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UK retailer GAME not stocking any EA games after SSX (includes ME3) [&Nintendo?]
- Thread starter Omikaru
- Start date
Originally posted by "an analyst"
That's a wildly unrealistic assumption to make after ME2 sold ~167k in the first 5 weeks on X360 with the late PS3 port not even making the making the monthly Top10 (10th was ~42k). The original ME1 made ELSPA Silver (100k) but not Gold (200k) in the first 6 weeks, or less than 222k after upweighting. So it's a "0.2m title in the first few weeks" at most, without even taking into consideration the current state of the market where all this year's franchises are well down on their previous installments.
But let's be optimistic and assume ME3 bucks the trend and holds steady at 0.2m;
200,000 x .2 x 40 x .24 = £384,000 of lost gross profit. Not quite so headline grabbing though!
That's a wildly unrealistic assumption to make after ME2 sold ~167k in the first 5 weeks on X360 with the late PS3 port not even making the making the monthly Top10 (10th was ~42k). The original ME1 made ELSPA Silver (100k) but not Gold (200k) in the first 6 weeks, or less than 222k after upweighting. So it's a "0.2m title in the first few weeks" at most, without even taking into consideration the current state of the market where all this year's franchises are well down on their previous installments.
But let's be optimistic and assume ME3 bucks the trend and holds steady at 0.2m;
200,000 x .2 x 40 x .24 = £384,000 of lost gross profit. Not quite so headline grabbing though!
The best thing about GAME was their old no-questions-asked 10-day return policy, effectively meaning free game rental. I had a lot of affection for GAME back then, but recently their pricing policy and trade-in attitude revealed them as ignorant shysters. In my experience their online customer service department, while always polite, were also pretty fucking useless at sorting out any issues.
I'm sorry for any employees but I won't be mourning GAME's inevitable passing.
I'm sorry for any employees but I won't be mourning GAME's inevitable passing.
I used mine to buy a copy of the Ico/Shadow Of The Colossus HD collection the day I heard this news.
You must be joking, they are shipping from an Island called Guernsey, which is not a part of EU, technically it is somewhat a part of UK though, so, i have to pay tax/toll for anything i would order from them because they are not within EU technically, that might be just Latvia though, 22% + tax aint nice ;_; So shopto is the best for me, haven't ever tried play before.
Zomba13
Member
We still have some points (I think) on our card but I can't link it to my Game.co.uk account (I'm sure it was linked on there at some point though). It is my dads card (had it years and years) but if he doesn't want anything I think I'll spend the points on MS points. That is if the card is still valid. Kinda odd that it won't link to my online account.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Same situation here, around about the same number of ME3 refunds and no complaints from any customers - apart from one person moaning about us not stocking Mario Party 9. Most just wanted to know where else in town they could pick it up from instead, none of them seemed to be interested in getting it online.
Clearly overblown.
Mass Effect is the biggest game probably for jan-apr but its a quiet period anyway! GAME have made their profit for the year during nov-dec so it's a good time to call bluffs.
I know people say they won't pre-order from them again, but give or take a few deals, many will be back. If not to GAME, to Gamestation instead as they have a different brand ethos and more goodwill than GAME.
Mass Effect is the biggest game probably for jan-apr but its a quiet period anyway! GAME have made their profit for the year during nov-dec so it's a good time to call bluffs.
I know people say they won't pre-order from them again, but give or take a few deals, many will be back. If not to GAME, to Gamestation instead as they have a different brand ethos and more goodwill than GAME.
Zomba13
Member
Maybe, but people who keep up with gaming stuff (like me and my friends) won't go with game for preorders any more after seeing them cancel so many lately at pretty short notice. I'd rather preorder somewhere where my preorder actually means something than risk it with game.
ScreenSplitter
Member
Except Gamestation have totally cancelled pre-orders too.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
That shit is exactly what gets publishers riled up about the second hand market cannibalising new game sales.
There's a reason copies of films specifically for the rental market are over ten times the price of the same film for the purchase market, and purchase copies have all that 'not for rental or public display' copypasta at the start.
bigtroyjon
Member
I admire the effort, I'm sure you alone will turn their fortunes around through your free pr spin on GAF
Starwolf_UK
Member
Its the people who come in next Friday is who I'm worried about. As those that are going to the store now have kept up with the news and so somewhat understand the reason why.
