Are digital downloads, early access and grace periods killing the fine institution of the PC midnight release? Listen to my thoughts and join the conversation!

Enjoy!

- Alan

I prefer digital downloads to midnight releases, but that could be just cause I'm getting old. Lol.

I've been a to a few midnight releases and the tension in the air at each has been palpable to say the least. I had planned on driving to Austin and back for the TOR midnight release with Bioware, but life got in the way as it does sometimes. I still got my game though, so I'm happy.

Tension? About what? Getting antsy to get your copy of the game?

- Alan

I also enjoyed the wait for the midnight release of certain games. The WoW expansions were some of the most memorable to me as well. Having huge group debates with complete strangers, or simply sharing and laughing about experiences in the game had a feel that I really can't compare to anything else. As I got older though, the need to try and be waiting in front of gamestop for hours before midnight seemed less appealing. Games are becoming more accessible right through the internet with services like steam, the app store, and now origin. I as well as millions of others would rather just avoid the hassle.

But though the midnight release for games may be fading away, my wife and I still found ourselves camping all night at a AT&T store for the iphone 4 last year. Not only that, but I did go to the midnight showing of the first 2 transformers movies. So there are some things (at least for now) that get me so anxious that I will wait for a midnight release. Is it the same as well The Burning Crusade was released? No. But I guess it's still something.

I have done a ton of midnight releases though the years and always had a lot of fun with them. Though the older I get the more I like not having to stand out in the cold/rain waiting to get a copy. Not to mention getting more playtime in by having everything preloaded and ready to rock at midnight instead of getting home around 1 loading and patching and not getting into the game till 2.

I was really disappointed with my Gamestop because they didn't do a midnight launch. I had to wait until the morning of the 20th at 10am to get my collectors edition. It's unfortunate but they really don't cater to the PC gamer anymore. It's all about console games for the owners of these stores.

I think this might be a unique issue. I work at a GameStop and we do a mid-night release for most every game of note. The problem is that many people canceled their GS pre-orders because GS ran out of codes. I'm not sure who that falls on but it certainly affected the showing. I actually enjoyed the mid-night launch we had because I got to talk shop with people, since we weren't that busy. PC games are a funny thing in that many people get their games on line since most DRMs require an online connection. What benefit is there going to a midnight launch in that case?

I think the midnight release thing must be a predominantly American thing - apart from the odd one I've heard of in London or something, it's never even been anything I've heard of until the internets came along, and MMOs and other large titles became so popular. I guess they'll always be around in some form or another, until the Health & Safety peeps go way OTT...