Gamestop's new layout.

[BHvrd]

I like it, I like it alot.

Ever since they have weeded out all the cart games they have also made the store much more streamlined, and prices on newer used games are more competitive, and resonable. Obviously the older games were hurting their sales.

Hell i'll be the first to admit that I rarely went in Gamestop looking for carts anyway. I mostly find carts at yard sales and flea markets. I never liked going to Gamestop to weed through a confusing mess of old games.

Their new layout is just, nice.

[chadtower]

Well, good for you. I used to frequent sevearl area Gamestops. I only bought carts. There are no other sources of carts around here, really, you don't find them at yard sales. If you find them at fleas they look like they were stored in a septic tank. The Gamestops up here didn't do anything to their layout or their prices, they just have a lot of empty space now where the carts were. It SUCKS for people like me, basically, who even though hunting are unlikely to turn up any more NES/Genesis/SNES carts than the most ultra common.

[§ Gideon §]

I haven't been to one with a new layout, yet. This isn't so good of news for me, because I (like chadtower) buy only carts at GameStop! I'm glad that you like it, though. What occupies the floor space formerly taken by the cart bins? And, how are you making a connection between better prices and the absence of carts?

[Barbarianoutkast85]

I havent been to a gamestop with a new layout. And i go to Gamestop often to look at there carts. For the last couple months that is because its kinda dry in the winter because no yard sales or flea markets but ive found lots of games ive needed for my collection

[BHvrd]

I haven't been to one with a new layout, yet. This isn't so good of news for me, because I (like chadtower) buy only carts at GameStop! I'm glad that you like it, though. What occupies the floor space formerly taken by the cart bins? And, how are you making a connection between better prices and the absence of carts?

Mainly the middle floorspace is occupied by an older Playstation and Dreamcast game bin. They also have a nice file system so that when I ask about a game they immediately know, and have easy access. The games that were usually $29.99 used are now $17.99, as well as there buy 2 get 1 free sale is nice also. I got Animal Crossing with memory card for $17.99 used, as well as Toejam and Earl 3. I also got Dragon Warrior 7 for $12.99, Diablo for playstation at $19.99, and they also had Top Spin used at $17.99 plus many other great deals.

The games were focused on newer games "like they used to be", and preview copies for Halo 2, Spiderman 2, and more new games were noticiable. When I go into EB games the first thing i'm hit with are DVD's and magazines "silly, imo".

It just feels more fresh to me, and much more structured in the right direction. I'm not saying that carts weren't good, just that they were putting a bit too much focus on them, imo. I can't count the number of "ridiculously priced" carts that used to be there. It just cheapened the whole mantra of the store. They went overboard on the whole retro thing, and I think they lost their asses a bit.

Now they are selling what sells, that's good for both sides the way I see it. Good deals for both sides is always a good thing. Not trying to cash in on retro gaming.

[PyroPenguin]

I'm with the people who miss carts. I always went there for them, even if some of the prices were bad. Maybe one day they'll return...maybe.

[FlufflePuff]

I haven't been in a Gamestop since they removed carts. They never had competitive prices on used games, even the carts, but at least you knew that sometimes you'd find good games worth the price. Now you just get crappy Dreamcast games, the picked over remains of the Playstation shelves, and a bunch of PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube games that aren't much more than $10 bucks cheaper than you'd get them new.

[AB Positive]

The games were focused on newer games "like they used to be", and preview copies for Halo 2, Spiderman 2, and more new games were noticiable. When I go into EB games the first thing i'm hit with are DVD's and magazines "silly, imo".


Just so you know, an email going through GameStop made it clear that all stores had to be rearranged so that DVDs were the first thing to be seen in stores, used DVDs are considered to be a high source or profit.

The store I used to work at lost a good 25% of its customers due to this fiasco, and I hope both it and EB go down because of it. Meh.

-AG

[calthaer]

FYI, guys, not only can you ask the local Gamestop store while there for a game title, but http://www.gamestop.com allows you to search ALL stores within a 200 mile radius of any given zip code for a game.

This was extremely helpful when I punched in "Tactics Ogre" and found that the one closest to my house had one in stock - and when I got there, found it in oh-so-nice condition, too, manual and all...well worth the piddly $35 they were charging (as opposed to the $50-60+ prices I see on eBay, or the hordes of other collectors who would never give it up for love or money, hehe).

