A while back, I wrote an article where I argued, why a gamer should wait for a few weeks after the release of a game before he eventually buys it (Read : Why not to buy a game on day 1). My argument, like most of my arguments; was based on the improved experience that a gamer gets if he waits for the initial launch problems to go away.
However, idealo has made a recent study which suggests that waiting to buy your favorite games (even if they are top-rated) is also good for their pockets. You can find the complete study here. But a summary of the research is as follows.
idealo, created 2 sections of games. The first section of games consisted of top-rated or well-received games (based on meta-critic scores). The 2nd section was games that ended up with average or below average rating in meta-critic. They then oversaw the fluctuation in prices of these titles over the next few months.
The 1st section of Well Reviewed Games:
- Destiny: The Taken King
- Bloodborne
- Rise of the Tomb Rider**
- Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The price changes in individual titles:
The 2nd section of Averagely Reviewed Games:
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5
- Need for Speed
- Star Wars: Battlefront
- Mad Max
What this means is that contrary to popular belief, more popular games are much more discounted than average games. So you are more likely to get a better deal on Bloodborne than Mad Max. Which on the surface sounds crazy as in why would a game which is doing well be sold for cheaper. But kind of makes sense in the way that a better game has a higher chance of being bought if its discounted.
Anyways, what this does prove is that its definitely an advantage if you are able to hold your instinct and buy a game a few months after launch. But can you?