GAME (UK) and Steam

Daverson

New member
Nov 17, 2009
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A quick note on the whole "is it illegal?" thing: (again, from a poster on Facepunch)
I did a bit more research into myself I think it would come under refusal of sale and potentially abuse of dominance in the competition act. However, it's a very tricky issue. Due to te fact it is online sales and game do not have a dominance in the online download Market as they do the highstreet market it may not be a dominance issue. There can also be a defence in the fact that the publishers hold copyright to the games so can lease sale to whoever they choose. It's a very tricky line depending on what market this could be attributed to.

The only proactive thing you can do is to complain to the office of fair trading and if enough people do, it will be investigated.

Source: spoke to people that know about this legislation.
[source] [http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1119494-Game-UK-Why-these-guys-are-ruining-your-consumer-experience-on-Steam-in-the-UK.?p=31951337&viewfull=1#post31951337]
Basically, this sort of thing is illegal, but due to the way it's being done, it's not technically breaking any laws.

For those interested, here's a quick run-down on the law mentioned. [link] [http://www.regulation.org.uk/abuse.shtml]
 

MarsProbe

Circuitboard Seahorse
Dec 13, 2008
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dimensional said:
Ouedan? do you mean ossu!tatakae!Ouendan!? anyway I have found the staffs knowledge on games to be very mixed there have been a few who know their stuff but most havent a clue outside the next big FPS. I recently stopped going to the local Game store and usually buy online these days anyway (much cheaper than the store and digital services, ok not sure about steam but the xbox and PS DDL store is a rip off).
Last time I went in was just to ask about some release dates unfortunately I got stuck with the useless manager who had never heard of Xenoblade Chronicles or Disgaea 4 and apparently Catherine is a girlfriend simulator and sounds rubbish also I should preorder MW3 because its going to be the best MW ever. I was tempted to tell him he should shut the fuck up and serve me, I am the customer you do not tell me what is good and bad or try and dictate what I order.(damn sales pushing really pisses me off)
As for this allegation of malpractice I certainly would not be surprised if it was true its a big business they have only one goal make money everything else is secondary. Including customer care and trading standards
Yep, that was the game I was meaning. Everyone's favourite musical world-saving heroic male cheer team simulation, though I think that's quite a niche genre, still.

Mind you, that manager does sound a bit useless. Speaking of preordering the likes of MW3, I was in one of the Game shops in town when this thick looking tree trunk of a man walks in with what may have been his girlfriend (if so, she would have my sympathies) and points at the big displays for FIFA 12, Battlefield 3 and MW3 and says "I've preordered that, that and that". He then points at the display for Skyrim and "I won't be ordering that". The girl asked why, but I couldn't here the answer. Sounds like this dumb lug and the useless manager would probably get along just swimmingly. People like that get on my nerves.

I went into the biggest of the Game shops we have in town the other day and for some reason they had a big 3DS stand set up again, with cool attractive people in white Nintendo t-shirts there to lure people in to try the 3DS. They already did that at launch, I thought Perhaps something to do with the fabled price drop...
 

Sir Ollie

The Emperor's Finest
Jan 14, 2009
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Tyrant T100 said:
I've always had huge problems with Game, they were the first UK store to make really crap policies towards PC games, can't take it back unless the disc is physically damaged. So you'd have a hard time arguing if the disc was glitched ect.

I bought Counter Strike from them and the CD key had already been used, they refused to return the game until I threatened to contact trading standards, they gave me a new wrapped copy but it was obvious the staff had used the cd key from the original box.

They sometimes have good 2 for £15 deals and 2 for £30 deals but I generally find the Staff are rude, they try and force you to join their members club ect and walk up to you when your browsing their prices ect.
This, however, my game was Day of Defeat source. They left the cd key in the box unsealed and I was not happy at all.

Personally I cannot stand Game. Ever since Christmas 2005 when the Xbox 360 came out. "Oh we don't have any Xbox's left but we do have our special Xbox package with 10 EA sports games for £900"

As much as I would like to say it doesn't surprise me that Game would do this. But, why would they? They don't even sell *NEW* PC games. Well, my store doesn't anyway.
 

ChildishLegacy

New member
Apr 16, 2010
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I bought a game from GAME for like the first time in 3 or 4 years the other day, pokemon because I wanted something for when i got bored and had my DS handy.

The staff are now forced to go "YOU WANT CLUBCARD? CLUBCARD GOOD. CLUBCARD GIVE POINTS. YOU TRADE IN WITH CLUBCARD" and then "TRADE YOUR GAMES IN HERE" as you buy your game.
I just feel like yelling "GIVE ME MY GAME AND LEAVE ME ALONE" whenever people bombard you with this stuff, I'm glad i do the majority of my purchases online now.

I agree with the shitty PC selection too, they have like a few decent games on the top ten (mount and blade, DoW II, WoW are the only ones i could see) then just a 3 for £10 shelf of crappy old games in the store at my town.