Retro Gaming Bias in Stores

[Stewie]

Does this ever happen to you guys?

I'm a starting NES collector, I enjoy it way more than the newer systems, it reminds me of my childhood, etc etc

At least 1 out of 3 times I buy older games, I get snide remarks from the cashiers!

At gamestop, was in there with my girlfriend, found a few SNES and NES games, the guy was like "Is she making you go old school, aww man, you need to get an XBox"

Another gamestop "So what's with buying all those Genesis games?"

At an independant store "Yeah, I just play roms, I think they take up too much space and its a waste of plastic"

There's been more, but that's what I am coming up with at the moment, any thoughts?

[Pantechnicon]

I've long since given up on lookiing for pre-NES goodies at the shops because, in the modern vernacular, "Uh, we don't, like, uh, carry that old stuff, old dude. Huh huh.." So it's the thrifts for me.

Actually we've got one local shop here in Albuquerque (Replay Games) where there's a ton of NES, Genesis and pre-NES stuff sitting behind the glass; mostly commons, but a few diamonds in the rough. Either way, I'm rather tired of the incensed look the proprietor gives me any time I pull him away from his counter perch to fish things out for me.

I swear, one day I'm just going to tell him, "Given that these carts are only $2 each, I'm sorry that this seems like such an inconvenience for you to take my money for them. Why don't you just give me the whole lot for free and save yourself the hassle? That way you can sit over there on your ass and play Extreme Arena Hentai Jai-Alai on your PS2 all day long without worrying about this whole worrisome concept of 'customer service'?"

Think it would work?

[Gunstarhero]

At least 1 out of 3 times I buy older games, I get snide remarks from the cashiers!

Either ignore it and take the abuse, or the next time it happens, before you have a chance to pay, take the games and chuck them across the room and say "yeah you're right, why do I want those?"

At an independant store "Yeah, I just play roms, I think they take up too much space and its a waste of plastic"

Ah well, you might as well get used to that. Hell, most of the people here will tell you that.

Hope you got some good games for your trouble at least

[Stewie]

I just felt like venting, I would like to think that if I ran a store, if someone was willing to hand me money, I wouldn't care if they were looking for Atari or Commodore games.

I do know one store that gives decent trade credit and treats me well, so I try to do my best business there, but sometimes its hard to turn down the lure of a Gamestop, I've found some hard to find games there for low prices.

Ehh, that wont last long anyway, they quit taking trades on what I always look for!

[Dangerboy]

You know, I never really get that (my poor ex used to get some of that...surprised she didn't rip someone's neck out...), but I get the other end of the spectrum.

I have been in several Game Stops and Game Crazies, and the minute they hear I'm from EB, they go "Dude, what the hell are you doing here?" to which I reply 'shopping'. One guy even commented that he'd be fired if he shopped at another store, and he was dead serious.

DId I miss that part where Free WIll and the right to Shop where ever you want to regardless of employer were revoked?

Bizarre.

Jason

[charitycasegreg]

I never bought a game from a store. Got all my stuff from friends. I dont have much though. 87 nes games, 7 nes's, 67 genesis games, 2 genesis's, 23 snes games, 4 snes's, 11 2600 games, 1 2600, and some ps1 games and gameboy ones. Ive spent 150 or less on it all. Sure beats ebay

[Mr. Smashy]

I buy older cartridge games in stores all the time and I've never gotten any comments like that. I've mostly gotten comments of approval if anything or maybe a respectful question as to why I'd be getting those games (worst case scenario). I'm usually purchasing a few new games with the old, too.

Of course, I'm buying games on a pretty regular basis from a few stores so the clerks get to know me by name pretty quickly.

As far as ROMS go, I'd never choose them over the official software that's played on original hardware. Some people would rather have save states and emulator stuff like that. I guess they don't see the charm of playing these games the way they were played back in the day.

[mosesshirai]

I have been in several Game Stops and Game Crazies, and the minute they hear I'm from EB, they go "Dude, what the hell are you doing here?" to which I reply 'shopping'. One guy even commented that he'd be fired if he shopped at another store, and he was dead serious.

DId I miss that part where Free WIll and the right to Shop where ever you want to regardless of employer were revoked?

Bizarre.

Jason[/quote]


Try working at a gamestop. I have a great import store here in Honolulu, and everytime I shop there, I get the "Why did you sell out?" speech.


I love oldschool videogames, but hate newschool attitude. You have to expect that, though, because more people are playing games, more are buying games, and more are making games. The pressure is on. Welcome to the McSizing of the gaming world...

[LazingBlazers]

@Stewie - Sounds like a case of little man to me. Either smile and let it slide, or break a NES game over your head and say... "Yeah! They DO suck!"

@Retrotaku - Take some oregano and mustard seeds and mix it up in a sandwich bag. Then say, "I'll trade ya!"

