Final Fantasy XVFollow

Is it supposed to be a separate code, or just the standard key? Cause I got my game code from GMG as soon as I bought the game (digital copy). I'm imagining I can just put that into my account when Early Access starts...

Also, their site now has this language regarding having a PS3 and PC version: I know that we had a discussion about maybe being able to just buy the PS3 version and download the client on PC (a la FFXI), but from the language here, it seems pretty clear that you have to buy each separately. If idiggory purchased it for PS3, you could test it out after launch, since the beta client will be usable for open beta through launch. I ended up just getting the PC version. I'll grab a PS4 copy whenever that comes out.

I preordered the PS3 version from Gamestop and the customer service rep said they'd email me an early access code in the next few days, but nada.

I guess I'll have to call back on my lunch break or something.

What are they doing with Xenoblade chronicles? Other than spamming me about how I can trade it in for 48 dollars in store credit.

I mostly just pre-ordered it there because I was already there for another game, and hey, cloth banner. But if I can't get my code, I will.

If I was grabbing the PC version first, I would have gone digital distribution, of course.

I'm also going to go ahead and point out that, whatever its faults, Gamestop is probably less evil (or at least less destructive) a company than Amazon, adjusted for their sizes.

I'm more intrigued by them calling Xenoblade Chronicles vintage.

Honestly, I don't find the people freaking out particularly justified.

It's supply and demand. Limited supply, and a large enough demand that people will pay $80 for the game, means it'll sell.

The fact that Gamestop is currently the only retailer able to sell it has no bearing. They're the only ones able to sell it because Nintendo, the publisher, decided they were the only ones who'd be able to sell it. What do we expect Gamestop to do? Not capitalize on that fact? They're a retailer - they largely establish pricing that's approved by the publisher.

This is just people getting shocked and pissed off that a for-profit company is acting on a profit motive.

If you don't like it, and want it to stop, you need to ensure the market doesn't endorse their actions. That means no buying the $80 copies, so Gamestop doesn't see any profits from this maneuver, and all things considered making enough of a dent in Nintendo products in protest that they won't limit their distribution like this again.

Since neither of those things will happen, then yes - this IS market price.

[EDIT]

Lol, rate down. That's fine. It's still true. A retailer is always going to price things at the highest point they'll sell. If people will pay $80 for a game, they'll sell it for $80. If a company can manage to be the only retailer, hells yeah they're going to do that.

Now, if this was a case of Nintendo giving them new copies, with them removing the shrink wrap so they could sell them as used and thus avoid the publisher-set pricing, then it's a completely different scenario. But I haven't seen any evidence of that.

Edited, Aug 13th 2013 2:13pm by idiggory

I should probably not have used the second "them."

The question here is whether or not GAMESTOP is removing the shrink wrap to void their ability to sell it as new, so they can jack up the price. Which I can only imagine would be a violation of their own contract with the publisher. That, I would take issue with.

But if Nintendo is selling them un-shrink-wrapped copies, specifically so they can sell them at used prices, then it's not on Gamestop anymore. Anyone who has a problem with the price should be angry with Nintendo, not Gamestop. And I doubt Nintendo cares, since they're probably made more money off whatever check Gamestop cut them than they would have doing an actual re-release.

TL;DR: If Nintendo sold the copies to Gamestop as used copies, I understand being angry with Nintendo. If Nintendo sold the copies to Gamestop as new copies, I understand being angry with Gamestop.

But "Gamestop is evil for selling $80 used games" isn't something I'm just going to picket for. If they manipulated the market or broke their retail agreements with Nintendo, sure. Otherwise, blame seems to be on Nintendo for this one, to the extent blame exists. And that's more to do with the fact that a publisher, as a different beast than a retailer, has to fulfill different expectations with the consumer.

Reading more, it seems they were doing s promotion where they were taking two games from a list to get a new game for $10. Some of those threads have Gamestop calling people and offering $40+ for their Xenoblade copies. Given the fact that Gamestop always has a ton of used games, there's a fairly large population of people who don't realize you can get much more selling games independently, even just simply listing them on eBay. So it wouldn't be some huge surprise if they did get many copies through this promotion. Apparently Metroid Prime Trilogy was on that list as well, and they are selling that for $85 used, with no "evidence" if it being a reprint. I've bought a bunch of DS and 3DS games used, and probably half of them had unused Club Nintendo codes in their cases. I'm not saying there's no way Gamestop is scamming people here, because they do plenty of sleazy things; I'm just saying that it is possible that their Xenoblade games aren't reprints.

Well, yeah, I doubt that Gamestop is printing illegal copies, but that's how some of the accusations read. I'd assume that a reprint would have to come through Nintendo, or they would have to authorize another company to do the reprint. It'd be interesting to see if reprints would still fall under an exclusivity agreement with Gamestop.

I'm in the same boat. I might end up just picking one at random if no Zam server ends up happening.

The old peoples guild will be on Excalibur, if anyone's interested.