Xav De Matos over at bits, bytes, pixels and sprites has outed himself as a former EB Games manager, ready to come clean to the atrocities he delivered unto gamers in the name of corporate mandate. In part one of a two-part series, Xav explores the reasoning behind the whole unnecessary pre-order process - why it is so important to employees and corporate that you lay your five dollars on the line for something that will be readily available on release day. I mean seriously, has Madden ever sold out anywhere that mattered? It's an interesting and candid look behind the whole tired business.

I might as well out myself too...I worked for GameStop for fours years, though luckily it was generally a day a week and I wasn't pressed too hard for preorders since I could snap anyone who worked there's neck like a twig. I mentioned the fact back during Christmas time, immediately after which I got a call down from corporate telling me never to mention that again. Thus ended my GameStop career, but it's nice to know they were reading. *waves to corporate* Hey guys! Michael Fahey

EXPOSED! The Ugly Truth of Pre-Ordering Pushing: Part One [the bits, bytes, pixels and sprites]