Gamestop is at it again.

[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.