The game hasn't been played. Merely taken out of the plastic.
Many GS/EBs allow employees to take games home and play them.
And once a store has adopted a policy of gutting games it is impossible for me as a consumer to discern which games have been taken home by an employee and which have not.
This burned me once, when I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
I had to bitch the manager out to let me return the game.
Ergo, I now do what Rathe suggests. I refuse to buy gutted games as "new." I will be happy to pay a "used" price in some cases. The game is no longer new unless the store can guarantee to me that an employee hasn't taken it home and spooged on it.
Wow. I wouldn't even go into an EB ever again after that. Fuck them.
I guess I didn't make a big deal about it, but it's right on our black and white return policy poster or counter standy.
Gamestop doesn't deny that it's "new" games are are comfuckingpletely unpurified, and furthermore explicitly states that this may be the case.
It's no big secret.
I'm more lenient on our policy about the, well, trivial things in my book. On the upside I've never had CSE < 100%, for those of you that pay attention to that shit.
Ok, if a game that's been opened, emptied and possibly played qualifies as "New", what in the fuck qualifies as "Used"?
a game which has been purchased back from an end user.
So a game could be taken home by an employee and played endlessly but unless it was sold and then resold back to the company, it's still brand new?
That's a narrow definition.
Also an illegal one but hey who cares.
How is it illegal?
For the same reasons car dealers are no longer allowed to take vehicles home with them and the same reasons floor models in electronics stores are sold at a discount--consumer protection statutes. Every state has them. They prevent unfair and deceptive trade practices.
This is a textbook deceptive trade practice--allowing something to be used by employees and then selling it as new.
The game hasn't been played. Merely taken out of the plastic.
Many GS/EBs allow employees to take games home and play them.
And once a store has adopted a policy of gutting games it is impossible for me as a consumer to discern which games have been taken home by an employee and which have not.
This burned me once, when I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
I had to bitch the manager out to let me return the game.
Ergo, I now do what Rathe suggests. I refuse to buy gutted games as "new." I will be happy to pay a "used" price in some cases. The game is no longer new unless the store can guarantee to me that an employee hasn't taken it home and spooged on it.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Feral on
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Yeah, it's pretty funny. By preventing employees from borrowing cartridge based games, their basically admitting it's wrong.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Wow. I wouldn't even go into an EB ever again after that. Fuck them.
I still have a bad habit of going to Gamestop every once in a while if I want a game right away, but I'm starting to make all my game purchases from Amazon now, simply because I fucking hate that chain for a million reasons... gutting being pretty close to the top.
Feral on
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
The game hasn't been played. Merely taken out of the plastic.
Many GS/EBs allow employees to take games home and play them.
And once a store has adopted a policy of gutting games it is impossible for me as a consumer to discern which games have been taken home by an employee and which have not.
This burned me once, when I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
I had to bitch the manager out to let me return the game.
Ergo, I now do what Rathe suggests. I refuse to buy gutted games as "new." I will be happy to pay a "used" price in some cases. The game is no longer new unless the store can guarantee to me that an employee hasn't taken it home and spooged on it.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Try telling ebay bidders (or any kind of public/marketplace) that and getting your ass handed to you when the winners file complaints and ebay and/or paypal find in favor of them.
That's a good point.
Try selling an opened game as "new" on any auction site. If you are sued, the plaintiff will assuredly win.
Try returning an opened game as "new" without receipt. Many stores will allow you to returned unopened software as new without receipt, usually as an exchange for their current listed new price for the game. On the other hand, almost every store (including Gamestop, ironically) will only allow you to trade in opened games without the receipt, regardless of the quality of the disc or if it looks untouched. I find that telling. If I bought a gutted game, walked out of the store, and tried returning it without the receipt at ANOTHER GAMESTOP IN THE SAME MALL, I guarantee you I would not get a refund as if it were a new game.
Opened games are no longer new. Arguing otherwise is any number of things, from stupid to insane and ending at flat-out wrong.
That's called theft prevention, dipshit.
You are really daft. Maybe more than Evander.
No, see. It's common knowledge. Not accepting a return without a receipt is theft prevention. That's what it is. You can't justify you being right here. That's the exact reason.
