Why You Should Wait for Reviews Before Pre-ordering S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (and Other Games)

[Puicey_Enthusiast]

Why You Should Wait for Reviews Before Pre-ordering S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (and Other Games)

In the past few years, we've seen a troubling trend in the gaming industry: a pattern of triple-A titles being released in subpar, poorly optimized states—often relying too heavily on marketing promises and AI-driven technologies like DLSS, FSR, and Frame Generation to mask underlying issues. As players, we need to be cautious and hold companies accountable before spending our hard-earned money on games that may not even run well on our systems.

A History of Poor Optimization at Launch

We've all experienced the frustration of buying a highly anticipated game only to find it riddled with performance issues. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield 2042, Redfall, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor all had disastrous launches due to poor optimization. Despite massive marketing budgets and high expectations, these games launched with stuttering, low FPS, and other performance problems—often requiring high-end PCs to run smoothly at medium settings. Even ray-tracing and AI enhancements like DLSS couldn’t cover up the underlying technical issues.

Cyberpunk 2077, for example, was hailed as a technological marvel but launched with disastrous performance on PC, forcing many to wait months for patches to fix basic issues. Battlefield 2042 saw high-end systems struggle to maintain decent FPS, despite promises of cutting-edge performance. The list goes on, with many other recent titles delivering lackluster experiences despite claims of advanced technology.

The Over-Reliance on AI Tech and Its Pitfalls

Many of these games over-rely on DLSS, FSR, Frame Generation, and other AI-enhanced features to boost performance—but this often feels like a Band-Aid solution to deeper optimization issues. While these technologies can improve performance, they are not magic fixes for games that are poorly optimized from the ground up. Too often, developers focus on flashy features and cutting-edge visual effects, only to release a product that can't run smoothly on a wide range of systems. The result? Players are left frustrated and stuck with games that require constant patches to even be playable.

The reliance on these technologies has become a crutch for developers. Instead of properly optimizing the core game, some studios just assume these AI solutions will make up for technical flaws. But it’s clear: these technologies are not enough to salvage a game that’s launched in a poor state.

Why You Should Wait Before Pre-ordering S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

With the lessons of the past five years in mind, we have to ask ourselves: Do we really want to trust pre-ordering S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2? We've seen too many games—despite their promises—release with serious issues that take months to address. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is highly anticipated, yes, but after the history of recent launches, we should be cautious.

Instead of pre-ordering, wait for the reviews and gameplay footage to drop. Here’s why:

1. Performance Matters: Let’s be honest, all the fancy tech in the world doesn’t matter if the game doesn’t run well. Wait for reviews to assess whether S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 runs smoothly on a variety of systems. If the game suffers from stuttering, low FPS, or crashes at launch—like many recent big releases—your money and time will be better saved.


2. Avoiding a Disastrous Launch: Many developers these days are pushing out games before they’re truly ready, knowing they can fix them later. You shouldn’t have to deal with a game that’s broken at launch, only to receive promises of patches “coming soon.” Waiting for reviews gives you the insight you need to avoid this.


3. Accountability for Developers: When we pre-order, we’re essentially giving companies money upfront for a product they haven’t delivered yet. This practice encourages bad habits and leads to rushed, unfinished products. Let’s stand together and push for more accountability in the gaming industry by holding off on pre-orders until the game is in a state worth buying.



The Bottom Line: Wait, Watch, and Decide

In this age of rapid patches and AI-assisted technologies, performance often takes a backseat to marketing. Instead of falling into the cycle of pre-ordering and hoping for the best, we should wait for solid reviews and gameplay footage to confirm that a game delivers as promised. After all, your time and money are valuable.

Let’s take a stand against the current state of early access, broken launches, and unoptimized games. If S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 runs well and the reviews are positive, buy it—but if it doesn’t, save yourself the trouble and wait for the fixes to come. Don’t fall for the hype; let the reviews and the community’s feedback be your guide.

