GameStop to Start Buying, Selling Retro Consoles and Games

I really don't know what to think about it. In one hand it will probably slow down those greedy resellers, but on the other hand this might close down lots of retro game stores, reducing the competition and driving the prices up… What do you think?

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/04/15/gamestop-to-offer-classic-consoles-and-games

 

I think that this plan won't be as big as everyone thinks. After all, you won't be able to buy the games in store. You'll have to buy it from the Gamestop website and that would be a dealbreaker for many. Doubt that it would affect retro stores that much because games won't be availabe at the store.

 

I do think this will standardize pricing and drive prices WAY down and make the classics affordable again.

 

Solid business move on their part. They've been neglecting retro gaming for a while now. They can capitalize on the retro scene while restoring their reputation with older gamers. I'm surprised it took this long for them to implement this.

 

oh my god, thank you godofhardcore, I think the same thing. Also this is only in 2 states right now, I hope it goes national. I hope prices of stuff just drops so hard.

 

Here in the UK, there's a store called CEX that sells some retro stuff, at least ps2/GameCube generation
Unfortunately whilst prices are standardised across the stores, this means there are no bargains as such, as the prices seem to follow those on eBay quite closely. eg Ps2 football games are 0.10p, whereas a copy of .hack xx is more like £20gbp!

 

I would personally be onboard with this if gamestop was going to sell the games in the retail stores again. I could remember way back in the day when they acquired Funcoland here in the usa they used to sell all kinds of games in their stores but sadly that did not last long.

Even if you could buy stuff from a couple generations past like PS2, Xbox or Gamecube stuff that would be pretty nice. I am just not a huge fan of any preowned game buying on the internet because I have known too many people to get the just a disc in a generic case treatment and the price is still the same reguardless. (where as on ebay complete copies cost more of course)

 

I'm thinking that this is because Sony and Microsoft have been pushing digital a lot this gen, but still I really think if they actually sell them in stores it'll make retro gaming a lot more convenient.

I mean, I'm in a major city, and there's only 4 places to get retro games in town (and one is way out in a suburb that is surrounded by the city) whereas there's Gamestops all over the place.

 

I honestly can't see this being a good idea. Prices are already bad and I can already see GS just ripping people off big time.

 

This is a good thing and I hope more game retailers around America and Europe follow them and compete with each other, perhaps it will bring down the insanely inflated prices we have today.

 

Only the most cynical think it's a bad thing

 

I don't see this helping anything - Gamestop was already charging Ebay-esque prices before it was cool. Back when Gamestop/Funcoland sold "retro" games in stores, they were invariably a ripoff for any games you'd ever heard of. $30 for a loose copy of Mega Man 2 with "ROBERT" written 2 inches high in permanent marker on the back, anyone?
In fairness, they were good for padding your collection with dollar games that no one liked.

 

Really? I remember I sold one GBC game for like $10 and got like 5 Genesis games, including a copy of Sonic 2 (I had lost mine, so now I have like 6).

 

If they actually did this in stores, I think it would be pretty cool. But it sounds like it's only going to be online, which isn't as interesting to me.

 

I don't... That is still unfortunately going to be dictated by the Ebay idiots that overpay. All Gamestop is going to do is rip people off by paying a pittance and selling them for as close to those idiot prices as possible. I don't have much faith in this working out anyway. Remember that they tried something like this before and their prices were so out of whack that they made Ebay look like a bargin bin.

 

Do not expect anything except a small influence over what a loose copy in acceptable condition will sell for and it will justify eBay prices for titles that are complete and in good to excellent condition. Remember, this is the same company that threw away thousands of boxes and manuals for cheap paper sleeves/bags to make room and still thought they could sell for full retail.

 

They wouldn't have the resources to price anything out of print.

 

I hope that they won't make a huge price markup for popular games like SMB or Castlevania.
SMB 3 for 40$ ? I really hope something like that doesn't happen.

 

Hahahaha. GS to lead videogame price crash in 2016. Rofl.

Admitedly I have no horse in this race really, buying pretty much exclusively from japanese contacts, friends, and yahoo auctions.

I also hope you're right in your assertions GoH and others.

However, imo, anyone who thinks this will work out well and lead to lower prices in the market is effing deluded.

Edit...to clairfy...I think a massive wide scale price reduction can only be led by a change in consumer mentality, and I don't think GS have the clout to get anywhere near bringing about such a change.

 

Eh. Only one store in my area is selling games at reasonable prices, ie not inflated eBay prices. Gamestop getting back into the business isn't good or bad news. I just wish they had better recycling practices, considering all those stories of dumpster diving.