History Main / PreOrderBonus

* In the spirit of the trope, Website/{{Kickstarter}} campaigns usually offer exclusive extras to backers that will never be available at retail. For example, ''TabletopGame/TheOthers2015'' had two products (the stretch goal collection "Omega Team" and the "Men of FAITH") and two extra heroes for backers who went in for the Apocalypse expansion.

* The North American version of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'' gave a bonus that was a disc that contained an updated UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube port of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' and a version of the same game previously unreleased in the West that featured harder, alternate dungeons, dubbed "Master Quest." Of course, the European version of ''The Wind Waker'' had this as standard.

* ''VideoGame/Journey2012'' was made available for purchase one week before its official release date. Buying it within this time frame gets you a free dynamic UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation 3}} theme; in addition, Playstation Plus subscribers can access the game a week early.

* Pre-orders of ''The Orange Box'' from {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} came with a puzzle game called Peggle Extreme (effectively an Orange Box themed demo for Peggle Deluxe) and the ability to play ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' immediately.
** ''Team Fortress 2'' itself loves to CrossOver with other games by way of this trope - three times out of five, any given new release on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} will award players who pre-order it by letting them use weapons or wear hats taken from that game in [=TF2=].[[note]]There is at least one exception to this, though. Pre-ordering ''{{VideoGame/Disgaea|HourOfDarkness}} PC'' was originally supposed to grant you three items, but since these were only added to [=TF2=] [[https://www.teamfortress.com/meetyourmatch/war.php#day2_bg_08 during the Meet Your Match update]] ''after'' the game was released, the game now gives you these items in Genuine quality after purchasing ''Disgaea PC'', regardless of if you pre-ordered it or not. These are also some of the few pre-order items that can be directly purchased in the Mann Co. Store in Unique quality. Of note is also the [[https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Dadliest_Catch Dadliest Catch]], granted to players who purchase ''{{VideoGame/Octodad}}'' (pre-order or not), notable because it's also Halloween restricted.[[/note]]
*** Pre-ordering ''VideoGame/TotalWarRomeII'' on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} gave you the usual nice hats, however, it also added a "[[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=11304 Romevision]]" mode for Mann vs. Machine--having the Hardy Laurel equipped (or playing with a player who has it equipped) reskins the robots, the Sentry Buster, the tank and the Carrier Tank to resemble ancient Roman society. As an interesting note, the robots' reskins are just regular items, as they had been available on the Mann Co. Catalog for a while.

* Buyers that preordered the American version of ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube also received a bonus disk that allowed them to download a Jirachi, a Legendary Pokémon. Japanese players also got a bonus disc, but theirs contained Celebi and a special Pikachu instead.

* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' preorders came with an exclusive baseball bat weapon, plus those who preordered it specifically on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} gained Bill's hat for all classes in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. This [[GameBreaker unbalanced the game a bit]], since if anyone on the team had preordered, the entire team could gain melee weapons where there otherwise would be none. Since the release of ''The Passing'' DLC, however, the bat is available to all players and spawns the same as every other melee weapon in the game.

* ''VideoGame/Portal2'' had a reduced price and a free copy of the original Portal (which can be gifted if the buyer already owns Portal) when preordered on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}}.

* Preordering ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare 3'', at least on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}}, netted players a free copy of ''Call of Duty 4'' along with it.

* Preordering the UsefulNotes/XboxOne version of ''{{VideoGame/Fallout 4}}'' would give you a copy of the [[{{VideoGame/Fallout3}} previous title]] for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}[[note]]Keep in mind the Xbox One is backwards compatible with the 360[[/note]], while preordering the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 version from Best Buy would give you, along with the Season Pass, a pair of socks adorned with the Vault Boy.
* Pre-ordering Valve's {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} Controller and/or Steam Link hardware would give you a copy of ''VideoGame/RocketLeague'', along with Valve's own ''{{VideoGame/Portal 2}}'' (if you already own any of these games, you gain an extra copy to gift to a friend).

** ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' was launched with a bonus disc including demos for ''VideoGame/MarioParty5'', ''VideoGame/FZero GX'', ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' (causing a little bit of PreviewPiggybacking), ''Star Wars VideoGame/RogueSquadron III: Rebel Strike'' and the first ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' game of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 the 2003 TV series]], as well as bonus material for ''VideoGame/{{Fire Emblem|TheBlazingBlade}}''.

