GameStop Branding 'Assassin's Creed III' Boxes

StrengthGamer.com: "An anonymous fan sent the image you see to the right to us earlier this afternoon. As you can see, GameStop has branded the top of the Assassin's Creed III box art with their logo."

[NYC_Gamer]

I think it's sad for us gamers that retail stores are all getting some special edition

[Bluenuts9]

It's been happening for years, and I agree that it sucks, but by now I'm used to it unfortunately.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Ever since the start of this gen, -.-

[guitarded77]

But we already know we got the game from GameStop because the cellophane was missing when we bought it new :D

[ChronoJoe]

Looks like Ubisoft printed it that way. That's the only way it'd be actually printed on the boxart. Blame the publisher for allowing it.

[CraigandDayDay]

It doesn't matter to me. I buy most of my games new from Wal Mart. I can have a midnight launch for any game I want. LoL

[jeseth]

Then don't buy it from Gamestop. Problem solved. No need to cry about it.

[Nimblest-Assassin]

Its not just gamestop

Wal Mart, Bestbuy and the other stores with their own pre orders are doing the same thing

They are calling it the wal mart/ best buy edition

Its even worse on PS3 because of the EXCLUSIVE MISSIONS label is printed on the box, and is not a sticker

[Shepherd 214]

Farcry 2 had one too. On the cardboard sleeve boxart it says "exclusive Gamestop preorder edition" or something. That was all the way back in 2008. What's weird is I didn't preorder it and that what they gave me anyway.

[crxss]

i don't think retailers are to blame here, it's Ubisoft and other firms wanting the extra dough from retailers for giving them exclusive DLC.

also i'm surprised this is finally on N4G, this box art has been out for a quite awhile now. i personally hate when a box art is tarnished by some promo and will not be getting these "retailer editions"

[_LarZen_]

I agree but then again the dedicated gaming shops need something to make you buy games at their store and not at the local super marked.

I would miss dedicated stores with just a big load of games...wouldnt you?

[The Great Melon]

Printing stuff on top of the the original cover is a reason why I wouldn't buy this edition. I want the original cover art and nothing else.

I remember when they released the updated Uncharted 2 with all the awards on the box. It was ridiculous! Things were stamped all over the place.

[TekoIie]

@The Great Melon

Reminds me of the video game "10 out of 10"....

[The Great Melon]

@Pekolie

*shudders*

At least they tailored the cover art for the awards, rather than painting over everything.

[nan0]

GameStop needs to die. Assassins Creed has become the whore of gaming. It's like the bucket the neighborhood hobos jack off in. Assassin's Creed I's ending was beautiful, AC2 was amazing. Then they started doing brotherhood and revelations milking it. It was fun but they made Subject 16 a fruit cup and an idiot. Desmond is too wimpy now, and seeing a native american in European armor Free running in Skyrim's Nordic trees is lame. They should of did only a partial revolutionary Period. This way they wouldn't have to make it four times bigger than it really was in real life....

[wastedcells]

Looks like its on the plastic wrap but no big deal it's been going on for a while... The bonus item givin to each store is usually not a highly wanted item. Hope they change this model next gen though.

[showtimefolks]

Guys seriously? Do we need another thing to complain about visit cheapassgamer.com and never shop at GameStop

Newegg.com free shipping $-10-15 gift card with each pre order sometimes even 20
Bestbuy just as good deals with gamer unlocked

Than there is used games at gamefly or amazon deals

You actually never have to buy from GameStop because that's where they will rip you off.

If you are a gamer who buys games or regular bases please keep that site on your favorites and now they have a twitter account you will never pay more for games anymore

GameStop can go to hell

[dumahim]

Generally I'd agree with you, but I haven't seen confirmation that other retailers aren't also getting the same treatment. I won't be surprised at all to see "Amazon Edition" on my copy.

