In another current thread (link), someone brought up GameStop and their ilk, and the comment was made that they were just plain bad for the industry. That's a popular opinion around here, and one I'm very inclined to agree with. In the past year, I've grown to seriously dislike GameStop, even though I loved the FuncoLand stores they aquired several years ago. The various reasons GameStop sucks have been listed, but what I really want to ask is... in what way are they bad for the industry? GameStop does generate a lot of revenue for the gaming companies... perhaps not in the same volume as Wal-Mart or Best Buy, but certainly respectable figures. By having lots of stores in malls and strip malls, high-traffic shopping areas, they do further the idea that video games are a respectable form of entertainment for people of all ages.

That said, I really don't like going in there. Normally, specialty shops are awesome, because you can get all sorts of stuff that's hard to find in mainstream stores and the people that work there generally know what they're talking about. At the GameStops I've seen, the selection is only marginally better than what I'd find at Wal-Mart, and if you factor out the used games, possibly not better at all. The prices are bad, and the clerks may or may not know anything... but I don't feel like finding out.

So really, despite our personal feelings, how are these places damaging the industry?

Personally, I cannot under stand how someone can go into a Lamestop, look at the same game both new and used, and buy the used game.
The used game is less than 5 dollars cheaper than the brand new. For that price, I would rather buy the brand new game.

Also the bullshit trick they do where they try and give you an opened unsealed game as brand new is enraging. I don't care if the store opened it. IT IS NOT BRAND NEW / SEALED. Don't sell it as one. I would never take that.

I also hate they give you "in store credit" instead of cash. Funcoland was awesome. I remember when they would give you cash. They had games for every system just about.

When gamestop just got rid of all the Dreamcast stuff, I asked the clerk why. The clerk said it was an obsolete system and they won't carry it anymore. I then showed him the N64 and PSX sections of the store, and he had nothing to say.

And when you pre-order a game, you're not garenteed (sp) to get it??? That's bullshit. If you pre-order the game, the store better fuckin have it for you.

And when a new release does come out, how come Gamestops are the last ones to have it? They never even have it the day it comes out! I can go to walmart and it will be waiting for me there. If you are a games-only store, I can't understand why you are not on the ball.

I remember I almost got into a fist fight with the clerks at one Gamestop. I looked at the used prices of the games, and I told them I could walk next door to the extremely overpriced Sam Goody and get the game brand new for less than a used game! The clerk became very angry starting getting rowdy. He asked if I wanted to step outside. I obliged, but then he wound up wussing out and staying in the store. The sad part is he works there, but it was his day off, and he was just hanging out there.

Any way, I see people bring stuff into gamestop and get offered little to nothing for the games, and the people get depressed, but sell it anyway. IF YOU DON'T WANNA SELL THE STUFF FOR PENNIES, DON'T! You have no obligation to sell the stuff to them once they give you the humiliating price.

I try and make offers with people that bring stuff in there, and offer them a little more. And Cash.

Yeah, I laugh when I hear about how used games stores "rip you off" when you try to trade in stuff. Take it or leave it, or maybe, just MAYBE keep your "old and used" games, and be greatful you have them. I've never understood the trade in mentality anyway. My brother-in-law is about 21 and had at one time or another every game system from the last 18 years. How many does he still have? One: an X-box 360 because every time a new system came out that he wanted, they'd trade in whatever he was bored with and get the new one.

I talked to a manager of one of the gamestops in town and he told me he was really frustrated on how he was told to run it. He said that if he had his way, they would carry at least some classic systems and not as much Warhammer stuff-- which doesn't sell very well around here for how much they have. From this conversation, I gather that they are told strictly how to run the store, and they have little leeway for their own ideas.

Tooth, I think they guy you talked to was a mind-slave of the industry, just like my manager at Domino's. They obey the rules and don't waver at all for fear of reprisal of their bosses. The mind slaves I feel no good feelings toward. The guys that are frustrated, those guys I like and they deal with me well.

