Conker - Xbox (UK PAL) - Abnormality???

[Gemini-Phoenix]

I was browsing teh games in my local Tesco store yesterday, when I came across the newly released Conker game for Xbox...

Thing is, there was something weird that struck me the instant I saw it - It was shrinkwrapped, and not sealed in the usual fashion...


But this isn't (Entirely) about that small fact. The abnormality in question here is what I saw on the back (And possibly the reason why the game had been resealed too)




If you check the picture, you'll see down in the botton right there is the usual PEGI logo's - But next to them (On the left of the "16+" logo, you'll see a blank bit...

This is in fact a sticky label - The kind you find in any office - And has been cut from a strip, and stuck to the box in order to hide something...


I believe that it is stuck over some writing that says "Made in UK" or something to that effect. I know quite a few PAL Xbox titles have the "Made in" part beneath the barcode edited if they have made a mistake (They often put Germany instead of Ireland, or something)


Thing is - Why would they just use a normal sticky label? Or is this something that the Tesco chain has done for some reason???

Do copies found in GAME or GameStation also exhibit the same abnormality on the back? And are copies bought elsewhere actually sealed as they are supposed to be, or are they also shrinkwrapped???

I'd especially like to know what is written beneath the label - Perhaps it's something rude that Tesco didn't want youngsters to see???

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to badger loads of eBay sellers instead. This is one of the replies I received:

Every single copy of the game
released in the UK has a small white sticker on the
back, underneath it says "not to be sold in the UK"!!
I was a little worried about this but checked three
other local game stores and they all had the same
sticker covering that message. Yesterday i spoke to a
Microsoft representative and she told me that she was
already aware of this but was not sure why this has
happened. So your guess is as good as mine! Thanks for
your question.

So - Very interesting indeedy! One has a few questions though...


One - Why are Microsoft clueless about it, yet aware?

Two - Why do they have "Not to b sold in the UK" on them in the first place? Are they Australian or European imports???

Three - Why is the sticker so shoddy, and how the hell are Microsoft getting away with selling the game, even though it clearly says not for UK consumption???


DP - Anyway you could investigate (Pull a few strings Etc) and find out any information about this bizarre occurance? The game has only been out since Friday - After a few slipped release dates... Now we know why it wasn't released back in April when it was supposed to be!

[sharp]

Microsoft is really messing up with Conker, the demo-disc I got last week was pal-format, but says on the label that it's NTSC.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

I can honestly see it being in bargain bins within a matter of months - Not because the game is cack, but because they have made so many fluff ups with it.

Honestly - Hardly professional now is it - Having little white stickers covering up something which shouldn't have been on the packaging in the first place. And then to reseal it in shrinkwrap is just appaling.

And I was so looking forward to getting it as well.

I hope they release a second batch soon with the errors corrected - Any other company would have simply withdrawn the product from sale, and sorted it in a more professional manner.

This is a new low for Microsoft - Only thinking about filling their pockets instead of creating a quality product...

[pr8cjb]

I bought mine from HMV and it's got the white sticker on the outside of the case, rather than on the inlay itself. The text underneath reads "Not for Supply in the UK". Beats me as to why though.

[The_EniGma]

This is a new low for Microsoft - Only thinking about filling their pockets instead of creating a quality product...

Yes, but it was a very anticipated game, i dont think i could bare to have it delayed more!

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Still - They certainly have some kind of nerve to release it like they did. That would be like releasing Juiced with the acclaim logo still on it, and then trying to obscrure that with a THQ sticker...

Why the hell would it have "Not to be sold in the UK" on it in the first place though?

I really hope that someone lost their job over this. I hope I meet him one day so that I may show my gratitude by introducing my boot to his scrotum at high velocity.

[thegreatescape]

Two - Why do they have "Not to b sold in the UK" on them in the first place? Are they Australian or European imports???

Just thought i'd pipe in and mention that if it was an Aus import then it would have a white ratings box on the front (probably bottom left corner usually).

