Why is the only PSP bundle in Canada the Gretzky bundle?

[James]

I was in an EB today and I asked the guy about the PSP coming out tommorrow and what was available. In the US there are two bundles the value pack for $250 USD and the Gretzky bundle for $300 USD. In Canada we were supposed to get the value pack for $300 - $320 CAD range but Sony cancelled that deal and raised it to $350 CAD and then cancelled the deal all together. Now the only bundle available is the Gretzky one for $400 CAD. At EB 'tomorrow only' you can get it for $350 but there's a shortage and if you haven't pre-ordered a while ago your not going to get one. After tomorrow it goes up to $400 CAD at EB and other places are as high as $450 CAD. Seriously what the Fuck! At least it comes with a game I suppose and A UMD movie I think.

[Cmosfm]

Why?

CAUSE ALL CANADIANS ARE CUKKOO FOR HOCKEY!

crazy cunucks. x_x

[Joelius]

Hey now, I'm not Canadian, but sure darn close to them (Detroit). I would be alright with that bundle deal, too bad that I personally cannot stand Wayne Gretzky, thought I do love hockey. Come down to the States if you have to buy one, or buy it online at EBgames.com or something. It's a personal call, and I don't think you're getting ripped off.

[vincewy]

Considering the current state of NHL (see the topic I started in off topic) and hardly anyone would buy this game separately, it's the only way/only time they can sell it with regular retail, you wonder how many copies stores will be stuck with down the road, especially in US. Later on they might have to bundle it with the unit (ie: Sega CD with Sewer Shark, Xbox with junk sports game last holiday)

[njiska]

I think you guys are missing the point. The problem isn't that the bundle comes with a hockey game, the problem is that my fellow canadians and i are getting screwed. I'd like to buy a PSP but i don't want to shell out the extra cash for a game that doesn't interest me. The thing is i don't have a choice. So instead of buying a Value pack ($249.99 USD) and a copy of metal gear acid, the only PSP game i really want right now, i'd have to pay $399.99 CAD ($328.15 USD) plus the extra cash for MGA. It's insane. it's a big fucking problem and i hope many people don't buy the gretzky bundle so that Sony gets the message. This is an injustice. If i buy a PSP it's getting imported.

[vincewy]

Njiska:

Depending on where you live, if you live in Cities like Toronto or Hamilton, why not driving across border to pick up a value pack. I agree with you, Canadians should boycott this crap bundle.

Another sickening trend, most online stores (including Amazon, EB, and Gamestop) are only offering the system with massive bundle, not only is Sony bundling this thing up, retailers pour salts to the wounds with even more junk, I'm not talking about just one game, but 4-7 games/movies totaling as much as $500. I really hope everyone just boycott this type of business practices, unfortunately there're too many desparate souls out there willing to pay anything for it at this point.

[shvnsth]

Xbox with junk sports game last holiday)

wtf are you talking about, ncaa football 2005 and top spin are two of the best sports games of this generation

[NeoZeedeater]

Real Canadian Superstore had a non-Gretzky bundle for $350 in their flyer.

[Jasoco]

I don't know why, but the Gretsky cover is one of the worst photos I've seen on a game in a while. @_@

[James]

Considering the current state of NHL (see the topic I started in off topic) and hardly anyone would buy this game separately, it's the only way/only time they can sell it with regular retail, you wonder how many copies stores will be stuck with down the road, especially in US. Later on they might have to bundle it with the unit (ie: Sega CD with Sewer Shark, Xbox with junk sports game last holiday)

This game is only available with the bundle and not seperately in Canada which makes sense if the game comes with every PSP unit. I don't know about the US, I assume the game is available seperately.


Njiska:

Depending on where you live, if you live in Cities like Toronto or Hamilton, why not driving across border to pick up a value pack. I agree with you, Canadians should boycott this crap bundle.

Another sickening trend, most online stores (including Amazon, EB, and Gamestop) are only offering the system with massive bundle, not only is Sony bundling this thing up, retailers pour salts to the wounds with even more junk, I'm not talking about just one game, but 4-7 games/movies totaling as much as $500. I really hope everyone just boycott this type of business practices, unfortunately there're too many desparate souls out there willing to pay anything for it at this point.