I think it's the top-down management styles that is hurting the game industry. The corporates who like money don't necessarily know about video games. *They* will hurt the industry.

Nathan

yes,gamestop/gamecrazy chains of stores are pretty much killing off the mom and pop/little guys of thie video game retail business,the retail side of video gaming,kinda like how walmart/target are killing off(pretty much has)killed off the dime store/varity stores i have fond memories of as a kid.these chain stores kill the unique stores of old.plus i hate the nazi type stance of trying to force the consumer into preording product,the overhype and bullshit most of these stores and employees provide and create.every new game is the next big thing,get that preorder,play your new game for a week,its old/out of style now,trade it in right away for the next big thing,its how they make the money,pretty much whoring out the art of gaming.every customer is just a preorder/mvp/mag subscription,game guard ratio/sales number,not a fellow person who enjoys games.

Overall, Gamestop is bad for the consumer. But if you follow some guidlines, you can do really well shopping there.

1st off, don't EVER trade in anything, unless you're doing a deal like buying it new someplace else and the trade in value is higher (especially when they are running a +30% trade in deal) than the price you paid. Cheapass Gamer has all kinds of threads where you can find deals like that dealing with Gamestop or other stores. Otherwise just keep the game. On Cheapass Gamer people have bought PS3 systems for 1/3 - 1/2 the list price on the credit they've made on these kinds of deals.

2nd, don't buy anything new there. Other stores will sell you new games that are sealed. I've been to Gamestops where even the new games behind the counter are opened and the discs are put into seperate envelopes next to the case! And Gamestop rarely has deals on "in-demand" new games.

3rd, only buy used when they are running a promotion. I get coupon's emailed to me weekly. This week is buy one used original Xbox game, get another free. A pretty good deal if you are looking for Xbox games. Or wait for the B2G1 free deal. And always look to see if the game has the booklet and look at the condition of the disc.

Use their system to your advantage!

The funny thing was, he was a younger kid. I don't understand why he took it so personal. He was a mind-slave.

I used to work at dominos, heh. One of the best jobs I ever had. My managers were cool, and weren't a slaves to the man at all. Except when the owner would come in and work. The owner was a total asshead.

It was funny, every morning the manager would be passed out on his desk in the back.

If the gas prices weren't so high, maybe I would deliver there again.

Great advice. This is basically how I treat Gamestop.

I also have to add that while most Gamestops are crappy to deal with, the one I go to has a couple of really cool managers that are great to deal with.

That's not the one outside Penn Square Mall, is it? I've been in there a few times, and I was able to grab perhaps 20 to 30 N64 titles when they were closing those out. The guys who worked there at the time seemed pretty cool. They're OK in that store now, I suppose. I got GT4 at that GameStop, and they didn't even try the opened but new game trick. I asked for a sealed copy and that's what I got with no hassle at all.
The other GameStop I visit is at I-40 and MacArthur, not far from Wal*Mart. I can't stand that place. For the record, I can't stand that Wal*Mart, either.

That said, Game X Change is where it's at.

I've never bought a new game at Gamestop that wasn't sealed in two different states. That sounds more like the local manager is deciding to pull that garbage.

I agree on the newer used games being over priced.... however it needs to be mentioned they are GREAT for older used games. Where else could I go in and pick up sports games that are a couple years old for practically pocket change? Not all of us are in there looking for games that just came out.

I pretty much run at least one or two years behind the times on purpose, and as a result, I do quite well at Gamestop. I've never tried to trade in anything at GS, but I would do so on their stuff with higher value like you could get at K-Mart on clearance or whatever. I've only paid over $30 once for a game at Gamestop, and with a coupon, and my 10% Edge discount, I didn't even pay that. My Edge card has paid for itself many times over. The one thing to remember is that if you find one with decent people, just shop there. Most of them are filled with jerks, but some of them aren't, and those will always get my business.

