The other day I went to Gamestop to trade in some old games. I was expecting maybe 30 dollars for them all. Instead since Gamestop loves to give bonuses to their members, I received 110 dollars in store credit.  But, that's beside the point.
 
The clerk said something about a pre-order bonus on trade ins, can't remember exactly but it increased my trade in value, so I took it. 
He then asked if I wanted to pre-order Modern Warfare 3, yea fuck that. Instead I pre-ordered Skyrim (I want my money's worth damnit!). I then asked what bonuses came with it, like armor, quest, dragon shouts, ya' know in game stuff. To my surprise, he told me all you receive is a physical map of Skyrim, and I love it.
 
In this day almost every game developer is including pre-order goodies with their games. Things like costumes, weapons, places, whatever they can do to get people to pre-order.
After awhile some people seem to become sick of it. There was even a boycott of Battlefield 3 pre-orders here.  
 
Bethesda knows that pre-order bonuses shouldn't include things that change the game. I'm not dismissing all pre-orders here, but bonuses like exclusive weapons for Battlefield and classic zombies for Black Ops shouldn't be pre-order bonuses, they should be DLC later on. It gives the developers more money and makes everyone happy. You shouldn't complain since Steve(fictional) bought Classic Der Reise and you don't have it. I know Fallout: New Vegas had pre-order bonuses, but it was also developed by Obsidian instead of Bethesda. Fallout 3's pre-order bonus was a soundtrack and a poster, and Fallout 3 was developed by Bethesda
 
Instead Bethesda gives you a physical object to have. A real cloth map of Skyrim. If I didn't pre-order Skyrim and I found out Steve had a map of Skyrim, I wouldn't care since it doesn't affect my gameplay at all, there is still a map in the game. 
 
So in summary, Bethesda knows that in game pre-order bonuses make some people happy, and some disappointed. Except physical bonuses make some people happy, and the other don't care.
 
I can't wait to fold my map up and let it collect dust for ten years.

Every game should come with a cloth map. Even downloadable games. I would love some cloth schematics of a Trench.

I wanna know what the super version of the game is getting. I would love a small statue of a dragon or somthin 

Yeah, actual physical pre-order bonuses are pretty neat. Going back through my closet once in awhile and finding all sorts of art-books and memorabilia really takes me back.

Store/Regional pre-order in-game bonuses are an annoying and exclusionary factor of something which shouldn't exist in the first place. I'd prefer pre-order bonuses didn't exist at all because all the content that the publisher determines retail quality should be available to everyone who purchases the game. If Bethesda deem that they have to have pre-order bonuses it's nice that they aren't holding back game content.

Oblivion came with a map regardless of whether you pre-ordered or not. I don't think this one will be any fancier. A cloth map would be great though. I really don't like digital maps and guides and such that come with Steam games because you can look at them while you're playing the game. My favorite pre-order bonus is still a soundtrack.

You shouldn't be folding any maps, and if it's cloth just fucking roll it........damn rookies. >.>

I wish Mass effect would do something like that i'd pay anything for a Normandy replica

Spent time contemplating on what games I would be getting on release day and what I would postpone until early 2012 to pick up. Unfortunately I have to admit I pushed Skyrim back as it is solely a single player experience and buying on the day seems more appropriate for multiplayer games. (You know getting in early, learning the maps and what not.)
 
Reading this and this...I've changed my mind.
Off to look up my usual UK retailers to see which offers this beauty of a pre-order bonus.  
 
 
EDIT: ...'learning the maps', wow didn't even notice.

@DEMONOLOGY_24: Here you go:  http://biowarestore.com/mass-effect-accessories/ssv-normandy-ship-replica

Isn't this pre-order for all stores?  Fuck gamestop.  Also, be careful not to wipe your ass with this map.

I plan on pre-ordering Skyrim anyways,  but that map will look sweet on my wall with all of my other gaming maps/posters/swag/etc..

WAit, doesn't the game come with a map? It damn well better, every game in that series that I've played came with a damn map.

Anyway, I don't pre-order based on the principle that why should some company collect interest on my money when I could just spend it on something, or save it. I'll just a buy a game when it comes out.

