Gamestop is at it again.

[8bitgamer]

The Gamestops near my house have thrown away most of their used PS2 manuals and boxes and are now selling the discs in cardboard sleeves. Ugh...

[Rev. Link]

They've done the same at the one near me, though it seemed to be just for their clearance rack, as they still had a shelf full of complete PS2 games. The stuff in the sleeves seemed to be mostly sports games and really old common stuff.

EDIT: Ooh, post number 1111!

[todesengel]

Yeah the Gamestops in my area started this awhile back. It was only like the under $5 sports junk mostly with a few other $5 and under games. They've done the same with the last $5 Gamecube games they had laying around as well.

[Drixxel]

That reminds me, I'd found a reasonably cheap used copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the shelf at a local EB Games and discovered upon it being scanned at the till that there were, in fact, zero copies in stock. The clerk, without hesitation, turned around and chucked the box (with manual) in the nearest trash can. Really, I should have offered a buck for it or something and cleaned up on a UMD-only eBay copy.

[megasdkirby]

The clerk, without hesitation, turned around and chucked the box (with manual) in the nearest trash can. Really, I should have offered a buck for it or something and cleaned up on a UMD-only eBay copy.

You could have asked for the box. I do this when a game is out of stock. Since they no longer need it, I get the box for free. Of course, YMMV.

[portnoyd]

Ugh, to work at or know someone at a GS who could have bagged up all those cases and manuals...

Well, at least the manuals. Most GSs I go into have the horrid generic cases peppered in between the legit cases that are stickered and beat up to hell.

No big loss I guess. Sad panda.

[jeffg]

i remember them doing this with all their gameboy advance stuff.
One of the stores I go to told me they threw out like 50 GBA boxes/manuals, now that I am collecting for the Gameboy Systems that just stinks thinking about that

[mdk]

Reminds of me the days when I worked there, just after the Funco Land takeover. Any pre-PlayStation 1 boxes were tossed. This is precisely how I bulked up my NES, SNES and Genesis collection. I'd grab all the boxes and worry about getting the game later.

[dnehthend]

am I the only one who digs around in the dumpster behind gamestop?

[Oobgarm]

Not around here, yet. Might have to go make friends with the manager of the local store. They've got a lot in sleeves as it is, but there's still a good number of them on the wall, just like the other systems.

[Enigmus]

am I the only one who digs around in the dumpster behind gamestop?

I've considered doing this, but the GS in my town is in a strip mall near a busy Rosatis (pizza store) and it's used by others as a shortcut to the Wal-Mart nearby, so I'm SOL on rescuing innocent PS2 cases.

Still, this is bullshit- they can't sell these in bulk to make a profit? Where is their logic in all of this (if they even had logic behind this to begin with)?

[bangtango]

All the Gamestop's in my area have been doing this for over a year now.

Of the nine locations I've visited over the past 6-8 months, two of the stores actually have the manuals packed into the cardboard sleeves with the PS2 games. But otherwise all of the remaining stores seem to have tossed both the artwork and box. Not to mention you don't even get a case for the game.

Guess the PS2 "completists" who hadn't been fast enough in getting around to picking up complete copies of NBA Live 07, NBA 2K6, Madden 07 or whatever because they assumed Gamestop would still have dozens of copies of stuff like that for another 2-3 years shouldn't have dicked around so long.

One or two locations in my neck of the woods have also begun doing this cardboard sleeve business with XBox 360 games, anything under $2.

Meanwhile, the one location nearby who are still carrying XBox 1 games (they have a selection of about 100) are keeping them in their original case with the artwork and manual. At this point they are all 75% off. So I suppose someone who wants a case badly can buy one of the 99 center's which are now discounted to about 25 cents, before the Edge card discount. Easy way to get a lot of cases all at once.

[The 1 2 P]

It's a good thing I don't buy used PS2 games from Gamestop.

[Doonzmore]

I thought GS recently initiated a policy that all trade ins must be complete? Or does that only apply to new generation consoles?

