GameStop, Don't Guarantee My Copy Day One

SCRAWL: "I have an interesting story to share today. On Friday, August 14th, me and SCRAWL writer Matt went down to our local GameStop to pick up our copies of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which we pre-ordered Tuesday, August 11th. The game released on August 13th, however, GameStop normally gets games in a day after their release date."

[guitarded77]

Well if it was a regular game I could understand the anger, but I'm guessing it was the limited PS3 retail version of Marvel vs. Capcom which only 15,000 copies were produced and which I thought were on a first come, first served basis. I mean I hate Game Stop as much as any self respecting gamer, but this looks like a very particular case and I don't know that the same happens with major retail game titles. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes.

[Defectiv3_Detectiv3]

This guy considers himself a writer, there are like 4 grammatical errors in his summary and title alone! Talk about an english teachers worst nightmare.

[Midgard228]

lol omg i know i read the title and was like, what? haha im not the best at english but dang i think my lil bro writes better than that.

[UltimateIdiot911]

I live in NYC. I picked up my copy on that Thursday at noon from Gamestop with no problems at all. In fact, I was surprised that the manager knew what I was talking about at all. I didn't even preordered, just walk in and out with my copy before heading over to my gf.

[ps3d0]

Anyplace that takes preorders on games is open to a massive law suit. Looks like maybe gamestop more then anyplace else. Yes you can sue them if sale out of preorders before you get yours. Hell this is really bad with new systems. Not only that you can sue them for not getting a game on the date they promise it to you by. Hell they take pre orders on game they have no clue when they will be out or if they will be out (I seen gamestop take preorders for games that haven been announced). They make up some release date put it in their computers and tell you the game will be release that day and you can come pick it you on that day if you pre order with them. When it might not come out for months later or even years later if at all. Anyone remember them taking pre order on left 4 dead for the ps3 ?

[shovelbum]

Serves you right for shopping at Gamestop.

[ElementX]

I always get my pre-order on the day it's available, without fail.

[Chris399]

The rest however, especially niche titles, can take up to two weeks to arrive. Shipping/ border issues (BlazBlue was a bit of a fiasco) I guess.

I waited 2 weeks for the PSP version of Mana Khemia and a week for X-Edge. It's not like I'm starved for software to play though, I have dozens of back-logged games (I probably won't finish them all until the start of the "next" generation, when the releases are fairly sparse).

[ElementX]

DAMN! That sux :-( I hate to hear of fellow gamers in distress

[Phoenix20881]

I'm sure most of the story is true, but walking an hour and a half? That's surely pure BS.

[Roper316]

I had to walk up hill both ways in the snow with no shoes.

[JD_Shadow]

He did mention in the comments on the site that he lives in NYC. I've visited there before, and from what I've gathered, it's true that it's faster to walk to where you want to go than it is to drive there because of the constant traffic, especially in Manhatten, and even moreso in Times Square (a Gamestop is right within the heart of the Square, I do believe, though).

[omegaortega]

The way Game Crazy and GameStop works, a certain amt of copies of game X is sent to the store based on X amt of preorders for the game. This is one of the reasons why pre-orders are important to retail stores.

It is a possible that the shipment could have been sent out and they pre-ordered too late (just 2 days ahead of time) for those preorders to process before additional copies were sent WITH that shipment to that particular store location.

[Codeman420]

agreed. i used to work at gamestop, if you go in to pre order a game thats not going to be very popular or that well know you need to pre order ASAP because the stores wont get very many copies of the game, especially for the PS3, and if you order it 2 days b4 the release they could already have to game in there back room because if the game is street dated they get the games in a lot earlier than the release date.

[CyrusNightshade]

They pre-ordered the game 2 days before it came out, The shipment was already on the way by then....its not gamestops fault really. I was lucky, I pre-ordered it the day before it came out and they only got 1 copy in

[BX81]

I'm really starting to hate Gamestop but you can't expect to pre order a game 2 days before it comes out then pick it up the day after release. That's a bit much.

[JewelTheif]

Yes, but if I recall correctly, the SKU for Marvel vs. Capcom 2 went in around Monday or Tuesdayish.

[Pillville]

Then gamestop shouldn't allow you to pre-order that close to launch.

reminds me of the Seinfeld episode:

Jerry: I don’t understand, I made a reservation, do you have my reservation?

Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of cars.

Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That’s why you have the reservation.

Agent: I know why we have reservations.

Jerry: I don’t think you do. If you did, I’d have a car. See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don’t know how to *hold* the reservation and that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.

[RockmanII7]

You guys are retarded. THATS WHAT CARS ARE FOR! I do agree that if you pre-ordered it, you should of got it right away, but why did you walk for 3 hours when it would of been much quicker to drive?

[yencid]

this is new york we are talking about.

[NexGen]

I'm not sure many of you have been to New York, but even if he lives in the heart of Manhattan, at that time of night it's faster to drive than walk. Based on how few Gamestops there were in his immediate area, I don't think he is in the heart of the city. Even if he was, the stupid bus costs 2 bux and is much faster than walking. Or cabs. Or a friggin horse and carriage. All of those options would be faster than walking.

What likely happened is they're too young to drive and walked in a somewhat rural area. That's not Gamestop's fault. Also, preordering 2 days before release is just a tad stupid too. And Gamestop is stupid in general, selling my preorders to employees once.

All the stupid just adds up to this.

[2Negative]

Walked 3hours and missed going to the movies just for a game? WHY?

[TisoSpencer]

This article was pointless and really it's the customers fault. You're upset over a game you could got from sitting on your ass at home going to the PSN. You pre-ordered the game just 2 days before it came out, not even once going under the assumption that the game is either A) Street Dated and the allocated copies are in the back or B) The shipment already shipped when you were pre-ordering.

GameStop is at fault in some small manner, but it's the customer who is mostly to blame. The game was limited edition, you pre-ordered 2 days before it came out, you walked to have an empty case. Idiots.

[V0LT]

I laugh every time I hear the word pre-order. I've never had a problem walking into a target/walmart/best buy and getting a game on day 1.

Everyone complains about gamestop so much but yet you keep going back..

[iceman06]

Walmart, Target, and Best Buy don't always carry the special or limited editions and some of the niche titles that THEY don't think will sell well. If they do...they get it much later. Other than that, I agree. Since I have discovered Amazon.com, GameStop has become ALMOST obsolete for me!

[junkiegamer]

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 wait this is an xbla game so he could just dl it. hmm something not right here.

[KillerPwned]

Those 2 guys in that story of course have no life and are 40 year old virgins. All the wineing and trouble over a game. Seriously dude get a life ur story is just dumb and sad...

That shipment stuff happends all the time with all kinds of different stores its nothing new their just trying to make their selves look like their heros or something for something completely worthless.

[kagon01]

That is why I mostly buy at online stores...

[xxBATTLECATxx]

get a car.