I think its bad for the Consumer because they take any game thats popular (which of course they call Rare) and Price it anywhere from 35.00 to 50.00

One day just to see how mucht they rip of on trade values i took marvel vs capcom 2 there for ps2 which they sell for 59.99
when i brought it to see how much credit they said 14.00 credit that is less than 25% credit to what they sell for cash.

Gamecrazy on the other hand is more fair in a way that they sell there games and mark at prices do to age and not rarity.
Take for examplete fatal frame for ps2 is 8.99 at gamecrazy and 44.99 at gamestop. now it may be harder to get the rare games because they sell quicker. its good to know u can find great games for cheap while gamestop marks everything higher than ebay pricing.

you cant dismiss the entire chain. sure, the corporate policies are annoying, and a good number of sales reps are terrible, but if you find a few good reps, then why blame them for the negatives? if you dig around GSs, there are good deals to be found, it just takes some patience. and i would say that their strict sales model helps mom n pop stores that are willing to sell for cash and deal in classic games.

Well for one Ebay is way cheaper on used games. and if you look at there 9.99 and under game titles you will realize that these games could be had on ebay for probally 1 cent and 3 shipping.

I've seen them price Halo 1 for Xbox at $30 used... when you could get it for $20 new (and apparently now $10) at Target.

They sell pokemon saffire and ruby and EMeral for 34.99 USED
the walmart next door they are 29.99 brand new its really sad.

If it's done the same way ebgames does it up here in Canada (And from what I've read the two stores operate pretty much identically) the times when they'll try to pull that stunt is when their computer tells them they don't have any sealed copies in the back. So rather than lose a sale, they'll take the display case and put the game back in. I've gotten annoyed with this kind of behaviour as well over the years so I've taken to asking the clerk, upon telling me it's available new, "Is it sealed?". And if they tell me it's not I tell them I'll go find a copy somewhere else.

Welcome to the world of franchises. When a lot of stores are using the same name and following the same rules, sharing in the reputation also happens. And for customers, it's also a self defense mechanism! "Oh I knew their reputation for lousy service, but the store near where I live is so nice! Surely this other store in the chain is just as nice!" (If you find yourself saying that, and then blaming the store for lousy service afterwards, you lack that self defense mechanism. )

Nah. The one I go to is in northwest Edmond, close to where I live.

I have been to that one over near Penn Square.

That's not always true. I've checked ebay on many of the games I've bought at GameStop. I picked up some older EA Sports titles for the PS2 there for around $2.99 to $3.99, and they were roughly the same price- I think one was cheaper- on ebay, but with shipping it would have been a lot more than I paid here at Gamestop.
As others have said I'd never buy new stuff there, and would never trade anything there as it is really a rip off. But for used games- especially games that are at least a couple years old- they are great. They are also cheaper on used games than the other game stores we have here in town (there isn't much competition, though- we just have a chain called "Gamers" and a local place called "Play N Trade", but both of those are more expensive on all used games than Gamestop is).

Interesting editorial from Next Gen magazine on GameStop can be found HERE

Parasitic? Guess that's a pretty accurate description.




Mendon

I was wondering when there would be something like this in a videogame publication. Let the education on the evils of property ownership and free enterprise begin!

Let me summarize the editorial for you, "Damn Gamestop! They sell used games, and when people buy used games, the terrorists win! It's all because of our silly attitude about owning and being able to do what we want with what we buy. If only we would embrace new games and make used games either illegal or impossible, then things would be so much better. Please think of the poor programmers!"

The complaint about Gamestop in this article has nothing to do with their practices. It's solely about how they sell used games, and that's somehow evil. Yet, Sony's rumored plan from not too long back to sell games as console locked licenses is presented as a good thing.

I also like how he adds in a little bit implying how video games would be cheaper if it weren't for all those evil used games floating around. Where have we heard that one before?

