Though I normally buy games online, every now and then I’ll peruse the local mall and drop in EB Games for a rare deal. This weekend, that deal was the classic, but not so good Zelda II for the GBA. It was a cool $8. I swiped it up and took it to the counter.
Being that the game was used, the clerk tried to sell me $1 dollar insurance on the game. What? I asked, “Does the game work now?” to which he replied “yes.” So I was content not to buy the insurance. But if I ever dropped it and it stopped working, they would “replace the game.” Has that guy ever played a GBA? You could throw a GBA cart across the room and it would still work. Why would I buy $1 insurance on the thing?
So the rant is how EB and gaming companies are starting to milk as much as money as they can out of the cash cow that is video games. And though I hate to say it, Nintendo, outside of innovation, is guilty as well. What are some of your biggest pet peeves with the video game industry?
Rollin
50 dollar games that don’t deserve to be 50 dollars. And, even though ur buying $10 used GBA games, GameStop still asks if you wanna reserve. I know they have to, but goddamn. Let me breathe.
There’s more.
Nicholas Roussos
My biggest complaint is the complete lack of organization that the shelves are always in. They make no effort to help gamers make a choice.
I’m not even talking about helpful employees. I’m talking about grouping games by genre, and sectioning new releases, and possibly highlighting popular games.
Imagine going to a grocery store and only having alphabetical order to go by. Skim Milk and Whole Milk would be in completely different locations.
Rollin
That’s a great point. I member i used to fix up a GameStop’s GameCube section to put the titles worth buying in front of everything else. It pissed me off how the Cube’s wall looked like crap because, of the few games that were there, all the good ones were hidden and all u saw was Finding Nemo or something else for children in front. Grouping them by genre would be fantastic. The way they promote the new releases is retarded. They put a shelf above all the other shelves for each section with emtpy cases with the cover on both sides (and a sticker saying “empty box”), and a marker board where they sharpie in all the releases coming up. It’s so ugly and unfriendly. Highlighting popular games i thought was unfair at first, but if they didn’t, some kid would buy Obi-Wan instead of Rogue Squandron 2.
But hey, that’s why online distribution is gonna rule, right? Everything on the WiFiConn will be organized like that. Once Nintendo gets some form of an HDD on the Rev, online distribution will “rev” its engines. Oh how i long for the day.
MuffinGal
Nicholas is so right! Organize by genre please! I really hate the alphapetical order thing.
Next for me is knowledgeable employees. It can be frustrating when you ask about a product or game and they give you that deer in the headlight face. Also, I don’t want to hear about how they think the Gamecube sucks or Nintendo is for kids. WTF? Do they only hire Xbots?! It seems like no one can give a neutral opinion!
Finally, WOMEN PLAY GAMES!!! I am not in the store browsing for my kids or my boyfriend! That is seriously insulting. I really feel like spitting at these guys when crap like that comes out of their mouths. Ignoramus.
Nano J. Gator
I’d easily pay that for CD-based games. My PS2 skips if I just look at it funny. Plus I like the idea that I could replace a scratched disc and then turn around and sell the game. Tee hee.
Anonymous
I agree with the “let me breathe” sentiment..
Here’s my story..
I was looking for 2 copies of Advance Wars Dual Strike, for the NDS, and at the time it was very hard to find. None at the Future Shop or Wal-Mart.. So last ditch I called EB Games up, and they had, 2 in stock, which I asked to be set aside for me.
I had someone else pick them up for me, and they were given the option of insurance.. $6 per game. Not knowing that this was basically a scam, they paid it, and I bit the bullet..
I also must note that when they were given to me, they were both OPENED copies of the game, and were priced at 49.99 (CANADIAN) so what I thought would cost me $90, ended up costing me almost $120…
Nobody on the phone told me they were USED copies.. that I’d pay well over the retail price for…
Jack
The “insurance” offered by EB is even more of a scam than rental car insurance. Never get it, and don’t feel one ounce of regret for not getting it. This scam has “take advantage of moms buying Xmas and Bday presents fro son” written all over it.
Fuzz
In their defence of the $1.00, it’s not just video games, so I wouldn’t pigeon-hole them. Every electronics store tries to force some form of insurance on the consumer, by using fear tactics. I’ve only bougt it once, for my $300.00 DVD player, and only after refusing his first offer. Strangly enough, he offered me a lower price for insurance after I refused the first one. And it was for the exact same coverage! The second price was less than half of his first offer. So if you ever realy want the insurance, refuse the first offer, because I think they always give you a lower second one.
Anyway, I see your point that games shouldn’t need insurance. Gone are the days when you could return somthing because it was defective . . .now you have to pay for that privalige.
Steve
I just hate how my local EB store has the GBA, DS & GC games crammed into the 1 tiny shelf located behind a big fat pylon down the very back of the store.
