RF Generation Message Board

Even though it's quite evident that the current generation of consoles still have one or two good years left, I got to thinking about when the ideal time to collect for a generation occurs.  I remember reading stories here on RF and elsewhere about how plentiful and cheap games get when a generation nears its end.  This time around it seems that this process is being perpetuated by the lack of initial backwards compatibility by the new consoles, and the limited space of stores.  After adjusting some search features on the Gamestop website, I realized that close to 150 360 games can be bought for 2.99 or cheaper, with a great deal of them being priced at .50 at .99.  Coupled with B1G1 or half off specials, adding bulk to the collection can be a relatively cheap undertaking.  I know most of us hold great disdain against GameStop, but the fact is that you can walk in and check out the condition of the games prior to purchasing as opposed to finding a single copy of the game in the wild.  At the very least, the prices resonate everywhere else as well.  What do you guys think?

I have no disdain towards Gamestop and I dont get why people do. Gamefly is another great place to get games cheap. I have been buying all my 360 games for under 15 apiece for years. Now a days it is under 10.

I think it's a great place to buy used games, but my guess is that the hate stems from their ridiculous offers for people's games and their monopolization of the video game store industry in the US. 

My only hate for GS stems from them opening up "new" games and trying to sell them as such. No problem buying used games from them when there are deals to be had, but I try to shop the smaller stores first when I can. I'm with Tynstar on GameFly. Fantastic deals on games, and the cases and codes are always there.

Ahhh! I completely forgot about that Duke.  "Let me just slap on these stickers to the side of the case, okay brand new!"

I dont get why that is a big deal to poeple at all. So do you want all the new games behind glass so you cant look at the back of the case at all?

It's more that they are selling the game to you at the new price rather than the used price.  If someone has ripped off the plastic and taken out all of the things that came inside of it, then it's used.  I don't care if nobody has played it.  Not that that stops me from going to Gamestop, it's just one of those little things that annoy me.

But back on subject, I usually start looking to buy bulk for a current/just past current game system when the next generation is about a year old.  Game stores will usually start dropping the price of the last gen games slowly but surely until they hit a rock bottom that they won't budge from.  Where you really start to find good deals is from other sources like Craigslist, garage sales and thrift stores.  At a certain point, the games are no longer being thought of as new enough to care about, but they're not old enough for people to get nostalgic for which will make them want to buy them again. 

You'll get to a point where there aren't very many people interested in buying games for the system so everyone is a seller.  It's not quite along the same lines that I was talking about since it took much longer, but the PS2 is at that point right now.  People as well as stores are willing to sell their PS2 games for dirt cheap because there just is not a market for them right now. 

I had an incident once where a Gamestop employee opened a game I was purchasing as new right in front of me at the register. I told him I changed my mind after that. I honestly haven't been back to one since just because of how much that agitated me.

And the fact that they throw away game cases for certain systems like the DS due to "we don't have enough room for the cases" really irks me. If you don't have enough room, then stop selling them. Ironically, I think those glass cases they keep the games in take up more room than a wire shelf display would. It's kind of a sad state for collectors, but I realize this isn't their primary market. I don't mind GS, since I'm not a new gen collector, but I just don't shop there much.

To go back to the purpose of the thread, I completely agree. I've been buying the hell out of PSP games and have been getting them for a song. I had over 35 games before I even had a system. It was just too hard to pass up on deals that I knew I would end up buyinig later anyway.

I always just ask to see it. I've never been denied. That said I've even started on this. Picked up my 2nd copy of Disgaea 3 (1st got stolen), and a copy of Disgaea 4 since they had both. I have no idea how long its taking to get to them.

This whole collecting thing is terrible for the backlog, so many games, almost no time.

PSP and PS2 are prime for cheap pickups, especially at GS.  Man, this makes me want to hit the thrifts and see what they got (that is, if sauza hasn't bought it all).  Still, I'd rather patronize the local game shop than a GS.  Plus, they have 2600 games (and INTV, and NES, and SMS, etc.).


No joke.  Just thinking about all those games...  Crap.  I really need to post in the Small Scores Thread.

Even Gamestop has started clearing out last gen:

http://www.ebgames.com/xbox-360/games/gears-of-war-2/69459

http://www.ebgames.com/ps3/games/battlefield-bad-company-2/73883

@singlebanana the EBGames around here don't have any glass displays, it's all wire racks. none of their games are loose except those that they received loose from trade-ins or lost the cases intentionally.

@everyone else, if your store is opening new games in front of you when you buy them that's retarded, i hate the "GS new" too but 90% of the time if i ask for it they'll have a sealed copy in the back room that they'll sell me instead of what's on the shelf at the same price (even had this happen with used games sometimes).

Totally agree with Duke.  GS New is retarded!  Also I do agree with Tyn and Duke GameFly does have some great deals I bought a few PS2 RPG games off of there a while back they looked almost new.

I do enjoy taking advantage of their sales. I know the games for this current gen are going by suoper cheaply, so get them while you can before "nostalgia" takes over and the prices rise.

There's a GameStop literally next door to the cafe I work at, so I've been able to befriend the staff solely for the purpose of attaining those throwaway cases.  I think it's just a matter of how much room the particular GS has, and there seems to be a sequential order to what they throw at.  The majority around my area don't carry PSP or PS2, and have thrown out all their DS cases.  Speaking with the employees, it seems that Wii games are next in line as next-gen systems begin to take up more real estate.

The gamestop by me always has amazing deals in their bargain bin so I hit it up often. I've never had an issue with GS, because I dont really trade in games.

It is convenient  for me to pre-order there as well.