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A Sucker for a Bargain

Have you ever found yourself uttering words similar to these?

“Whoa, take a look at the price for this game! I can’t pass that up! Sure I have a lot of other games to play right now, but I’m positive I’ll get to this one eventually.”

You know you want it

You know you want it!

So you buy it.

And then you never play it. Heck, sometimes the shrink wrap doesn’t even come off.

You, my dear Reader, just might be a sucker for a bargain.

I’m sure that I’m not alone. You see a good deal for a game you’ve had your eye on and you buy it. Or you see a good deal on a game that was just borderline good (maybe even bad? Nah!), and you can’t pass up the price ($5 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.) so you buy it.  Next thing you know, you have a list of about 20 games that you want to play, but might never get to.

Here’s my current list of shame: Torchlight, FIFA 10, Europa Universalis, Dead Space, Super Street Fighter IV, Aion, S.T.A.L.K.E.R, Resident Evil 4, House of the Dead 2 & 3, Mass Effect 2, Spellforce 2, and Chronicles of Riddick.

[Edit: Dawn of War II Gold, $20 this past weekend? Sold!]

ME2

Possible game of the year and you haven't played me?

There are some pretty good games there, and I want to play them; I really do. So what’s the problem?

Some of it has to be attributed to the fact that my free time no longer matches my income. It wasn’t so bad when I was younger or even when I was first married. There was always some free time here and there. Now, forget it. After 9 years of marriage and two children, game time has been reduced to the wee hours of the night. But there is that part of me that still seems to think I have the free time that I had when I was a teenager.

I also know that, for me, the increased availability of game-related information (websites, podcasts, and blogs, etc…) has made me more aware of what is out there and more likely to get caught up in the excite

ment of a new game. Excitement plus Deal equals Purchase! This wasn’t happening when it was just me, a few friends, and a 3 month old Gamepro magazine. I hardly knew what was currently out there, never mind what was coming 2 years down the road.  Of course, technology also plays a role in my third reason.

The rise of websites/services like Steam, Direct-2-Drive, and the Amazon Goldbox has played a direct role in my increased gaming purchases.  It’s so easy now: just click Buy, Download, and Play! Those magical little numbers go from one account to another, and then they pass me the wonderful data that I need to play their game. They even offer to keep my credit card on file for my “convenience”! I can’t deny it; I am weak.

And let us not forget that every weekend Steam and Direct-2-Drive decide that they value our money friendship so much that they offer up special deals to torment thank us. I mean who wouldn’t want this solid collection of Sega Genesis games for $3? Crazy people, that’s who (just pressed BUY…crap).

Anyone else out there a sucker for a bargain? Let me know that I’m not alone! Maybe we can form some sort of support group…or just trade un-played games or something.

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