Paying for a game you already have

Just a quick thing. Two days ago I bought Star Wars Fallen Order on steam for a few bucks. Today, Kotaku put up a headline specifically for me.

“I Hope You Didn't Just Buy Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Because It's January's PS Plus Game”

So, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Last year I picked up an RPG game called Solastia on steam for about $40, played it about 4 hours, enjoyed it quite a bit. Then the next day I went over to the gamepass PC front page to see the new drops, and there was Solastia. I had played on steam too long to get a refund, so that was just $40 out the window. Now that’s it’s happened again, though not as expensive due to the steam sale, I was wondering if this misfortune has struck anyone else around these parts? Ever buy something that you either already owned but forgot, or otherwise had access to and didn’t need to spend the money after all?

I ended up with 3 copies of Bayonetta 3. Didn't realize I had pre-ordered it on Amazon in 2018 when they still offered 20% off preorders. But I also forgot (and still don't remember doing it) that I pre-ordered it off GameStop at some point last year. Bought a digital copy of it so I could play on launch day.

But that's not really what you were asking. I semi-recently bought Scarlet Nexus for full price on pc the day before it was added to PC gamepass. And there are a number of games I bought discounted without realizing they were on gamepass (recently eastward and chained echoes).

I haven't fallen prey to this myself, but between freebies on PC, Games with Gold, and a weakness for bundles (the contents of which I quickly forget), I've come very close many times. Look at it this way, you've supported the developer.

I frequently intentionally buy games I have via Game Pass or Games With Gold or PS+ or whatever if the discount is good enough. I like knowing I will have access to the games even if Games With Gold ends or I unsubscribe or whatever, and I like tipping the developers. For Game Pass and PS+ higher tiers games rotate out so if you want access to the game for as long as you have your console buying handles that. Of course the price has to be right and there are plenty of games I played but have no real interest in owning (The Medium was fine but I doubt I'll play it again, though I might bite for $5 or something) but for example I just bought Massive Chalice for $6 because that was one of my favorite Xbox One games and even though I had it via Games With Gold I want a 'permanent' copy and it also acts as a tip for developers I really love (Not everyone who made that is still at Doublefine but Psychonauts 2 is maybe in my top 20 games of all time so the current crew is pretty great.)

I see Game Pass and PS+ like game rentals in the old game. You get to try the game for free, complete it if you want, and then for the best of them you might end up buying a copy.

Does buying some 360 games on Steam because you never want to dig that old thing out ever count?

Like those departed this outlet said: don't pre-order games.

@infantpipoc: Yeah, I really only pre-order games I know I am going to play, and plan on playing right at the release time (which is usually 9pm on the west coast of the US). The Bayonetta 3 preorder was just such a strange mishap. Like I said, I really don't even remember preordering the Gamestop copy, nor could I find a pre-order e-mail confirmation or anything. And I haven't even stepped foot in a GameStop in probably 6 years.

@noboners: Did you return the physical copies if you're playing digitally?

@bigsocrates: no, I ended up just gifting them to friends for Christmas. So it wasn't too bad in the end.

Yeah, this happened to me a couple of times. The most recent example I can remember is, Detroit: Become Human. I ordered the game on Amazon and before it got to my house, I discovered that the game was going to be on PS Plus. This is why I hesitate to buy games that are on sale in the PS Store these days, because they might just end up a PS Plus game the following month. However, keep in mind that you don't actually own any PS Plus games. They are free as long as you're a member. The moment your membership expires, so does access to those games. So while I can play Detroit because of PS Plus, if I lose access, I can still play the version I have. The game is still in its original wrapping unopened.

Future tip, don't buy Gotham Knights which is getting discounted lower and lower weeks after it was released. This is looking like an easy future PS Plus game.

@noboners: The only game I got from a friend in recent years was Balan Wonderworld.

Sorry. "Friend."

@av_gamer: 1) Your description of how PS+ works leaves out an important detail. If your subscription lapses and you resubscribe you get access to all those games again. So it's not like if you want to take some time off from PS+ you can never play those games again on PS+. You just need to resubscribe.

I would also say that games inevitably get cheaper and/or go on subscription services over time so you just have to accept this is going to happen sometimes. You buy games and they are eventually available for cheaper. The choices are just not to buy games (go subscription only) or accept it.

I mean technically if you bought Balloon Fight in 1985 you could have just waited until Nintendo Switch online to play it for "free."

I just bought Valkyrie Profile for the third time. Maybe I'll actually finish it now...