Repercussions of the EB Buyout

The merger between GamesStop and Electronics Boutique adds another feather into the cap of one of the largest game distributors in the United States. 1up.com asks what does this mean for gamers? From the article: "If you're GameStop, it means you're much bigger and potentially more efficient. For instance, while GameStop's execs were reluctant to comment in detail about plans for integration during their conference call, the two chains will eventually merge their distribution systems and databases for retailing used games."

Comments

I hope...

[X0563511]

I hope it doesn't ruin the chances of me finding excellent deals on old and obscure games.

At an EB somewhere in Kansas City, MO, I managed to get Homeworld, O.R.B. (http://tinyurl.com/a2u6w), Starlancer, and Mindrover for $20 total. None of them were used copies.

Re:I hope...

[Sparr0]

Babbages (aka GameStop) here used to have a great $10 games section. New games, discounted. I picked up at least a hundred games from there. Then EB opened on the other end of the mall with their own cheap section and a much larger used section. GameStop's PC inventory nearly disappeared, down to 1/8th what they had before, almost entirely console games here now. I hope they dont do the same thing to EB.

Re:I hope...

[Anonymous Coward]

I work at an EB in KCMO. The one on the plaza....Eh.... Did you you get it at that one?

Re:I hope...

[OneFix]

If EB/GameStop doesn't have what you're looking for at the price you want, try a pawn shop...especially one that is located close to a college. College students will often sell perfectly good games for beer money. And in the case of older games, most are willing to deal...they are mostly localy owned and are not bound to corporate policy on pricing. You will have to own a modded console to play import games, but most of these shops sell modded systems and/or know someone local that can do the modifications to a vanilla box.

There are other places that sell old/obscure games...we have a local import games/anime rental shop that sells games and videos based on their age...want something that's new...you pay almost full price...want something that's old, get a discount...want something even older...get an even steeper discount.

Re:I hope...

[xenocide2]

EB has a wide selection of stuff available online brand new for PC. I saw Deus Ex 2 for like 3 dollars, and although they've since raised it to 5, it's still a bargain.

Re:I hope...

[Reapy]

Most of the pc games sections at the eb's and gamespots around here have been regulated to a double sided shelf standing in the middle of the floor, with consol stuff taking up the rest of the space. Poor pc games :(

Computer games

[Sinryc]

I really do hope that I can get more computer games from Gamestop now. We have an EB and Gamestop here, but the gamestop does not carry many computer games. Hopefully this will change that.

Re:Computer games

[dougmc]

Hopefully this will change that

I'll bet it doesn't. This sort of place seems to have been ditching the PC games lately, replacing them with more console games. Probably because there's more money to be made in console games.

I get most of my PC games at Frys now it seems. (And the only consoles I own are an Atari 2600, Intelivision and a Dreamcast. They don't seem to have many games for those :)

Re:Computer games

[ChrisReid]

Unfortunately this is more a case of GameStop buying EB and not the other way around. It's entirely likely that the trend could be EBs carrying less computer games.

Re:Computer games

[black mariah]

Go to a different Gamestop. ;) I don't know about EB, but Gamestops are stocked based on what the store tends to sell a lot of. The Gamestop my friend works at (in the food court of a mall) has an incredibly tiny PC section. If you head over to the one a couple of blocks away (attached to a Barnes and Noble) they deal mostly PC. I doubt this will improve your situation. You might want to talk to the manager at the one you go to about an increased selection. If more people show interest they'd probably run with it.

Re:Computer games

[black mariah]

Best Buy, Fry's, Wal-Mart, Circuit City... people tend to buy PC games where PC's are sold, not where games are sold. I know of one Gamestop around here that has a good PC selection, but their business is middling at best.

Re:Computer games

[Crashmaster007]

Although EB did carry PC games, they were always shoved in the back corner like some unwanted bastard step child. The console market is more mainstream and thats what sells. It's the jocks with the Xboxes driving the market now, not the geeks with the PCs

Re:Computer games

[Anonymous Coward]

The EBgames here in San Francisco is almost half used PS2 games. XBox is next with a good sized section as well, GC has, well, they probably have every GC game in that little bit of shelf.

