Kotaku 
Enter your username and password.
Denver, 5:09 AM
Fri Dec 4
57 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip us:
Editor-In-Chief:
Brian Crecente
| AIM | Twitter
Deputy Editor:
Stephen Totilo
| AIM | Twitter
Senior Editor:
Michael McWhertor
| AIM | Twitter
Senior Contributing Editor, Japan:
Brian Ashcraft
| AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editor, East Coast:
Michael Fahey
| AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editor, Oceania:
Luke Plunkett
| AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editor, Weekends:
Owen Good
| AIM | Twitter
Correspondent, San Francisco:
AJ Glasser
| AIM | Twitter
Columnist:
Leigh Alexander
Columnist:
Tim Rogers
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
10/14/09
Anyway, this what a GC supervisor told me:
Out of the 600+ national (US) stores, Hollywood Video/Game Crazy is closing over 200 of their locations. The last day for the closing stores is the 25th this month.
Now to those of you who live near a store that is closing, here's a tip:
All the leftover games and accessories in stock that they didn't bother to send off to the other stores are on sale this week at 30% off. Next week is supposed to be 50%. The last few days it's supposed to be 80%. And that's on new or used items.
Be warned, it's largely much older titles and bargain bin you'll find - No Brutal Legend or Uncharted 2. You may find something you missed out on or something you're just curious about. For example: I picked up Soul Calibur IV (PS3) for $12, Motorstorm1, Genji(PS3) and Conan(360) for about $7 each at 30% off.
If you have pre-orders or leftover funds on your account from trade-ins, you can use that balance at the store or they can issue you a gift card to be used at any Hollywood Video/Game Crazy. If they have enough in their registers, they can give you cash back.
I hate to see Game Crazy go, but you might as well scavenge what you can.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
No boy, no! You... *sniff* you have to go! Shoo boy! You're free!
10/14/09
Really, if you hate going there so much, just fucking stop going. I am sure the employees will not miss you one bit, and it would send a much better message to the company then bitching on the internet does while you still fill the coffers of GameStop execs who do not give the first fuck about the games industry.
It would be cool if you guys would realize this is company policy and the workers have to push store policy because they will get fired otherwise.
Save the hardworking people your shit attitudes and just order off Amazon where no one has to deal with your bullshit.
I worked game retail because I love games and love helping people find games, not because I had a hard on to get people to pre-order games.
Of course I also do not see why people are so against pro-ordering a game they are in fact planning on buying. It helps the company that makes the game by getting more copies ordered, and it helps the store you shop in by assuring they have enough copies of games.
Please- if you have a problem with game retail have some balls and stick to your guns and quit shopping there.
If you don't then you are just as much a part of the problem as the GameStop exec who sets the lousy trade in values and refuses to cut publishers and developers into the used sales margin.
Fuck both of you!
10/14/09
Yikes. i think as a reasonable person you can understand how annoying it is when someone asks you a question thats designed to get you to spend more money and you say no..for them to turn around and ask you another question in the same vein, knowing you already said no the first time.
It's like, MAN, I said NO. I used to work retail at Borders when the Borders Reward Card first came out and we were directed to ask customers if they wanted one and I would usually do it and when the person said NO, that was it. I made sure to mention it was free the first time but I was never pushy. Unless they gave you a literal quota for pre-orders it's against the law for them to fire you. Your not a salesperson, your a sales associate.
10/14/09
10/14/09
Cut the guy some slack. I've worked retail for years although never in a game shop. It's not an easy job, and we certainly don't need people like you walking into a store, making it more difficult.
Like he says, if you don't like hearing about pre-orders, go to a big-box store or shop Amazon.
10/14/09
10/14/09
csanders- Gamestop employees are given a quota. It is called a reservation percent that you have to meet or beat every day you work.
I am lucky in that I am out of game retail now by my own choice, I just still feel like sticking up for the guys in the trenches because I know how it feels when you just love games and get attacked from every direction for things out of your control, while the people who are in control and can change things get to sit aloof to most of the complaints about the way they conduct business.
I will say it again, if you do not like Gamestop then please god stop shopping there!
10/14/09
I still have the big fucking receipts Game Crazy would print out that had an inventory of the one game I'd buy there. When it first opened in my small town it was the only games-dedicated shop so I couldn't help but buy Soul Calibur II there.... Now whenever I open that or Spider-Man II up a big receipt is staring at me.