You can buy the unit alone at Best Buy which appears to be the only sane electronics retail store left in North America. I checked a bunch of other places as well like Target, Circuit City, Walmart, EBGames US and K-Mart and they all have ridiculous bundles for as much as $500 USD and the cheapest being about $400 USD. Some of those stores don't even have the system listed but they are selling the games and UMD movies? :/


Real Canadian Superstore had a non-Gretzky bundle for $350 in their flyer.

That deal was canned about a week ago. Sony decided not to offer it in Canada.

I don't know maybe bacuase of shortages etc. Sony might be trying to not sell the unit right away so they have time to get the number of produced units up. And with it selling for so much and coming with a bunch of crap that nobody wants anyway only really hardcore gamers and rich people are going to buy it. Though that does sound really stupid but with Sony understanding their business practices is always a mistery. They should be out of business with the way they treat their customers or at least in Sony Computer Entertainment anyway but people still buy their crap. :/

Edit: I checked Amazon, Gamestop and Yahoo as well, along with several other low key internet emectronics retaillers and none of them offer the unit alone. I'm confused at this. This unit shouldn't sell at this rate which gives my previous theory some more life I guess.

[FurinkanianFrood]

Evil bundling has become a fact of life everywhere.



Though that does sound really stupid but with Sony understanding their business practices is always a mistery. They should be out of business with the way they treat their customers or at least in Sony Computer Entertainment anyway but people still buy their crap. icon_confused.gif


Thank you!! Now that someone else has chimed in on that I might be able to stop rambling about how awful Sony is. People try too often to downplay this issue.

I think Sony probably just doesn't give a rat's ass about the Canadian market.

Even though some people could go across the border, they shouldn't have to.



I really hope everyone just boycott this type of business practices, unfortunately there're too many desparate souls out there willing to pay anything for it at this point.

I second that. Though people never did that with Sony before. It seems like a lost cause sometimes.

EA is another good one to boycott IMO. Mistreatment of employees, unfair competition with the American football exclusivity.

[James]

I have recently found out that the Futureshop Gretzky bundle also comes with Twisted Metal for $400 CAD. Best Buy seems to have several bundles available the Gretzky bundle today only there is $380 CAD and there are 2 others that apparently don't include Gretzky but again the system isn't available by itself.

[Lady Jaye]

We have 6 different bundles that we sell at CompuSmart (and no, we don't sell the standalone PSP either).

Just go to Compusmart.com and go to Games/Consoles in the top horizontal menu. Then type PSP in the search engine.

Every bundle includes the PSP Value Pack (ie. Gretzky Hockey and the Spiderman 2 UMD movie).

[digitalpress]

OK, we've got an "official" thread for this now, so let's direct all PSP launch day stuff over here:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56631

Thanks!

[vincewy]

OK, I checked my local store, ShopKo hasn't even sold a SINGLE UNIT and they do sell it in standard value pack for $250.

So, if anyone, especially Canadian gamers want it but doesn't want the hockey ame, I can get one for you, just shoot me a PM, you'll just pay me exactly how much I pay for plus $15 for my time and gas money (will be almost $300 total).

Even major cities' store have plenty of units available today, anyone can walk in to the stores and come out with this thing, IMO, the system is way over hyped, ultimately it comes down to the cost of games, $40 to $50 is too much for handheld. Whoever tries to horde the units and resells them on eBay will be stuck with them.

[njiska]

OK, I checked my local store, ShopKo hasn't even sold a SINGLE UNIT and they do sell it in standard value pack for $250.

So, if anyone, especially Canadian gamers want it but doesn't want the hockey ame, I can get one for you, just shoot me a PM, you'll just pay me exactly how much I pay for plus $15 for my time and gas money (will be almost $300 total).

Even major cities' store have plenty of units available today, anyone can walk in to the stores and come out with this thing, IMO, the system is way over hyped, ultimately it comes down to the cost of games, $40 to $50 is too much for handheld. Whoever tries to horde the units and resells them on eBay will be stuck with them.

It's nice to see the community supporting the community.

[Nesmaster]

checked out my local walmart here in canada.... They had the non gretzsky bundle for $299.97 or something...

[James]

checked out my local walmart here in canada.... They had the non gretzsky bundle for $299.97 or something...

I'm going to have to check on this. That sounds a little cheap.

Edit: Rather a lot cheap.