It’s annoying to walk past the walls and walls of pissweak PS2 and Xbox titles, to get to the dark dingy corner where the most innovative and entertaining titles are kept.
angry EB soon be even angry-errrr Gamestop employee
hahahah, thats funny, i work at EB Games, and yes I hate having to offer everyone that thing, most of the time i dont because I know what the product is. But they are on us like its no ones business there and we just have to mention it to everyone…sigh…its stupid yes.. but I got in trouble once for missing 1 customer out of the 89 I had during my sift..it was stupid and made me very angry….so yea I hate it I wish they would stop it. Its ok to offer on new stuff. but when it comes to used it gives the customer the feeling o its going to break.
So yea, I say dont by any of ther gpg, damage protection or any do-dad cause if you lose the reciept you are through money well spent for nothing. Its only worth getting on consoles…
peshue
Right now I’m kinda peeved at my local Gamecrazy, their new policy is to only order 2 copies of new releases aside from preorders, so if you want to wait for a review, you get screwed.
Anonymous
First of all, I’m a manager for vieo game store so I want to say something about the people who complain about us trying to sell you insurance/reserves/add-ons. And that is: SUCK IT. If you’re too stupid and weak to just say no then I feel sorry for you. The fact of the matter is, it means our jobs. If you aren’t pushing subs, reserves, and add-ons, etc, then first they cut your hours big time. Then you’re fired. I hate it more than you do.
Gamestop lets you refund the $5 you used to reserve a game, so if you change your mind or hear a bad review, come back in and get your money back. Nothing is lost so stop whining. If you don’t want to buy $1 insurance, then don’t. It’s that easy. If you don’t think that $50 game is worth it, write the publisher. Gamestop has no control over the price of new games.
And to Badtz, are you a complete moron? First you say that you don’t need to preorder because game shortages became extinct 10 years ago. Then you say that when you try to buy the game you’re told that it is for preorders only? BS? I don’t think so. That right there is a game shortage. I’m sure EB or Gamestop had tons of copies, and lost a sale just to piss you off or teach you a lesson (lol). The truth of the matter is that all of their copies were reserved by people more intelligent than you. When we got Golden Eye Rogue Agent in for the DS, no one thought they had to pre-order it. In fact, only 3 people did. And do you want to know how many copies we got in that first day? 3! And all the fools who didn’t preorder didn’t get it. When a huge game like Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City or SOCOM 3 comes in we usually get enough to fulfill our preorders and then about 5 more copies. Those 5 copies sell in about three hours and then we have to deal with morons like you complaining to us because you’re too stupid to preorder a game. Oh, but in your head we’re just lying to be mean, right? I’m sure we have a hundred copies in back that we won’t sell just so people will preorder. That is truly stupid. So preorder your games. It’s only $5. And if you find out later that you don’t want the game, come in and get your $5 back. There is no risk at all.
Anonymous
What is it with game store employees, err, I mean managers that seem to get so easily ticked. Are the working conditions that bad?
The post and comments aren’t passing off blame to anyone, just saying, like you did, that the $1 insurance is stupid. That’s all.
Myke Greywolf
Anonymous netherlander: guess what? In the USA they pay sales taxes too! The thing is, it’s not included in the price sticker, and they add it when you check out.
At least, in the Netherlands (and most EU countries), all prices shown must be final and with all taxes included, and most of the times, that’s the reason why games seem more expensive in Europe.
Also, all stores in those same EU countries are forced by law to give 2 years free warranty on new electronics consumer products. That could inflation the prices a bit, but you WILL be thankful for it when your TV breaks down.
Badtz
Hey, anonymous. Yes, game shortages are extinct. Becuase if I go to EBgames and they tell me they only had 3 copies, I can go to Best Buy, or even Target or Wal-Mart and find 20 copies easily. That’s why I don’t even bother going to the small stores anymore, which in turn makes me smart, contrary to your comments. I haven’t pre-ordered anything since the 90’s, and I’ve had absolutely no problem at all buying any major videogame release.
So, you can keep your smartass comments to yourself. Like the guy said under you, I never blamed anyone. I used to work in retail, I know that employees in stores don’t make policies. Did I say that pre-ordering was your idea? No, so shut up. Just because you work in one of those stores, doesn’t make you an expert on anything, except obviously being an emotionally unstable retail employee.
And by the way, nice job posting inflammatory comments and not even bothering to put in a name for yourself. Either you’re too scared to let people know who you are, or you’re too stupid to figure out how to use the comment system, or both. Well, just to introduce myself, my name is Badtz, and I’m not only smarter than you, I have a better and higher paying job, too.
Anonymous
The one thing i hate about buying new systems is that they make you buy things after that! Im surprised they give a controller with the system! U always have to buy dumb things like the memory card. Why can’t the systems be like N64 where the games had memory on them and you just saved your data on the game?! I just don’t feel like spending an extra 50$ on a memory card just so i can save my games.
Rollin
“Why can’t the systems be like N64 where the games had memory on them and you just saved your data on the game?!“
Cause games don’t come on carts anymore, cept GBA. But never fear, Revolution has built in flash memory. You only need SD cards when u want more storage, but ur saves will be gravy.