10/14/09
The only nostalgia I have about a game shop is a privately owned one I used to work for back in 1998. We sold import titles for Sega Saturn, PlayStation and Nintendo 64. I vividly remember working the day Metal Gear Solid came out and everyone was blown away.
10/14/09
10/14/09
I'm just kidding... maybe you missed the text in my post, complaining about game shops is played out.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Frankly, I believe that Indie shops and indie game/cd exchanges are the bane of GameStop's existemce and that is certainly enough for me.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Granted, that also applies to me, since I buy most games from independent CD-Game exchanges that usually get shipments the same time as the other shops do, and on average of ten bucks less.
10/14/09
The constant badgering.
"Hey, do you want to reserve such and such game?"
"Hey, you need a warranty from us on this game in case you scratch it."
10/14/09
10/14/09
I don't know about Gamecrazy but the employees at the three nearby Gamestops are all gamers and make recommendations. They've never "pressured" me to buy anything. They ask. I say yes...sometimes no... and they say "Thanks, see you next time!"
I mean otherwise EVERYONE must pressure you. Want a Best Buy extended warranty? Want Applecare? Want coupons? Want a card that saves you money every time you shop at Petsmart, Safeway, Giant, PetCO, Robeks, Food Lion, Jerry's Subs and Pizza, Exxon, Shell, Subway, Chipotle......
AHHHHHH RUN!!!! THE PRESSURE TO SAVE MONEY, IT IS TOO MUCH!!!
10/14/09
I had just bought Start Ocean 3 and they offered to buy it back from me for full price and sell it again for $10 off. I took that deal.
But ever since then, once the initial 'Can I help you find anything' that you get ANYWHERE, they've never bothered me really other than asking if I want to reserve something when I buy things, which is different than pressuring.
This is every game crazy I've been to, by the way, which is 3-4 locations in different states.
10/14/09
10/14/09
Its standard retail practice, and its not meant to be annoying, they are just trying to do their jobs.
its like asking "do you want fries with that?)
just simple business.
10/14/09
10/14/09
Yes, I agree.
10/14/09
"Hey you want to preorder madden?"
"No thanks bro, don't like sports games that much."
"Everyone is preordering it, its going to be sold out everywhere."
"Thats fine, I don't like it."
"If you have trade ins, I can get you an extra 10% off on our exclusive Madden guide."
...5 minutes later the next employee decides to pull the same shit, like their store is so big they can't hear any other convo going on in there.
"Hey bro, you preordering madden?"
....
Thats pressuring or pushing the sale. So yes, digital hero is right. Some people don't want all that extra junk, need it be cards or other BS. You can save that 10% off of a used game with that megacard of yours, or you can buy it 20 bucks cheaper at other locations. You choose the card because it "saves you money".
Now if you go to places like Sams club (hidden gem for cheap NEW releases - 5 bucks off- ), best buy or other places, you get to browse in peace and do as you please. If you depend on gamestop for your used games, you are getting raped and singing praise about how much money you save with that card. Good job.
10/14/09
That was the last time I went to this store. I found another place were the guy is cool and quiet. If I have a question, he can answer me. He has enough copies of the big releases so I don't have to wait or pre-order. In fact, he's running the store like I would do it and I appreciate that.
10/14/09
"its like asking "do you want fries with that?"
I disagree and asking do I want fries is still less annoying than asking if I would like to reserve every big title coming out in the next 3 months.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Well said. You deserve to be hearted.
10/14/09
"Oh Suikoden 3? Did you know you can import your characters from previous Suikoden games into the new ones? Which one is your favorite?
"The one where you get stabbed in the temple."
"What?"
"...Four. Four was good."
10/14/09
It really depends on the location you're at, and the managers/employees. As someone who has worked in retail I know how some managers will put extreme pressure on their employees to sell attachments. (I'm using the word attachments as a general term for pre-orders, game guides, etc.)
That said, most people are reasonable and if you respond to their first question with "No thanks, I'm not interested in anything else today." they'll stop trying to sell attachments.
[Retail Workers Dirty Little Secret: Most of them hate asking you about attachments as much if not more than you hate when they ask you. Just imagine if you had to ask the same question(s) 500 times a day?]
