So I know that we've had the conversation on here before about buying soundtracks because you've played the game they're from vs. buying soundtracks just on their own merits.  I'm wondering, though, if any of the rest of you do what I've found myself doing lately, which is tending to sometimes buy games BECAUSE you know that there is or will be a CD release that goes with it.

Looking back at the past year, I've totally done this a number of times and ended up with games that I otherwise wouldn't have.  We talked about Ori and the Blind Forest, a game which I was content to let slide by until they released a physical edition that was bundled with a CD.  In Japan last summer I found a cheap copy of the soundtrack for Yoru No Nai Kuni/Nights of Azure, which I picked up and subsequently bought and played the game.  I had never played a Shantae game before, but I was all over the LRG release of those because they were printing soundtracks for them.  I'm generally not super into Kirby games, but I actually grabbed Planet Robobot primarily because of the announcement that there would be a two disc album.

With the limited amount of free time I have, I should probably focus on games I specifically want to play, but I end up buying and playing some more... I guess mediocre(?) games purely because I know I'll be able to pick up the soundtrack after I'm done.  Anyone else find this as well?

I don't let the (future) existence of soundtrack CDs influence my decision to purchase a game.

I think the main reason is that I pretty much never buy or play CDs anymore, and the other reason is that, if I end up liking the music and there's no official CD release, someone will rip the audio from the game anyway.

I bought Tsugunai for the PS2 because of its soundtrack.  I think that might be the only game I've done that with.

A long time ago (we're talking late PSX days) I had a thing where if I bought the OST I had to buy the game (also if I bought the arrange album I had to buy the OST). It didn't last too long thankfully

i always wanted to play chrono cross, seiken densetsu3, and terranigma based on my love for the osts.
but time and responsibilities...

I've never, ever purchased a game solely on the quality of the OST, though it has been a factor in a purchase decision, combined with things like developer pedigree, or gameplay footage.

I can say that nearly every single OST that I have bought in the past was purchased because I loved what I heard in-game.

I feel you, Joe.  A good way to get me to pledge to a kickstarter is them offering a physical version in the pledge rewards.  That doesn't apply to every game I've pledged for, but it certainly helps heh.  Also limited edition with complete OSTs, such as Nipponichi releases, get me buying.

I think a good soundtrack will make me more interested in learning more about a game the same way a sharp art style or well cut trailer would.

As far as physical soundtracks go, the packing in of a soundtrack CD is much more likely to get me to buy a special edition of a game I already own digitally. I picked up physical versions of Ori, Axiom Verge, and Shantae 1/2 GH even though I already had the digital versions because I wanted to add the CDs to my collection.