TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

Collapse

Recommended Videos

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • thescoop
    MVP
    • Jan 2006
    • 1288

    #1

    TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

    For a lot of us, the game will be released tonight at our local Gamestop. (This is assuming you sprung for the Hall of Fame edition.)

    Other will wait to get it tomorrow and those without the Hall of Fame edition will get it Friday. For years I was one of those that showed up to get it first. I remember having to wait until Midnight, then it being bumped up to 11 PM and now even getting it at 9 PM.

    I even remember when it was midnight, for both this and NCAA games, Gamestop would host tournaments and a lot of cool prizes could be won. They'd have pizza and soft drinks for everyone waiting. It was kind of like a tailgating experience. And you'd see people you'd usually only see once, twice a year. It was a fun time to be had.

    But part of that has changed. The buzz isn't the same. Same of the faces have dropped out of the early chase all together. Gamestop, at least my local one, doesn't do pizza and soft drinks anymore. And tournaments aren't really offered and if they are you are playing last year's version instead of getting a glimpse into the new edition.

    Maybe as they make the game release sooner for special editions then the standard release has helped create a divide. Maybe it also prevents them from doing two early releases and those that don't get a "Hall of Fame Edition" have to wait until actual Friday. Or maybe it is because the move from Midnight has given them less time to get some fun stuff started. I don't know.

    As I've gotten older the thrill of being there opening night isn't the same. Yes, I typed that in all bold for the subject. But I don't know if I'll be there tonight. I'm sure I will as I have to make the dreaded Wal-Mart run anyway. But even though I'm looking forward to this year's version, I am not sure if I'll be one of the earlier grabbers.

    I'm just wondering if some of you have similar thoughts and if the thrill of getting it the "night before actual release" is still the same.
    Check out my updated 2017 blog on building a high school football video game:
    http://forums.operationsports.com/th...ame-revisited/
  • Dsabol715
    Rookie
    • Nov 2017
    • 305

    #2
    Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

    I recieved a voicemail from GS yesterday saying it was a midnight release which totally killed my hopes of getting it at 9pm tonight. Gonna have to wait and grab it tomorrow after work.
    Currently playing:
    Madden 26
    MLB The Show 25
    Super Mario Wonder
    Pokemon Unbound

    Teams:
    New York Mets
    New York Jets
    Philadelphia Flyers

    Comment

    • ODogg
      Hall Of Fame
      • Feb 2003
      • 37953

      #3
      Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

      I do digital now and also have EA Access. I also have already been playing it on PC via Origins Access Premier but I do miss the old days of waiting in line via Gamestop for my copy, rushing home to play and gaming until about 5am when I just couldn't stay awake anymore!!

      Alas, those days, along with NCAA, are likely gone for me for good but great memories there!!
      Streaming PC & PS5 games, join me most nights after 6:00pm ET on TwitchTV https://www.twitch.tv/shaunh20
      or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunh741

      Comment

      • shockl3y
        Rookie
        • Aug 2007
        • 408

        #4
        Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

        I went digital and have the HOF edition already preloaded and will be playing tonight. 10 hours to go.

        Comment

        • thescoop
          MVP
          • Jan 2006
          • 1288

          #5
          Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

          Originally posted by Dsabol715
          I recieved a voicemail from GS yesterday saying it was a midnight release which totally killed my hopes of getting it at 9pm tonight. Gonna have to wait and grab it tomorrow after work.
          I haven't gotten a call but I can promise you that I will not do a midnight release. I'm way too old now for those. LOL
          Check out my updated 2017 blog on building a high school football video game:
          http://forums.operationsports.com/th...ame-revisited/

          Comment

          • Dsabol715
            Rookie
            • Nov 2017
            • 305

            #6
            Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

            Originally posted by thescoop
            I haven't gotten a call but I can promise you that I will not do a midnight release. I'm way too old now for those. LOL

            Me too. Last year’s Madden and this year’s the Show had the 9pm release which is a no-brainer so I was thrown off by the midnight release. No way I can do that. I will patiently wait til 5pm tomorrow!
            Currently playing:
            Madden 26
            MLB The Show 25
            Super Mario Wonder
            Pokemon Unbound

            Teams:
            New York Mets
            New York Jets
            Philadelphia Flyers

            Comment

            • TarHeelPhenom
              All Star
              • Jul 2002
              • 7125

              #7
              Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

              Ahhhhh...the memories man! Most of my were for NCAA. I went to several of those midnight releases. They had food, drink and the years previous game playing if you wanyed to get some games in. The lines were long, the conversation was great, especially if you had guys who pulled for rival teams. I remember one year in particular...believe it was 08's version, I was living in Greenville, NC. Half of ECU's football team was there camping out. They were all complaining about their ratings including Chris Johnson(formerly of the Tennessee Titans). They were talking about how good and fast he was. They happened to be playing UNC that year. I started yapping and saying it didn't mattet because they Tar Heels were gonna whip that anyway. Well, when they played Johnson rushed for over 200 and tacked on about 85 more receiving and a kickoff return for a TD...the rest for him was history. Needless to say his teammates were right lol.

