Game Stores Selling Opened Games as "New"

[Chased]

A few months ago I purchased Skyrim from a local game store and the clerk told me that this particular copy of Skyrim was the last copy, so he took the display box put the disc in and sold it to me at full retail price. I'm a pretty chill dude so I was like, "Cool, I got the last copy." I then later purchased Borderlands from a different local game store and the same occurrence as previously stated happened. Again, I shrugged it off and went on my way. Recently, I just purchased Red Dead and again it was the "last copy." After this third occurrence I'm beginning to suspect that game stores purposely open up and remove discs from their games. Maybe they do this to lock up the discs or to let employees take them home. Regardless, it's starting to bug the life out of me they are selling unsealed games as new, for full price.

Has anyone else experienced this before and are you cool with stores doing it?

 

[votemarvel]

Nope I'm not cool with it.

If I'm paying for a new game in a shop then I want a sealed copy

Stores that have told me "it's the last one" have seen me turn around and start to walk out saying "I'll look elsewhere."

Oddly enough on most occasions they tend to magically find a sealed copy.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Many stores remove the CDs and place them elsewhere. It means that people can't steal games as easily, since stealing the box would mean they only get an empty box. Its still a new game, they just removed the CD beforehand.

I don't care, so long as I can return it as a new copy if need be.

 

[Aris Khandr]

One of the many, many reasons I buy my games from Amazon or Steam. Gamestop can die in a fire.

 

[votemarvel]

Many stores remove the CDs and place them elsewhere. It means that people can't steal games as easily, since stealing the box would mean they only get an empty box. Its still a new game, they just removed the CD beforehand.

I don't care, so long as I can return it as a new copy if need be.

Most boxes on the shelves I see are demo boxes, generic cases with a cover in them that clearly indicates it is not a real copy, so I don't see how taking the disc out of sealed copies behind the counter helps prevent theft?

Personally my suspicious nature always thinks they are trying to pass off second-hand copies as new.

 

[krazykidd]

You are overthinking this . If they put new copies of games on shelves , they willget stolen , it's a fact . IF it is indeed the last copy , then the last box should be on the shelf logically . Thus he needs to get the disk to put in said box .

What do you think they have a unlimited number of boxes and disks?

 

[Total LOLige]

It's still a new copy of the game it's just not in the wrapper. It should only be an issue if you're collecting them for the sole purpose of keeping them sealed and in 'mint' condition.

 

[votemarvel]

You are overthinking this . If they put new copies of games on shelves , they willget stolen , it's a fact . IF it is indeed the last copy , then the last box should be on the shelf logically . Thus he needs to get the disk to put in said box .

What do you think they have a unlimited number of boxes and disks?

They have demo boxes, every store I've ever been in doesn't put the genuine game cases on the shelf.

Just some generic case with a cover that even mentions that it isn't a game and to take it to the counter.

So why if that is the case have I walked into stores, taken that generic case up to the counter, only for the assistant to say "oh this is the last one" or just start putting a disc into an actual game case (with manual) without asking for any response from me.

Sorry if I am coming across as short but this is one of those things that annoys me more than it should. If I buy a new game then I want to be the first person to open that game.

 

[Windcaler]

I worked in a small games shop several years ago right after I got out of the military and this isnt so much a common occurance as you think. Generally there's only 1 "disply copy" where the game has been taken out of the box and the disks put in a protective sleeve. For obvious reasons that was the last one we sold while everything else was still in its original plastic wrap and never opened.

Now the thing is, sometimes those disks can still get damaged. So I always recommend inspecting them before you buy it. If they arent willing to let you inspect them talk to the manager and address your concerns. If they still wont let you inspect then dont buy it and never do business with them again.

Generally I dont like the practice of removing all the disks from game boxes. Its very inconvienant and theres the whole "the disks could be damaged" thing. However I find it much more appealing then walking into a big box store like Walmart and having to wait an hour for them to get the manager so he can open the locked case to the factory sealed ones.

 

[rob_simple]

Every store I can think of works this way, as people have said it's a solid method of loss prevention.

You seem to be getting unnecessarily wound up about people saying it's the last one, but it's likely just something employees are told to tell customers to artificially increase demand and to be honest they don't really get paid enough to care if you're happy about being told it.

