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GameStop Opening Deus Ex Boxes, Removing Free Game Coupon

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-won't-need-that dept.

DisKurzion writes "A leaked GameStop memo indicates that employees are to open the regular PC release of Deus Ex: Human Revolution and discard the included OnLive coupon. From the article: 'GameStop spokesperson Beth Sharum confirmed the practice, telling Ars that "Square Enix packed the competitor's coupon with our DXHR product without our prior knowledge and we did pull these coupons.'"

2 of 343 comments (clear)

  1. Re:You've got to be kidding... by RogueyWon · · Score: 5, Informative

    I suppose it depends on whether the coupon is advertised anywhere. If it's advertised as being included with the game - and especially if there's a marking on the game box itself saying "coupon inside" - then there are all kinds of trading standards laws that would be getting broken in the UK. I've no idea whether there are US equivalents.

    If the coupon isn't advertised anywhere, then it may be murkier.

  2. The legal ramifications, in a different article by Hahnsoo · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Wired article on this does a more balanced job at handling the legal ramifications:
    http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2011/08/gamestop-onlive/

    Basically, Gamestop may be in the right, legally, if Square-Enix has a pre-existing contract with them with a non-compete clause. As the article states: “Existing contracts between GameStop and Square may have barred this kind of promotion, and so GameStop may actually be justified in their action if Square is in breach of some promotion/marketing agreement”

    But they can also be in legal trouble over this, as the article also points out, for a number of different reasons.

    Nowhere on the packaging does it say "Free OnLive coupon", apparently. I haven't looked at the packaging myself.