* Amazon.com has been getting into this for the past couple of years. People who paid a little more got a load of extra stuff for ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' (which included stuff like a Lockbox, Dufflebag, and Audio CD). Also, those who wished to pre-order ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei: VideoGame/DevilSummoner: VideoGame/RaidouKuzunohaVsTheSoullessArmy'' got a Plushie of the main character (Raidou Kuzunoha) and other bonus stuff.

** Another great pre-order bonus came when ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures]]'' came out. What did it have? The ''[[CompilationRerelease Collector's Edition]]'', which had ''Ocarina of Time'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', the orignal ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda Legend of Zelda]]'', ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II: The Adventure of Link]]'', a 15 minute retrospective of the series, and a demo for ''The Wind Waker''. It was also possible to receive the disc in a [=GameCube=] bundle, through a ''Nintendo Power'' subscription, and registering games and other Nintendo merchandise on Nintendo's website.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':

[[caption-width-right:350:Wait until the game drops in price...or pre-order at full price and get a nice hat? Decisions...]]

* ''VideoGame/Manhunt2'' had a very limited doctor costume including bloody scrubs and surgical mask if you pre-ordered it.

** ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank: [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime A Crack in Time]]'' gives extremely early access to the [[DevelopersRoom Insomniac Museum]] as a one of four bonuses. Otherwise, you'll have to find every Zoni and then defeat the BonusBoss to enter it.

* Preordering ''VideoGame/ForzaMotorsport 4'' would give you the [[CoolCar Mazda RX-7 Spirit-R]] ([[RareVehicles A "unicorn" car]], which cannot be acquired through normal means) for use in ''Forza 3''. You could then import the car into ''Forza 4''. Multiple retailers had their own preorder cars, like the Honda CR-Z from the online Microsoft Store, a BMW 1M from Best Buy, 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX [=STi=] from Amazon, Alfa Romeo Giulietta from [=GameStop=], and the Mini JCW Clubman from Wal-Mart. The preorder store cars can all be unlocked for 560 MS points, but the RX-7 remains exclusive to people who preordered, or players who win official contests.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' came with a commemorative coin.
*** And a prerecorded message from Charles Martinet as Mario calling you the day before release to remind you about it. They even offered the ability to listen to it again.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' came with a Tanooki Mario keychain if pre-ordered from Gamestop. Likewise, ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' came with cat ear headbands (with randomized colors, corresponding to one of the playable characters).
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart: Double Dash'' had a bonus disc including demos for ''VideoGame/MarioParty 5, VideoGame/FZero GX, VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' (causing a little bit of PreviewPiggybacking), ''Star Wars VideoGame/RogueSquadron III: Rebel Strike'' and the first ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' game of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 the 2003 TV series]], as well as bonus material for ''VideoGame/{{Fire Emblem|TheBlazingBlade}}''.

** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 2: Echoes'' gave away 'Samus Aran, Bounty Hunter' T-shirts.

** This seems to be extending to other Valve games now: pre-ordering ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0 HD'' will give you content for ''{{VideoGame/Dota 2}}'', including the franchise's iconic Chocobo.

* Pre-ordering ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers of Sky'' at Gamestop would net you a bonus DVD that contained the final part of the anime based on ''Explorers of Time and Darkness''.
** If you pre-ordered ''Platinum'', you got a free 6" Giratina figure. ''[=HeartGold=]'' and ''[=SoulSilver=]'' also had the pre-order bonus of either a free 6" Ho-Oh or Lugia figure or both if you pre-ordered both.

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}} Portable'' had Junpei's hat.
* ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' had a reduced price and a free copy of the original Portal (which can be gifted if the buyer already owns Portal) when preordered on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}}.

* ''[[VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist PAYDAY 2]]'' has ''two'' different types of pre order bonuses on the PC version. Pre ordering the standard edition of the game got you the PAYDAY Loot Bag, which contains a scope for rifle weapons, a unique mask, two templates to use on modifying your masks, and some in game money. The "Career Criminal" edition got you the loot bag plus even more bonuses, such as two beta passes to use for yourself and a friend to get access to the game's beta, the soundtrack to the game, in game discounts on all items, a guide to the game written by your VoiceWithAnInternetConnection, and printable blueprints for every heist in the game. No matter what version you pre ordered, you were bound to get a good deal out of it.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonRumble U'' gave out Black Kyurem and White Kyurem figures to those who pre ordered the game, though one is randomly selected. And they are both a DiscOneNuke.