Will you miss Game Stop

General and high profile video game topics.
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Retro STrife
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby Retro STrife » August 5th, 2019, 12:28 pm

I don't personally use GameStop much. I rarely buy new games, and Amazon and ebay are much better options for used games. I'm not a fan of GameStop's rip-off trade-in prices, pressure sales tactics, throwing away boxes/manuals, bad return policy, and poor service. But here's some good things I'd miss:

1. Game Informer - Will Game Informer exist without GameStop? (GameStop Corp. owns the publication and the store is a big source of acquiring subscribers.) By today's lowered standards, Game Informer is a really solid magazine. I've been subscribing for years now and I'd hate to see it disappear.

2. Occasional Use - For me, GameStop is still useful for some purchases, like games under $10 (where shipping costs don't make Amazon or ebay practical). On rare occasions, they also have good sales on clearance games and accessories.

3. Toys R Us of the Game Industry - Even if we don't use it, GameStop does provide a needed service to gamers. Think of the kids - no chain store out there is better for them to explore all the games available. And their trade-in prices are awful, but for some people it's the only option to off-load games. It's important for game sales too. A healthy gaming industry benefits from GameStop, and there is no backup if they close shop - similar to Toys R Us in the toy industry.

4. Physical Media - If GameStop dies, there is even less reason to keep physical media around. My guess is that publishers/developers like GameStop -- it gets their products on shelves and advertises their games -- even if they get no revenue on the used games. Part of why they stick with physical media is to keep retailers like GameStop happy. While other retailers could convert to download cards (Walmart is already doing that gradually), GameStop needs physical games due to its sale of used games.

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ActRaiser
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby ActRaiser » August 5th, 2019, 1:07 pm

I won't miss them. I can't fathom how a corporate policy of opening new games, taking out the disks, and then selling them as "New" is required. It boggles the mind.

Good riddance.

CharlieR
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby CharlieR » August 5th, 2019, 1:34 pm

I was literally just about to post about that. The tactic of opening sealed games, taking the disc out, and putting the empty box on the shelf is mind-boggling. It could be an anti-theft thing, if they left a brand new, sealed game out in the open where a person could steal it, that's not good. It could also be because they need a display model, but why not just get a photocopy of the cover and put in a spare case? I believe they do that for games that aren't out yet that you can preorder. I do recall seeing a used game, asking if they had it new, and seeing the guy take a sealed copy of the game out of a drawer behind the counter.

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MSR1701
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby MSR1701 » August 5th, 2019, 2:32 pm

CharlieR wrote:I was literally just about to post about that. The tactic of opening sealed games, taking the disc out, and putting the empty box on the shelf is mind-boggling. It could be an anti-theft thing, if they left a brand new, sealed game out in the open where a person could steal it, that's not good. It could also be because they need a display model, but why not just get a photocopy of the cover and put in a spare case? I believe they do that for games that aren't out yet that you can preorder. I do recall seeing a used game, asking if they had it new, and seeing the guy take a sealed copy of the game out of a drawer behind the counter.


Having worked at a GameStop before (2005-2006), there are any number of reasons that they "gut" a sealed copy and place the box on the shelf to display. Theft being one of the main reasons to do this.

Yes, they have insert copies for preorders (which are supplied by corporate marketing, and on rare instances from a game publisher), but these are of higher quality than a photo-copy. Also, photocopied inserts are very expensive to run off on demand, and not worth the cost on the scale that GameStop runs (X amount of copies run per title's required facing (anywhere between 2 to as many as 20 facings depending on the marketing needing to be done (looking at you, Madden)), multiplied by each store. That get's pricey fast, and using the inserts provided by the publisher (assuming that they do so) is not ideal, as the quality of these can very wildly, and usually is blurred, misprinted, or made before the final cover.

Yes, they do keep most sealed copies behind the counter/in storage, though I was amused that the lack of training of employees meant that many games were sold "new" that left the DLC codes in the game case, which were then raided/copied/taken by customers and used for their games...

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Retro STrife
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby Retro STrife » August 5th, 2019, 6:01 pm

Good point. The problem with GameStop opening games and selling them as New isn't the "opening" part of the equation. We could all care less if they open new games for theft purposes, display purposes, or any other retail purpose - go right ahead.

The problem is that they still sell the game as New afterward, for the same price as a sealed game, but with stickers all over it, and without the consumer having any confidence that the contents of the box are the same as a sealed game. The game is now the equivalent of a used game. If you are going to open the game, fine, but at least sell it for the used game price.

So no matter what their excuse for opening it and selling it as New, the excuse isn't good enough.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby Gentlegamer » August 5th, 2019, 6:33 pm

There was a GameStop exclusive print of Metroid Prime Trilogy in the white plastic case. GameStop opened every copy, and sold them used for the collector price of the original steelbook version rather than the new MSRP.

jon
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby jon » August 6th, 2019, 4:58 pm

GameStop was the first video game store that just didn’t give me that rush I’d get at other stores. It was sort of like how in the late 90’s it was the PS1 or no video games. Having to settle for less

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txsizzler
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby txsizzler » August 7th, 2019, 4:18 pm

The main thing I would miss about Gamestop, is how they have expanded over the years to include other items in the store (in particular, anime items, along with some niche type things). Other than that, not too much.

Herschie
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby Herschie » August 22nd, 2019, 10:59 am

I thought I'd miss Game Informer, but to tell you the truth, I usually just take a quick glance at it and then never read them again.

Voor
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Re: Will you miss Game Stop

Postby Voor » August 22nd, 2019, 4:43 pm

I enjoyed this discussion between a couple of GameStop vets:

https://youtu.be/ORbHXlrTgXI


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