Here’s the combined list of games that released with poor performance over the past several years:
1. Cyberpunk 2077
2. Battlefield 2042
3. Watch Dogs: Legion
4. Redfall
5. A Plague Tale: Requiem
6. Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
7. Forspoken
8. The Callisto Protocol
9. Diablo IV
10. Hogwarts Legacy
11. Tactics Ogre: Reborn
12. Marvel’s Avengers
13. Cyber Hunter
14. The Outer Worlds
15. Ghost Recon Breakpoint
16. Control (initial launch)
17. Madden NFL 21
18. Fallout 76
19. Anthem
20. World War 3 (Early Access)
21. Destruction AllStars

This list includes high-profile releases across different genres, all of which suffered from significant optimization issues at launch, making them cautionary examples for players considering pre-orders.

[Sleynish]

Napoleon Solo の投稿を引用：

No)
I decide my self what to do with my money

Time to make pre-order starter pack meme including this argument.

[Sloth]

no man sky and starfield aren't in the list.

curious as those were the most hyped up, anticipated games, more so than half of the list you mentioned.

[ANDS!]

If this were a title that had just announced a year or so ago, from a developer that had a history of putting out jank or needed to meet boardroom deadlines. . .sure.

However, this is a title that has seen multiple delays (from some pretty favorable spots) and is now releasing during the Thanksgiving holiday. . .from a developer that I'm pretty sure doesn't have a board and is producing the game from a country at war.

I'm gonna guess, if they're judging this ready for primetime, that it is ready; using the state of the industry for certain games and applying that to the entire industry is just. . .silly.

LuKi の投稿を引用：

"Journalists" reviews are in majority paid or silly, totally unreliable.

Find me one journalist from a major publication (or hell minor) that was literally paid for their review by a game developer and/or publisher and they weren't exposed and charged by the authorities in their local area.

. . .the internet has created a generation of uncritical thinkers.

[ToxicDutch]

These whole threads are meaningless with Steam's refund policy. If you are a true gamer you try the game for yourself and you refund it if you don't like it.

Letting other people decide if this game is good for you or not is just peak beta weakness.

[PuffyLunk]

OP lists a long list of games that were broken on launch and no where on that list do I see Starfield.

This whole post is a sham now.

[Telzen]

Not reading that. Steam refund is a thing. Get over what other people do with their money.

[Squishdri]

LuKi の投稿を引用：

OP post encouraged me to pre-order STALKER 2 twice, on Steam and GOG - because why not?

Do not tell people what they should do with their own money.
Also....
NEVER. TRUST. REVIEWS.
Trust only yourself and you'll never get disappointed.

"Journalists" reviews are in majority paid or silly, totally unreliable.

Players reviews for at least several weeks post launch of ANY game are in majority just emotional, pointless, drama fueling reactions and complains over absolutely everything except actual content available in the game.

Leave reviews for domestic appliances because they are worthless for video games. Player X can enjoy game X but not Y. Player Y can enjoy game Y but not X. You won't know how the game really is until you actually try it yourself. One will hate it, another one will love it. 2 hours offered by Steam are more than enough for first impression, either positive or negative.

Yeah people like you are the clueless consumers companies hope show up at their door and defend them tooth and nail.

Don't worry, you'll get a free pat on the back someday, maybe.

[Squishdri]

ANDS! の投稿を引用：

If this were a title that had just announced a year or so ago, from a developer that had a history of putting out jank or needed to meet boardroom deadlines. . .sure.

However, this is a title that has seen multiple delays (from some pretty favorable spots) and is now releasing during the Thanksgiving holiday. . .from a developer that I'm pretty sure doesn't have a board and is producing the game from a country at war.

I'm gonna guess, if they're judging this ready for primetime, that it is ready; using the state of the industry for certain games and applying that to the entire industry is just. . .silly.

