coin with what happened to be one of my favourite video games ever is a memory I’ll never forget.
Pre-order bonuses have been around forever and don’t seem like they are going anywhere. Luckily for us, it means free stuff, either big or small. So head over to your local game store, drop a $5 deposit on a much anticipated title and watch that reward bring a smile to your face.
AWESOME!
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