GameStop Considering an Online Store for Vintage Games

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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GameStop is sensing some easy money just hanging around on their shelves and in warehouses. Aiming to cash in on the nostalgia wave for old vintage games, Gamestop is considering opening an online gaming store showcasing the older cartridge and disc games.

"We've got them," Raines explained. "We think there's a vintage sales opportunity, so we're accumulating some inventory. It's a big idea, and there's a few problems with it.
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I am not sure if they are misreading this "wave". I (and I suspect others) like the older games on tablets since the hardware is very similar to older desktops (performance wise) and the games have been ported so they actually work. I (and probably others) like GOG because they make sure the games are configured to run on modern PCs and they include nice extras (soundtracks, wallpaper, etc). I (and presumably others) like Steam because they can replace games that required discs for validation or for software where I might have lost the discs through the years. I don't usually have a strong interest in actually buying old boxed software. I prefer the digital versions or updated versions. :cool:
 
kbrickley said:
I don't usually have a strong interest in actually buying old boxed software. I prefer the digital versions or updated versions. :cool:
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I do. I just bought 4 boxed Atari 2600 games. $5. I have a pretty good gaming collection going, though. I've been a lifelong gamer and still enjoy it many years later. Digital versions and updated versions are great for playing, though. I'm not going to open the Atari games. :)
 
There's a store near me called Play-N-Trade that does exactly this, I traded in a few old NES, SNES, and Gameboy games for GW2. The store is amazing, it's like walking through my childhood!
 
" so we're accumulating some inventory. It's a big idea, and there's a few problems with it."

...meaning Gamestop offered Jimmy $5 for his copy of Call of Duty Black Ops II that he just paid $79.99 for less than a week ago, since that didn't do Jimmy much good he didnt want to sell it. So Jimmy seen that Gamestop was looking for vintage games, went home and got out a few NES carts went back hoping to get some more money when they offered him 1 cent for his copy of Super Mario Brothers 3, and 3 cents for his Unlicensed Copy of Tengen Tetris....

Gamestop pisses off the true Gamers with this type of practice, and then not to mention when you do get a used game half the time it is missing covers or booklets, or looks like ass, or is scratched up and will not play. To top it all off the Selection of PC games has dwindled down to nothing now, I for one would rather have a retail box copy of a game, not a virtual online code for the same price, where 20 years later when I want to go back and play some vintage games now cant because the company that had those online game services went under or doesn't support older hardware / operating systems anymore so there for they cant support those older games.

And before you ask yes I still go back and play old DOS games, Amiga Games and the like :) Granted hardware is getting harder to come by though :)
 
Interesting idea but you know they will over charge. Condition will play greatly into things as well. Gamestop I'm sure has tons of cartridges and discs without the original boxes and or manuals. If I buy a vintage game I want it in top condition and with the original materials it came with.

Didn't Gamestop use to have bins in the middle of the store full of old vintage games that often were filled with horrible crap in even worse condition?
 
w4ffles said:
I miss Funcoland.
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I bought quite the collection of games from them when they were around. It was nice having a place where I could get good copies of classic games. But, Gamestop, be prepared for $159.99 Final Fantasy II SNES carts that they'll give $4.99 store credit if you turn it in.
 
I love Play-N-Trade too, it's neat to go in and look at the old stuff. And yes, there is a lot of nostalgia related to older games and a big market there. However, Gamestop is the last company I would wanna see selling used games from the days of yore and I would never buy from them. I doubt any of the old games would work at all from Gamestop.. and my next question is, why now? One of the biggest reasons I hate Gamestop and stopped buying from them (other than defective games) is that they don't carry any games beyond the current generation in most stores anymore. Of the four stores within a ten mile range of my home, just one of them still has a selection of ps2 games.. and the selection is so meager it's hardly worth looking at. Forget playstation, xbox, gamecube and N64.. You have to go to Play-N-Trade for any older systems.
 
Sounds like they are clutching at straws to stay in profit, seeing as the 2nd hand market is being quashed by the publishers, they have already gone as low as buying your phone and tablet from you, to selling STEAM vouchers, or digital downloads they seem to be really pushing, PC shelf is still alive because of this (7 years too late Game Stop).
 
nintari said:
...meaning Gamestop offered Jimmy $5 for his copy of Call of Duty Black Ops II that he just paid $79.99 for less than a week ago, since that didn't do Jimmy much good he didnt want to sell it. So Jimmy seen that Gamestop was looking for vintage games, went home and got out a few NES carts went back hoping to get some more money when they offered him 1 cent for his copy of Super Mario Brothers 3, and 3 cents for his Unlicensed Copy of Tengen Tetris....

Gamestop pisses off the true Gamers with this type of practice, and then not to mention when you do get a used game half the time it is missing covers or booklets, or looks like ass, or is scratched up and will not play.
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Sounds like you have never traded in or bought a game from Gamestop. $5 for a $80 game purchased a week before? Scratched up games (they guarantee their used games)? I understand a little exaggeration but seriously. Gamestop is not THAT bad. Trading in my unused Xbox 360 (and accessories) from the attic and few unused games and I got me a brand new 16GB Nexus 7. Little Jimmy was happy that day.

I do agree that Gamestop has no PC games now, but I don't think they see the PC gamer as the core audience.
 
I would love this! I collect old hardware and it does get hard to find stuff once your out of the mainstream units. I am also hesitant to buy from these no-name online stores as well as eBay. There are a couple local places I hit, but like I said once you get away from the Nintendo and Segas and Sonys it gets harder to find stuff.

I still need Alien Vs Predator for Atari Jaguar and it's not easy finding locally. I would love to have large unified store to browse. Maybe they could stock laserdiscs too :)

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Great collection there. Made me wish my Sega Genesis and Playstation were still functioning :( I still keep both consoles and the games somewhere, but both consoles no longer work.
 
westrock2000 said:
I would love this! I collect old hardware and it does get hard to find stuff once your out of the mainstream units. I am also hesitant to buy from these no-name online stores as well as eBay. There are a couple local places I hit, but like I said once you get away from the Nintendo and Segas and Sonys it gets harder to find stuff.

I still need Alien Vs Predator for Atari Jaguar and it's not easy finding locally. I would love to have large unified store to browse. Maybe they could stock laserdiscs too :)
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Gamestop will give you at least $25 for all of that! (if it works)
 
WasntMe said:
Sounds like you have never traded in or bought a game from Gamestop. $5 for a $80 game purchased a week before? Scratched up games (they guarantee their used games)? I understand a little exaggeration but seriously. Gamestop is not THAT bad. Trading in my unused Xbox 360 (and accessories) from the attic and few unused games and I got me a brand new 16GB Nexus 7. Little Jimmy was happy that day.

I do agree that Gamestop has no PC games now, but I don't think they see the PC gamer as the core audience.
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Well, Gamestop did buy Impulse, so they have most of their PC games as downloadable now. Considering they don't accept trades for PC games anyways, it's not exactly a huge step down from retail boxes.
 
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