[joshnickerson]

They've started tossing the boxes for used DS games at my GS. Can't wait for something like Dragon Quest V or Electroplankton to come in...

[tubeway]

I think people here forget that most gamers really don't care that much about the packaging of a game and simply want to play the game and have fun.

Gamestop can toss the cases for 40 two buck games and make room on a shelf for stuff that will actually turn a profit and keep the location open.

[RARusk]

Been snagging a lot of cheap PS2 games this way for awhile (gathered about twenty so far around the many GS stores in San Antonio). If I need any type of help on them I can find what I need on the web.

I just purchased a 500GB hard drive for my PS2 Fatty and plan to install most, if not all, of my collection onto it and use Free McBoot and Opal (Open PS2 Loader - OPL for short) to play them.

[InsaneDavid]

am I the only one who digs around in the dumpster behind gamestop?

No, you're not. If I'm walking past the GameStop location near my apartment and see an employee walking to or away from the dumpster I take a peek after they leave.

[bangtango]

Really, this sort of thing shouldn't bother most people. The only people who should be really pissed off are people who don't already own copies of the PS2 games that Gamestop has trashed the cover art and manual for.

We always get the excuse of the store not having enough space. Not all the locations really need the extra space but you'd be surprised how many Gamestop's could use a little more room in the store.

If all of the earlier PS2 Madden titles (2001-2007), for example, had been kept in their original cases at any Gamestop location on Earth it would have taken up at least an entire shelf. Not good if you are trying to push PS3, Wii or 360 product.

Though I still think a better solution would have been either price dumping the $4.99 & under stuff a little more (what is stopping them from 49 cent Madden games?) or doing a BOGO-type of offer for awhile. Simultaneously shave a little off their already small trade-in value and viola, you have a solution.

[Koa Zo]

What kind of retard shops at Gamestop anyhow?

[Emperor Megas]

What kind of retard shops at Gamestop anyhow?If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say the kind that likes video games, and finds many available (locally) at a reasonable price.

[Enigmus]

What kind of retard shops at Gamestop anyhow?

I don't know about you, but not all people have access to internet shopping. Does this really make those people "retards"?

[Aussie2B]

No big surprise. It's sad from the perspective of those of us that care about the preservation of video games, but what can you do. Personally, I have barely shopped at GameStop since they got rid of their NES, SNES, and Genesis games. Almost anything used can be had cheaper (and probably in better condition) on eBay and Amazon is usually cheaper for new stuff AND you don't have to even leave the house (plus you don't have to be concerned about gutted copies being sold as new).

[bangtango]

What kind of retard shops at Gamestop anyhow?

People who don't feel like paying $6-7 in inflated shipping for the same games on 99 cent Ebay auctions or BIN's, or people who don't feel like meeting certain purchase minimums to receive free shipping from Amazon.com.

[vrikkgwj]

Anyone buying used PS2 games at Game Stop are crazy. You do realize that many of these games are kept in spindles when shipped to and from stores, right? They can bang around and scratch each other as they please.

Also, the infamy of EB shrink wrapping "new" games with a hair dryer shouldn't be forgotten.

[tubeway]

Geez. Seriously? You act as if we don't have the ability to examine the condition of the games in person. About a third of the games I buy there are in brand new condition.

I could care less about gutted new titles -- people are crazier to be paying fifty bucks for games that will sell for half that a few months later. And if you planned on opening it anyways to play, what difference does it really make? fucking ocd types.


Anyone buying used PS2 games at Game Stop are crazy. You do realize that many of these games are kept in spindles when shipped to and from stores, right? They can bang around and scratch each other as they please.

Also, the infamy of EB shrink wrapping "new" games with a hair dryer shouldn't be forgotten.

[Emperor Megas]

I could care less about gutted new titlesExactly how much less could you care about it?

[tubeway]

Exactly how much less could you care about it?

Zing!

[Aussie2B]

I could care less about gutted new titles -- people are crazier to be paying fifty bucks for games that will sell for half that a few months later. And if you planned on opening it anyways to play, what difference does it really make? fucking ocd types.