              As for Madden I never really did the midnight release. I waited for it to drop the next day. As for this year, I still have about 8 hours on my 2nd Trial version but I'm gonna go ahead and get the HOF digital version and have it pre-loaded and ready for midnight tonight.

              The good ole days man!
              "Dunks are tough, but when a 35 footer come rainin out the sky...it'll wire you up"

              Comment

              • m1ke_nyc
                10
                • Oct 2009
                • 3243

                #8
                Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                Yea with the rise of digital downloads the midnight release thing just isn't as big anymore. Especially considering those of us who used to attend have gotten older and this new generation never really experienced it. Everyone is pre loading and hitting go at midnight. And as far as Madden goes, yea I remember Madden was THE NUMBER ONE sports games year in and year out. It was basically a holiday. Every one couldn't wait for the new Madden. NBA 2K has kinda took that crown.

                But, the impressive thing about Madden back in the day is Madden gathered a cult following without social media to help it unlike 2K. Alot of 2Ks hype is the hype train created on Twitter and Facebook. Madden was just word of mouth. Going to your buddies house to play.
                It’s easier to do the right thing, than to explain why you didn’t.

                Comment

                • ODogg
                  Hall Of Fame
                  • Feb 2003
                  • 37953

                  #9
                  Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                  I remember when I lived in Richmond, VA hearing about how this place up in College Park, MD had NCAA early. It was a Friday about 4pm and I told my boss I had to go (she was cool) and I hit the road to get NCAA early.

                  That day was the first day I had ever driven in Washington D.C. traffic and man it was terrible, it took me like 3 hours to get through it at rush hour on a Friday but I eventually got to the place about 8pm and got my NCAA early for the weekend!

                  The drive back only took about an hour or so because there was absolutely no traffic heading back, LOL..

                  Oh the good times eh?
                  Streaming PC & PS5 games, join me most nights after 6:00pm ET on TwitchTV https://www.twitch.tv/shaunh20
                  or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunh741

                  Comment

                  • stinkubus
                    MVP
                    • Dec 2011
                    • 1463

                    #10
                    Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                    Also on the digital bandwagon, but I certainly have fond memories of the release parties and tournaments. I'm 38 now and probably couldn't commit to going to them anyway, but in my late teens and early twenties Madden's release date was a mandatory sick day from work

                    Comment

                    • Rocket32
                      MVP
                      • May 2016
                      • 1639

                      #11
                      Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                      I think digital preorders have been a pretty significant factor in that kind of thing stopping. Why go out to GameStop later at night to get it and wait then drive back when you could just stay home and relax and just wait for it to unlock and and be all ready to play at midnight?

                      Some people that enjoy the experience of it would probably continue to show up but having that option now with it becoming more popular likely not enough people would bother getting it that way so it’s probably not worth it for GameStop to continue doing pizza, soft drinks, and tournaments.

                      Comment

                      • ODogg
                        Hall Of Fame
                        • Feb 2003
                        • 37953

                        #12
                        Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                        Originally posted by Rocket32
                        I think digital preorders have been a pretty significant factor in that kind of thing stopping. Why go out to GameStop later at night to get it and wait then drive back when you could just stay home and relax and just wait for it to unlock and and be all ready to play at midnight?

                        Some people that enjoy the experience of it would probably continue to show up but having that option now with it becoming more popular likely not enough people would bother getting it that way so it’s probably not worth it for GameStop to continue doing pizza, soft drinks, and tournaments.
                        If Gamestop was smart they'd make a big deal out of stuff like this because it really can be a lot of fun and there are, as you say, very few reasons to just go out and buy it at the store unless they do a big party, pizza, tournament etc.

                        But then there is a reason that Gamestop is circling the drain...
                        Streaming PC & PS5 games, join me most nights after 6:00pm ET on TwitchTV https://www.twitch.tv/shaunh20
                        or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunh741

                        Comment

                        • PVarck31
                          Moderator
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 16869

                          #13
                          Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                          I got lucky and Amazon delivered mine today!

                          Comment

                          • 4thQtrStre5S
                            MVP
                            • Nov 2013
                            • 3051

                            #14
                            Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                            I have done the Gamestop midnight releases where we had to actually wait until midnight. People would start lining up around 9pm. Someone would always bring a football or two and we would have scrimmages of touch football in the parking lot.

                            Gamestop started doing the 9pm, maybe to keep everyone out of the parking lot. lol.

                            This is my first year doing the digital pre-order. I assume the release is midnight EST, thus 11pm Central and so on?

                            Comment

                            • SolidSquid
                              MVP
                              • Aug 2014
                              • 3159

                              #15
                              Re: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

                              I remember the neighborhood moms taking turns driving the neighborhood kids to midnight releases for NCAA and Madden. 6 to 7 of us would pile into someones minivan and wait in line, it was really a simpler time.

                              Now i jusr preorder and pre load games digitally. Does anyone know when the HOF edition becomes playable on the east coast? It it right at midnight?

                              Comment

                              Working...