As Jerry Seinfeld would say, what’s the deal with midnight launches?
The hype around the release events for blockbuster movies and games, most recently this year’s console colossus GTA V, is palpable, as swathes of sweaty nerds queue for hours in the wee hours to get their hands on one of the first copies of these highly anticipated games.
“The Grand Theft Auto series is probably the most hyped game series of all time,” said Josh Olek, Executive Producer of Radio Respawn, a multi-platform gaming show.
“As someone who likes games a lot, it’s rather hard to not get excited for that. So I thought, ‘why not?’. Might as well get a few hours out before I have to sleep.”
What is the appeal? Why can’t these fans wait another 10 hours to purchase GTA V?
Former “gamer” Alex says it’s about being part of the moment.
“[People do it] for the zeitgeist, just being as close to the conversation as possible as early as possible,” he said.
And what happens at these magical midnight launches I’ve heard so much about? There must be something. Cake? Strippers? Carjacking? Other things gamers seem to like?
I made the fateful journey to Chadstone with my boyfriend late on Monday night, purely out of curiosity and the slim hope that there would indeed be strippers.
What I got was decidedly different. As we wandered through the packed car park, the entrance was littered with greasy-haired, young guys in hoodies having a final smoke before hitting the queues.
Inside, JB-Hifi and EB Games were sporting lengthy lines and disorganised hordes respectively. A great proportion of males and a scattering of girls, both girlfriends and genuine players, were standing around, patiently waiting for their game. There wasn’t even a true buzz of excitement, just quiet anticipation. No cosplay, no music, and certainly no cake.
But at the EB Launch Party in the CBD, the atmosphere was a little more colourful.
“The Official EB Launch Party for GTA V in the city had heaps of people dressing up, playing games and celebrating,” said Olek.
One EB Games store in Southport, Queensland, controversially gave away free Wizz Fizz “cocaine”, arranged in lines on the counter.
So if it’s not all about atmosphere, what is it that brings the gamers out at night?
“I guess for some people, gaming is more than just a hobby, it’s a passion, and if you have the ability to get something early before a lot of other people you should probably do it,” says Olek.
“A lot of the time shops offer extras as well. I know I got a couple of posters, in-game DLC [downloadable content] and some GTA branded lollies.”
But other game players refuse to buy into the fad.
“I don’t do midnight anymore really,” says Alex.
“The clientele that attends those sorts of things are generally not people I like being around any more, people who self-identify as hardcore gamers, who let what they love define them to a fault. I don’t want to be a part of that any more because I don’t like what ‘being a gamer’ has come to represent.”
What being a “gamer” has come to represent is constantly challenged. Given the GTA franchise and the many modern games which have come under fire for being sexist, violent, and masculine fantasy fulfillment, to many “gamer” has come to represent the over-hyped teenage boy.
“Playing games as an adult is looked down upon as being childish and immature,” says Olek.
“Regardless of the fact that the average age of a gamer in Australia is around 30.”
Even though these gamers are self-confessed anti-socialites, the midnight launch offers a sense of camaraderie in the gaming community, the opportunity to gather with people with similar interests and be part of that “zeitgeist”.
That, and stealing virtual cars, is more fun when you’re sleep deprived.