LuKi の投稿を引用：

"Journalists" reviews are in majority paid or silly, totally unreliable.

Find me one journalist from a major publication (or hell minor) that was literally paid for their review by a game developer and/or publisher and they weren't exposed and charged by the authorities in their local area.

. . .the internet has created a generation of uncritical thinkers.

I point you towards just about every single game review company and journalist outlet that reviewed Dragon Age Veilguard. Come back to me when you've read those and please take down this comment.

[ToxicDutch]

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

ANDS! の投稿を引用：

If this were a title that had just announced a year or so ago, from a developer that had a history of putting out jank or needed to meet boardroom deadlines. . .sure.

However, this is a title that has seen multiple delays (from some pretty favorable spots) and is now releasing during the Thanksgiving holiday. . .from a developer that I'm pretty sure doesn't have a board and is producing the game from a country at war.

I'm gonna guess, if they're judging this ready for primetime, that it is ready; using the state of the industry for certain games and applying that to the entire industry is just. . .silly.



Find me one journalist from a major publication (or hell minor) that was literally paid for their review by a game developer and/or publisher and they weren't exposed and charged by the authorities in their local area.

. . .the internet has created a generation of uncritical thinkers.

I point you towards just about every single game review company and journalist outlet that reviewed Dragon Age Veilguard. Come back to me when you've read those and please take down this comment.

But buying the product for yourself, testing it out, and refunding if necessary is something you're not willing to do. How embarrassing.

[Squishdri]

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

I point you towards just about every single game review company and journalist outlet that reviewed Dragon Age Veilguard. Come back to me when you've read those and please take down this comment.

But buying the product for yourself, testing it out, and refunding if necessary is something you're not willing to do. How embarrassing.

Why would I when I know people like you who make it a social gymnastics match over spending money will do it for me? I'm just warning the others who are on the fence.

How embarrassing your entire argument is basically "You won't spend money for a product that isn't out yet lul ur bad"

[ToxicDutch]

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

But buying the product for yourself, testing it out, and refunding if necessary is something you're not willing to do. How embarrassing.

Why would I when I know people like you who make it a social gymnastics match over spending money will do it for me? I'm just warning the others who are on the fence.

How embarrassing your entire argument is basically "You won't spend money for a product that isn't out yet lul ur bad"

No, the argument is spending money to form your own opinion. You have no idea how the game will be released but you are warning them implying they will lose their money or something. We can get refunds, so nothing is lost. Money is the only barrier here obviously.

Now stop embarrassing yourself, spending hours on a forum of a game you don't own or like is weak. Don't be weak.

[Squishdri]

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

Why would I when I know people like you who make it a social gymnastics match over spending money will do it for me? I'm just warning the others who are on the fence.

How embarrassing your entire argument is basically "You won't spend money for a product that isn't out yet lul ur bad"

No, the argument is spending money to form your own opinion. You have no idea how the game will be released but you are warning them implying they will lose their money or something. We can get refunds, so nothing is lost. Money is the only barrier here obviously.

Now stop embarrassing yourself, spending hours on a forum of a game you don't own or like is weak. Don't be weak.

Money is not the barrier, I could pre order this game and and 50+ other copies without feeling the sting, we're not arguing money here, stop trying to shove your financial situation into this argument, it's not about having the money, it's about spending it properly.

You get a refund in a 2 hour window, that's not enough time to judge a game, you get 2 weeks to hold onto it, that's not enough time for any meaningful update to be released to help the game.

Stop making the entire basis of your argument "You're broke" because neither one of us are, but one of us is clearly willing to stop money on a product they don't own, the other isn't.

[ToxicDutch]

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

No, the argument is spending money to form your own opinion. You have no idea how the game will be released but you are warning them implying they will lose their money or something. We can get refunds, so nothing is lost. Money is the only barrier here obviously.

Now stop embarrassing yourself, spending hours on a forum of a game you don't own or like is weak. Don't be weak.

