I honestly can say I never engage in said practice that makes my spell check revolt. I hate to agree with it, but this is probably not a real word. Just some marketing jive that has no real place in the modern lexicon.

The problem for me is that it is inconvenient. I live in the country, and while a trip to the nearest retailer that does follow this practice is not exceedingly distant all told it still results in me having a ninety minute round trip. Sticking it to me for two gallons of gas along the way, and of coarse while I am in the midst of civilization I always feel compelled to make the best of it. Which usually means good food, and extra shopping. Best case scenario I am a hundred dollars poorer for taking a trip to the mall.

The alternative is actually more convenient. Just picking the game up as I move along in my ordinary routine. There are a lot of retailers that sell games, and I do not need to make a special trip into the heart of temptation. I can even just order the game online, and save the sales tax if I am alright with a ten day wait.

Were their a brick and mortar retailer along my routine that had this practice and offered bonuses I would probably use them, but that is not the case, and I see no real value in going the extra fifty miles as it were.

I pre-order only when there is a special offer or cost discount...

bestbuy.ca has 10% off games on most holiday weekends so I pre-order ones I know I will want from there...

Other then that there has to be a special offer like Fable Pub Games for Fable II pre-order, Banjo Kazooie from Arcade with Nuts & Bolts pre-order, etc.

I only pre-order for the bonuses.

I cannot recall ever pre-ordering a game. I also cannot recall a situation where a game I have wanted is sold out - so pre-ordering has very little value for me.

I might preorder the new Banjo Kazooie, or Fable 2 just for the xbla version. Nowadays I don't really pre-order much because places where I live don't usually run out of stock on games. Back in the PS1 days though I remember if I didn't preorder it might take a week to get my game if it was a big game.

I pre-ordered Alone In The Dark.

Never again.

Actually, that isn't true. I might pre-load Left 4 Dead. I know Valve wouldn't let a bad game be released.

I used to browse in stores and buy directly there.
Then moved to half ordering online.

The only game I ever pre-ordered was Diablo 2.