It's the principle of it. When a store sells both new and used goods, I'm not paying the new price when the item clearly has been opened and is thus not new. And actually, it's a bigger problem for the folks that do wait awhile. If you're buying a game at release, they probably have lots of sealed copies to hand over. If you see a game on the shelf being sold as new a few months later, then you're much more likely to be told that the gutted display in your hand, the one that's been handled by greasy fingers a hundred times over, is the last "new" copy.

[tubeway]

And at that point you can simply buy a new copy elsewhere, most likely cheaper.

[tubeway]

I actually really like gamestop. they're an excellent cheap game resource when a system is being discontinued and you don't have to pay shipping on cheap titles and often have multiple copies to choose from and select the one in the best condition. they often sell games cheaper than the current amazon used price, too. Okami and Godhand are both cheaper at gamestop.

A decade from now when gamestop moves to bing just digital distro or is otherwise physically gone, all the same people bitching about them will be waxing nostalgic about how great they were.

[todesengel]

Geez. Seriously? You act as if we don't have the ability to examine the condition of the games in person.
This. I have never been to a Gamestop that didn't let me examine the disc before I paid for it.

[Emperor Megas]

This. I have never been to a Gamestop that didn't let me examine the disc before I paid for it.While this is true, I've also never been to a GameStop where an employee(s) didn't give me or my wife a little attitude for rejecting 'new' merchandise that, upon inspection, wasn't up my standard.

[staxx]

Geez. Seriously? You act as if we don't have the ability to examine the condition of the games in person. About a third of the games I buy there are in brand new condition.

I could care less about gutted new titles -- people are crazier to be paying fifty bucks for games that will sell for half that a few months later. And if you planned on opening it anyways to play, what difference does it really make? fucking ocd types.

Well in that case might as well apply the same principle when shopping for say a LCD TV. So if you went to a store (say Best Buy) and want to buy that 60" Samsung and it's the last one, the display model. They say I can sell you the display model, just wait here and let me get the box for you. You will still buy it at the same new price? If you don't want to buy it, why not since you are going to open it anyway when you get home. Same concept.

[todesengel]

While this is true, I've also never been to a GameStop where an employee(s) didn't give me or my wife a little attitude for rejecting 'new' merchandise that, upon inspection, wasn't up my standard.
I've been given an attitude as well for turning down used games that were too scratched up but it's not like I care when it happens. I just laugh it off that the employee got their panties in a bunch that I didn't buy something. I'm not one for buying their gutted "new" copies though and usually turn those down unless it's something I can't get elsewhere for cheaper.

[MASTERWEEDO]

Well in that case might as well apply the same principle when shopping for say a LCD TV. So if you went to a store (say Best Buy) and want to buy that 60" Samsung and it's the last one, the display model. They say I can sell you the display model, just wait here and let me get the box for you. You will still buy it at the same new price? If you don't want to buy it, why not since you are going to open it anyway when you get home. Same concept.

The electronic and furniture display models are usually discounted. I've gotten a few, and never paid anywhere close to retail.

[tubeway]

The electronic and furniture display models are usually discounted. I've gotten a few, and never paid anywhere close to retail.

I think that was their poorly worded point, though. And in response, I say that neatly putting a fifty buck disc away in a sleeve so the new copy can be displayed on a shelf without getting stolen is substantially different than a several hundred or even thousand dollar television that will endure months of wear and tear from customers fiddling with it, not to mention compromising the warranty for something substantially more complex than a replicated dvd-rom or bluray disc.

[tubeway]

I've been given an attitude as well for turning down used games that were too scratched up but it's not like I care when it happens. I just laugh it off that the employee got their panties in a bunch that I didn't buy something. I'm not one for buying their gutted "new" copies though and usually turn those down unless it's something I can't get elsewhere for cheaper.

