Yeah, it really feels like enshittification… gaming just got so big over the last few years. It really is not as niche as it was.

Oh yes, NMS was actually the first game I pre-ordered (digitally as well) and played it at midnight - hyped beyond the stars… to be disappointed. Then I was stupid enough to run across town to a shop that sold CP2077 a day early - to be massively disappointed again. Do you think I’ve learned my lesson - no, I also pre-ordered with a group of friend BF2042, because “they cannot possibly drop the ball” - we all now how that turned out.

At least with NMS, they really turned it around and added so much free content. With CP2077, we will see with the new 2.0 update and the DLC, but I wait for sure for reviews this time. And yeah BF2042 is now in the state it should have launched in… this is the one I regret the most.

So by now, I have learned my lesson and am proud to say that I’m pre-order free and never in my life will pre-order something again. As you said, keep the expectations low and wait for reviews and the feedback of people here on lemmy. I any don’t have so much time to play games anymore and a few days longer also don’t hurt.