As long as the disc has been stored properly with the booklet and whatnot you really have nothing to complain about. Either buy online or learn to live with it.

 

[Stormz]

You could always buy from Best Buy or Walmart. They're games are usually unopened because they're locked inside a glass cabinet, or in Best Buys case a small plastic case.

Also no I'm not fond of it. Just like I'm not fond of them putting the price sticker on a case with plastic wrap so that I have to use a blow drier to get it off without ruining the case. That's why I'm trying to buy less from Gamestop/EB

 

[skywolfblue]

I'd never buy a game at $60 without the seal still on it.

My local Wal-Mart sells the games sealed. In addition I can always buy the game from Amazon.

 

[Ranylyn]

I've bought a "new" GBA game with a SAVE FILE already on it with 98 HOURS logged.

Cannot trust a single gaming retailer. Ever. Shameless scummy bastards. Oh, so this disc is new? WHY ARE THERE 7 THUMB SMUDGES ON THE DISC!? I swear one of these days I'm going to go in with a cop and buy a game and see how they dive for their magical "not last copy."

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I'm not cool with it, and it happens every time (although it's very rare) that I buy a new game at a Gamestop. They cal it "gutting," and they actually let the employees take the games home to play like they were rentals. Even the shrink wrapped games are more often than not re-wrapped after being gutted.

Source: <link=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_273/8145-Confessions-of-a-GameStop-Employee-Part-One>This article series, specifically part two.

Edit: Correction, he actually goes into the details of gutting duty on the first page of the first article.

 

[Zhukov]

I honestly couldn't give a damn.

They take the discs out so people don't steal them off the shelf.

So long as the game works then what is there to complain about?

If it didn't work I'd just return it and say, "Oi, this didn't work."

 

[DudeistBelieve]

It's really the principal of the thing. I'm not paying full price for something that's been opened, I don't care if it's never been played. If I'm dropping 60 plus tax, I want it factory sealed.

 

[Iwata]

I've worked retail at games stores, and unlike what most people think, we're not actually out to lie and deceive.

We usually got, say, 30 copies of a game. We'd keep 25 of them out in the back room, then have to open 5 to display on the shelf. Because if you keep the game inside, stupid-ass (yet crafty) thieves WILL find a way to take the game, believe me on this.

The games are moved from the case to an envelope that is placed in a locked drawer, nowhere else. We don't use them to play frisbee, we don't play air hockey with them, we don't use them as shurikens and we certainly don't play them.

When we say that it's the last copy, it usually means it is, in fact, the last copy. We WANT the games to be on display without having to open new ones, so when we sell a game, we get a sealed copy from the back room. When we run out of those, we have to start selling the display copies, which, again, have been locked away all this time.

You saying that no, you want or "demand" a sealed copy won't make us shout "CURSES; YOU FOILED MY EVIL PLAN" and summon up a sealed game. It just means we'll sell it to the guy that actually wants to play the game and shows up 5 minutes after you leave.

Besides, worst case scenario (as in, never happened to me), you buy the game and it doesn't work, come back to the store and return it.

Edit: I would also like to point out that the series someone mentioned earlier here, "Confessions of a Gamestop" employee, is a totally, 180º different experience from the Gamestop I worked at, and was the source of much amusement among my co-workers at the time. We were gamers. Most of us had been clients there before we even worked there. And we took care of every customer as if it was us walking through those doors.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I honestly couldn't give a damn.

They take the discs out so people don't steal them off the shelf.

So long as the game works then what is there to complain about?

If it didn't work I'd just return it and say, "Oi, this didn't work."

The main problem is that you're paying for new, and getting something that is categorically used. It may be in "Like New" condition, but it's not new. Even if they only do it with display copies, it's still scummy. Any other retail store will give a discount on open box items. Think Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot. Any place that uses the real product for display. They'll knock off about 20% on an open item. Gamestop? They charge full price.

 

[Zhukov]

[snip]

The main problem is that you're paying for new, and getting something that is categorically used. It may be in "Like New" condition, but it's not new.

I can't see any meaningful difference between between "new" and "works just like new".

If they want to sell it to me for less then great, but I wouldn't demand it.

Anyone who genuinely gets their panties in a bunch over a disk having been removed from a box gets nothing but thinly veiled derision from me.