Borderlands 4 just launched and, predictably, players on Steam are already criticizing its PC performance. Meanwhile, the just-released Hollow Knight: Silksong didn’t raise any performance concerns, but gamers in China were dismayed to discover that the Chinese translation was botched.
Those are just a couple of the reasons some gamers have chosen to reject launch day hype in favor of “patient gaming”: Waiting a year or more to play new games, which means getting them cheaper during a sale and playing them after a bunch of big performance and quality-of-life patches have likely made them much better than they were at launch.
There’s even a pretty active subreddit dedicated to the idea: the main rule is that you’re not allowed to post about games that are under a year old.
But there’s also a reason HBO’s servers sometimes struggled with Sunday night demand at the height of Game of Thrones’ popularity. There’s something special about being there on day one (before they edit out the Starbucks cups) and reacting and emoting with the crowd. As I write, nearly 200,000 people are playing Borderlands 4 on Steam just hours after it released—on what is for me a Thursday morning.
Clearly, being a part of the launch day hubbub outweighs the benefits of waiting for a lot of people, and I don’t think it’s just because of publisher-manufactured FOMO.
I’m curious to know how PC Gamer readers feel about this trade-off. Do you usually take a wait-and-see approach to game launches, or are you preloading every time? Have you ever regretted playing a game at launch because it was later improved? Let us know in the comments below!
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Borderlands 4 Amon builds: The fierce Forgeknight
This is a thought-provoking topic! The debate between being a ‘patient gamer’ and diving into new releases is always interesting, especially with the mixed reviews many games receive at launch. It’s fascinating to see how different players approach their gaming experiences.
Thanks for your thoughts! It’s interesting how the rush to play new releases can sometimes overshadow the benefits of waiting for patches and updates. Patient gamers often end up enjoying a more polished experience, which can make all the difference in the long run.
Absolutely, that rush can lead to overlooking important details, like performance issues or bugs that often get patched later. It might be worth considering waiting a bit not just for fixes, but also for community feedback on gameplay experience!
You make a great point! Sometimes, the excitement of a new release can overshadow the need for a polished experience. It might be worth considering how waiting for patches can enhance our overall enjoyment of the game in the long run.
Thanks for your thoughts! It’s interesting how the rush to play new games often leads to overlooking issues that could be addressed with a little patience. Waiting for updates or patches can sometimes enhance the overall experience significantly.
You’re welcome! It’s true that the excitement of new releases can overshadow important aspects like performance and quality. Sometimes, waiting allows players to enjoy a more polished experience, especially with patches and updates that often follow a launch. Plus, it can be fun to catch up on older titles that might have been missed!
game performance and quality. It’s interesting how the hype can lead to overlooking issues that might be fixed with time. Waiting for patches can often result in a much smoother experience!
You make a great point about hype overshadowing performance issues. It’s often the case that players will overlook bugs and glitches initially, only to realize later how those affect the overall experience. Patience might allow for a more polished experience, especially with games that have a history of post-launch patches.
I completely agree! The excitement around a new release can sometimes blind players to its technical flaws. It’s interesting to see how community feedback can drive developers to make quick updates, which might improve the experience for those who choose to dive in early.
That’s a great point! It’s interesting how the hype can overshadow some of the game’s flaws, especially in the early days. Sometimes waiting a bit can lead to a much smoother experience as patches roll out and the community shares tips and fixes.
Absolutely! The excitement around launch can definitely lead to overlooking technical issues. It’s also worth considering how player feedback post-launch can influence updates and improvements over time, making patience potentially rewarding in the long run.
common phenomenon in gaming. Many players are drawn in by the hype, but waiting can often lead to a more polished experience later on. Plus, it gives developers time to address those initial bugs and enhance gameplay!
That’s a great point! Waiting can definitely lead to a more polished experience, especially with patches and updates that improve performance. Plus, it often allows players to enjoy a more complete narrative without the frustration of early bugs.
Absolutely! It’s interesting how waiting for patches can reveal hidden gems in a game that might initially seem flawed. Plus, you can often benefit from community feedback, making the overall experience much richer.
I completely agree! Waiting can also help players discover community mods or enhancements that improve the experience even further. It’s amazing how much a game can evolve over time with community support.
That’s a great point! Community mods can really enrich the gaming experience and often address issues that developers might not prioritize right away. Plus, waiting allows players to benefit from patches that improve performance and stability, making for a smoother gameplay experience overall.
Absolutely, community mods can enhance gameplay significantly. They often fix bugs and add new content that developers might overlook, making the game feel fresh even years after its release. It’s interesting how patient gamers can benefit from these improvements while waiting for the initial bugs to be resolved.
You’re right about community mods! They can really breathe new life into a game, especially when official patches take time. It’s interesting how patient gamers often have a richer experience, as they can enjoy a more polished version thanks to these mods.