[Jasoco]

You know. I work at Kmart and I shop at Target once in a while. I don't care. If a store has something your own does not, who says you can't buy it there? (Besides. Target is so much nicer. And it's better than the guilt of shopping at Wal-Mart.)

When I worked at Family Toy, I made a few trips all over.

Since my store didn't have any Game Cubes, I got one at the next door Game Stop. Later that day I went into my store to get Pikmin. The self-proclaimed "Manager" (Assistant.. NOT the actual Manager. He just acted like he was.) knew I didn't have a Cube. So he said "You got a Cube?" I said, "Yeah. I just got it over at the Game Stop. He said in a disappointed tone, "Why didn't you get it here?" So I replied, "Well, MAYBE if we actually HAD them, I would have!"

They all agreed. I mean really. He himself should have realized that. You can't buy something when the store doesn't have it.

[Daltone]

I get the "what the hell are you doing?" looks whenever I buy Mega - CD games from Gamestation. They usually don't comment, just look mightily annoyed that they actually have to find the game because they've stuffed it in a drawer somewhere.
The only time I have got a comment was when I bought a DDR style game (can't remember which one now.) The girl behind the counter gave a bit of a grin and said "We've got Britney's Dance Beat over there too you know" in a quietly mocking tone. Frankly, I expected nothing less

[maxlords]

@ this thread. I've NEVER had someone make fun of me for buying older games. Can't even imagine. However, if they do it in a store like Gamestop or EB, ask for their customer serivce number and file a complaint. They're not allowed to. I've had problems with EB before with clerks being dicks and I called corporate and complained. Never got bothered again.

As for being FIRED for shopping at another game store...that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'd sue a store in a BLINK if they did that to me. You can't forbid someone to shop at a cpompetitor if they're not on the clock.

[Flack]

The next time someone says, "you still buying that old crap?" just respond with, "you still selling that old crap?" Either that or give them the most bizarre answer ever. "Genesis? Yeah I got the adapter so you can play them on your PS2." Just persist and insist it's true.

This past week I picked up a SegaCD from the local thrift store. She asked me what it was and I tried to explain twice. Finally she said, "like a Playstation?" and I said "yeah" and that worked for her.

[Half Japanese]

I work at Circuit City, but I'm not ashamed to drop by Best Buy every once in a while when something I want is on sale. "Oh, but they price match here" my fellow employees tell me. I don't give a shit when the manager rolls his eyes every time I get it done (which was once, on Futurama's first box set). I also still shop Gamestop, EB, locals, etc. if I damn well please. That's nonsense not to be able to. Don't get me started on the time I worked at Kmart....only thing (besides snacks or drinks on break) I bought there was ONE issue of Xbox Magazine, because it had a Voodoo Vince demo on it. Everywhere else was cheaper/better.

[Griking]

All of my local Gamestops recognize me by now. Rather than being looked down apon when I buy old games they're usually are letting me know when they took in large trade-ins of the older stuff.

[djbeatmongrel]

i love my game stop, i have no problem with it since its owned by a DP member and everyone there is an actual gamer. I get a lot of respect with the purchases i make there when it comes to older games. i'm sad though, after the whole 16-bit and below clear out, my trips are going to be less frequent. on the plus side, its going to be one out of two gamestop in its district(or whatever) to have dreamcast games so it makes up slighty but i still want my genny games *sorry for the rant* times a changing and it hurts. theres always the dirt malls, "old crap" runs rampant on the right day and i know i'll wallow in it

[Push Upstairs]

On a trip last year i went looking for some Genesis games at some Gamestop stores.

I walked up to the counter at one and asked "Where are your Genesis games?"

From the look on the guys face you'd think i just asked for naked pictures of his younger sister.

[DDCecil]

Every time I go into a video game store, I ask them if they have any old atari games if I don't see any, and never really get any comments, just a 'Nope, sorry'.

On shopping at other places while working for another store:
Our local EB wouldn't even let anyone from our family buy anything in there, just because we owned our own small little store in the same mall. When any of our regulars who hanged out in our store went in there, the employees ALWAYS though they were buying something for my dad, and would refuse them service.

[PyroPenguin]

All those guys that work at Gamestop that try to cut down classic gaming are dumbasses. I'd just laugh at them.

btw, where are you people finding girlfriends who are into gaming? I can only find girls who hate it or deal with it.

[Cmosfm]

Well, I've never been made fun of at gamestores, but at other places...

One downtown Ghetto pawnshop, I went in there and they had next to nothing in there. I asked the guy if he had any older games, Nintendo, Super NES, etc. He looked at me, got a real smart ass attitude to him and said "No, we don't carry that old crap, you need to go to the flea market or something"....funny thing was he had original Game Boy games for sale.

Most of the time I get more dumbass remarks than smartass ones. Like this time I was going to buy an Atari 2600 from a larger redneck boy, about age 17 or so I'd guess. I asked him if he had any games for it, he said "naaaw, you caint find dem anywheeres but da paawn shop no more". I feel sorry for that boy.

This thread rocks by the way.