Exactly. Nobody's forcing anyone to buy the opened display copy, yet people go on these tirades as if it's some kind of secret they withhold from the customer and they also wipe the disc around their moist and unwiped anus before handing it to you. The average customer simply doesn't care, because they just want to play their copy and then go about the rest of the well-balanced life, not obsess over whether there's a single hairline scratch on th instruction booklet of a game that will be worth six dollars a decade from now.

[Emperor Megas]

I think that was their poorly worded point, though. And in response, I say that neatly putting a fifty buck disc away in a sleeve so the new copy can be displayed on a shelf without getting stolen is substantially different than a several hundred or even thousand dollar television that will endure months of wear and tear from customers fiddling with it, not to mention compromising the warranty for something substantially more complex than a replicated dvd-rom or bluray disc.Regardless, they could still offer a discount for an open copy. Of course they don't have to, but it's a pretty sleazy thing to do.


Exactly. Nobody's forcing anyone to buy the opened display copy, yet people go on these tirades as if it's some kind of secret they withhold from the customer and they also wipe the disc around their moist and unwiped anus before handing it to you. The average customer simply doesn't care, because they just want to play their copy and then go about the rest of the well-balanced life, not obsess over whether there's a single hairline scratch on th instruction booklet of a game that will be worth six dollars a decade from now.They don't let you return unsealed games though. If someone's non gamer savvy mother or girlfriend purchased a game for them and it wasn't something they wanted, you're pretty much assed out if it's opened, because they don't consider it "new". So then, why sell an open game as new?

[todesengel]

They don't let you return unsealed games though. If someone's non gamer savvy mother or girlfriend purchased a game for them and it wasn't something they wanted, you're pretty much assed out if it's opened, because they don't consider it "new". So then, why sell an open game as new?
That's odd cause I've returned opened games before if there was a problem. Now I've never had to return a new game so that could be why I was able to return the other stuff.

[stalepie]

(post deleted )

[Rev. Link]

I stopped shopping at Gamestop the day they started putting their stickers ON THE INSERT of the game, instead of just on the case. I want my games to look decent on a shelf. I don't want a long line of Gamestop barcode stickers on them.

As for the gutting of new games, I understand why they do it. At the store where I work (not a Gamestop), we will gut one copy of our new games to put out on the shelf for display. The difference is we don't allow any of our employees to take the games and play them as they will. They're put into sleeves and stored in a drawer and that is that. On the rare occasion that we do put the game in a system to be displayed, we usually will mark it down.

[todesengel]

I stopped shopping at Gamestop the day they started putting their stickers ON THE INSERT of the game, instead of just on the case. I want my games to look decent on a shelf. I don't want a long line of Gamestop barcode stickers on them.
Luckily the Gamestops in my area never did the whole price tag on the insert thing. I do agree with you though, it is a crappy thing to do but I guess they figure since the average shopper only cares about the game then it's no big deal how the packaging looks.

[bangtango]

Geez. Seriously? You act as if we don't have the ability to examine the condition of the games in person. About a third of the games I buy there are in brand new condition.

I could care less about gutted new titles -- people are crazier to be paying fifty bucks for games that will sell for half that a few months later. And if you planned on opening it anyways to play, what difference does it really make? fucking ocd types.

I've bought three or four "gutted" new games from them over the past few months and never had a problem with any of them.

People pay over $20 for "new" copies of books, a product which normally isn't shrinkwrapped, and keeping them in pristine condition is as important to some people as keeping video games, movies or cd's in good condition is for others.

Yet I never see anyone complain about books being handled by not only store employees but customers, especially since in comparison customers aren't handling a "gutted" disc which Gamestop has in a drawer while dozens of customers in a book store might be handling a book you buy all month before you purchase it.



I actually really like gamestop. they're an excellent cheap game resource when a system is being discontinued and you don't have to pay shipping on cheap titles and often have multiple copies to choose from and select the one in the best condition. they often sell games cheaper than the current amazon used price, too. Okami and Godhand are both cheaper at gamestop.

A decade from now when gamestop moves to bing just digital distro or is otherwise physically gone, all the same people bitching about them will be waxing nostalgic about how great they were.

