Nothing. Nintendo got their money. I don't think they can stop a company from selling it higher priced than MSRP.
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Xenoblade in stock at many Gamestops for $90. Was it reprinted? Who knows!
- Thread starter drtomoe123
- Start date
Nothing. Nintendo got their money. I don't think they can stop a company from selling it higher priced than MSRP.
Midnight Moon
Banned
Since Nintendo are the ones that print the games, they probably know about this. Perhaps they are getting a big cut out of those profits? I already imported the Euro copy when it was released there, so I won't be running out to give GameStop what I make in a day at work. <_<
Would be funny if Nintendo released it digitally on Wii U in HD later on.
There's gotta be something going on. It doesn't go from extremely hard to find to literally every GameStop over night has atleast two copies.
Lumpy Onion
Member
Only two out of the ten Gamestops within 100 miles near me have any in stock. And they seem to only have one copy each.
if it is genuinely a reprint, Nintendo either did the actual reprint (as I don't think they've ever contracted out manufacturing of first party titles) or at absolute least they would have had to license to whomever ran the print run.
With that being said, your second part is true.. I mean they can't stop a company from jacking up the price.. I think the only legal pricing tactic in the US is MAP (minimum advertised price).
If a site runs a story on this (though a pretty weak story), at the very least someone should call Nintendo and ask if they are aware of any of this or if they indeed licensed or sent out a further printing.
meh, I bought one of these, and would STILL buy such a thing if they ever released it. Truly one of the best jRPGs I've ever played. Why it makes it so hard to not just be like "STFU people! You can now get it easily AND it's driving down the aftermarket price of the game. Stop fucking complaining!!!"
To my knowledge they actually called people on the phone to tell them they could get a substantial trade in price for Xenoblade. I got an email as well about it. I'm sure some people traded in due to that. This was a few months ago though, right after they raised the used price.
Kotaku is waiting for Nintendo to respond.
Most people who bought Xenoblade aren't the type to trade in games. Even if they did, they know they could always get more elsewhere than GameStop
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Ok, so ever since this rumor broke I'd been checking Gamestop.com to see who in my area had copies. A couple days ago the closest store was in another state. Yesterday there were copies a little closer to home, maybe 40 minutes away. Now today I've got three local stores with copies.
that is a fact...
Alebrije
Member
Gamespot used the commoditie market tactic , they kept stock and accumulated more all this time , so speculation price reach high profit level. They released the stock now because on a few months PS4 /Xbone will impact the market at a level that games like Xenoblade will lost appeal....
drtomoe123
Member
Read the thread.
The copies of Xenoblade that GS is currently selling are in UNIQUE cases that are different than the cases used for ANY other Wii game.
Interestingly, these copies are being sold in white Wii U cases.
These copies are NOT from a trade in promotion.
Scofield94941
Member
congrats to all who wanted DRM to go away Next Gen, you just saved a company like this to do worse things and continue to gain profits from the game industry
Teletraan1
Banned
Blame Nintendo or God for not bringing this game to NA proper.
and the fact that Gamestop has done this before. All signs point to reprint...
Shadow Hog
Member
...you're seriously going to turn this thread into a DRM one?
drtomoe123
Member
that's a bingo!
I see no issue here.
paying 90$ for a used game is correct, if you consider the fact people WILL pay for it.
The price is always correct if people continue buying it at that price.
It's business 101, supply and demand.
Also, it's still technically cheaper then 90% of the copies online (ebay,craigslist, etc)
As for the reprint problem, It's not that uncommon for something like this happens, I am just happy that I can find xenoblade again.
paying 90$ for a used game is correct, if you consider the fact people WILL pay for it.
The price is always correct if people continue buying it at that price.
It's business 101, supply and demand.
Also, it's still technically cheaper then 90% of the copies online (ebay,craigslist, etc)
As for the reprint problem, It's not that uncommon for something like this happens, I am just happy that I can find xenoblade again.
well clearly gamestop set up an illegal factory to print up more xenoblades without nintendo's permission
You know MS was planning to partner with GameStop for trade-ins in their DRM system, right?
Vyse The Legend
Member
Uh, read the thread maybe?
There's more than enough evidence that these are NEW copies that Gamestop is calling "Used" just to price them higher.
Vampirolol
Member
So the scam here is that they are selling those copies as pre-owned. Would a reprint force them to sell it at an average price?
So basically there "new" copies, but they got rid of the packaging, and sold it as "used" just so they get the majority of the profits?.
Bad business? no
Does it look bad tho? yes.
Again, I see no issue with this. It's a rare item and they want to make money.
People will pay the 90$ so it makes sense.
btw read the bottom of my last post, u must have missed it.
that comment is sort of full of sorts of shit.
if these are copies that they opened and sat on, Gamestop doesn't get "100% of the profits". They already ordered/bought the copies off of Nintendo. It's just a bigger margin than if they sold it as MSRP.
