EBGames: Rock Band won't be restocked until next year

[hicksboy]

http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/11/14/rock-band-may-be-harder-to-acquire-than-the-wii-was-last-christmas

Interesting post by the Opposable Thumbs blog over at Ars. I'm curious when bigger stores like Best Buy and Wal Mart will be able to restock supplies. The post also mentions some EBGames/Gamestops have cancelled some of their midnight launches, so be sure and check if you were planning on attending one of those.

[Bakkster]

Sounds like this may refer to the GameStops which didn't get many pre-orders, as they get exactly enough to fulfill pre-orders.

[Tender-Surrender]

I don't wanna wait that long.. HELLO BEST BUY!

[Keebler]

Maybe people just need to stop supporting Gamestop/EBGames.

[Bluvox]

Maybe people just need to stop supporting Gamestop/EBGames.

Why? They allow pre-order, so those of us that don't want to sit in line for 35 hours just to get it have a chance.

I'd rather support a place where I go in and talk to the employees about the things I want to get and they are passionate than a "Big Box Store" that looks at you with a puzzled look and then has to call for a cleanup of the drool left on the floor.

Not saying I heart GameStop or anything, nor did I like EBGames before they merged, but I think they definitely are a better place to discuss games than any of the "big box" alternatives.

[Bakkster]

Maybe people just need to stop supporting Gamestop/EBGames.

Assuming they don't stock the game and customers go somewhere else, they've already shot themselves in the foot. No need to go beyond that.

[logicalnoise]

every cool thing gamestop/EB does there's about 5 crappy things.

1)They gut new games. It's your problem that your store is laid out terribly not ours. Make your stock room bigger if you can't keep all the games secure in their proper packaging.

2)launch day douchbaggery. Some stores actually refuse to sell you a game on launch day if you didn't pre order just to "teach you a lesson". Again it's your crappy business model not ours. Why should we pay for your lack of vision when it comes to guaging demand for a game.

3)Teach your CSRs something about games! yes a lot of GS and EB employees know their stuff but most of the time it's guys who have no clue. Here's the gist of a phone call my roomate had with a local Gamestop in the Chicago land area.


Gamestop:hello thank you for calling gamestop where we now have halo 3.
Roomate: Uh hi uh I know it's a long shot but have you received the new Ratchet and clank game?
GS: uh......what system is that for?
RM:.....it's for PS3
GS: oh ok uh never heard of it but it shows in the system that it hasn't arrived yet.
RM: any idea when you might get it? SOny said teh street date is void so you can sell it when it gets there.
GS:....nope but we only release games on wensdays so I'd call back then
*click*

[MartyMcFly]

Don't turn this into another flame war on Gamestop.

They're just saying how scarce it will be. It will be just the same at any of those department-like stores as well. If the #1 gaming store in the country can't get the inventory, then other places will have just as much trouble.

There's no blame to be made here. But it takes a lot to make these peripherals. This isn't the same as when a game is unavailable, then you only need to make copies of a disc.

Making thousands, even maybe millions of these peripherals is a lot of work.

[logicalnoise]

true with all that I said I still have rock band 70% paid off at Gamestop but I found a brand new one that's just under a mile away from my house. and it's run almost completly by gamers and seems to be decent as far as service(they were the only store in 50 miles doing a GH3 midnight release).

It's just frustrating when a game-centric store becomes just another F.Y.E.

[hankmallon]

I called my Gamestop and they said they're still having a midnight launch. These shortage issues have me really worried, I'm gonna line up at 8 pm just to be safe while the store is still open.

[vtjustinb]

My gamestop is only getting 18 copies, all were preorders. And I think most of the flame wars on gamestop/eb are a little sensationalized. They provide you a way to get some money back on games/peripherals that would otherwise sit around, offer you a way to buy used games at a decent discount, and for putting a nominal amount down on a game you know you're going to get can mostly guarentee you it on release day, even if the demand is high. I resonate with the whole game sweatshop complaints, and how places like gamestop are probably responsible for publisher inflation, but still it's not that bad.

[Thrashdragon]

If you preordered at an EB/Gamestop, make sure you get there as early as possible to pick it up, because there is a chance they will sell it to someone else. They've done it before.

