GameStop Apologizes for Deus Ex Coupon Kerfuffle

[Andy Chalk]

GameStop Apologizes for Deus Ex Coupon Kerfuffle

GameStop is apologizing for the Deus Ex: Human Revolution coupon kerfuffle with a $50 gift card and a two-for-one preowned offer.

GameStop really stepped in it with the PC version of pulling the game off the shelf [http://www.amazon.com/Deus-Ex-Human-Revolution-Pc/dp/B002I0HKRQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1314388734&sr=8-4] completely until it had new, coupon-free copies. Preorders would be filled with existing copies but customers wandering in off the street would have to settle for the Augmented Edition or nothing at all; nobody was getting screwed too hard but in PR terms it sure didn't help.

But now GameStop is trying to set things right, or at least dial back the internet anger machine, with an email sent out to customers saying the company is "truly sorry" for putting them in the middle of a dispute between it and Square Enix. It's also offering some pretty solid compensation to make up for it.

"For your inconvenience, we would like to offer you a free $50 GameStop gift card and a Buy 2 Get 1 Free pre-owned purchase," it says. "We want to earn back your trust and confidence in the GameStop experience. Please bring in this email and your store receipt or order confirmation from GameStop.com and present it to a Game Advisor."

As Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/gamestop-deus-ex-apology/] points out, GameStop stores are just getting this email themselves and employees will no doubt have specific processes to follow that may take a little time to filter down. In other words, don't go charging into the store and start yelling at the poor schmuck behind the counter just because he hasn't heard about this yet. A little patience goes a long way.

It's a generous apology - eligible PC gamers are effectively getting the game free - but the company dropped a mighty big ball when it started busting open Deus Ex boxes. What's the verdict, folks? Has GameStop bought back our love, or is this the sort of internet blood money we want no part of?


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[Ghengis John]

The 50 dollar gift card and buy two get one free pre-owned purchases would be very nice. If they weren't essentially seeking to re-marry you to the company store.

 

[Weaver]

The $50 gift card is nice, but considering you can't sell used PC games the buy 2 used get one free deal is pretty hilarious. That being said, I own all 3 current gen consoles but surely some people don't.

Also, my copy came with an OnLive coupon in it. I wonder if I can still get this deal?

 

[Hungry Donner]

I'm actually impressed, that's far more than I would have expected from them. In fact I expected them to do nothing but wait this out.

 

[HassEsser]

Also, my copy came with an OnLive coupon in it. I wonder if I can still get this deal?

Definitely try it, I would

 

[GeorgW]

It's a nice apology, but the big problem here was the discovery of Gamestop's business methods. It doesn't matter how good their apology is, their trust is lost to those that hadn't already lost it long ago.

 

[Regiment]

There's no use in holding a grudge. This is a nice thing to do. They messed up and they're acknowledging it. I can't fault them for it.

 

[WrcklessIntent]

I think that's a pretty good deal. I still think that the situation shouldn't have gotten so bad
and they are still going to take a PR hit but this at least is something.

 

[Sewer Rat]

It's a nice apology for essentially selling mangled pre-opened merchandise, but still, the lack of being able to cloud the game definitely would hurt. Throw in a CD crack that isn't a virus Gamestop and I'll say you have made up for this.

 

[Ghengis John]

There's no use in holding a grudge. This is a nice thing to do. They messed up and they're acknowledging it. I can't fault them for it.

I don't imagine you were one of the people who suffered an offense in the first place. Am I right in assuming this? Am I also correct in assuming that you were always in their corner anyhow? Oh wait I don't have to assume I can quote your other posts:

If your game hasn't been played and if all of the paperwork is still present, it's new. Just because it's been opened doesn't make it less so.

You couldn't fault them at their worst, so the measure of the means falls short by any estimate you can provide. You failed to understand exactly what they did wrong in the first place. Of course you can't hold a grudge. But that isn't a matter of their virtue so much as your bias.

 

[dfphetteplace]

I didn't get this email, and I don't have my sales receipt (they forgot to give it to me), so I guess I'm screwed.

 

[drkchmst]

There is no forgiveness to be had for Gamestop. I hate their stores, I hate their policies of selling opened games as new regularly and I hate that all the worst copies of used games find there way to their stores. But what I hate above all else is that is where you have to trip over young children and clueless parents to find what you want (which is often never there in the first place) I told them to bite my shiny metal ass and blacklisted them a long time ago.

 

[Alphakirby]

While this is a big thing for Gamestop because they ARE Gamestop,for any other person,place or thing in the gaming industry,this is a poultry amount of an apology. PSN going down didn't cost you any money,but you got 4 free games (More if you have accounts in other parts of the world) free trials of Music Unlimited and PS Plus,and a bunch of shit for PS Home (If you use it)

God only knows what Valve would do if they had to do something like this,maybe give everyone effected 1,000 dollars and a blowjob.

 

[Ghengis John]

God only knows what Valve would do if they had to do something like this,maybe give everyone effected 1,000 dollars and a blowjob.

Nonsense, they'd give you tf2 hats and you know it.

 

[Alphakirby]

God only knows what Valve would do if they had to do something like this,maybe give everyone effected 1,000 dollars and a blowjob.

Nonsense, they'd give you tf2 hats and you know it.

Oh right,I forgot that they had to compensate for something before. (TF2 is F2P!)
Still,their sales are pretty fucking awesome.

 

[XDravond]

Seen worse damage control.. and a $50 gift means you more or less got a 2-for-1 deal (since you spent money and need to use it on another game) and on top of that a 2-1 on used... just thinking about some recent damage control say Sony's well this is a lot better..

 

[Fearzone]

Yeah Gamestop didn't need to do this, all they really needed to do was accept returns on opened boxes to be okay with me. Still, it is a generous and sensible gesture. I'm guessing though, there weren't many PC versions of the game sold by Gamestop, so this won't cost them too much, but given the stir this has caused their attempt to make good can be seen as cheap advertising.

No change though in buying my games digitally or through Amazon.

 

[Frostbite3789]

All because OnLive and Squeenix were practicing underhanded buisness.

Kudos to GameStop for giving all this away when they shouldn't have to.

Is including the game manual underhanded? Because often a game manual has advertisements for other games that publisher is putting out soon, or are already out.

And there is a good chance GameStop doesn't carry that game, because said advertised game usually isn't one of the publisher's more popular titles, and GameStop is incredibly bad about stocking games in their brick and mortar stores. If you're ordering online, you can get it cheaper from...pretty much anywhere. So isn't that driving business away from GameStop?

Isn't any game that requires Steamworks driving business away from GameStop? Isn't any game containing a Project $10 coupon or Online Pass driving business away from GameStop (lets not pretend most of their profits don't come from used game sales)?

It's a slippery damn slope, and they're on their way down it.