It doesn't happen much, but there were a few times when I returned a game immediately (same day). I'm not talking about cases where the game was defective (which is common). I'm talking about if you just don't like the game!
The first time was with Final Fantasy 2 (SNES) - although it may have been FF3. It was the early 90's and I had read rave reviews about the game in magazines (EGM probably) and I was really psyched. Of course, it costed upward of $60-70 so it was a big investment.
At the time I didn't really appreciate RPGs - especially Japanese RPGs, so I really did "get" the game. The more I played the more panicked I became, thinking I made a bad choice. It wasn't what I expected so I took it back to Funcoland the same day.
The clerk processed my return, but he could not fathom that someone would return this game. Over the years I started to like RPGs, and I now have these games in my collection.
Anybody else have a story to share?
Ever take back a game right away?
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Ever take back a game right away?
Yes, Twisted Metal 3. The worst game in the series. What a piece of trash. I was mega disappointed.
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Ever take back a game right away?
Nope, never happened!
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Ever take back a game right away?
I've never taken back a game that I physically bought but I think a lot of that has to do with the newer policies that many retailers have when it comes to returning games. When I worked in customer service (from 2006-2010ish) the policies of returning games had drastically changed due to the newer technology. Most retailers will refuse to return a game if it has been opened and it isn't defective. This was also around the time where I started receiving a disposable income. Now, I know that companies like Gamestop will offer store credit for games that people don't like, but they also sell used games and it has to be done in a very short time frame.
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Ever take back a game right away?
Tomcat Alley for Sega CD. I played for five minutes, got a headache from the array of bleeding colors, and promptly returned it to KB Toys.
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Ever take back a game right away?
I don't know of any game stores around where I live that allow you to return games. its ridiculous, because games are expensive. Therefore, i try to do research on games, and get them cheap. If I make a poor decision, at least I wont be out 60 bucks. Making games $60, not creating a playable demo for it, and then not allowing returns is obscene. Thats why I generally wait to buy games.
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Ever take back a game right away?
I bought Mortal Kombat for the Game Boy and returned it later that week.
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Ever take back a game right away?
You can thank the non-returnable policies to the fact that people pirate games. Buy a game, burn it, and then return it.
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Ever take back a game right away?
[QUOTE=Rev]You can thank the non-returnable policies to the fact that people pirate games. Buy a game, burn it, and then return it.[/QUOTE]
I don't think that is entirely it. That's probably their corporate line, but I don't think its true. If it was, it would be a limit that you can't return X amount games in x months, etc. Pirates would be likely to buy games constantly, make copies of them, and return them nonstop. a policy like the one I just mentioned would stop that process. If someone buys 10 games in a year and returns 1 for being a terrible game that was nothing like it was advertised, odds are they are a legitimate customer. Stores could allow some returns for normal customers without enabling piracy too much. So why don't game companies allow stores to have a return policy like that?
I think this actually comes down to the same reason that most game companies no longer make playable demos of their games. They want people to know as little as possible about the game, and if the game is bad, they want people to be stuck with them. I'm sure they blame piracy, but I think the real reason is its a excuse to stop legitimate customers from returning bad games. If that happens, they lose money, so they found a way to blame pirates. Besides, the type of pirate who is tech savy enough to mod a console, is probably tech savy enough to download the games online instead of going through the hassle of buying and returning them.
I don't think that is entirely it. That's probably their corporate line, but I don't think its true. If it was, it would be a limit that you can't return X amount games in x months, etc. Pirates would be likely to buy games constantly, make copies of them, and return them nonstop. a policy like the one I just mentioned would stop that process. If someone buys 10 games in a year and returns 1 for being a terrible game that was nothing like it was advertised, odds are they are a legitimate customer. Stores could allow some returns for normal customers without enabling piracy too much. So why don't game companies allow stores to have a return policy like that?
I think this actually comes down to the same reason that most game companies no longer make playable demos of their games. They want people to know as little as possible about the game, and if the game is bad, they want people to be stuck with them. I'm sure they blame piracy, but I think the real reason is its a excuse to stop legitimate customers from returning bad games. If that happens, they lose money, so they found a way to blame pirates. Besides, the type of pirate who is tech savy enough to mod a console, is probably tech savy enough to download the games online instead of going through the hassle of buying and returning them.
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Ever take back a game right away?
I never returned a game to the store but I remember me and my best friend renting Bo Jackson's baseball for the NES. After 5 minutes we promptly returned it to the rental store and demanded a different game.
That game was sooo bad.
That game was sooo bad.
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