Hang around long enough and you'll see threads full of posts talking about how "killer" and "awesome" EB Games and Funco used to be before the evil Gamestop swooped in.

Meanwhile those companies weren't doing business much differently. People choose to look at them nostalgically because frankly some people who hate on Gamestop but sing EB/Funco's praises were too young or naive to notice some of their business practices when they were shopping there years ago.

My opinion of most stores when I was 12 years old or even 16 years old is a heck of a lot different than it would be now that I'm in my 30's.



Exactly. Nobody's forcing anyone to buy the opened display copy, yet people go on these tirades as if it's some kind of secret they withhold from the customer and they also wipe the disc around their moist and unwiped anus before handing it to you. The average customer simply doesn't care, because they just want to play their copy and then go about the rest of the well-balanced life, not obsess over whether there's a single hairline scratch on th instruction booklet of a game that will be worth six dollars a decade from now.

I agree. Considering that a "gutted" game has never actually been sold to a consumer, which is the first step in the process of it becoming a "used" item, it is within the rights of Gamestop to call it NEW, at least by their definition.

Besides, I've bought at least four or five "sealed" movies, video games and cd's from big box retailers only to open the factory shrinkwrap and find discs that are cracked or mutilated presumably because of some defect in manufacturing. So it works both ways.

[tubeway]

Regardless, they could still offer a discount for an open copy. Of course they don't have to, but it's a pretty sleazy thing to do.

I agree that a discount would be cool, but I think it would also kill their profit margin on brand new copies of games. I've heard the markup is only like five or ten bucks on new games. Also, if they kept getting in more new copies of that game each time they ran out then they would have to discount a copy each time they got in three or four replacements. That adds up and it would also be a third process they'd have to deal with in addition to selling a game New or Used.

[Famidrive-16]

Whenever I buy used PS2 games at the local GS, I ask them if they have the original box or manual and they'll always go looking for it. I've gotten original cases for them most of the time, save for games that were only in used boxes to begin with.

[bangtango]

I agree that a discount would be cool, but I think it would also kill their profit margin on brand new copies of games. I've heard the markup is only like five or ten bucks on new games. Also, if they kept getting in more new copies of that game each time they ran out then they would have to discount a copy each time they got in three or four replacements. That adds up and it would also be a third process they'd have to deal with in addition to selling a game New or Used.

Considering a good percentage of their new games tend to be $19.99 budget games or shovelware, you can't discount that type of stuff too much, gutted or not gutted.

Though I did get the 10% shopworn discount for a "new" copy of PS2's MLB 10: The Show which no longer had the cover art. I thought that was pretty sweet, since I don't give a shit about a picture of Joe Mauer or whoever was on the front of it.

The clerk did tell me that new copy of The Show originally had the cover art but someone came up to the counter with a preowned copy 2-3 weeks before, priced at $17.99, and made a stink about the game having the generic Gamestop insert. Meanwhile, it was the only preowned copy in stock. So apparently the manager there took the cover art from the gutted copy I later bought, gave it to the guy to pacify him and put the shopworn discount tag on the new copy I later bought. So I got my "new" copy of The Show for that same $17.99 price.

Works for me since I doubt any of the people there were taking home autopilot roster update, 2010-era PS2 baseball games as part of their employee perks. Not like I'm going to be reselling the game in 5 years either when it is only worth $2-3 anyway.

[ericfnbaker]

The gamestops by me only have the cheap games in the sleeves. They still have a ton of PS2 games complete or at least with a box, doesn't mean they're in good condition. Also doesn't mean i would buy from them.

[PentiumMMX]

My local one has been doing this for a while. However, they're only doing it with age-old sports games and the like; stuff that's under $5.

[bangtango]

My local one has been doing this for a while. However, they're only doing it with age-old sports games and the like; stuff that's under $5.

All my local locations have stuff ranging from the GTA games, Metal Gear Solid games, Syphon Filter games, etc. in the cardboard sleeve bin. Anything at all under $5, regardless of whether it was a AAA title or some old sports game.