The Bad Video Game Store Thread - Places To Avoid (Updated Apr 28 2015)

[ErbBetaPatched]

Game Craze at the Destiny USA Mall in Syracuse, New York may be large, but the prices are too high. I bought Devil May Cry 2 there for $12, and it only came with disc 2, the disc that didn't have Dante on it.

I even saw Hey you, Pikachu! on sale there for $5. No one even wants that game for $1.

[mumboking]

I even saw Hey you, Pikachu! on sale there for $5. No one even wants that game for $1.

I don't know... If you collect Pokemon things, then you'd want it.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I don't know... Yelling obscenities at Pikachu is worth at least $1 to me.

[techwizard]

$5 isn't too bad for loose, but there are way better games you could spend $5 on

[Sega2099]

I wouldn't waste 5 bucks on it, I love Pokémon and grew up on it but it's starting to get old and a little repetitive.

[Slowman]

The Media Warehouse - Reedsburg, WI

Owner was very rude to customers and his employee. They don't have any games out. You have to look through a database of prices, and then they change the prices on you before you purchase.  Apparently my friend is "a f***ing idiot" for not understanding how their pricing structure (scheme?) works.  This happened to a friend of mine, not myself, just passing along the info  More info

[PepsiWithCoke]

I even saw Hey you, Pikachu! on sale there for $5. No one even wants that game for $1.

I don't know... If you collect Pokemon things, then you'd want it.

Yeah, I'd pay $1 for any non sports N64 game really.

[SirPsycho]

Local stores around here are all Quarterback Club and the AKI wrestlers.

[shaggy]

The Media Warehouse - Reedsburg, WI

Owner was very rude to customers and his employee. They don't have any games out. You have to look through a database of prices, and then they change the prices on you before you purchase.  Apparently my friend is "a f***ing idiot" for not understanding how their pricing structure (scheme?) works.  This happened to a friend of mine, not myself, just passing along the info  More info

That's very good to know as I am from the Milwaukee area.

[supernorst]

Arn't we all forgetting to add a very horrible store to our list? Gamestop!

The Charges:
Ruining millions of games with hard to remove stickers including stickers on the inserts of the games
$55 for a standard newer used game is pretty bad, I mean come on your not really getting any discount especially if games have online pass or features missing.
Lack of a variety of games within the stores, all I seem to see is the same bland shooters all over the stores.

[SirPsycho]

You know in all the years I've heard about Gamestop sticker horror stories I've never run into a copy that had the sticker directly on an insert. Managers around here tend to use the technique of leaving the sticker on its paper and just sliding it into the spine. They might be annoying to remove but they don't compare to Vintage Stock stickers, those are horrible. I'll never forget the hour long battle I had with a Vintage Stock sticker so I could have a pristine Saturn case for Iron Storm or something.

My local stores tend to have a varied selection for both new and pre-owned games, and I've been picking up a few older RPGs and platformers in the $20-30 range lately when I visit them. Their Buy 2 Get 1 Under $20 pre-owned sale is rather popular around here when it pops up. You'll see people load up on $5 or less games on the small scores thread when its on, and I'll grab a handful of those $19.99 games.

I agree with you on the price of new games that are played and traded back in within a few days of release. That's the main reason I either buy games brand new from time to time or wait until they inevitably hit the $10-30 area or the inevitable 90% off Steam sale. I know I'm not really missing much by waiting on 'Random Shooter #19865213984' of the generation.

[techwizard]

gamestop/EB Games' new stickers are wonderful, i have no complaints anymore but sometimes you still have the old ones to deal with occasionally. i used to buy a lot more from them but now i rarely do. they're great for pre-orders if you're into that, but buying "new" from them is stupid because of their open everything policy. though if you ask they often have a sealed copy in the back room that you can swap the floor copy for.

on some slightly older modern games they tend to be cheaper than ebay, especially when you get into the under $10 games. i've never had any issues with variety either, they tend to have a lot of obscure RPGs and other niche titles at the locations near me, maybe your specific location is just bad for that.

they have their place and they're great for the non-collector.

[leej07]

One of the local Gamestops here is great with marked down PS2 games and accessories. A whopping 75% off!

[gbpxl]

I'm not gonna read through this entire thread to see if this has already been laid to rest, but...

If a store tells its customers that a video game's price is X and they change the price to >X at the register, isn't this illegal?

I've never had anyone do it to me, but I think if it happened, I would tell them to forget it and leave.

[A8scooter]

If your down the edision nj way avoid trade 1 on rt 1 in Edison. They are majorly over priced the owner isn't helpful things are a complete mess and the only reason I can come to see why they stay afloat cause every so often you'll see ads looking for young females to be actresses and models for him..... Reading between the lines he doesn't sell jack so how else does he stay in business you be the judge