Do you buy used games from GameStop? (1 Viewer)

Reasons you do, or don't buy used games from GAMESTOP:
I don't, and here is why.
I went in looking for a copy of Demon Souls for the PS3. I was on my lunch break, and I ran in there quickly to get it and go. Asked the clerk if there was a cpy available, he said "absolutely".
He ran and grabbed it, before I even realized it was a used copy he was ringing me up. Now I applaud the speedy service, and pleasant attitude of the clerk, I don;t like paying $18 for a $20(greatest hits) title that is used. I'd rather just pay the $2, and have it new.
That isn't the bad part, what I absolutely hate about buying a used game from Gamestop is the frikkin stickers plastered on the case. I don't know what kind of stickers they use, but they bond with the case in an unholy manner fit to drive me mad. I finally managed to get the large white pricing sticker off(well not really there is still parts of it on there along with a sticky residue where the sticker was). I guess I could buy a surplus of new PS3/360 game cases off E-Bay, and just swap them out whenever I buy a used game, but you see that would eliminate the 'savings' aspect of the deal. Now I have a game in my collection with a really ugly game case.
If Gamestop had a better method for used games(no stickers, just electronic scanners for the customer to run the UPC under for checking price) I would be all about it. Until then, I'm buying new only.

I'm happy to save a few bucks on a game. I couldn't care less whether it's got a stupid GameStop sticker on the case. As long as the case isn't dirty or broken and the booklet is included, used is as good as new as far as I'm concerned.

Never. And I never sell used games back. I've sold used consoles back when they had a promo that made it worthwhile to upgrade to a new one tho, but I felt REALLY icky about it =)

Aaron Silverman said:

. I couldn't care less whether it's got a stupid GameStop sticker on the case.

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Yeah but for those that enjoy the video game artwork of the case it is a pretty big deal. If I'm going to own software of any sort I'm sure not spending my hard earned cash for something that looks like it's been through a war, or a proclomation that I bought the game from Gamestop every time I get get out the game to play it. It's tacky.
Like buying a decent used car with a bumper sticker on it that is nearly impossible to remove.
Now, in all fairness I probably could get the reisdue off the case with some lighter fluid, or w-d 40, but again its just wasted time on something that shouldn't even be an issue.

If it is substantial savings, I will. But I am like you that artwork and all is important and stickers all over the place is not cool. However, a tip to get those off without leaving residue and such.... a hairdryer. Apply the hot air to the sticker, wait a few minutes and while the air is blowing on the sticker, carefully lift up one end and slowly peel away (while the hot air is blowing on the sticker.. very important). I've had it fail a couple of times but 99% of the time it will work without leaving residue. Once the sticker is removed, using the sticker you removed, tap on the case with it to remove any last residue left behind.

I found that is the best technique as fluild (alcohol, acetone, etc) scars the plastic.

I buy used and new, but it depends on the game.
For new games, I typically buy a game that I JUST CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT the moment it comes out. Recent examples would be ICO/Shadow Collection (though I did get it on a Best Buy sale, using gift certs, that got refunded by accident so the game cost like $1) and Uncharted 3 (super disappointment).
For all other games, I will wait to buy used. I've gone and gotten a dozen games for $100 used by waiting for a GameStop B2G1 sale and using my membership thing for an additional 10% off. If the difference is just a couple bucks then it won't matter, but when the only copies of a game I can find are either $40 new or $15 used (and yes, this happens often) then I am absolutely going to buy used.
The stickers on the case don't bother me. I have a lot, LOT, of games and don't look at them all that often. (They are in a shelving unit of sorts that is behind my couch in my oddly-laid-out living room.) Additionally, the ability to buy more games or save money is totally worth dealing with a minor eye sore.
The way I see it, I am likely to buy games that are cheaper over games that are new. If you want to use the argument of the money going to the developers, well then buying a game that is old and at a lower price doesn't really help them all that much more than buying the game used. DLC or "first owner" benefits (online passes, passing game data like in Rock Band or Dance Central, etc.) is a good way for companies to combat this and, frankly, I'm all for it. That said, few games or franchises are so near and dear or important to me that I'm going to say, "You know what? That free suit of armor is really worth buying a brand new copy." Heck, I rarely play games online AT ALL so the online pass thing doesn't even impact me.
A service like Steam is excellent primarily because it's convenient and there are always sales going on. XBLA and PSN are very good but I feel the prices are sometimes too high for the "big" games and the quality too low for the "small" games.
I look at games a lot like how I look at movies. I rarely go to a movie theater because I'm too cheap. Instead I have Netflix (on my PS3, 360, Wii, Kindle Fire, 3DS, computer, etc.) and just wait a few months to get a movie for "free" (as in, for the cost of the monthly Netflix fee instead of the cost of a ticket, rental, or actual purchase). Now sure, I go to the movies for either the big movie events or because I'm going with someone, but honestly I have seen fewer than 5 movies in theater through the last 2 or 3 years.
All of this said, I do not pirate movies or games. I'd rather buy a game legally and used for $10 than pirate it.