But one thing I wonder. The defnese of trade-ins is they drive new sales. Have trade-ins dropped compared to how they should be (though if they are linked to new releases I imagine it to be highly volatile anyway).
Azure Phoenix
Member
To be honest, not really. With the 25% extra offer on at the moment we're getting more than usual - most of it going towards the Vita - but even without that it's been pretty much the same as last year, a lot of people still seem to be catching up with end of year releases like Battlefield.
I think more people know about this than just those that keep up with gaming news (despite the fact that the people most likely to preorder are the people most likely to frequent gaming news sites). My mother asked me the other day if I had anything preordered at GAME because she saw it on the news, or something. I was shocked she even cared.
Diablohead
Member
My reward card is like 10 years old, the guys in the store would always joke about how old it is but it still works, just check in store or something. They can look you up via name and address too
McBradders
NeoGAF: my new HOME
Brilliant.
checkeredknight
Member
I third that. The Internet seems to be all doom and gloom, but the atmosphere in-store is very different. Still had people today using their Mass Effect 3 deposits to put towards other game pre-orders instead. I'm a little worried about people turning up on launch day, but so far everyone seems pretty cool.
Randy Lanzarote
Member
Well, put my £25 gift card towards 3300 ms points today. Guess I'll have to go hunting for ME3 on Friday, or just go to that banned shop to...
I third that. The Internet seems to be all doom and gloom, but the atmosphere in-store is very different. Still had people today using their Mass Effect 3 deposits to put towards other game pre-orders instead. I'm a little worried about people turning up on launch day, but so far everyone seems pretty cool.
The best part is, these guys get £5 off so get their games for £37.99...the lowest on the High Street and the same price point everyone has been bemoaning online.
Minor blip, nothing to see here, it'll be forgotten next week along with sexually harassing bearded street fighter players.
"GAME also not stocking Street Fighter X Tekken, Asura's Wrath
Shoppers on the other side of the pond looking to snag two of Capcom's latest from GAME will have to look elsewhere, as the retailer will not be stocking either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken. The retailer also recently announced that it won't carry Mass Effect 3 and future EA titles. Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath are both slated to launch in the UK this Friday, March 9.
Capcom confirmed the news to MCV, which notes that the availability of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Capcom's next big title, is still up in the air. A spokesperson stated, "Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland." The spokesperson added that refunds will be issued to those with pre-orders for either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken, advising customers to contact their local GAME or Gamestation."
I think the question now is what will Game be stocking in the future.
Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/game-also-not-stocking-street-fighter-x-tekken-asuras-wrath/
Shoppers on the other side of the pond looking to snag two of Capcom's latest from GAME will have to look elsewhere, as the retailer will not be stocking either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken. The retailer also recently announced that it won't carry Mass Effect 3 and future EA titles. Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath are both slated to launch in the UK this Friday, March 9.
Capcom confirmed the news to MCV, which notes that the availability of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Capcom's next big title, is still up in the air. A spokesperson stated, "Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland." The spokesperson added that refunds will be issued to those with pre-orders for either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken, advising customers to contact their local GAME or Gamestation."
I think the question now is what will Game be stocking in the future.
Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/game-also-not-stocking-street-fighter-x-tekken-asuras-wrath/
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Fucking hell. March is a huge month for games, and Game Group are stocking next to none of them.
It's getting embarassing now; I'm constantly having to tell customers that they need to shop elsewhere, and it's only getting worse.
Funnily enough, we're still set unrealistically high deposit targets each day. Deposits on what, exactly? Most of the titles that require a deposit (as opposed to a free pre-order) aren't going to be stocked!
Oh yeah, I don't know if the failure to stock Last Story and Mario Party 9 are isolated instances, or if Nintendo have outright pulled support, but if it's the latter, Game Group are fucked if this isn't resolved VERY quickly. No 3DS systems or first-party Nintendo games will kill them.
It's getting embarassing now; I'm constantly having to tell customers that they need to shop elsewhere, and it's only getting worse.
Funnily enough, we're still set unrealistically high deposit targets each day. Deposits on what, exactly? Most of the titles that require a deposit (as opposed to a free pre-order) aren't going to be stocked!
Oh yeah, I don't know if the failure to stock Last Story and Mario Party 9 are isolated instances, or if Nintendo have outright pulled support, but if it's the latter, Game Group are fucked if this isn't resolved VERY quickly. No 3DS systems or first-party Nintendo games will kill them.