10/14/09
I'm not saying you should put up with this and suffer through buying a game, but it's only fair to show where the employees are coming from. I used to work in retail and we always tried to give people our Edge cards. Managers are judged based on their numbers, so it was our job to give people an Edge card so our manager looked good (He actually won Manager of the Year out of the 200 or so stores :) ). If you don't feel comfortable in their store, just don't go. As you've said, you're buying more online. That's good that you're proving your point with your wallet. Others should follow in your steps rather than complaining online.
10/14/09
If you say you don't play sports games they don't ask you to reserve Madden.
If what you guys want is a store where no one says a word to you and you are left to your own devices then you should have gone to Circuit City when it was open.
Or buy online.
I'll take the opinions of the Gamestop staff that I've developed a relationship with and who know what I like and tailor their discussion toward my preferences in games any day.
@shibbybypass
Not any more than his example of his local Gamecrazy or Gamestop locations speaks for the entire staff of either company.
Sure he even specified "local". Still I seriously doubt it was ever "pressure" and was more "Oh my god I have social anxiety and some one spoke to me...why can't they leave me alone?!?!"
I worked for Gamestop corporate for years and never heard complaints of "pressure" from our employees. Reserve recommendations are supposed to be based on your current selections or whatever is the hottest anticipated game. They never had to pressure you since just offering it to every customer kept them well within the bounds of the metrics they were judged by.
10/14/09
The employees 90% of them in my local area consist of nongamers, just people struggling looking for a job in this economy. My sister in laws friend is the assistant manager at the one in Rome, and tells people about how the 360 is not meant to go vertical. That the company never intended it to stand that way and people only do it because they want to save space. Meanwhile if you look at the display 2 feet away its standing upright. Don't even get me started on some of the Wii convos I heard with these people. Back when it first came out they touted that its true 1:1 gameplay is what makes it shiine. People don't really need that kind of "advice" if thats as good as it gets.
They may be nice to you because you "know" what you are talking about, but that doesn't mean they do the same to others. The store is a joke and you are the punchline. I mean the customer, sorry.
10/15/09
"Want to reserve Madden?" "No thanks I don't play sports games" has never in my life gone further than that at ANY retailer who asked about the reserve.
Meanwhile people still think that a reserve is an EXTRA 5$. Others have no idea that they can guarantee themselves a copy. So I guess the employees shouldn't be telling folks about it?
Not to mention the fact that you guys are using the WORST example as Madden reserves come to every store in record numbers every year with little promotion needed. Managers that gloat about their Madden reserves were pretty quickly shut down by myself and others.
Allocations are based on reserves so the people who say "nah I'll just get it when it comes out" are not only limiting their OWN chance of obtaining the game on day one but others as well.
I understand we all have preferences but people these days act like a sales person shouldn't sell things to you and then post angry blogs about how they couldn't get any help when they DO have questions.
Who can live up to those expectations? #gamecrazy
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Because other than the two used shops (both in an indoor flea market), the only other game store reasonably close to me is about 10 miles to the north of me, just before OSU. And that's a GameStop.
10/14/09
The next closest game store was half an hour down the highway in Newark at a GameStop. Otherwise, unless Meijer, Wal Mart or Best Buy carried the games we wanted (rare, as I'm an RPG fan) we had to drive all the way to Easton to get games, and Easton was almost an hour and a half away.
10/14/09
Sad to say, those packed up and left, and now they are getting ready to tear down the City Center and turn it into a park (in the middle of town...o_O).
Maybe the city elders ought to just make it into a pasture and have cows grazing there...fits the town image to a T.
10/14/09
Whoaaaaaa. I used to work at the Granville Blockbuster.
10/14/09
I never felt more isolated as a gamer than I did when I was out there. It's what prompted me to start shopping on Amazon.
10/14/09
I always wanted to stay at the Buxton Inn, just to see if it was haunted, but I never had a chance before I graduated. I still miss Whit's Frozen Custard. :[
10/14/09
10/14/09
The fact that all of the Game Crazy stores are closing down will definitely affect things, for the worse.
10/14/09
I wasn't exactly pleased at that occurance.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Protip to Blockbuster: 9.99 for a used DVD is not an "everything must go sale".
10/14/09
After that I went to Gamestop which was a huge improvement but still pretty shitty. And now I am at Best Buy.
Even though Best Buy has a generally bad rap(all software retailers seem to) it has been the best company, as far as employment, out of the three.
10/14/09