It depends. Usually their used games are only $5 cheaper than new. For that difference I usually spring for new to get the manual, and original case and packaging.

Sometimes you have no choice. This is especially the case with DS and Wii titles. I could only find Zack and Wiki for the wii as a used copy. The same for picross for the DS. A number of titles go OOP and the used market is the only way to enjoy these games.
Gamestop, I believe is headed for the toilet anyway. Their UK counterpart, GAME is on life support. Gamestop has far more used copies of games than new. They're really not interested in being in the new game business.
Too many unsavory things about the way gamestop does business. Attempting to sell me an opened copy as new. If I return a new game I bought from them that I opened but didn't play, would they return me my full purchase price? Hell, no, but they don't seem to get its exactly the same thing when they open a game box. That game is now used. I'm not paying new prices for used, opened, whatever.
Also, when the 3ds was still relatively new, I witnessed a gamestop employee gutting brand new 3ds games and putting used stickers on them. I guess the idea was to get the ball rolling on used sales, who knows. That shows you how badly they want their used game business to thrive.

My friend works there, and if his pre-orders, and subscriptions aren't up to their standards he doesn't get many hours for the next week(6 hrs a week. Yikes) or worse like getting written up. They are really a highly intesnsive 'add on' company. So when I go there to buy something I don't mind too much when a clerk asks me a million questions when I just want to buy a game. They are just trying to stay afloat in a sea of sharks.
I think the used video game aspect of their business accounts for something like 80% of their business. So its no wonder they push them so much.
Actual conversation a friend had there:
GS clerk: Ummm, you sure you don't want that used? Its a great copy, and you'll save $5.
Customer: No, I want it new.
GS clerk: It's $5 man.....,its the SAME game.
customer: No thanks.

peterjanni said:

If I return a new game I bought from them that I opened but didn't play, would they return me my full purchase price? Hell, no, but they don't seem to get its exactly the same thing when they open a game box. That game is now used. I'm not paying new prices for used, opened, whatever.

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They do have one good policy (I used to work there myself and was not a fan of the way they ran their promotions) -- you can return used games within 1 week for a full refund (might be store credit; I don't recall for sure). Basically a free rental test.

peterjanni said:

Also, when the 3ds was still relatively new, I witnessed a gamestop employee gutting brand new 3ds games and putting used stickers on them. I guess the idea was to get the ball rolling on used sales, who knows. That shows you how badly they want their used game business to thrive.

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That is really bizarre. Could they have been used games that were sent to the store re-shrinkwrapped from the distribution center?

Aaron Silverman said:

They do have one good policy (I used to work there myself and was not a fan of the way they ran their promotions) -- you can return used games within 1 week for a full refund (might be store credit; I don't recall for sure). Basically a free rental test.
That is really bizarre. Could they have been used games that were sent to the store re-shrinkwrapped from the distribution center?

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I live in Canada. I'm unaware of the policy you describe for used games here.
The games that were gutted were individual copies of about 10 different games. The manuals were all in mint condition. When I visited another gamestop outlet, they had the same exact titles out as pre-owned games. Same thing, all in mint condition, absolutely no evidence whatsoever that these games had ever been previously owned.

