I'm looking to pre-order FO:NV in the UK.

Four choices - Amazon, Play, Game (website) or Steam.

I like the idea of Steam - pretty much guaranteed to have it on release date but it's ￡5 more than the other 3. ￡5 may not be much but considering I don't even get a box and a disk for that I'm not sure I want to pay more.

So, pre-order from one of the 3 sites maybe. If I do that I don't want to pay extra for shipping - might as well order from Steam in that case.

So my question is: What are your experiences of pre-ordering from those sites, using the free shipping offer? Are any of them likely to have the game to me on release day or could I be waiting a few days or more?

In the US, Amazon offered Release Day Delivery shipping for $6, about 4 pounds sterling. Super Saver shipping from Amazon, which is free, will get it to you by New Years Eve or sooner, guranteed. See, they tie the box to a rat's tail on the shipping dock and smack it on the butt.

I would imagine any other "Free" shipping is about the same.

So, you want it on release day, your not going to pocket 5 quid if you don't want to leave your house.

Well with amazon I tend to go for super saver and get things usually a week later, I've never pre-ordered from it though.

Play I've ordered things and is alright I guess.

Game is my preffered place to order or pre-order games, I have a game card so I recieve points to save a couple of quid when buying another game.

With Steam I only get the games that are a good deal since I prefer to have my games come with disk and box.

I have never received anything I have ever ordered on release day. Always several days later. My only choice for being able to play something on release day is to make the 4 hour round trip to town and buy it. By the time I get home I am generally too tired to play it. I get it late even if I pay the extra $6 at amazon. And even when I got an early copy of FO:3 it showed up a day late. :shrug: I have given up on playing anything on release day. So I just stay here and get the scoop from the rest of you.

Good luck. Maybe they don't have to deliver via dog team to your area so there is hope for you.

Order it from GAME. I get it a day early everytime.

Personally I've found Game to be very good with timely pre-order deliveries, with so far all of my pre-orders being delivered for the day of release (which is now well into double figures). However I know some people who had pre-ordered again from Game but didn't recieve their pre-orders in a timely fashion, although the instances I know of are admitadly only a couple of instances.

I've pre-ordered from Play, first time I did it but I wanted the caravan pack

I ALWAYS pre-order from play.com, and they have never let me down yet. Usually i get it a day early, but that's because i live in the middle of no-where and they send it in the post early, thinking it will take longer to get to me, (lucky for me, my postguy is awesome!)

I pre-ordered from Play, I have pre-ordered from them before and always had it either 1 day early or on release day. I suppose really it all depends on how many they have to send and the postal service but imo play or game are the best choices (idk about steam i dont play games on my computer)

There's also Gamestation.co.uk or HMV.co.uk. So that takes it up to at least six choices.

Previously pre-ordered games through the four you listed.
Game tried to tell me there was a problem with my card (debit, hate credit), probably because their were no funds available. Never mind that I had a spare ￡450 sitting in my account before pay day, and no bills going out before then.

Amazon were hit & miss with two games.
Dawn of War 2, and Star Trek: Online.
DoW2 arrived the day after release, whilst ST:O was a real debacle for people pre-ordering that game over Amazon.

Steam has been consistently reliable with pre-orders for me, and only a couple of games I've pre-ordered through Steam didn't have a pre-load option.
As has already been mentioned, not the cheapest of places to pre-order/buy and there's also the fact that it's digital distribution.

Play has been consistently a good service whenever I've used it. Good pricing, prompt delivery.

I can't speak for either HMV or Gamestation websites, since I never use them.
I pre-ordered the Collector's Edition (PC) at my local Gamestation, which included a ￡10 deposit. So that's a tenner off what I pay at release.

Steam. You don't even need to leave the house or bribe the postman.

Thanks for the answers.

Provisionally I think I'm going to go with Game's web division for my pre-order.

I guess, like many things, no one company has a consistent track record - experiences seem to vary with the possible exception of Steam.

I do like to at least get a good deal for my hard earned money - one reason why Steam tends to irk me for new releases - they're great for sales but new titles just aren't well priced considering there should be savings made in the distribution method.

Again, thank you all

I'm ordering from Play.com. I always get the game earlier then release when i pre-order from them

go for GAME.

A day early every time and the postage is free

(everyone underestimates the Royal mail but I have nothing but good things to say about them)

Gameplay.co.uk have always managed to get my games to me on the release date or the day before.

http://shop.gameplay.co.uk/webstore/advanced_search.asp?keyword=fallout+new+vegas&platform=ALL