[Syntax-Error]

I play with the game, not with the box. Secondly, so what? If GameStop struck a deal with the publishers that allows them to offer you exclusive content for pre-orders.....SO THE F-CK WHAT? GAMESTOP IS A BUSINESS IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MONEY. What hoarder collects VG box art cases? The box is pointless once the game is removed and played. Ask someone how much money they got for Atari box art covers

@Sovereign59, so you think just because you pay $60 for a game you're obligated to say how the company brands it? You are a joke. Publishers don't owe any of you crap. How they plan on marketing it is up to them and only them. Who cares how they box it. The box isn't going to stop people from buying the game. Black Ops 2 could say Walmart Special Edition in purple and people are still going to buy it. If you dont, then who's the moron?

[ATi_Elite]

This is Gamestops Last Hoo-rah before Next Console Gen and the Cloud kills them off!!!

if you own Game Stop stock I suggest you sell now cause Next Gen Game Stop will rapidly decline cause Microsoft/Sony DO NOT like seeing game Stop make money from used game sales and have plans to end that once and for all.

More Digital Downloads, More Cloud Games, More Games that activate only to ONE Console, Games that Only activate to ONE Live/PSN account!

So Game Stop beware cause it's coming.....I have seen it!

[MoveTheGlow]

It's all part of physical retailers' plans to drive themselves out of business:

1) Let digital distribution pass you by!
2) Make physical-copy box art uglier!
3) Do not profit!

[jc48573]

sigh....they did this for Assassin's Creed 2, which I later returned to get it exchanged. They can call it "Gamestop Edition" if they like, but the Gamestop logo on the left....I was never really a big fan of their logos.

[-Mika-]

It just a logo... Even if you not a fan of it, it blends in well with the boxart. Stop being so picky. It not a good character trait.

[MostJadedGamer]

I am a Gamestop fan so I don't mind the branding at all.

[jc48573]

I guess you can say this is passable, but AC2 was just plain ridiculous; it's like the logo was just there. My other problem is that big red dot, whose bright mind was it? Not sure if Gamestop or Ubisoft did it.

[Starbucks_Fan]

Stop posting. Being an idiot is not a good character trait.

[Sovereign59]

We should be able to be slightly picky when it comes to something we are paying $60 for.
It isn't a real disaster, no, but I would prefer it if it were not on the cover.
The only reason I ever buy a game from Gamestop is so I can get it at midnight. I just can't stand to wait those extra 7-9 hours until the other stores open up to start playing my new games. If the local Wal Mart or any other store around here held a midnight release for half the games my local Gamestop does, I'd be ordering them there, but sadly this is not the case.

[Quetzll]

@Sovereign

Walmart and other 24-hour stores have a legal obligation to sell you a game the midnight it is released. If you don't see the game on the shelves, ask a clerk. If they say they can't sell it to you yet or that they don't have it in stock yet, they're probably bullshitting and are just typical, lazy 3rd shift walmart employees.. ask the manager if you have to.

[Sovereign59]

@ Quetzll
My local Wal Mart closes at 11PM and I only know of 2 occasions where it has held a midnight release.

[Double_O_Revan]

The giant red circle was bad enough, which i hope is only sticker. But that's just ugly and annoying.

Although the greater annoyance is each stores 'exclusive' content. I'd have yo buy the game about 6 times to have a 'Complete' game.

[Knight_Crawler]

I think the PS3 has 3 exclusive levels.

[wastedcells]

I think it's four.

[Burning_Finger]

Retail value automatically drops by 50%. Gamestop and their asinine branding.

[MostJadedGamer]

The Gamestop logo makes it more valuable not less

[ShoryukenII]

lol

[KidCuDiWINS]

I'm getting it with the 500gb ps3 bundle, I don't want to see a Sony edition if there is one.

[ceballos77mx]

Well I'm not using that box anyway, ill use the steelbook case I got.

[_DragonSlayer_]

so what

[paybackprahl]

Ugh, that GameStop branding is hideous. And here I was, thinking their stupid price stickers that leave residue on the game case plastic was bad enough.

[stragomccloud]

Hate that stuff! Without goo gone, it's nearly impossible to be rid of.