Given this sort of bogus information, I would probably not be inclined to believe this comment as fact or proof of anything here.
and? you don't have to buy them. if no one buys them they can't sell them at that price. if people buy them then I guess it was a good price. why should they sell the game at under market value?
drtomoe123
Member
Uh, no? No one has ever suggested that they've done this without Nintendo's permission. Nintendo obviously permitted it.
the argument is that if it IS a legitimate reprint, and they are the only source for the reprint because of some agreement with Nintendo for NA distribution, that it's pretty shady (which it is).
If anything, if it is a reprint and I were Nintendo and saw this, I would probably think twice about entering into a similar such arrangement with GameStop again.
spookyfish
Member
This argument is as fake as MS's "family plan."
Microsoft was already cutting a deal with Gamestop to make it an "official re-seller" of XBone games.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
It's common for a company to reprint a game, and then instead of selling at the MSRP, just gut them, and sell as used for a major profit?
You're fine with companies taking advantage of consumers?
Yes, I was about to post this same thing. If they were new, nintendo already got their money so the poster has no idea what he's talking about.
Vyse The Legend
Member
The pricing is not the issue -- at all.
If they were legit used copies, they could price them at $1,000 for all I care.
The issue is that they potentially reprinted a game, making it a brand-new copy, and are calling it "used" just to avoid charging the standard price.
That's shady, misleading and wrong.
Considering the PS4 will be hard to find this holiday, Sony should just sell "used" ones on EBay for $1k. Why bother charging the actual retail price?
If the choice is
1 - Don't get the game
2 - Get the game but at an inflated price (which imo is debated, they are going for 100+ on other sites).
Then I have no problem with being taken advantage off
I have a question.. If this is the case and all of this is happening. Should Nintendo just sell the game on their site for $49.99 ?
Manmademan
Member
exactly. not understanding how the basics of retail sales work makes that one all kinds of suspect.
Has anybody called they're local GS's and ask if they've recieved any new copies in the last month or so?
Edit: dude I just talked to said that if they got a trade-in in their store, that it would immediately "go online" because "no one would pay 125.00" in-store for a rare used game."
And he said he hasnt seen any new copies since the game was a GS exclusive, and that he only would see them used on a trade-in because of that. -which doesn't make any sense.-
Edit: dude I just talked to said that if they got a trade-in in their store, that it would immediately "go online" because "no one would pay 125.00" in-store for a rare used game."
And he said he hasnt seen any new copies since the game was a GS exclusive, and that he only would see them used on a trade-in because of that. -which doesn't make any sense.-
Not exactly. If the reprint rumors is true, these are the steps taken for Gamestop to sell as used.
1. Get reprints from Nintendo.
2. Give Nintendo their cut of MSRP (about $40 of $49.99 MSRP)
3. These games are now 'sold'. And can be resold as 'used'.
4. 'Used' sales are 100% revenue - expenses for shipping, payroll, etc. for Gamestop.
That's where I see the "100% profits" is coming from, its schematics, but I think its a important distinction.
Vyse The Legend
Member
Apparently, they received these copies already in "used" condition. The actual gutting does not appear to be happening in stores. Also, I've read that the cases are different, which is how people know these aren't copies from trade-ins.
Naked Prime
Member
When Xenoblade was still an active sku we couldn't give them away. Even when it went on sale for $40 a few times. My store shipped about two dozen copies to other store simply because they weren't moving. Last Story was the same way. Not until sometime later word started getting around how good the game was (not that we didn't tell customers it was a damn good RPG from the get go) did the demand spike. So even if GameStop sat on the inventory or NoA just sold them remaining stock I fail to see where the problem is? Demand drove up Xenoblade's price not GameStop. If folks weren't paying $100 for it elsewhere GS would charge as much. Same with PS2's MvC2.
I genuinely wonder if the GameStop agreement was along the lines of "You (GameStop) are going to foot a portion of all printings of the game in NA in exchange for exclusivity" with Nintendo having rights to sell X amount of first printings on their store. Especially considering Nintendo doesn't really sell physical games first hand.
my personal thoughts, without any proof (just like everyone else in this thread).. after looking at DOZENS of auctions and various images around the net, my guess is on a reprint. As others have said, the damning flaw to it being sat on inventory or buy backs is that my case, like all others, is a "Wii U" case with the Nintendo logo over the disc tray instead of the Wii logo that shows up on all legit "original" auctions (i.e. ones with the pre-order art book for example), as well as the Amazon page for the game. If these were buy backs or sat on inventory, you would think they'd have the original Wii cases.
beyond that, I am utterly blown away by the game and paid what I have been long willing to pay (but unable to find a copy priced at). I am mostly fine with what I paid. With that being said, if there is some sort of fallout over this this week and the game lowers in price as a result, I'll obviously take advantage of GameStop's 7 day used return policy and rebuy the game at a lower price.
edit - heck, I may even take advantage of it anyway... not like the game will be any harder to get in the next 2-3 weeks.. and better to bet on GameStop being called out and adjusting pricing if possible.
drtomoe123
Member
Yeah, im sure it's just excess copies in a case that Nintendo didn't use for any other game until the Wii U came out, lol.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Well, the game doesn't look so rare anymore, so you'd be crazy to pay an inflated price. Those days of $100+ are over for now.