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Amazon selling re-sealed games as new or cost-cutting shrink-wrap the new norm?

H

HDgaming42

Member
tl;dr - it seems Capcom in particular is guilty of using shrinkwrap instead of "tuck and fold" for some of their releases. Doesn't seem to necessarily be a first-run vs. reprint issue, nor strictly a bilingual cover issue either. I can't spot a pattern, but with the feedback I've received I'm fairly confident the games I received are indeed "new". Original post(s) retained below:

Help me out here. I recently ordered Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - Wii U from Amazon.ca and received what looks to me to be a resealed game. Amazon was the seller (they're out now) and not just "fulfilled by".

Are we on the verge of another round of cost-cutting similar to when they punched holes in all the game cases to lessen their shipping weight?

Anyone with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - Wii U have a sealed copy they can provide a shot of for comparison?

I have many sealed games (the majority of them simply due to backlog) and not one of them looks this cheap or shoddy.
edit: my Monster Hunter Tri for Wii has the same seal

It's the kind of stuff you would see back when video stores existed and they would use some $40 shrink-wrap machine to re-wrap your purchase so you didn't feel like a heel giving your cousin a used game.

Check it out. Here it is against another random factory sealed Wii U game. Notice the awful seam that runs the entire length of the spine.
Thanks to member vireland for pointing out the nice looking ones are referred to as "tuck and fold", while the shit-wrap ones are "shrink-wrapped".



Back:



I called Amazon and they were quite understanding and shipped a replacement. It is exactly the same. I've lumped the two bastard children in with a plethora of other Wii U games I have yet to open. Can you spot which ones I'm referring to?




It's not like the Wii U has a huge library. I own most of it (actually found the time to play some of them) and not one has come "sealed" like this up until now.

Monster Hunter isn't a new release, and I'm finding it difficult to envision scenarios where I'm not holding re-sealed games.

Thoughts? Experiences? I've heard from others who say they have received re-sealed Blu-rays from Amazon (as the seller).

I'd love to know if I'm chasing a unicorn here, but I simply refuse to believe this was the official factory seal for this game...
 
P

Persona7

Banned
I can't remember which game it was but I have gotten a Wii U game with a weird seal before and they were all like that at the store.
 
N

NFreak

Member
I've received a ton of sealed games like that on various systems. I have no idea why they go that route but I wouldn't think too much of it. I highly doubt Amazon is resealing their games.
 
rbanke

rbanke

Member
I don't have an answer but a several years ago I bought a copy of ferrari challenge from a gamestop and noticed it was this sort of shrink wrap. I assumed they were doing some shady ass shit and selling me a resealed copy as new and rather than argue I just asked for a refund and left. A few days later I was at target and saw the game and they were all shrink wrapped just like the one from gamestop. So yea, it does happen, obviously I cant say if thats the case here though.
 
G

Gren

Member
Say it ain't so Amazon. You were the chosen one. I feel ya OP :(

Can't help you with Monster Hunter confirmation, but I will say Capcom was one of the pubs that would actually release some games that looked as though it had been shrink-wrapped by a kit (i.e. no y-folds). I remember PS3 Lost Planet 2 was like this, and IIRC my launch copy of PS3 SSFIV.

EDIT:
Eusis said:
I think Capcom's just cheap. Had it that way out of Best Buy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's probably it.
 
T

TheSpoiler

Member
Let me teach you all about the shrink wrap machine.

Bigger places probably have a better one, but for a quick fix, there's a mini-shrink wrap machine that usually produces a seam if done in a rush. The wrapper probably ripped, so they took it off and shrink wrapped it with their own. Gamestop and I believe Best Buy does this shit all the time.
 
C

Cleve

Member
That's how my monster hunter came. Either they re-added something to the packaging, or cheaped out, but it's probably not used.
 
A

Az987

all good things
I've gotten capcom games from amazon that look like they were resealed too. The Ace Attorney sequels I have still sealed are that kind of seal.

I've bought ones from the store like that too though so I think it's just a capcom thing.
 