[Snookies12]

THANK YOU. People who understand... It's so dang annoying when it leaves stuff behind and it's just never the same afterward. :\

[stage88]

GET THAT SH** OFF MY GAME BOX.

[FarCryLover182]

I thought publishers hated Gamestop and they complain about them selling used games, yet they allow them to sell an edition tailor made for the store that is "killing their profits."

[gatormatt80]

There's something strange about that picture. It looks...

[King_Slayer]

Yeah it looks like there's paper overlapping the original box art.

[gobluesamg]

Glad I don't shop at Gamestop. Just another deterrent for me.

[GraveLord]

Walmart is doing it to. It has its own "brand".

[josephayal]

That logo is gorgeous... Want

[Crazay]

HAHAHA!

Probably the trolliest of all troll comments I've read in a long time. Still funny though.

[Cam977]

Hilarious! It's as if they're trying to take credit for it!

[PhoenixRising37]

I can't believe that this game comes out in 2 days...damn time flies!

[Crazay]

It's one hell of a game too.

[PhoenixRising37]

I hope so! It truly does look ridiculously good.

[Crazay]

Some minor technical glitches but I found them easy to overlook for the most part. Naval missions are SWEET! and the story is awesome.

[Arcanine]

Glad i have my copy at home and no logo on it

[jjb1981]

GarBoj

[martinezjesus1993]

If you guys look closely it looks like a piece of paper over the box art, maybe its just under the rapping idk it might just be me

[gatormatt80]

I noticed it as well, so it isn't just you that saw it. The lines just don't add up in the photo. It makes me question the validity of the picture, but I don't know why someone would spoof it.

[Qrphe]

Gross

[ELinktricTears]

I'll be too busy playing to even notice.

[WetN00dle69]

Agreed. I guess most people will be playing with the box instead of the game itself.

[blue_cheese]

pre-ordering has become such an asinine thing. it went from "here's a poster or tee shirt" to "here's the rest of the game and weapons and characters that you wouldn't otherwise get unless you pre-order''.

[Morgue]

While I agree with you. It actually from being able to walk into a store and by a game to, well...... We're gonn take pre-orders and then we know we'll sell this amount of said game. I don't care about " branding " get over it people. I'm sure some of you drive a car? That's a brand. You wear sneakers, buy food, your phone.... Everything is " branded "

[dumahim]

I miss getting that extra stuff.

[DarthJay]

This is hardly the first time this has ever happened. I just traded NeverDead and Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City into Gamestop and both had "Best Buy Exclusive Edition" on the package. Pretty sure there was just a "Walmart Edition" of Medal Of Honor: Warfighter, too...

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Horrible that they allow these stores to do this. Never mind my disdain for Gamestop, this is no different than the discussion of ads in-game. Glad I don't buy from there.

[ajax17]

I really can't stand GameStop anymore.

[SageHonor]

Gamestop edition.. lolwat

[SKUD]

Its gamestop. No surprises there.

[Orionsangel]

It looks like it's on the plastic wrapping and not on the actual box?

[aNDROiD17_]

its just so unnecessary

[Lockon]

I'll print out my own box art and replace that crappy gamestop logo one :P

[Acadius]

I bet the branding has something to do with having the game being traded back at a Gamestop in order to compete with other stores like Target, Walmart and Best Buy who also do the used game trade in. It's a psychological intimidation as it were. If you see that Best Buy is doing a 100% trade in but you have a Gamestop package, how likely is the average consumer going to go to Best Buy? Sure Best Buy might still accept the trade in despite the other store logo but the consumer doesn't know that and hence he or she goes to their local Gamestop where the trade in value isn't as good. I don't like Gamestop anymore ever since a horrible Gears Of War 3 midnight launch event that had no organization whatsoever and the employees were rude unless you were personal friend of theirs. Add to the fact that they are always attempting to sell me game guides (I tell them I play games the old fashion way and explore it on my own or google it). I've been reading about too many people who got shafted on the Care Package edition of BLOPS 2 et etc.
Anyway, that's my insight on the subject.