Sorry, the mere act of Gamestop selling used games is not causing the industry to collapse. I really hope this editorial was a joke, because it's so transparent, even clear plastic wrap looks opaque in comparison.

The "parasitic" characterization is accurate, but for absolutely none of the reasons in the article.

I just finished reading this article and the only thing I can say is that Gamestop must not buy any ads from them.

As far as I'm concerned when someone buys something they own it and can dispose of it any way they want. The model used by Steam is very anti-consumer. Does anyone really want that kind of model with console gaming? The DRM's for XBLA and VC games are horrible and I don't want that to happen to all games.

As far as used game sales keeping new game prices up, well that's complete BS. OXM had a pie chart explaining the costs involved in making games. There wasn't much room to cut prices (according to them).

If anything if there wasn't any competition from used sales, new prices would go up!

This is what kills me about this whole situation. It's as if developers are special. And that the laws of economics don't or shouldn't apply to them. "Selling a used car is different from selling a used game." No it isn't they're both used products with prices based on supply and demand.

I buy the majority of my games from a Maine/NH chain of stores (Bullmoose) because they price their new games at atleast a few bucks below retail and their tradein values are generally better.

With that said, I don't see anything wrong with Gamestop - you just have to be a smart consumer. For me:

Don't trade in games unless it's a really good special deal (like a 30% bonus or a trade 2 games get an extra $10).
Don't buy used unless it's a really old title and has dropped significantly or until a buy 2 get 1 sale.
Preorder only on small titles because bigger titles will have better bonuses at Toys r Us or Circuit City (like gift cards)

Just like anything else, the educated consumer can come out ahead if they play the game well.

Here is my take on the whole situation. If you don't like what they are doing, don't support them. Don't buy their used games and don't trade them yours. I have had lots of games that I don't play anymore and instead of trading them in, I have sold them on here or other web sites, or traded them with other collectors/game players for games that I did want. Some people have said that the only game stores near them are part of the GameStop empire and they have nowhere else to shop. My reply is this: If you can post here, then you can buy/sell/trade games here.

As for my local GameStop, I was in there last night and someone brought in some games to sell. They had 3 DS games that they had purchased used and were selling back. They got $28 for the three of them. The only title that I remember was Children Of Mana. I was surprised that they got that much for taking cash. I was there to get a couple games and use up the gift cards that I got for Christmas, and guess what? Nobody asked me if I wanted to pre-order anything. Since I was buying a used game, they did ask me if I wanted to buy their discount card thing. I told them, 'No, thank you' and they didn't say any more about it. I guess that some of the stores are improving in the customer relations department, but their prices still suck.

JY

About all I got from that article was:

WAH WAH WAH

Why doesn't he also attack Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, eBay.....etc. They're doing the same thing. New game prices would go up if there were no used games to buy because it would limit supply while demand would not drop off as much as the supply went down.

If the industry truly wanted to kill used game sales they would drop the price of new release titles to $30 and $40 instead of $50 and $60. At $30 instead of $50, I would pick up a lot more Wii games at launch without even thinking about it, and it would drastically reduce the benefits of waiting for the price drops.

I pick up a ton of games used for $15-20 - if those same games had launched for $30, chances are I would already have owned them.

I got reamed by a Lamestop employee here in Omaha when I tried to explain precisely that thing to him. I inquired about a Wii game, he said they only had it used, I said I'd pass because I wanted it new. "It's perfectly good!" Yeah but the new game only costs $5 more. "You don't want to save $5, that's crazy!" No dude, it's crazy you think I WOULDN'T pay $5 more to get it brand new. I promptly left, went to Best Buy, and happily paid $5 more to have a game I knew had never been played before or scratched up by anybody else. Fuck them.

