It just seems that many gamers these days have lost their interest in the midnight launches. Just a few years earlier, the midnight launch of a new game was something unique and different. Only the cream of the crop and the best of the best titles were available right at midnight by stores that turned these launches into a special event, celebrating the launch of a particular title by the faithful. Now days, it seems that the release of nearly every title wants to be special and to warrant a midnight launch to promote its release.

It is understandable that publishers and developers want the press and advertising that goes with the midnight launch of a title to help generate awareness that leads to sales. While that is certainly logical, we have to question retailer commitments to midnight launches of some titles. While we can see the reason to midnight launch the latest Warcraft or Halo, for example, other titles that get launched at midnight just puzzle us to no end.

We spoke to some retailers in the area who regularly do midnight launches for video game titles and they all seemed to express the same sentiment, which is that a large majority of the gamers have just lost interest in participating in midnight launch promotions. While all of those we spoke with said that they do see the value of doing a midnight launch for the biggest titles that have the largest fan base, some titles simply don’t generate that kind of response or interest, and only the hardest of hardcore fans even bother to show up.

One retailer we spoke to give us this example. We have a midnight launch coming up, and in that launch there are three titles that will be available for pickup at midnight. Combined among the three titles across all of the platforms that these titles will be available for, they have a combined total of 40 pre-orders. It is unlikely that all 40 customers that pre-ordered these titles will show up at midnight to pick up their copy; and based on previous launches, less than ten, if that many, will likely arrive in person to pick up their title at midnight.

Boutique game-only focused stores are more obligated to have to do the midnight launches just to retain market share and differentiate themselves from other retailers that operate 24-hour locations that sell more than just games where the title is also available. It is still a difficult balance between offering the midnight launches and just not doing them.

While we don’t see the continued trend of midnight launches going away any time soon, we do think that the numbers that are likely to make the trek out to a midnight launch will likely dwindle for the less popular titles. While the midnight launch was something unique and different at one time, it has now become a mainstay promotional tool that in most cases doesn’t interest gamers much anymore. While the biggest titles will continue to have their midnight launches that will be well attended, other titles launched at midnight are likely to only attract the hardcore fans.