March's Flame of the Month: GAMESTOP

Back to doing these, I really miss doing these. Basically, this is where I let loose, albeit the only posts where I will cuss like a sailor. This month is about the greatness known as Gamestop.

I remember when Funcoland was in business along with Gamestop, back when it was a little store chain, EB and Software Etc. In the later part of the 21st century, Gamestop had acquired ALL of the game companies in the nation. A fuckin Gamestop on every corner. Ok fine. Now that there is a problem. A BIG problem....doesn't this make it a monopoly since there are no other game stores like a Gamestop on the east coast besides a damn Gamestop?

Maybe the reason the economy is down in the shitter is because a fucking Gamestop and a Wal-Mart on every corner is KILLING mom and pop stores out there. Hell, I'd rather go to a corner store that sells games than go to a Gamestop ever.....but I have no choice but to go to a Gamestop nowadays. Especially for the unheard of games like Persona in which a Target or Wal-Mart will never sell since it isn't mainstream.

I went to Gamestop to cancel a pre-order on Guild Wars: Factions becuase the store didn't have the pre-order box...I got hassled into trying to keep it, I felt offended but I felt great cancelling the pre-order. I really hate the fact that they force you to reserve games, but they use the 3 question limit. Jeez, I just want to buy 1 game please can I leave?

Back in the day, they had action figures, card games and video games....it's a win win! But now since it's gone, I don't have any care for the stores anymore. Another goddamn thing is selling the game. What the fuck seriously. I go and sell some stuff and I try to sell a rare skinny green GameBoy Pocket. Thinking they don't have these anymore.....THEY WANT TO BUY IT FOR 2 CENTS......2 MOTHERFUCKING CENTS. It's sooo pathetic that they want to insult me with their prices. And they will sell it for $30 bucks if I gave it to them....what the fuck is up with that shit?

Another goddamn thing is this whole unsealed new games. I get a game in its package WITH some stickers on it AND they put the disc in the game along with the instructions..I can see if it's used but come on Gaystop, I want a game sealed!!!! Why would I pay full price for an opened game? Doesn't this entitle me to force you to cut the price by 20%? Hell even 10%?

And one more thing....I feel sorry for the companies out there who make these game only to be undermined by Gamestop's used game black market. Yeah it's a black market. None of the revenue gained from these used games are going to the game companies themselves. It's highway robbery and Gamestop is guilty as charged. Is this why a majority of smaller game companies went under? It's not a big factor, but if you think about all the money that they could have made off it, they would still be in business. Instead of Midway paying $200 million in debt they could have payed $100 million...still in a shit hole? yes but...oh nevermind they killed Mortal Kombat by making it 3-D. Hell if I had a game company right now, I'd pull all my games off their sales floors and make them beg for it. If they are still around 20 years from now, I will only sell to retail stores that have class, Gamestop does not have any class and no custome service....they are like the retarted kid at school, nobody wants to be around them and nobody cares about them.

So what do we do about the company? Sue them for selling used games, from a game company standpoint, but as their motto says, "power to the players" maybe the players should take the power away by boycotting the store and going to other retail stores, hell even mom and pop stores in your local town. I doubt they are around anymore, but at least you can get a warm, fuzzy feeling when you go in and talk to the guy behind the desk and request for something personal instead of getting asked 3 times on a reserve on a game. It's basic business model I understand, but most of these kids are anti-social and lack confidance so asking them 3 times is an insult to their knowledge to the industry.

I'm only going to Gamestop for the hard to get games. You know it makes me wonder why there are so many casual gamers nowadays. It's because nobody will dare travel to a Gamestop to grab the latest installation on Ponyz becuase Wal-Mart and Target have em there. I've downgraded my play time massively as well, dare I say I'm casual now for the simple fact of the economy, the higher prices on games, and for Gamestop for treating me and many others like shit. The only real way we will get outta this hole is by reducing the number of these mass monopoly stores and building mom and pop stores and hiring people for a ton of positions.

But yeah I rather walk down to St. Charles Place, down commoner ave, and pick up a game then to go to Park Place and buy a game new and then return it for a fucking lame $10.