Agree with this 100%

The used video game industry exists because most new games are so damn expensive and I've probably at least bought two-thirds of my current gen collection used and the only time I buy new games is becouse of a price drop or a sale. I only have so much money I can spend on video games and my money goes further by buying used or waiting for a sale or price drop. Why should I pay $50-60 for a game when I know I can get it signifcantly cheaper in the future. Besides once I open a new game and play it it's going to be considered "used" anyways.

I buy used, and I don't buy much from GameStop. I buy from Game X Change, which has about half a dozen stores owned by a local fellow. It kinda makes it more personal when the store's owner is willing to chat with the customers for a few minutes. I don't think I'll never see GameStop's owner/president/whatever, let alone talk to him.

I'd walk away, too, if a salesperson who doesn't even know me started berating me for buying new or called me crazy. What is it that Q*Bert says? I dunno how to say it, but I'd sure try to in that situation.

In todays market, there really isn't any reason to buy a recently released game used at EB/GS and save only $5 when so many stores are frequently running sales on new games at $10, $20, $30 or more off of MSRP.

For example:

...all this week you could buy Assassin's Creed for $38 new at Target; why pay $54 used at GS?

...Amazon has had big sales recently on Bioshock ($39 new... $54 used at GS), Halo3 Legendary ($49 new... $69 new at GS), Mass Effect ($44 new... $54 used at GS), Castlevania PSP ($19 new... $24 used at GS), Stranglehold for both 360 & PS3 ($39 new... $54 used at GS). And there have been many other recently released games on sale with similar pricing. And most come with FREE shipping.

...Circuit City recently had Resistance for the PS3 new for $38; why pay $54 used at GS?

Keep an eye on the Sunday ad's, check out Amazon and sign up for game sale Email notices, and check out CAG once a week. Hardly a week goes by without at least one store (or Amazon) having at least one major title a week on sale for much cheaper new than buying used at GS.



Mendon

I don't really like Gamestop because they try to shove their promotional bs down the customer's throat, going as far as to getting fellow employees who are involved with other customers to try to get you to be part of their clubs or whatever, so I don't go there anymore. Same goes for blockbuster's, but I don't have much of a choice if I want to rent games in my area.

I really don't understand why that is. The mom and pop stores give you a much beter trade in value and sell used games for less and carry most if not all classics. My best friend here in columbus ohio has Video games express a 30 year video game store and they carry O2 2600, most everything as they can get it. A new game might be say $50 that same game used and current say within 1 month of release would be $29 instead of $45 at game slop.. I just dont get it. I walk in those chain places intent on maybe buying something and I ALWAYS walk out with nothing due to the rip off prices.

We have Gamestops in Milwaukee and all over Wisconsin, I live in Oshkosh now to attend University, now theres one Gamestop here which I have yet to peruse however I was in Appleton last week Friday out for dinner and a night of shopping with my gf when for whatever reason I was compelled to go to the Game Stop next to the Chillies we ate it, I can't complain about the ppl working there, they seemed nice, just doing their job, but I shook my head as yet I walked into a another Gamestop that just left me feeling VideoGame depressed.....has anyone else noticed this?

1ST I can handle rummage sales, thrift shops, flee markets all of which have funky smells but 9 times out of 10 you'll be dealing with some really nice ppl. HAHA I remember waaayyy back when it was OK for smoking allowed at some indoor flea markets and if u bought something you went home with a Nintendo that reaked of Nicotine and Sega that wiffed of Sanka as it sat next to the dealers coffee pot, yet you were OK with this because those ppl would talk your freaking ear off and always had great stories it was simply put ...ambiance, and you took it home with you, you weren't just getting an overpriced game in a store that was about as uplifting as an Office Supply Store in ruins you had a little experience, an adventure of sorts, your family sat around ate dinner and laughed about what little funky items they scored and how cheap and by the time you got to play your game it was the Cherry on top, and man it was all worth it.

