So You Got a Bad Game for Christmas
- Thread starter JP Sherman
- Start date
A free idea for any retailers or marketers reading. Maybe instead of that big discount bin of crappy games, that will in the long run make the uninitiated customer buy a non-game item the next year, they can start pushing points cards. Digital downloads are growing, and I am sure almost everyone can think of at least one downloadable game / DLC pack they'd like to own. The dollar entry is low, so risk is minimal and knowledge of specific game series or tastes is eliminated. The only bit of information needed is what system they have (and with pictures of the system on the packaging / cards it'd make the likelihood of getting one easy). With some different signage or packaging the points card could be an attractive low-risk purchase for the uninitiated. Same reward for the store, same reward for the customer, but an actual gift they recipient would like.
Is it wrong that I just pick like 20 things I like, ship them to the nearest family member or friend and tell them to pick out one item put their name on it and pass it to some other family member? That way I have some surprise without having to worry about getting a bad gift.
I didn't care what I got. If my grandparents were cool enough to even think to buy me a game, even if it's Adventures on Cupcake Island: Icing Slayer, I'll still appreciate it.
And really, if you know your family will get you things for Christmas, why not just make a game list?
And really, if you know your family will get you things for Christmas, why not just make a game list?
Very good article!
Generally in my family these days we out and out ask each other what we want so we circumnavigate the whole thing that way, but until we came to that arrangement i never got a game for christmas for precisely the reasons you outlined.
Generally in my family these days we out and out ask each other what we want so we circumnavigate the whole thing that way, but until we came to that arrangement i never got a game for christmas for precisely the reasons you outlined.
I am so glad that my family tells each other what we want.
The sheer thought of having someone go gift shopping for me without knowing what I want is...terrifying.
If you dont say what you want then sure there is a surprise when you open the present but you will almost certainly be disappointed.
The sheer thought of having someone go gift shopping for me without knowing what I want is...terrifying.
If you dont say what you want then sure there is a surprise when you open the present but you will almost certainly be disappointed.
Fortunately those members of my family who know nothing about games accept this and give me money or a non-gaming related present. It also helps to have a list.
This year the haul was Uncharted 2 and Prince of Persia Trilogy (on the list obviously), plus a crapton of games from me to me thanks to the steam sale!
This year the haul was Uncharted 2 and Prince of Persia Trilogy (on the list obviously), plus a crapton of games from me to me thanks to the steam sale!
I had the best parents *ever* when it came to this issue. They got me a Nintendo when I was very little just because. After that, they did something very special: they *asked* me what games I wanted.
All I had to do was make a short list of the games I wanted the most, made sure which platform it was (for example, when the NES was still kicking but the SNES was still new, I made sure that I marked one column as "NES" and the other as "SNES"), and gave it to them. They even told me to order the games from mosted wanted to somewhat wanted.
I never got all the games I wanted and was taught not to expect them (many unbought birthday games became Christmas' games) but it ensured that my parents always got *something* I liked.
In fact, there is only two times that a gift turned sour and both weren't their fault. The first time was they bought me that Sega handheld console and it was broken out of the box (which I exchanged for Earthbound), and the second was that the title of one game was very similar to another (seriously, it was only one letter of a difference) and even though my parents pointed that out to the salesperson, whoever serviced them was more concerned about making a quick buck than making sure my parents had the right game (ironically, even after I exchanged the game for the right one, the right one also turned out less than my expectations and I ended up just exchanging it for store credit).
Now I know what you're thinking: "What about your grandparents"? My parents just told them to send me cash and I would happily buy whatever I wanted with it.
Seriously man...best way *not* to disappoint your kids.
All I had to do was make a short list of the games I wanted the most, made sure which platform it was (for example, when the NES was still kicking but the SNES was still new, I made sure that I marked one column as "NES" and the other as "SNES"), and gave it to them. They even told me to order the games from mosted wanted to somewhat wanted.
I never got all the games I wanted and was taught not to expect them (many unbought birthday games became Christmas' games) but it ensured that my parents always got *something* I liked.
In fact, there is only two times that a gift turned sour and both weren't their fault. The first time was they bought me that Sega handheld console and it was broken out of the box (which I exchanged for Earthbound), and the second was that the title of one game was very similar to another (seriously, it was only one letter of a difference) and even though my parents pointed that out to the salesperson, whoever serviced them was more concerned about making a quick buck than making sure my parents had the right game (ironically, even after I exchanged the game for the right one, the right one also turned out less than my expectations and I ended up just exchanging it for store credit).
Now I know what you're thinking: "What about your grandparents"? My parents just told them to send me cash and I would happily buy whatever I wanted with it.
Seriously man...best way *not* to disappoint your kids.
I'm an awesome gift giver.
I'll be 90 and still be able to get what my grandchildren really want without asking them.
SO suck it marketing!
I'll be 90 and still be able to get what my grandchildren really want without asking them.
SO suck it marketing!
The way to stop it?Fearzone said:
Say that you specifically want certain games. Or tell them that they're better off getting something strange and new than going with the game based on a movie, TV show, Toy line, or, god forbid, Christmas special (there is seriously a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer DS game. I saw it at Wal-Mart, so there's no way that thing's fake)
Between Steam and Amazon, I can say my making a wishlist or two is pretty much covered, for almost everything. I'll probably pick up a Batman mini for Heroclix at the end of the year, because I feel like I deserve something awesome for surviving another 6 month deployment in Qatar, and I don't think that asking for a 150+ dollar fig is a good idea.civver said:
What about this? The parent or relative finds your Gamespot or some other game website account, and checks what threads you've been writing in to say which games you're anticipating and wish you had right now.
Internet-savvy relatives could surprise you with awesome gifts!
Internet-savvy relatives could surprise you with awesome gifts!
