GameStop Goes Big on PC Games

[SachielOne]

You have to keep in mind that some of us do not have access to a credit card. This makes getting stuff off of Steam and the like somewhat difficult. Sure, we could pick up a prepaid gift credit card, but the activation fees on those are ridiculous. I don't want to have to pay an extra $5 to buy $50 worth of stuff.

 

[MorganL4]

In return, you'll get a receipt with a unique redemption code and instructions on what to do with it, which pretty much boils down to a trip to GameStop's website. Enter the code and, pow! The game is yours!

[...]

You can save yourself a trip to the mall by just going straight to GameStop.com [http://www.gamestop.com], of course

I am missing the part where I have any motivation to go to the store in the first place rather than the website. Basically this new service enables me to purchase digital downloads of PC games, just like I've already been doing for years, only in a less convenient, more time-consuming way? Awesome! Where do I sign up?

Okay, this is spooky.... Because THAT is exactly what my first thought was.... WHY get out of my chair, drive to the store to buy a code that lets me buy a downloadable game, when I can just buy it online? I mean it sounds great if you don't have access to a credit card and want to buy a PC game, but other than that I can't see a use for it.

 

[Signa]

So after all these years of snubbing us PC gamers, they want our money now? Hypocrites!

 

[Darknacht]

GameStop now has more than 1500 PC titles for sale at its GameStop stores across the U.S., which is says represents "one of the most extensive collections of PC games available at retail."
...
including some rather obscure titles - Hearts of Iron III: Dies Irae Gotterdammerung, anyone? - is a pretty huge deal.

Wow man nice gamestop ad. Its good to know that they are up to about half as many games as most digital distribution stores and they have a DLC that every other major digital distribution store has. Even the ability to pay without a credit card is something that other stores already do. I mean this is so impressive that I think I'll just keep giving my money to GamersGate.

 

[Big.Bad.Blowback]

Seems like a situation where they should have went to Valve and said "Hey, we have retail stores that tons of people go to, you have a great distribution platform. We should team up to get the content out to more people and split the profits in a fair way."

 

[Rednog]

You have to keep in mind that some of us do not have access to a credit card. This makes getting stuff off of Steam and the like somewhat difficult. Sure, we could pick up a prepaid gift credit card, but the activation fees on those are ridiculous. I don't want to have to pay an extra $5 to buy $50 worth of stuff.

Most banks will open a debit card for you if you deposit more than like $100 at the start, it's insanely simple, no charges, and I'm baffled as to why everyone doesn't have a debit card at least.
Hell I've stopped carrying more than $10 in my wallet just because why bother? 99% of places have credit card machines and if you ever get mugged robbers want cash not cards because they don't have the pin and 2 minutes later you're going to call up and cancel that card.

 

[Kahani]

I am missing the part where I have any motivation to go to the store in the first place rather than the website. Basically this new service enables me to purchase digital downloads of PC games, just like I've already been doing for years, only in a less convenient, more time-consuming way? Awesome! Where do I sign up?

Indeed. All the bad points of downloaded games, all the bad points of meatworld shopping, none of the advantages of either. How on Earth did anyone think this was a good idea?

You have to keep in mind that some of us do not have access to a credit card. This makes getting stuff off of Steam and the like somewhat difficult.

No it doesn't. You don't need a credit card to use Steam, or pretty much any other online site for that matter. All you need is a debit card, and all you need for that is a bank account. And let's be honest, if you don't have a bank account you're fairly unlikely to be buying a lot of games. I only got a credit card myself last year (and that was only for the free goodies, I haven't actually used it since), yet somehow I've managed perfectly well for the last decade or so.

 

[TheScottishFella]

GOG, Steam, Origin, Direct2Drive, Gamersgate.

So now I could have another service to split my games between? Oh goody.

OT: I use GOG and Steam the most and the others for the obscure and I think I used Origin once for BF3 and have not gone back. I see no point in this and it will die just as quick as GAME's Digital Distribution Service.

 

[SachielOne]

You have to keep in mind that some of us do not have access to a credit card. This makes getting stuff off of Steam and the like somewhat difficult.

No it doesn't. You don't need a credit card to use Steam, or pretty much any other online site for that matter. All you need is a debit card, and all you need for that is a bank account. And let's be honest, if you don't have a bank account you're fairly unlikely to be buying a lot of games. I only got a credit card myself last year (and that was only for the free goodies, I haven't actually used it since), yet somehow I've managed perfectly well for the last decade or so.

While that works for you Americans, I'm Canadian. I would imagine that our debit cards are not accepted by Steam. Please correct me if I am wrong, as I would love to not have to use the aforementioned prepaid credit cards.

 

[Kahani]

While that works for you Americans, I'm Canadian. I would imagine that our debit cards are not accepted by Steam. Please correct me if I am wrong, as I would love to not have to use the aforementioned prepaid credit cards.

Yeah, there's a fairly large pond in the way of me being American.

But having looked it up, you appear to be correct that Canadia's debit system is rather insular. You can get a Visa debit card if you pick the right bank, but otherwise your debit cards won't generally work outside Canada. So maybe it's not such a terrible idea as it first seemed, for Canada at least.

 

[Ralen-Sharr]

going in store to buy a digital download code with no physical stuff is rather silly IMO
you have to pay for gas to get to the in-store selection

at least they offer it all on their digital store, although I have serious doubts at their ability to have "the muscle it needs to slug with Steam"

maybe they should set their sights a bit lower first, like on Origin or something

 

[IrateDonnie]

Im glad GameStop is trying to pick their clothes up off the floor. PC gaming is growing, and they need to accommodate that. And 1500 pc titles is a bit more then i would have guessed.

And i wont lie, the prices are pretty good. Not as good as 70% off steam sales, but still pretty decent.

lol I don't even buy pc game when they first release anymore because of steam sales.I figure it will be 50% off in a couple of months so I just wait.

 

[vxicepickxv]

Wait a minute, I can go buy a download code from a PC game in a B&M store after fighting traffic, parking, the rest of the crowd, and hope the retailer isn't so damn stupid they drool on either themselves or my receipt, OR, I can press one button on my desktop and not even have to put on pants?

Steam it is.

 

[Darknacht]

You have to keep in mind that some of us do not have access to a credit card. This makes getting stuff off of Steam and the like somewhat difficult.

No it doesn't. You don't need a credit card to use Steam, or pretty much any other online site for that matter. All you need is a debit card, and all you need for that is a bank account. And let's be honest, if you don't have a bank account you're fairly unlikely to be buying a lot of games. I only got a credit card myself last year (and that was only for the free goodies, I haven't actually used it since), yet somehow I've managed perfectly well for the last decade or so.

While that works for you Americans, I'm Canadian. I would imagine that our debit cards are not accepted by Steam. Please correct me if I am wrong, as I would love to not have to use the aforementioned prepaid credit cards.

Have you tried services such as Rixty, Coinstar or MoneyPak? You still have to prepay but you can do it through online bank transfers. I don't know if it works with Steam but it works with GamersGate.

 

[weirdee]

I believe their main marketing points were for the console dlcs, in which not only can you pay through the Gamestop store (which is good for kids having trouble getting their parents to deal with online transactions), but you don't have to buy a preset point pack which would leave you with a hanging credit difference that you can't get back ever. In addition, Gamestop can now pack these things with instore deals with other stuff.

If you don't see the point of the product, chances are that you're not the target audience...