[Soldierone]

This is worse than them putting used/new price tag stickers directly on the boxart....

[DivineAssault]

I wont buy anything from gamestop if this really happens to the boxes.. I dont like greatest hits on my boxes, scratches, dents, or anything other than the original casing

[execution17]

my GRFS has the Walmart Edition printed on it lol

[mrbojingles]

I don't understand why a simple story like one retailer having an exclusive version of a big game is so popular on N4G. Nothing wrong with it, i'm just saying there's better news out there.

[OneAboveAll]

Who cares? Are you going to be playing the box or the game that came in it? I will open my Halo 4 in a few weeks and toss the box to the side for at least 6 months.

[stuntman369]

There's also a ”walmart edition".

[SOULJER]

I would have to hide that box. Because if my friends saw I got anything from gamestop. They would flip the hell out, and rank on me for weeks.

[Drainage]

complaining about a sticker that isnt directly touching the box (due to the plastic wrapping) LMAO. Never change N4G , never change

[iXenon]

This isn't even news, I've known this for months.

I have the steelbook case so I'm fine

[TronEOL]

I'm glad I went digital with this one then, since the only place I buy physical copies of games is EBGames (Canada's Gamestop) and Amazon.

Not to mention the PSN had the deal where you get the season pass and Liberation in one combo. So it all kind of worked out.

[0pie]

just cancelled my pre-order at gamestop. its out of question that i have a game like this in my collection.

[legendof117]

This is actually on the copies from Target, too.

Build right into the box art.

[Bonerboy]

Such a petty and weak article. Coke, Pepsi and Apple have most of your asses tattooed at birth anyways, so who cares? If it bothers you so much then don't buy it.

[rataranian]

Is there a logo on the Amazon one ?

[Saxism]

It's just the box, at least the game doesn't play with a GameStop banner on the top of the screen.

[optimus]

you beat me to it. ;)... these people talk like they plan on framing the box and hanging it in their living room when we all know it will get buried in between the rest of their games...
i got it without any type of corporate label from an "independent" store.
...by the way, the game is ok, not great, but i've only played 3 hrs of it so far. i have yet to see anything "revolutionary" in the game (pun intended).

[Saturne3]

If it was a sony brand over it many n4g comments would be alot diferent.

[sdozzo]

How is this news? Lame story. Come with something stronger or quit writing. Lazy Bum.

[MrAnderson]

Who cares? I don't even buy from gamestop, and even if I did, once again, who cares? and if you do, you need to re-evaluate your life. it's so unimportant.

[jeromeface]

so theres a gamestop edition of the game who F'n cares

[Gigglefist]

I'm sorry, but who cares?
The box says the name of t place you bought it from. Cool. Whatever.
It's the same exact game inside.
Minus that preorder crap, anyway.

[Psycho_Mantis]

Remember when what a Limited edition meant as well? Nowadays you see LE on a box its nothing more than some DLC thrown into the mix for the purpose of the mix. It just....arrgh....

[SideShort]

Sure this ain't one of those display box's? I thought a couple games were out before release because they had display box's to advertise. Then again, I think they always had "pre-order today!" written all over the thing.

[DAS692]

Well i pre-ordered and got the aluminum case sooooo. I'm good.

[BananaEatingSquid]

.... Looks ugly.

[hkgamer]

I hate ugly cases, which is why i dont mind paying extra for original cases instead of greatest hots/platinum editions

[RyanDJ]

Didn't most diehards preorder and get the steelbook they'll be using anyways?

[MasterD919]

Gamestop's motto should be... "we don't make games, but we sure like to think we had something to do with 'em."

[iHeartHelloKitty]

I don't have to worry because i got The PS3 bundle cant change whats inside my box.

[Dogswithguns]

Man, I don't want Gamestop logo on it.. WT?!

[crazysammy]

Hey everyone don't forget (In the US anyway) that Target is doing their Buy 2 Get 1 Free this week. Lots of great stuff coming this week!

[jakmckratos]

how is this news?