[Jack_Harvard]

The main reason I'm even going to Gamestop is because of the trade-in policy, which is really helpful for people like me, who can't afford most of the time to stay up to date on gaming without it. Every little bit helps. Hell, I was finally able to put my Wii to good use by selling it there. Now I have enough to get both RB and Uncharted! :D

[admanimal]

The main reason I'm even going to Gamestop is because of the trade-in policy, which is really helpful for people like me, who can't afford most of the time to stay up to date on gaming without it. Every little bit helps. Hell, I was finally able to put my Wii to good use by selling it there. Now I have enough to get both RB and Uncharted! :D

If you are willing and able to sell on eBay, that is a much better route. I recently got $400 for my Wii, an extra game and an extra controller set, which I'm guessing is at least double what I would have gotten from Gamestop/EB.

[MartyMcFly]

If you preordered at an EB/Gamestop, make sure you get there as early as possible to pick it up, because there is a chance they will sell it to someone else. They've done it before.

I've paid mine in full. I still planned on getting there wicked early just so I wouldn't have to wait in line.
I'd rather wait outside before they open, knowing that I can't have it yet because they're closed. Rather than wait in line when it opens knowing I can't have it even though it's possible that I could.

Would they still really sell it away? Because they'd have to refund me in full. I don't think they would do that.

[TK-757]

I think I'm just going to hit my local Best Buy at opening & pray I'm one of the first people there... *laugh*

[Jack_Harvard]

If you are willing and able to sell on eBay, that is a much better route. I recently got $400 for my Wii, an extra game and an extra controller set, which I'm guessing is at least double what I would have gotten from Gamestop/EB.

That's true, I hadn't even thought of that at the time. However, the advantage for me with in-store credit is that then that's money solely for gaming. I won't have to use willpower and use the money for the unimportant things like rent and bills! :p

However, now I kinda wish I had gone the ebay route.

Damn.

[joeincolorado]

yeah, i paid mine off in full. i won't be able to pick it up until 1 during lunch at work... i just hope that they don't sell off my preorder to some higher bidder. i doubt they will but u never know. i need this game..lol...

back to the grindstone...talkt o u guys later

[MartyMcFly]

yeah, i paid mine off in full. i won't be able to pick it up until 1 during lunch at work... i just hope that they don't sell off my preorder to some higher bidder.

That's why you call out sick like I'm doing :) But don't worry about that. They can't sell it for any more than the retail price. That's just beyond illegal for them to sell it to someone offering a different amount of $$.

[Thrashdragon]

I've paid mine in full. I still planned on getting there wicked early just so I wouldn't have to wait in line.
I'd rather wait outside before they open, knowing that I can't have it yet because they're closed. Rather than wait in line when it opens knowing I can't have it even though it's possible that I could.

Would they still really sell it away? Because they'd have to refund me in full. I don't think they would do that.

It's happened to a coworker of mine twice at two different locations, with particularly hot titles (one was Gears of War, I can't remember the other one). In both cases he had paid in full but was told "they didn't get enough preorders in". However, the second time, the person in front of him in line asked if they had the game (walk-in, no preorder), they said sure, and sold him one...but they didn't have my coworker's preorder. I'm sure mileage varies with different stores, but it's definitely something to be aware of. With such an acute shortage being predicted, what minimum wage slave wouldn't be willing to take a little extra cash to sell someone else's preorder?

[Bakkster]

Would they still really sell it away? Because they'd have to refund me in full. I don't think they would do that.

If they do, call the regional manager, preferably while still in the store. I guarantee they'd bend over backwards to get you a copy somewhere, rather than have a PR nightmare. Any mistake can be fixed by threatening bad PR.

[logicalnoise]

If they do, call the regional manager, preferably while still in the store. I guarantee they'd bend over backwards to get you a copy somewhere, rather than have a PR nightmare. Any mistake can be fixed by threatening bad PR.

digg.com + consumerist.com = some nice bad PR

[MartyMcFly]

Oh well, I'll be there early regardless. I have no worries :D

[IbanezBassist_v2]

Thats why I've decide to purchase two bundles. I'm going to hang on to one to sell at a later date. Now for which system?

[toefer]

Thats why I've decide to purchase two bundles. I'm going to hang on to one to sell at a later date. Now for which system?

I accidentally have 3 pre-orders. It had nothing to do with trying to cash in on selling them, but merely related to not knowing where I would be for Thanksgiving, and didn't want to take any chances.

[HiroXHakuske]

I honestly perfer the Game Crazy I live next to... partially because they're normal people that love what they do.