To this day I continually go into a Gamestop knowing damn well what the outcome is gonna be, It's not often I go and I try to avoid going to same one twice, maybe it's that I like video games or my forgiving nature, but I always leave with the same "I need to walk out of here so I can breath fresh air" feeling.

If I buy a game new I'll go to Target where at least the environment isn't a buzz kill and there's other things to distract my attention use full things needed for living, lol.
Otherwise Amazon I'm fine with and ebay is always an option, I also like for used games going to a place we have in Milwaukee called Half Price Books VERY GOOD PPL AND GREAT PRICES, they let u check the condition of their items cds dvds games books etc and If u see something alarming point it out and they wont sell it making sure someone else doesn't fall victim, granted it ment schlepping from the Eastside to the Southwest side but was damn worth it.

I actually purchased a few things from GameStop. They were helpful in locating a S&L PSP, but not pushy. I didn't buy the PSP, but I did wind up buying some movies and a game at that store a couple of weeks later. I got wipEout pulsE there on the 18th or so. It was not on display yet, and it didn't have any stickers at all on the shrinkwrap.

I promptly ripped it open dumped the UMD to my memory stick.

Well, this is a catch-22. Before you could buy used games side by side, the ROI of a new game was greater. Look at it this way - if you sold a million copies in 1980, you pretty much sold a million copies at full retail. Now a days, that same game with a million buyers may only see 60-70% of those sales be full retail. Remember that a used sale nets NOTHING for anyone BUT the retailer (which is why they push used sales so hard. Profit on a used game is in the 300-400% range, profit on a new game is in the 10% range).

So, you can't sell as many new games at full retail, and you have to jack the price up to cover costs, which in turn makes the used market more attractive.

I think the used market would still be attractive to consumers even if they sold new games for $10 a piece. Lots of people would rather pay $5 than $10.

Yes! I had that experience today. I went to a GameRob that has open up on the University Campus and of course got asked if I wanted to trade anything in, which I always respond with , "No, I never trade things in here." It tends to make them back off and a sick part in my mind hopes that someone else trading up will change their mind. (yeah right)

So I scanned the wasteland of original Xbox, Gamecube and PS2 titles and just saw nothing I wanted. I did see some SNK/Playmore titles of interest, but of course New = "Trust us, it's only been opened." and all the Wii titles of interest were more than I'm willing to pay. It may be a long while till I expand my Wii collection beyond the four games I have.

After walking around for about 10-15 minutes, I just left -- depressed.

I also realized that they serve a secondary purpose: to push the latest 'awesome game du-jour'. This may in the short run be good for the industry. The long run may be different in that I think they do a lot of putting makeup on pigs. Game Informer is darn near all the proof you need there. Of course that and trying to get the least common denominator to swallow whatever line they are feeding that day as dictated by their corporate masters.

I haven't found too much that's very cool lately by running around. I think the last good old(er)-school find was a Playstation pinball game. Beyond that, it all seems to be drying up or everything is in that pit called EPay.

Hex.
[ Is wondering if he should be glad that fate is helping him save money by not finding much of anything to purchase... ]

I hadn't realized another Gamestop sprouted up near me (there are now four within about 5 miles). I found it while accidentally looking for something else. I was a bit heartened to see that it was a large retail location, which is a nice break from their stores the size of my bathroom.

I went in and found a massive SEA of used video games and movies as far as the eye could see in the spacious store. I finally found the single shelf of PC games they had, and they didn't have the one game I was looking for. They had an older 360 game I wanted to pick up, in their curious 'new' but somehow opened with the contents stuffed somewhere else condition. I told the sales guy they could keep it.

They are looking like the new Funcoland, without the Fun part of it.

lol@ remowilliams...you must have a big bathroom! That, or they put Miracle-Gro in the Gamestop stores around here. Some of our GameStops are literally a block apart.
Your post reminds me of the diminutive Babbage's in Crossroads mall back in the day. I think there was barely enough room for a Pocket Game boy or two in there, and that was it!