The PC game section is an absolute joke. It's like, two shelves, and full of some real crap at that. CompUSA down the street has like 5X as much.

New Management of EB stores a possibility?

[libys]

I hope that if there is any change to the various EB stores out there it'll be new management. I actually live close to the EB store mentioned in this story and almost always get trouble from them. Due to their behavior I buy my games from Best Buy now, which isn't much better.. =(

(FYI: The article linked in the /. is 404'd now, the EBgames in question is in the Gulfview Square mall in Port Richey, FL)

Re:New Management of EB stores a possibility?

[superpulpsicle]

Bestbuy is a great place to buy games. Not the ridiculous hardcore selection like Gamestop. But all their new games get an occasional $10-$15 discount. In Gamestop, a new game literally stays $49.99 forever. I already know I'll be checking Bestbuy flyers alot more often.

Now I've lost my favorite game shop.

[alexwcovington]

I never liked the GameSpot down here. The folks running it never seemed like the gamer type. I guess they're the only game in town now. I've shopped at the local Electronics Boutique ever since it was called WaldenSoftware. They've never let me down. All too often, GameStop has. A lamentable loss. I'm gonna miss them.

Re:Now I've lost my favorite game shop.

[Mr.Dippy]

It really depends on the quality of the people the store manager wants hire in his or her video game establishment. I have seen hardcore passionit people in various Game Crazy, EBworld, and Gamestop stores. However, from time to time, I will get an employee who should be working the local Safeway or Crate and Barrel instead of a video game store. I've talked to a few family memembers and friends who are either getting jobs at one of these places or has worked there. They all say that the managers could care less about vidoegames and would rather have you lie to customers to sell a game. Like my one friend said to me a few days ago after his Game Crazy interview, "The manager told me 'Tell the Customer what they want to hear. It doesn't matter if the game sucks, just sell it.'".

The only thing this will mean...

[SetupWeasel]

is the buyback prices will become more ridiculous.

Re:The only thing this will mean...

[aflat362]

". . . is the buyback prices will become more ridiculous."

Probably . . But at least they can't raise their prices any more on used games. They already are about even with the prices of new games.

Shelf Space Costs

[Nebulochaotic]

One likely repercussion of this merger is that Gamestop will now likely be able to charge more for shelf space in their stores. Where previously, game publishers would have to pay both chains seperate fees, now Gamestop can claim that the fees they are receiving are worth double. While this is not likely to have a big effect on the consumer, it will make it more expensive for small and indie publishers to have their game represented on a store shelf.

As mergers like this happen in the retail world, and the larger publishers such as EA, Microsoft and Sony gobble up more and more development and publishing houses, it is likely to become less and less likely to find anything but the blockbusters on the shelves of stores. If the indie gaming community is to survive, there needs to be a push towards innovative distribution methods that do not require such a huge upfront cost. (I'm looking at you Valve... make steam friendly and you could revolutionize the industry)

Re:Shelf Space Costs

[black mariah]

Gamestop will now likely be able to charge more for shelf space in their stores.

Highly doubtful. They still have places like Wal-Mart and Best Buy to contend with. Gamestop's pretty much the only game-only store in town now, but there are MANY other outlets for games.

Re:Shelf Space Costs

[Retroneous]

This is true indeed. Just looking at the UK, you can pick up the top ten console games for PS2 or Xbox at most supermarkets, music stores, game stores (of course!) and you can even find some crappy budget games sitting in the corner of your local petrol station now. Steam is a great idea and maybe an alternative, but given that I've bought and tried to get Day of Defeat running through the system on four different home PCs - only to see it crash on loading the game on all four of them - I'd say it needs a little work.

Don't panic...yet.

[Gothic_Walrus]

If nothing else, we've still got GameCrazy (Hollywood Video store) and GameRush (Blockbuster) for the time being. I know that those two chains aren't widespread yet, and they may never be, but GameStop will have at least some competition.

Of course, this won't be anything like the GameStop/EB competition, and there are still rumors that GC and GR could merge if Blockbuster buys out Hollywood Video. Still, I think I'm just not going to worry about it for now. I don't want to drive myself crazy...

Rebates and pricematching...

