Greg Kumparak — editor of MobileCrunch.com, the mobile industry blog TechCrunch network. Greg writing for TechCrunch network since May 2008. Greg was born on the outskirts of San Jose, California and currently lives in East Bay. ? Read More
We through GameStop.
I turned a blind eye when you invited me peanuts to games that are still slinging used bucks shy of a full-featured. I shrugged it off when your coworkers endlessly pressure me to order the game, which I don't want every time I walk in the store. I laughed when I was turned away for failing to buy a new release on launch day sans preorder, only to have a copy of a miracle appear as I went on vacation. These were all prices, I was willing to pay, I realized, to support one of the last remaining brick-and-mortar game shops.
But breaking the seal on a new copy of the game to remove the (valuable!) things you don't like, then selling games as new? Yes I quit you.
Here's the deal:
Yesterday morning, the long-awaited title, called Deus Ex: human revolution was finally released seek audience. Tucked inside the box was a small surprise: a coupon for a free copy of the same game through the still relatively new games, streaming service OnLive is that, if purchased directly from OnLive, will cost $ 49.99. At least there was supposed to be a coupon ...
Reports began trickling in rather quickly: for some reason, coupon, seems to be missing from almost all copies sold through GameStop.
What has happened? People at the factory forgot to take with them some of the coupons? Nope. Have GameStop keep case distribution coupons from ever find their way into their copy? Nope.
GameStop employees opened the box, remove the coupon and return the product on the shelf ... following orders from above to do so.
The first evidence came from an e-mail message, acquired by GameSpy, presumably sent by GameStop field Operations Manager. Key bits — bullet point # 1:
"Immediately remove and discard the OnLive coupon from all conventional PC version of Deus Ex: human revolution," it read. Of course this can't be real! Corporate team open a sealed product, throw out something tradable on a $ 50 product and act like nothing happened?
But of course, GameStop subsequent confirmation on Facebook after Word got out:
With regard to the Deus Ex OnLive codes: GameStop's policy is that we do not contribute to competitive services without a formal partnership.
Square Enix Packed competitor coupon in the PC version of Deus Ex: human revolution, without our prior knowledge and we pull these coupons.
While new products can be opened, we fully guarantee condition drives with new. If this does not happen, please contact the store where you bought the game and they will also provide assistance.
Note the wording. "Maybe" is opened? Try "," is open. And what guarantees! If your disc doesn't work for some reason, they'll give you a new (presumably the same stripped copies). But if you'll just pissed that you were connected by a coupon worth 50 dollars? La La La La, we have you not heard.
GameStop-owned stations with which the OnLive service "competing" refers to the momentum of GameStop, launched in July after acquiring Spawn Labs.
Look at GameStop: If you want to work a deal with distributor to obtain special copies without coupons that wisely. People will still annoyed they were insufficient, but it's at least not incredibly shady. But the opening of sealed boxes, remove coupon, exchanged for a $ 50 product and then stick it back on the shelf? Terrible. Can a customer walked in, purchased the game, remove the coupon and returned to field a full refund? No? Then it is not valid.
Alas, they went with shady route — and now they're gone and OnLive is much more to marketing than ever have that stupid coupon.
GameStop is an American video game retailer with over 6000 locations around the world. The company spun off Barnes Noble & in 2004, and acts as a GameStop and EB games.
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