Oh I get the point of your post now. It's irrelevant and you apparently didn't thoroughly read my post. Yep, you're definitely as bad as Evander. Maybe worse.
Yes, well obviously there is no way to prove you stole the game. It's not a perfect system but it is theft prevention. That's why the best they can do is trade in the game. You aren't cheating the company because they make most of their profit off of used games anyway.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
So you wouldn't have a problem with someone playing Pokemon Cocksmash on their NDS but without saving the game at all?
The game hasn't been played. Merely taken out of the plastic.
Many GS/EBs allow employees to take games home and play them.
And once a store has adopted a policy of gutting games it is impossible for me as a consumer to discern which games have been taken home by an employee and which have not.
This burned me once, when I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
I had to bitch the manager out to let me return the game.
Ergo, I now do what Rathe suggests. I refuse to buy gutted games as "new." I will be happy to pay a "used" price in some cases. The game is no longer new unless the store can guarantee to me that an employee hasn't taken it home and spooged on it.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
Feral on
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
0
Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
So you wouldn't have a problem with someone playing Pokemon Cocksmash on their NDS but without saving the game at all?
Yeah, I would, because it requires you to create a profile to begin with. Because of the many games that do this, we just have a blanket policy for it. Saves the headache, do you really expect me to check every ds game to see if it makes a save file?
Try telling ebay bidders (or any kind of public/marketplace) that and getting your ass handed to you when the winners file complaints and ebay and/or paypal find in favor of them.
That's a good point.
Try selling an opened game as "new" on any auction site. If you are sued, the plaintiff will assuredly win.
Try returning an opened game as "new" without receipt. Many stores will allow you to returned unopened software as new without receipt, usually as an exchange for their current listed new price for the game. On the other hand, almost every store (including Gamestop, ironically) will only allow you to trade in opened games without the receipt, regardless of the quality of the disc or if it looks untouched. I find that telling. If I bought a gutted game, walked out of the store, and tried returning it without the receipt at ANOTHER GAMESTOP IN THE SAME MALL, I guarantee you I would not get a refund as if it were a new game.
Opened games are no longer new. Arguing otherwise is any number of things, from stupid to insane and ending at flat-out wrong.
That's called theft prevention, dipshit.
You are really daft. Maybe more than Evander.
No, see. It's common knowledge. Not accepting a return without a receipt is theft prevention. That's what it is. You can't justify you being right here. That's the exact reason.
Oh I get the point of your post now. It's irrelevant and you apparently didn't thoroughly read my post. Yep, you're definitely as bad as Evander. Maybe worse.
Yes, well obviously there is no way to prove you stole the game. It's not a perfect system but it is theft prevention. That's why the best they can do is trade in the game. You aren't cheating the company because they make most of their profit off of used games anyway.
However these same retailers WILL almost always do an even swap for factory sealed new product for the "brand new" price. Which is my point: there is a marked difference between something factory sealed and something not factory sealed. Sure, I could have stolen either or both, but it's not really relevant to my hypothetical when you consider that most retailers will go ahead and do an even exchange on factory sealed product but will not do the same for opened product.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
So you wouldn't have a problem with someone playing Pokemon Cocksmash on their NDS but without saving the game at all?
Would I have a problem, personally? Probably not.
The policy doesn't allow for it, though, simply because it is a logical line to draw, rather than to say "you can check it out, but not save it", especially because some games have autosaves.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
I've already said what I had to say but I wanted to toss in another nugget -
about all the games, like a bunch of MMO's (I think of Final Fantasy XI in all its variations) that specifically say on the box "Not valid for sale if opened."
every ebgames employee I've ever asked about it shrugs and has nothing to say for it, just "we're told to" (which they are, sure.)
I wonder what Square Enix thinks of it, or if they're aware.
I'm really not a fan of employees being able to sign shit out all willy nilly anyway, but as long as the game hasn't been played I still consider it new. And I know there's really no way of knowing whether the new game I just bought has been played by an employee or not, so I just give them the benefit of the doubt.
Javen on
0
Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
Fantastic.
