Similar Experiences

GTPod is not the only one experiencing what he deemed the Pre-Order Blues at the moment.

As he alluded to, a lot of people are going through it at the moment and yes, I am one of them. I certainly don't get the 'condition' to the extent that others do, but I do get it and my gaming habits change considerably right up until the release of the game in question that I'm anticipating at the time. At the moment it is Grand Theft Auto IV, but in the past it has been big titles like BioShock and smaller titles like Test Drive Unlimited and Shadow of the Colossus.

I can't explain why I, or even we, experience such a thing but it's there and it definitely happens. Naturally it depends on the game in question, a gamer's taste in titles and things like that but on a simple term if you are a gamer than you have probably experienced it at some point.

Personally, my experience of it consists of lack of enjoyment of my other games. I still play them and I still try to make the most out of these games and enjoy them, but my mood while playing is certainly different to what it would normally be. The games I play aren't as compelling as they normally would be, my attention span wanes rather quickly and the only game I can think about is the one that is upcoming. I also seem to have hassles with choosing a game to play and I think that comes from a sense of disinterest; a distaste (if you will) of content from games that I already know about and what to expect while at the same time maintaining a desire to get my hands on and experience the new, not to mention the unexpected.

So why do gamers go through this stage with some games and not others? Is it simply because of the hype surrounding a particular game and the excitement as the release date draws near? Or is it because we as gamers have our preferences and anticipate these particular games because that's what we love and cherish the most? Or is it both?

Perhaps it's none of the above and perhaps it's a different reason altogether. I know it is certainly something I'd like to explore in the future but right now my mind is rather incoherent because it is absolutely flooded with thoughts and excitement about GTA IV. It's only three days away and damn it, I cannot wait to lose myself within the guilty pleasures of Liberty City.