Hey Morgan, without giving away any spoilers, what was the disappointment with Uncharted 3?

I'm only asking because I am just starting to play it and have pretty much stayed spoiler free, so I don't know what to expect. I am just starting chapter 7, and so far it seems like it has been extremely light on the combat vs. the first two. By this point in the first two there had been several major gun battles, and so far I have only had 1.

Morgan Jolley said:

For new games, I typically buy a game that I JUST CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT the moment it comes out. Recent examples would be ICO/Shadow Collection (though I did get it on a Best Buy sale, using gift certs, that got refunded by accident so the game cost like $1) and Uncharted 3 (super disappointment).

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Regarding Uncharted 3, it was basically that everything was just not as good as the second one (combat controls, combat scenarios, variability in difficulty, the story, the enemies, the use of the side characters) and the only things that did improve (graphics, epicness of setpiece moments) didn't add to the experience. Honestly, there are so many "run away while the ____ crumbles behind/below you" sequences that like 2/3 through the game I just got bored of them and kind of annoyed. It's really unfortunate because Uncharted 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, but this was a letdown. Also, the cheats that could be unlocked in the first two games for single player mode are now only available in the multiplayer modes, which basically destroyed any motivation I had to replay it since I have zero interest in online multiplayer.
NOTE: The aiming controls for the single player mode were changed in a post-release patch. I beat the game before that so I haven't tried it out.
EDIT: I saw this article and the guy in it says pretty much what I feel: http://www.gamespot.com/news/blocking-used-games-unfair-saber-interactive-ceo-6350057

peterjanni said:

I live in Canada. I'm unaware of the policy you describe for used games here.
The games that were gutted were individual copies of about 10 different games. The manuals were all in mint condition. When I visited another gamestop outlet, they had the same exact titles out as pre-owned games. Same thing, all in mint condition, absolutely no evidence whatsoever that these games had ever been previously owned.

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I'm wondering now if maybe those were the display boxes. They usually open one copy of every game to put the box on the shelf, but as far as I know they still sell that copy as new. Maybe under Canadian law they're required to mark those copies as used.

I've been reading up on news regarding the PS Vita and noticed how wildly different the prices are for games, both in store and downloadable (which is a 10% discount from the store prices). You know what, I think this is excellent. They're pricing games according to their probable value, meaning a bigger budget game like Uncharted is more than a smaller game like Escape Plan. I really hope this happens on consoles, too. It's probably the easiest way to combat used games sales: lower the initial price of the game and guarantee more money in the publisher's pocket.

Morgan Jolley said:

I've been reading up on news regarding the PS Vita and noticed how wildly different the prices are for games, both in store and downloadable (which is a 10% discount from the store prices). You know what, I think this is excellent. They're pricing games according to their probable value, meaning a bigger budget game like Uncharted is more than a smaller game like Escape Plan. I really hope this happens on consoles, too. It's probably the easiest way to combat used games sales: lower the initial price of the game and guarantee more money in the publisher's pocket.

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Not all ps vita games are discounted on the psn store. Only Sony, Ubisoft and Askys are currently doing discounting. EA, Sega and Capcom are charging full retail price. Escape Plan is $14.99, Super Stardust Delta is $9.99 but the dlc is pricey at $7.99. The upcoming Mutant Blobs from Space will be $7.99 and will release next Tuesday, Feb. 21st. Hustle Kings will also be releasing on the 21st and is twofer deal. Buy either the vita or ps3 version and you get the other version free. If you already own Hustle Kings for the ps3, then the vita version is a free download. Hustle Kings is one of two titles allowing for online crossplay between vita and ps3 owners. The other is Wipeout 2048.

ROFL waffles;
http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/2/21/2802111/how-selling-used-games-marks-you-as-a-potential-criminal

That's actually a really good article. Thanks for sharing!

I've seen that before. I guess its the tradeoff between selling a game yourself on craigslist or ebay versus having a vendor do it for you.

I buy used and new, but it depends on the game.