[antdude]

I hope I still can get rebates and pricematches from PC games that I buy from EB stores.

"New" Games

[zillahX]

Maybe they'll get around to adjusting their policy of selling me the last "new" copy of a game that has been opened, and passed around the employees, even has finger prints and smudges on the disc, and they still charge me full price for a new copy.

Re:"New" Games

[fwitness]

This just happened to me and it pissed me off. I bought the last copy of 'Mercury' for the PSP and I see the guy going in the drawer for the disc. "I thought you said you didn't have *used* PSP games yet?" "Oh, this is new?" "Then why are you opening my box and charging me new prices?"

20 minutes later I was disgusted. I would have taken my business elsewhere, before anyone replies with that, but the game was not to be found. Just a minor, but significant, annoyance.

Re:"New" Games

[Jakeypants]

I agree. It's such a pain in the ass.

I bought my brother Wario Ware for GCN for his birthday. I paid the dude, then he went back to get it. He found a case covered in "Trade In Your Used Games!" stickers, found the disc in the drawer, and handed it to me.

"Oh, sorry, I meant to get a new one, I must've handed you the wrong case," I said.

Dude told me it was new, but for fuck's sake, if it's open and covered in stickers, no, it isn't new. I asked him for an unopened one because it was a birthday present, and it'd be really shitty for me to give something like that as a present, so the dude goes into the back, I hear some kind of whirring sound, and he comes back with the same case, stickers and all, now covered in shrink wrap.

Thrift stores

[77Punker]

I've been getting most of my PC games at a large thrift store that's close to me. Got the Sims 2 brand new in a damaged box for $12, Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 brand new in a damaged box for $5, Redneck Rampage for $2, Redneck Rampage Rides Again for $2, and Diablo for $2. Hunting for this stuff is fun!

Re:Thrift stores

[Swift(void)]

...Redneck Rampage for $2, Redneck Rampage Rides Again for $2...

You got ripped off not once, but twice

eBay, all the way

[M.C. Hampster]

Never take in your used games for cash or trade-in at GameStop and EBGames. Just sell them on eBay. You are pretty much guaranteed to get at least twice what they'll offer you at the store and it's pretty easy.

Cutting out the middleman is definitely the way to go.

Re:eBay, all the way

[SetupWeasel]

I've always been a big fan of half.com. Same company, but you don't have to pay to list it, and the listings have no time limit.

too many?

[wh173b0y]

Here we used to have a great game selection.

Gamestop was in the mall, funcoland was across from the mall and microplay was down the street from the mall.
Now we just have 3 gamestops within sight of each other. and they all carry the exact same games. no diversity, no competition.

Gamestop's where I don't shop

[Keelicus]

I would shop at 'the stop' if they didn't treat their employee's like 6 year olds. Not only do they pay them sh*t and give them sh*t discount, but they expect YOU (the customer) to know the in's and out's of everything on the market. And being at a "specialty store" to me means you might pay a little more, but the employee's have got there hands on the industry. That way I won't waste that $50 on the game that sucks, and get the game I want. They know what they are talking about because they are also gamers. When it was funcoland there was bonified sales men/women running the stores, now with gamestop you have generic store clerk who just came from foot-locker. So why shop specialty when they don't know what the f*ck they are talking about? Gamestop pays and treats their employee's like sh*t so they can choke out the competition and it's working!! Just watch in a few years they will be gone and replaced with something else...don't worry they can destroy themselves without my help.

Re:Gamestop's where I don't shop

[Anonymous Coward]

Gamestop is a cheap company (I know, I work for them). The surprising thing is, they have always complained about having to cut costs and save money, yet they apparently had the money to buy EB out (and purchase nice charter planes for board members).

I don't know what the merger will mean for gamers, but I do know what it will mean for employees of both companies: Hello, Mr. Pinkslip! Gamestop has been through this several times before, and the results are always the same.

I used to work for Gamestop/Babbage's

[haplo21112]

I was a manager in the Boston Area for the Babbage's chain before they morphed into Gamestop. I can say first hand that if they are still using the same distro system they used when i was there they will be a serious powerhouse with even more outlets. The system at the wharehouse rarely missed in sending just what we needed when we needed it.