Jawmuncher

Jawmuncher

Member
Dunno if this helps but this Ebay listing shows a regular seal so they must exist.

_571xqk2.jpg
_57tjql9.jpg
Click to expand...

Dunno why the pics were taken at silent hill.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...-New-Sealed-/161589689131?hash=item259f7efb2b
 
mrmickfran

mrmickfran

Member
I think the crazy thing here is the fact that Amazon gave you another copy just for some shrink wrap.

Either you were really convincing or Amazon's customer service is absolutely cray.
 
S

Saint Gregory

Member
jett said:
I've gotten some blurays from Amazon that look re-shrinkwrapped, but who fucking knows.
Click to expand...

Was just coming to say this. I've actually also bought larger items from them that were clearly repackaged and resold as new. When I've been annoyed enough I've called them out for it and gotten a refund.
 
M

mgs2master2

Banned
noticed how every other sealed game is wrapped. and noticed how every other game besides MH3U is wrapped properlly?


shitty games get wrapped shitty
 
Jawmuncher

Jawmuncher

Member
mrmickfran said:
I think the crazy thing here is the fact that Amazon gave you another copy just for some shrink wrap.

Either you were really convincing or Amazon's customer service is absolutely cray.
Click to expand...

Amazon CS is pretty crazy. I once had a issue about something and they just sent me the whole package again at no charge. Not even what I was asking for with the problem. But it sure shut me up.
 
S

SwiftDeath

Member
Hmm ebay listings of this game makes me think that there does exist a proper factory sealed if you will variant of that game in the NSTC format

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...-New-Sealed-/161589689131?hash=item259f7efb2b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...NG-IN-STOCK-/321798206484?hash=item4aecaaf414

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...205?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19f24f2bb5

Which suggests that either a new/different printing of the game had a different sealing method or someone resealed it. The latter doesn't necessarily mean its a used game though
 
H

HDgaming42

Member
Yaboosh said:
Stop buying games.
Click to expand...

Sage advice. I'm still at the bargaining phase of grief, where I tell myself I'll catch up on my backlog...perhaps in retirement. It extends back to the NES, no joke.

I don't have a mega-collection or anything, but the sealed games are actually in the minority.
 
K

Koppai

Member
I once had a copy of Cooking Mama that I bought from Amazon directly years ago come in a shrinkwrapped DS case, the game was turned upside down, the manual had some dents in it, and I think there was even a save file on the cart.

It was obvious they sold me a used product, but I guess I didn't give a shit back then.
 
K

KiefbladeMaster

Member
mrmickfran said:
I think the crazy thing here is the fact that Amazon gave you another copy just for some shrink wrap.

Either you were really convincing or Amazon's customer service is absolutely cray.
Click to expand...

Sometimes the post office signs for packages and holds them if you aren't home, I've gotten refunds solely on that basis thinking someone else signed for them. They must be.
 
H

HDgaming42

Member
KiefbladeMaster said:
Just let the prices drop if you don't have time, instead of letting them sit there. On-topic, though, maybe the wrap was damaged in shipping and they re-did it? Who knows. There isn't any code bundled in to confirm if it's used or not.
Click to expand...

I'm no longer full-blown insane about gaming. The only time I really buy games now are when they're put on clearance, or during E3 pre-sales on Nintendo stuff because, well, Nintendo knows the game I'm playing and simply refuses to lower their prices.
 
H

HDgaming42

Member
SwiftDeath said:
Hmm ebay listings of this game makes me think that there does exist a proper factory sealed if you will variant of that game in the NSTC format

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...-New-Sealed-/161589689131?hash=item259f7efb2b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...NG-IN-STOCK-/321798206484?hash=item4aecaaf414

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Monster-Hun...205?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19f24f2bb5

Which suggests that either a new/different printing of the game had a different sealing method or someone resealed it. The latter doesn't necessarily mean its a used game though
Click to expand...

I found these images as well, which is what lead me to believe this wasn't simply a publisher thing.
 
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