[anagrama]

Jesus f*cking Christ, do you honestly think that 99.9999% of consumers could give a flying fuck whether or not there is a tiny white sticker on the case or that it's shrinked rather than sealed? It may come as a surprise, but the VAST majority of potential buyers are interested in the actual game, not incredibly anal packaging details.

Someone should lose their job over it? Get a fucking grip.

[punkoffgirl]

Still - They certainly have some kind of nerve to release it like they did. That would be like releasing Juiced with the acclaim logo still on it, and then trying to obscrure that with a THQ sticker...

Why the hell would it have "Not to be sold in the UK" on it in the first place though?

I really hope that someone lost their job over this. I hope I meet him one day so that I may show my gratitude by introducing my boot to his scrotum at high velocity.

Holy cow, it's just a STICKER!

[Gemini-Phoenix]

It's not "Just a sticker" - It's an everyday address label which has been cut and stuck on to disguise an error which should not have been made.

The fact of the matter is, Microsoft fudged up. Instead of correcting their error, they try to disguise it.


Let's put it this way - If you went to buy a Ferrari and it had a tiny little scratch down one side, how would you feel if the salesman says:

"Holy cow, it's just a scratch!" or

"Jesus f*cking Christ, do you honestly think that 99.9999% of consumers could give a flying fuck whether or not there is a tiny scratch on the side? It may come as a surprise, but the VAST majority of potential buyers are interested in the actual car, and driving it, not incredibly anal paint-job details."


It's exactly the same thing. And the packaging of a game is just as important as the code on the game disc itself.

[Daria]

It's not "Just a sticker" - It's an everyday address label which has been cut and stuck on to disguise an error which should not have been made.

The fact of the matter is, Microsoft fudged up. Instead of correcting their error, they try to disguise it.


Let's put it this way - If you went to buy a Ferrari and it had a tiny little scratch down one side, how would you feel if the salesman says:

"Holy cow, it's just a scratch!" or

"Jesus f*cking Christ, do you honestly think that 99.9999% of consumers could give a flying fuck whether or not there is a tiny scratch on the side? It may come as a surprise, but the VAST majority of potential buyers are interested in the actual car, and driving it, not incredibly anal paint-job details."


It's exactly the same thing. And the packaging of a game is just as important as the code on the game disc itself.

Except chances are they'll do a second run without the error and then collectors like Dangerboy'll buy up both versions for the variant.

Besides it's not a damaged case, it's an oddity. Not the same thing at all.

Besides even if the car was scratched any rational consumer wouldn't vow to kick in the nuts of the guy who painted the car. They'd simply buy another one.

[Bratwurst]

Your analogy's weak as well. You can peel off a sticker, a paint scratch is more permanent. Oh God, it says not for sale in the UK! Makes it more of an oddity and a conversation piece than a reason to not buy the game.

I can still see where you're coming from since you're likely not going to want to remove the shrink at all. That blank sticker would lie underneath the film, perpetually mocking you whenever your eyes lay upon it. Too bad you don't define what constitutes new and sealed, the packaging plant / publicist / distribution network does. Suck it up, accept it, or wait and see if they ammend the insert.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Seems Conker has since been rereleased, with a different part number for the new cover, minus the "Not for sale in UK" part on it

Does this perhaps mean that the original release may actually become rare and collectable in the future? Or will the new version be more sought after???

[THATinkjar]

Seems Conker has since been rereleased, with a different part number for the new cover, minus the "Not for sale in UK" part on it

Does this perhaps mean that the original release may actually become rare and collectable in the future? Or will the new version be more sought after???

I picked up Conker tonight, and I can't quite believe it, but it has the white sticker you speak of...

[fishsandwich]

Jesus f*cking Christ, do you honestly think that 99.9999% of consumers could give a flying fuck whether or not there is a tiny white sticker on the case or that it's shrinked rather than sealed? It may come as a surprise, but the VAST majority of potential buyers are interested in the actual game, not incredibly anal packaging details.

Someone should lose their job over it? Get a fucking grip.

Amen to that.