Money is not the barrier, I could pre order this game and and 50+ other copies without feeling the sting, we're not arguing money here, stop trying to shove your financial situation into this argument, it's not about having the money, it's about spending it properly.

You get a refund in a 2 hour window, that's not enough time to judge a game, you get 2 weeks to hold onto it, that's not enough time for any meaningful update to be released to help the game.

Stop making the entire basis of your argument "You're broke" because neither one of us are, but one of us is clearly willing to stop money on a product they don't own, the other isn't.

That's your personal opinion about 2h/2w but you're going to face the same problem if you pre-order or you buy it day 1, refund times are all the same. And if you buy it on day1 instead of pre-order you just miss out on the bonuses, everything else will be the same.

[Squishdri]

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

Money is not the barrier, I could pre order this game and and 50+ other copies without feeling the sting, we're not arguing money here, stop trying to shove your financial situation into this argument, it's not about having the money, it's about spending it properly.

You get a refund in a 2 hour window, that's not enough time to judge a game, you get 2 weeks to hold onto it, that's not enough time for any meaningful update to be released to help the game.

Stop making the entire basis of your argument "You're broke" because neither one of us are, but one of us is clearly willing to stop money on a product they don't own, the other isn't.

That's your personal opinion about 2h/2w but you're going to face the same problem if you pre-order or you buy it day 1, refund times are all the same. And if you buy it on day1 instead of pre-order you just miss out on the bonuses, everything else will be the same.

Oh noooo, I missed out on the pre order bonus content, whatever will I do-

That's not the point, that stupid pre order bonus content aside, I'm still not spending money on the game until I know it's good enough to play, and since no one has dropped any real undoctored gameplay footage or isn't a reviewer/content creator spilling their guts about about the game because the money is there. There's no reason to spend the money until I'm sure the game is good enough to play.

Which is where you come in, because people like you have a "lul ill pre order anyway bruh" mentality, and will more than likely be among the first people to try and refund once you go over the 2h/2w window and begin complaining. Once more the whole argument I'm making is to ward off the people coming around going "I wonder what the feel for the game is" and hoping they see more and more people saying "Don't pre order" and just don't.

I'm glad you have the money, go crazy with it, profit as much as you think you can but at the end of the day. I'll just buy it later, you bought it blind an trusted the devs, and kept feeding an ever growing mentality among people to just freely spend money without considering their own value.

50$ says I can get you to do anything I want if I put a pre order bonus over my comment~

[ToxicDutch]

Squishdri の投稿を引用：

ToxicDutch の投稿を引用：

That's your personal opinion about 2h/2w but you're going to face the same problem if you pre-order or you buy it day 1, refund times are all the same. And if you buy it on day1 instead of pre-order you just miss out on the bonuses, everything else will be the same.

Oh noooo, I missed out on the pre order bonus content, whatever will I do-

That's not the point, that stupid pre order bonus content aside, I'm still not spending money on the game until I know it's good enough to play, and since no one has dropped any real undoctored gameplay footage or isn't a reviewer/content creator spilling their guts about about the game because the money is there. There's no reason to spend the money until I'm sure the game is good enough to play.

Which is where you come in, because people like you have a "lul ill pre order anyway bruh" mentality, and will more than likely be among the first people to try and refund once you go over the 2h/2w window and begin complaining. Once more the whole argument I'm making is to ward off the people coming around going "I wonder what the feel for the game is" and hoping they see more and more people saying "Don't pre order" and just don't.

I'm glad you have the money, go crazy with it, profit as much as you think you can but at the end of the day. I'll just buy it later, you bought it blind an trusted the devs, and kept feeding an ever growing mentality among people to just freely spend money without considering their own value.

50$ says I can get you to do anything I want if I put a pre order bonus over my comment~

Backtracking already, you said you would buy it on Day1. But i'm debating you on the same topic in different threads, choose and stick to it.