Can I then take the game home for a bit make sure I don't damage it, play it for the weekend then bring it back?
Try telling ebay bidders (or any kind of public/marketplace) that and getting your ass handed to you when the winners file complaints and ebay and/or paypal find in favor of them.
That's a good point.
Try selling an opened game as "new" on any auction site. If you are sued, the plaintiff will assuredly win.
Try returning an opened game as "new" without receipt. Many stores will allow you to returned unopened software as new without receipt, usually as an exchange for their current listed new price for the game. On the other hand, almost every store (including Gamestop, ironically) will only allow you to trade in opened games without the receipt, regardless of the quality of the disc or if it looks untouched. I find that telling. If I bought a gutted game, walked out of the store, and tried returning it without the receipt at ANOTHER GAMESTOP IN THE SAME MALL, I guarantee you I would not get a refund as if it were a new game.
Opened games are no longer new. Arguing otherwise is any number of things, from stupid to insane and ending at flat-out wrong.
That's called theft prevention, dipshit.
You are really daft. Maybe more than Evander.
No, see. It's common knowledge. Not accepting a return without a receipt is theft prevention. That's what it is. You can't justify you being right here. That's the exact reason.
Oh I get the point of your post now. It's irrelevant and you apparently didn't thoroughly read my post. Yep, you're definitely as bad as Evander. Maybe worse.
Yes, well obviously there is no way to prove you stole the game. It's not a perfect system but it is theft prevention. That's why the best they can do is trade in the game. You aren't cheating the company because they make most of their profit off of used games anyway.
However these same retailers WILL almost always do an even swap for factory sealed new product for the "brand new" price. Which is my point: there is a marked difference between something factory sealed and something not factory sealed. Sure, I could have stolen either or both, but it's not really relevant to my hypothetical when you consider that most retailers will go ahead and do an even exchange on factory sealed product but will not do the same for opened product.
Without receipt, of course.
Uh, you can't return anything without a receipt at GS. That's what they're there for.
However these same retailers WILL almost always do an even swap for factory sealed new product for the "brand new" price. Which is my point: there is a marked difference between something factory sealed and something not factory sealed. Sure, I could have stolen either or both, but it's not really relevant to my hypothetical when you consider that most retailers will go ahead and do an even exchange on factory sealed product but will not do the same for opened product.
Without receipt, of course.
I don't think so. If some crackhead tries to return path of neo to me in the shrinkwrap without a receipt, he will be politely told to fuck off.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
Yeah, it's really not store policy or anything but if you ask they're usually more than willing to accommodate you.
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
Fantastic.
Can I then take the game home for a bit make sure I don't damage it, play it for the weekend then bring it back?
I'm pretty sure most have a 7 day thing that if you return it within that span of time you get 100% of your money back, in store credit at least.
I've already said what I had to say but I wanted to toss in another nugget -
about all the games, like a bunch of MMO's (I think of Final Fantasy XI in all its variations) that specifically say on the box "Not valid for sale if opened."
every ebgames employee I've ever asked about it shrugs and has nothing to say for it, just "we're told to" (which they are, sure.)
I wonder what Square Enix thinks of it, or if they're aware.
I'd say "If it doesn't work out for you, I'll take care of it. I'm sorry about the inconvenience."
A game is used to me when I sell it to a customer, it leaves the store, and I have no idea what's happening to it.
So it's not used if, say, you gut Pokemon Gravelstone, play for 10 minutes, save the game, and then sell it? The customer buys the last copy, goes home, sees the save, but you would argue with him that the game is "brand new"?
Did you miss, a page or so back, when I said that it was against company policy to check out new games that save directly to them?
But how is playing a game that saves directly to them any different than playing a game that requires an external save thingie?
The only reason that is policy is that you could get caught doing it.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
Fantastic.
Can I then take the game home for a bit make sure I don't damage it, play it for the weekend then bring it back?
No, because GameStop doesn't have access to take the price out of your payceck if you don't return it.
All checked out games are explicitly logged, and there are severe consequences for not meeting the policy requirements.
You're only allowed to keep one game (or two movies) out for four days at a time, and you can't check out the same thing twice in a row.