While I have both (PC and 360) my pre-orders of Skyrim paid in full, I'm still waiting for details on the Collector's Editions. Hopefully there will be a lot of goodies that harken back to the era of the cloth map.

Agree completely. In-game preorder bonuses are ridiculous, but I certainly like extra goodies like maps. Matter of fact, I might preorder it so that I can actually have a drawn map to use while playing, as opposed to using the in-game 3D atrocity.

I read this thread and was like, "Yeah, you're totally right!" Physical things that you get from pre ordering are ALWAYS going to be more valuable and worthwhile than a stupid in-game outfit or gun, at least to me. One of the reasons I pre-ordered Catherine is because I wanted the art book and soundtrack. I probably would have had second thoughts if the pre-order bonus was a different set of boxers for Vincent or whatever.

Wait, you need to preorder the game to get the map? Ah man, eff that. Both Morrowind and Oblivion had that thing bundled no matter when you bought it. At least at first. I think Oblivion (and probably Morrowind too) stopped packaging them after a year.

If I had a cloth map for every time a pre-order bonus was a cloth map, I'd have one cloth map.

@Beforet: Maybe the basic non pre-order comes with a basic map and the pre-order comes with a cloth map?

"[Yes], there will [also] be a regular paper map included in all copies of the game, but if you want to get the premium map, we recommend pre-ordering the game."

Taken from the link someone posted earlier in the thread. 
 
This is a cool bonus, but I'm still waiting for them to announce the inevitable collectors edition.  Announce that shit Bethesda so I can give you my money!

I have 3 Morrowind maps, and 2 maps of Cyrodil. I assume by the time I'm done with Skyrim I will have 2 maps of Skyrim.

I agree with you, it's a great pre-order bonus. Amazon has the same deal.

@Twitchey said:

@Beforet: Maybe the basic non pre-order comes with a basic map and the pre-order comes with a cloth map?

"[Yes], there will [also] be a regular paper map included in all copies of the game, but if you want to get the premium map, we recommend pre-ordering the game."

Taken from the link someone posted earlier in the thread. 

Steam pre-order, digital copy of the cloth map?

Yeah I think physical bonuses are the way to go, especially if you (as a publisher) want to avoid any negativity pre-release. Having said that, I'm totally for the BF3 model of promising free content to pre-orders (ie. the BF2 expansion map pack) that will still be available to everyone post-release. I'm not quite as keen on little in-game items though.

How big is the map? My wall is filled with posters and putting up a big skyrim cloth map would be fucking sweet

Physical items are great cause they're easier to move on eBay whooo!

I agree, I remember when PC games would come with this stuff in the normal package. I think one of the building the bastion videos showcased this.

Oh man I hope they include that map with PAL pre-orders.

Yeah, I hate preorder bonuses. They're so lame, and totally the norm now :(

I like cloth maps.

I'd much rather get In-Game Armour/Weapons that benefit me in the game. Rather than a physical object that would just take up space and not benefit me at all.

@XII_Sniper said:

Anyway, I don't pre-order based on the principle that why should some company collect interest on my money when I could just spend it on something, or save it. I'll just a buy a game when it comes out.

Amazon preorders don't charge you anything.  You pay nothing until the game ships.  And unlike Gamestop preorders, you actually are pretty much assured of getting the bonus.  Instead of the exact opposite. 

Every game should come with a cloth map. Even downloadable games.

Pre-order exclusivity is wrong.

AFAIK: There will be a map in every version, but some versions of the game comes with a "premium" map.

Anyway, I remember when I first bought Morrowind. I used to check out the manual for games, and I had no idea there would be a map. Looking at the map and seeing all the cool places you could go to would make me excited to play the game. It looked so incredibly large as well.

Map comes with the Amazon pre-order as well. Gamestop ain't gettin' my money.

We used to plaster the folded maps we got in previous TES games on our walls and swear to never use the in-game ones.

TES has never really done us wrong so pre-ordering Skyrim shouldn't backlash horribly, a cloth map sounds awesome but I'd wait for the collector's edition too to see what they have to offer.

I wish this same Bethesda would lower their price on the shivering isles downloadable expansion for Oblivion, so i didn't have to buy it used for next to nothing. I'm with you though, being a huge Bethesda fan in general, they typically give you bang for the buck without "EA-ing" the piss out of everything.