I don't know much about Gamestop, but selling second hand games IS bad for the games industry...

A retailer makes around 30% to 35% PROFIT on a new game sold, money from the sale of that new game pays the developer, the publisher (the cost of making the game, it's manual, it's box and it's marketing), it pays the distributor (the guy who ships it to the retailer) etc etc...

So everyone gets a share - seems fair given the $10 to $20 Million it costs to make a game (then add on the advertising costs, etc etc) - sorry to say games ain't cheap to make!

Now a second hand game - ALL the money goes to the retailer, nothing to anyone else - so they WANT everyone to buy second hand, and that way way they sell the same copy of the same game several times taking their profit from 30% to several hundred %...

Now if I plan to sell 1000 copies of my new game I factor that into my development costs based on my royalty/advance (or ROI if I am a publisher) - and see that the whole plan is feasible so I make my game. And then only sell 600 copies, but 1000 people play it (cos people have traded it and bought it second hand) - suddenly my costs are not supported and I cannot afford to make another game - bummer....

Now that may not dent some of the big boys too much (but it does affect all game developers and publishers) - but as someone who makes games it really pisses me off to find that I'm being short changed by retailers...

sTeVE

I live in the Detroit area and I totally agree with you. I'm sure GM and Ford would love to get rid of the used car market and have all of the sales for themselves! As a matter of fact let's go all the way and ban the sale of those pesky foreign cars. Low priced goods are bad for the economy!

Now that I got that out of the way, why do software developers feel that they should be immune from the laws of economics? If people aren't pirating your work, you shouldn't care who the title holder is. Don't blame used game sales for failing to meet sales goals.

MCHufnagel - cars and games - I can see the comparison - a $25K loan for a Honda or $49.99 for game...

Yeah I buy 10 or 20 cars a year, oh no I don't I buy a new car every 5 years, and someone else buys my old car - the number of new car buyers is pretty much increasing globally year on year...

I'm not expecting a kick back each time the game is re-sold, but I do expect that the market RESPECTS my effort and that retailers try and sell the games when new not encouraging users into second hand games as soon as possible, long before the shelf life is over.

Look at the relatively limited markets for USED DVD or MUSIC CD's - does Virgin or HMV or Best Buy rack up used media alongside the new, and suggest you buy used as you browse, no I thought not...

sTeVE

But isn't the consumer deciding on when the "shelf life is over" by deciding to sell a game they are either tired of, or never liked in the first place? Face it, buying new games is a real crapshoot and always has been. At least with CD's or movies, they aren't anywhere near the price of a new console game, so your loss is minimal if you don't like it. Truth is, I'm a cheap gamer and usually buy 2-3 generations behind. I just got both a N64 and a Dreamcast last year and really love them. I have bought a ton of used (and obviously out of print) games for less than $2 each, and even then some of them are pretty bad. I can't imaging spending $40-50 on some of these turkeys brand new.

down here where I'm at, the alternatives to game stop is far inferior. Granted I've never been able to find anything I wanted at a gamestop/eb/babbages, but our gametrader chain is even worse. Their prices are at least 50% too high, their products all appear to have gone through a warzone, employees are rude, and heck, they charge to clean their own discs.

I miss the video game xchange chain from back when I lived in madison, wi... there's lot of midwesterners here--take a road trip.

of course I suspect game companies would rather do away with used game sales all around. Sega was being pretty aggressive with their used online titles during the dreamcast era. Back when Dreamcasts were $49 new, I had 3 and I always had to switch back to the noisy one to play online.

Since this thread is already here, I'm going to use it as a place for one of my typical anti-brick and mortar store rants.

Today I found myself checking on the online price of Eternal Sonata and Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War. While Bladestorm was still $60, Eternal Sonata had been marked down to $40. So, I ordered it. The shipping is free and no sales tax applies.