If there are used copies, you can't check out the new, and if there is already a gutted new copy you cannot open up another one.
Also, new games cannot be checked out with two weeks of release.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
Its not affecting the game but it would make a business practice of theirs that consumers might not agree with to widely known
Its not that EB views that practice as wrong but that they assume many consumers would view it is wrong.
I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
Feral on
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
Well it could have also been a keygen program. the keys don't come from out of nowhere, they use existing valid keys. Happened to me the first time I bought WC3 from Best Buy.
I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
If it's sealed, it hasn't been checked out. If it's gutted, it may have been.
If you buy a game, and it is clear that something is wrong (it is damaged, cd key doesn't work, etcetera) first you should get a refund (demand a manager, or even district manger, if necessary) and then you should contact corporate to inform them, because the policy violators WILL be punished. Finally, shop at a different store in the future.
I've already said what I had to say but I wanted to toss in another nugget -
about all the games, like a bunch of MMO's (I think of Final Fantasy XI in all its variations) that specifically say on the box "Not valid for sale if opened."
every ebgames employee I've ever asked about it shrugs and has nothing to say for it, just "we're told to" (which they are, sure.)
I wonder what Square Enix thinks of it, or if they're aware.
I'd say "If it doesn't work out for you, I'll take care of it. I'm sorry about the inconvenience."
Some employees need to grow a fucking spine.
Well one guy actually demonstrated some and said "jeez wow I never thought of that, yeah that is pretty messed up. I can't do anything because they ask us to but that doesnt seem right. etc etc etc"
Well one guy actually demonstrated some and said "jeez wow I never thought of that, yeah that is pretty messed up. I can't do anything because they ask us to but that doesnt seem right. etc etc etc"
I could say that to you all day. Or I could shrug like the other guy.
Instead I tell you what I can do for you, which is assuring that you can go home and play your game perfectly.
I purchased a copy of City of Heroes from an EB Games, brought it home, and discovered that the key code had already been used. And then EB refused to let me return it, because I had broken the little scotch tape seal they placed over the cardboard tab right there at the counter while I watched them.
Employees can't check out PC games.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
If it's sealed, it hasn't been checked out. If it's gutted, it may have been.
If you buy a game, and it is clear that something is wrong (it is damaged, cd key doesn't work, etcetera) first you should get a refund (demand a manager, or even district manger, if necessary) and then you should contact corporate to inform them, because the policy violators WILL be punished. Finally, shop at a different store in the future.
Or how about not gut games so there is no potential for abuse?
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Wow. I wouldn't even go into an EB ever again after that. Fuck them.
if you haven't played it, you can return it.
some stores reseal a gutted game. in that case, if you have reopened it, you can't return it.
if it is defective, you can return it just like you could had it been sealed when you bought it.
Gamestop doesn't deny that it's "new" games are are comfuckingpletely unpurified, and furthermore explicitly states that this may be the case.
It's no big secret.
I'm more lenient on our policy about the, well, trivial things in my book. On the upside I've never had CSE < 100%, for those of you that pay attention to that shit.
People don't hate me.
This is a textbook deceptive trade practice--allowing something to be used by employees and then selling it as new.
I guess the key code used itself, then.
What the fuck? Obviously some stores do allow employees to check out PC games, or employees do it anyway despite it not being policy.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Yeah, it's pretty funny. By preventing employees from borrowing cartridge based games, their basically admitting it's wrong.
Nope.
It is because you cannot do anything that would have any effect on the game.
games that have been checked out are examined when they are brought back in. If they have been affected at all, then the employee is forced to buy them.
This is why most employees check out used games anyway.
I still have a bad habit of going to Gamestop every once in a while if I want a game right away, but I'm starting to make all my game purchases from Amazon now, simply because I fucking hate that chain for a million reasons... gutting being pretty close to the top.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Bingo.
Which, if he got caught, he was definitely fired for.
Yes, well obviously there is no way to prove you stole the game. It's not a perfect system but it is theft prevention. That's why the best they can do is trade in the game. You aren't cheating the company because they make most of their profit off of used games anyway.
So you wouldn't have a problem with someone playing Pokemon Cocksmash on their NDS but without saving the game at all?