Even if the closest one hadn't had it, there were several others that did. A great feature, if you ask me - you don't even have to visit the store.

[Sega Hitman]

For me at least, Gamestop hasn't been a viable source of finding good cartridges for years. There's no way they could get me to shell out $10 for loose common SNES games. For people saying Gamestop is the only place they could find this stuff, not to offend you, but you definitely need to look harder. Spend a whole weekend going to garage sales every once in a while. Not just a few houses here and there, but spend a WHOLE weekend doing it. I've come to the conclusion it's impossible not to find good stuff if you keep looking. Maybe I'm luckier than hell, but last summer I found at least a hundred dollars in games PER WEEK.

-Hitman-

[Syxx573]

Yeah, I can't reccommend that web site enough. There are lots of good Gamestops around here, and when I was searching for Genesis, N64, and NES games in the past 3 months, I used the site, drove to the store, and 95% of the time it was there! And besides, if you are unsure you can always call to find out if they have something in stock.

And the prices are very good. On top of that, I signed up for their magazine for 10 dollars and I get 10% off used games, and I mostly go for the used games anyway, so this just adds to the savings, and the card's already paid for itself several times over.

The only thing I don't like is the number of games some stores have that don't have any cases. Who buys these games and then throws away the cases and instructions? Unless they're stealing them from Wal-mart and selling them to gamestop or something.

[DigitalSpace]

FYI, guys, not only can you ask the local Gamestop store while there for a game title, but http://www.gamestop.com allows you to search ALL stores within a 200 mile radius of any given zip code for a game.



I've used that to find a few SNES games and the Zelda Collector's disc for Gamecube at local Gamestops. It's very convienent.

[Jasoco]

I haven't been to GameStop in a few weeks. All I noticed different was they switched the PSX games and the DVD's. PSX in the back corner where the DVD's were. DVD's in the front by the door since the corp said they'd be seen better.

A customer walked in, went to the back corner and asked where the DVD's went. LOL

I plan on MAYBE going again on um.. whenever I am off again. Since I seem to be working too much now. (Yay! Money!) I'll check if the layout is different again. Also, I have to check if the one GS that STILL had games still has the games. It's been a month. So who knows what happened.

[EnemyZero]

im with everyone who misses the carts, i also havnt been in gamestop since they removed everything, i just applied over at the local game crazy about 2 weeks ago and i got an interview monday so hopefully i can get in to where they still have all my retro gaming needs

[Ed Oscuro]

For people saying Gamestop is the only place they could find this stuff, not to offend you, but you definitely need to look harder.
You're telling Chadtower he needs to look harder? Hah!

As for myself, the only local places I can seem to find old games at are Goodwill stores. Babbage's never had any classic game carts out on the floor.

[chadtower]

For people saying Gamestop is the only place they could find this stuff, not to offend you, but you definitely need to look harder.

You're telling Chadtower he needs to look harder? Hah!

As for myself, the only local places I can seem to find old games at are Goodwill stores. Babbage's never had any classic game carts out on the floor.

Heh. I was going to let that one go, too. Sega Hitman, last summer I spent probably 10 hours a weekend looking around. I was the freakin' yard sale maniac. Every weekend, saturday and sunday, all morning was spent going on a mapped out route specifically tailored from the newspaper listings for yard sales. I found a lot of cool stuff. I picked up an arcade cabinet, I picked up like 1500 TI99s, I picked up a console here and there. All summer I probably picked up 40 carts and of those carts I'd say there were 10-15 different titles. I have a stack of Sonics you could use to build a house. The primary reason for this, IMO, is that EVERYONE WAS SELLING THEIR CARTS TO GAMESTOP. The only hope here now, and I do stress hope, is that now that Gamestop no longer takes them, the amount of games at yard sales will increase. The alternative is that they just hit the trash bins.

[klimatron8]

BHvrd- you realize this is the "RETROGAMING roundtable" right? So you're not exactly preaching to the choir with your "glad they got rid of alll those silly carts" stance. I think their new direction is terrible for all us collectors.

also - Syxx573 - Did you ever consider that Gamestop is the one tossing the boxes,manuals, and even cases? That's my theory -another way to screw the collector. Peace Ya'll :)