While doing so, several recommendations came up. While browsing them I discovered several games which I might otherwise have forgotten about or missed entirely. I was recommended World Heroes Collection, which is one of a tiny few 2D fighters I have a soft spot for. I was also recommended Drone Tactics and Rondo of Swords, two games for the DS which actually look interesting which I had not heard anything about whatsoever. I was also recommended Stargate: The Ark of Truth, which is good because I had forgotten about the Stargate direct to DVD movies. Most importantly, I was recommended R-Type Command, which I didn't even know was getting a North American release.

So, a few clicks later, I have a current order and two no money down pre-orders headed to my mailbox. Not only that, but I have several more games in my customized wishlist.

Had I gone to Gamestop, Eternal Sonata would have been $40, but sales tax would have hit me. And most likely the game would be a stripped copy. In other words it would have been a higher price for less.

The recommendations would have only focused on whatever their current major promotion is. From their website, I'm guessing the clerk would have tried to push a Super Smash Bros pre-order on me. In other words, I would only receive recommendations for games I would have absolutely no interest in whatsoever.

So, I can drag my currently slightly sick self (I'm coming down with a cold it seems) to Gamestop, and have a frustrating experience there and pay more for abyssmal customer service, irritating suggestive selling techniques, and mangled games. Or, I can sit here in my pajama bottoms wrapped in a cozy blanket, get extremely good suggestions for other stuff I may like, and get my games delivered directly to me.

It is a valid comparison, if you really think about economics in the big picture. People can chose to buy new cars and games or used cars and games. And all manufacturers would like people to buy new items instead of used ones. These types of choices have been available since commerce began centuries ago. People aren't forced to sell their used products though. People trade in used products to help finance their new product purchases. I'm willing to bet that if people weren't allowed to sell used games, new game sales would be smaller. If the industry doesn't want 2 - 3 week old games being sold as used, they should make more games that encourage people to keep them longer. Sure the publisher's could make deals that force places like Gamestop from selling a game until it's been out a certain amount of time. But that won't stop people from selling those items themselves on ebay, craigslist, etc. The Steam model isn't foolproof either. I know people who make a separate account for each game they buy in case they want to sell a game, but keep their others.

As far as DVD's and CD's. Well I can tell you don't get out much. Every store that rents DVD's also sells new and used copies of those DVD's. That's both national chains and "mom and pop" stores. As far as used CD's, try to find a "mom & pop" music store that sells new CD's and doesn't sell used CD's.

Those are cool stores. I've had some really good finds at the place on Mineral Point, and the two women who usually worked there are really cool. I've spent a lot of money there over the years. They had a whole box of TI-99 cartridges for next to nothing, sitting there for years... I wish I'd taken them, because I kinda want to get a TI-99/4a now.

The one on Lien Road used to have a really good selection (they even used to have C64 and Atari 8-bit cartridges), but one of the guys who works there is a jackass. Another annoying thing is there's all kinds of cool stuff behind the counter (I spotted an Atari Super Pong Pro-Am 10 once), but they won't sell it to you. And the shafting I saw some kid take on trade-in value for some Xbox games is at least as bad as anything GameStop pulls...we're talking pennies on the dollar. Ever since this clown (the aforementioned jackass) basically said I was an idiot, in so many words, when I thought $1.25 apiece or whatever was too much for common Atari manuals, I never went back. I don't need that shit. Kind of a shame, it was a really cool store for the most part. But their retro selection had dwindled significantly as of the last time I was there about a year ago, so screw it. And anyway, at this point in my collecting game, they don't have anything I need that I couldn't get for a better price elsewhere.

I remember when Game Xchange had only one location, on Johnson Street, just off of State. THAT place kicked ass. This was back when Chase The Chuckwagon still brought in $300+. They actually had it once, come to think of it...for $300. Those were the days....

I wish a Game Xchange-type store would open in Milwaukee. You'd think we'd have at least one, given the size of the city, but to the best of my knowledge, there isn't.