You know, I've been out of those things for like 2 weeks anyways, despite the supply order.
I don't think it's too difficult to procure a clear, round sticker anyways.
Okay, now that we've established that individual employees (and, I suspect, entire stores) violate policy, how do I, as a customer, know which games have been brought home by an employee and which have not?
Seriously, I eagerly await your answer to this question.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Hangon then. It should be totally cool for you to whack any game I want to play into the demo unit then to see if I want to buy it? Because that's not affecting the game either.
Satans..... hints.....
Yeah, I would, because it requires you to create a profile to begin with. Because of the many games that do this, we just have a blanket policy for it. Saves the headache, do you really expect me to check every ds game to see if it makes a save file?
Save files alter the state of the game, soooo
However these same retailers WILL almost always do an even swap for factory sealed new product for the "brand new" price. Which is my point: there is a marked difference between something factory sealed and something not factory sealed. Sure, I could have stolen either or both, but it's not really relevant to my hypothetical when you consider that most retailers will go ahead and do an even exchange on factory sealed product but will not do the same for opened product.
Without receipt, of course.
Would I have a problem, personally? Probably not.
The policy doesn't allow for it, though, simply because it is a logical line to draw, rather than to say "you can check it out, but not save it", especially because some games have autosaves.
I have no power over the policy.
Well as long as we're complaining about the morally corrupt GS employees in this thread...
catch the store during a very slow time, and ask nicely, and some managers might allow it.
about all the games, like a bunch of MMO's (I think of Final Fantasy XI in all its variations) that specifically say on the box "Not valid for sale if opened."
every ebgames employee I've ever asked about it shrugs and has nothing to say for it, just "we're told to" (which they are, sure.)
I wonder what Square Enix thinks of it, or if they're aware.
Fantastic.
Can I then take the game home for a bit make sure I don't damage it, play it for the weekend then bring it back?
Satans..... hints.....
Uh, you can't return anything without a receipt at GS. That's what they're there for.
I don't think so. If some crackhead tries to return path of neo to me in the shrinkwrap without a receipt, he will be politely told to fuck off.
For cash or a different game.
Yeah, it's really not store policy or anything but if you ask they're usually more than willing to accommodate you.
I'm pretty sure most have a 7 day thing that if you return it within that span of time you get 100% of your money back, in store credit at least.
I'd say "If it doesn't work out for you, I'll take care of it. I'm sorry about the inconvenience."
Some employees need to grow a fucking spine.
No, because GameStop doesn't have access to take the price out of your payceck if you don't return it.
All checked out games are explicitly logged, and there are severe consequences for not meeting the policy requirements.
You're only allowed to keep one game (or two movies) out for four days at a time, and you can't check out the same thing twice in a row.
If there are used copies, you can't check out the new, and if there is already a gutted new copy you cannot open up another one.
Also, new games cannot be checked out with two weeks of release.
Buy. Online.
Its not affecting the game but it would make a business practice of theirs that consumers might not agree with to widely known
Its not that EB views that practice as wrong but that they assume many consumers would view it is wrong.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Gamestop.com is a piece of shit too.
Most stores don't use their machines anymore.
Most newer stores don't have them at all. The ones that do are older like mine.
Well it could have also been a keygen program. the keys don't come from out of nowhere, they use existing valid keys. Happened to me the first time I bought WC3 from Best Buy.
If it's sealed, it hasn't been checked out. If it's gutted, it may have been.
If you buy a game, and it is clear that something is wrong (it is damaged, cd key doesn't work, etcetera) first you should get a refund (demand a manager, or even district manger, if necessary) and then you should contact corporate to inform them, because the policy violators WILL be punished. Finally, shop at a different store in the future.
Well one guy actually demonstrated some and said "jeez wow I never thought of that, yeah that is pretty messed up. I can't do anything because they ask us to but that doesnt seem right. etc etc etc"
Period.
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
I could say that to you all day. Or I could shrug like the other guy.
Instead I tell you what I can do for you, which is assuring that you can go home and play your game perfectly.
Or how about not gut games so there is no potential for abuse?
Crazy, I know.