: Needing to call home to their servers....

: Everybody scrambling to be on, on day 1.....

: So much online content at the expense of local play first....

Game success overall being rated by online activity months or years after launch. What happened to offline single player (or local multiplayer) with mere sales determining success?

I almost fear for any developer who adds an online component to their game, because suddenly it's in a different class, and even it sells amazingly well (as an offline/single player game), if its online doesn't compete in the long run it's pretty much considered a failure. *sadface*

: I think I'm done with game launches in general. I had a pretty good
: experience with Destiny and I attribute that to having waited a few days
: after it went live. Waiting seems to have benefits now, as servers are
: overloaded on day one as loads are balanced.

I've never had a problem with game launches. I don't jump right into online stuff :P even if I did, I would be VERY surprised, and VERY impressed for any game with zero launch day online/server problems. Yeah, it's really not worth it. Better launches I think would happen when a game online makes use of an existing system already stressed tested. Generally, a better chance for survival.

: I may go out and get it day one with friends because that's fun, but maybe
: not be so worried about playing it day one anymore.

I'll never get tired of Halo launch day gaming - on the comfort of my couch, campaign, alone or with a friend or two :)

: I'm also done with the pre-order nonsense. It's not served me well in the
: last few years like it did 10 years ago.

Feeling old now... midnight launches were fun, but now it's only fun (for me at least) if it's official in some manner, as opposed to a store doing its own thing because of the game hype.

My EB was a party killer this time. They decided NOT to do any midnight launch because of AC and a couple other games launching Tuesday. Too difficult for them. *tsk*
But I think 343 or XboxCanada also let me down too with, as far as I know, no launch party for the game in my area.
But there was an AC Unity party. Because Ubisoft is in Toronto. *sigh*

So yep, I agree, launch night/day festivities just aren't what they used to be; whether from culture or my age :P