IW Boycott of EBGames and Gamestop!

[Daniel]

I dont think boycotting EB will solve anything, I cant speak for you guys overseas, but over here its somthing I'm seeing more and more of, all the game stores near me are the same now. Its a shame but I really think we are seeing the decline of PC gaming .

More and more people are switching to consoles as a much cheaper and less stressful gaming option, think about it, buy a console and it will last you for years, buy a PC and every 6 months or so its going to need an upgrade to keep up with the new games, and dont get me started on hardware compatibility, bugs and patches.

I just feel that more people are seeing console gaming as a more attractive option to PC gaming. As a result all the game stores, not just EB, are going to start catering for the majority, this means less and less shelf space designated to PC games to make more space for the console titles.

At the end of the day we have to remember these big game retailers are business's, and all they care about is making as much money off us gamers as they can, if that means stocking less PC stuff to make more room for the better selling console stuff then thats what they will do, and they wont give a flying *?@% about us PC gamers so long as it doesnt hurt their profits.

Well thats just my 2 cents, I hope I'm wrong but I honestly believe PC gaming is slowly dying, and when it does it will be a sad day.

[ 11-15-2006, 12:18 AM: Message edited by: Daniel ]

[Memnoch]

I don't actually own a console so I don't know this - can you plug a keyboard into a console and use it?

As for the shift from PC to console gaming, I suppose from a developer's POV it's much simpler to program a game for a fixed platform as opposed to trying to make sure it works for all PC configurations. But I still think there are games that can only be played on a PC, and don't translate well to consoles.

[Luvian]

Well maybe PC gaming wouldn't be so stressful and annoying if companies actually released quality products instead of buggy unfinished crap, and maybe we wouldn't have to completely update our computer every 6 months if they stopped pushing so much for graphics. We don't need the newest graphics the day they come out, if they were realistic and considered what the average PC gamer has for a computer and focused on that instead of getting the most powerful graphic the day they became technically possible, maybe they'd actually have a bigger market.

[ 11-15-2006, 01:07 AM: Message edited by: Luvian ]

[Harkoliar]

just came from Wizards and Warriors near where I am, and I must admit, there are some nice old PC games for sale. Bought X2: threat for 10aud [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Eagle eye]

Originally posted by Memnoch: I don't actually own a console so I don't know this - can you plug a keyboard into a console and use it?

Simple answer: No, you can't.

[Remove2]

I am very dissapointed in EBgames and Gamestop. I thought I was going crazy, but they are killing the PC gaming market in thier stores.

I know why (I think)they are doing it too.

They are making a killing on the used (Console) game business. They are selling the same game over and over again making tons of cash. The consumers are making out too. Well... the console only customers are making out.

I went down to EB the other night looking for some games. I was finished looking through the console stuff, so I was ready to check out my favorite platform... PC. It took me a while to find the so called "PC" section of thier store. Once I found it, I realized that they had almost nothing there.

They used to have new and old and out of date PC games there. That is why I used to enjoy going there. I would get the new game and maybe an older one that caught my interest. It is sad to see those days are over.

I am torn with the Boycott. I mean, I can make out very well with the console games, but I feel I am killing the PC genre by shopping there.

I they only knew (or Cared) what damage they are causing.

Good luck with the boycott, I will spread the word!

Take care,
Remove2

[Firestormalpha]

Thread necromancer, Ahhhhh!!!

hehe, jk, welcome to IW.

Yes gamestop and eb games sucks.

Also, BestBuy, at least the one by me has TERRIBLE customer service. We waited 30 minutes eyeing some PC's and no service. Finally stopped an important person and they said they'd send an associate along shortly to handle us and help us decide what we want. Stopped him short there, said we knew what we wanted were willing to pay and leave then and there, instead of handling it himself he called someone else over, we told that person what we wanted, he checked the stock, found they were out, TOLD US to check with other BB's to see if it was in those stores. We asked for alternative options that they maybe had instock and he was only able to suggest products that he himself admitted to not trusting. We left that day without buying anything, and I will NEVER go into THAT BB ever again.

So things they did wrong?
1) Left potential customers standing around during an overall slow day.
2) When we stopped someone for assistance they immediately attempted to pass the buck.
3) They didn't offer to contact another store themselves.
4) As a sales person you don't mention a product you don't have faith in, or if you do, you don't let on that you don't trust it.
5) If there's a more expensive item in stock, try to sell THAT ONE, don't let the customer leave empty handed!!!!! ESPECIALLY IF THEY SAID THEY WERE READY TO PAY!

[Kynaeus]

I don't mind them pushing consoles this much, but, they are absolutely retarded with pricing. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, at least a 2 year old Gamecube game is STILL more than $55 (Canadian) this is absolute bull shit. I bought it the day it was released for about $63 CAD, so in 2 years it's gone down all of $8? diaf EBgames.

Edit: One of the biggest reasons I think people hate BB and FS is the absolutely horrendous customer service they hire. A few weeks ago my girlfriend was getting her things together to head to the airport for her vacation in Mexico and we happened to pass by a FutureShop that was doing some grand opening sales (we heard about it earlier and had a flyer with us). We saw a very nice 7 megapixel Sony camera that was on sale for only $99, her dad thought it was an awesome price and we went in to to buy it for her to supplement her sweet ass Nikon.
Anyways, we walk in and are greeted by an older lady of Asian decent who doesn't speak English very well, that's okay, she says hello and gives us an updated flyer. We wander around a bit and make our way to the camera section in the absolutely dead sales floor; I'm talking many groups of 2-4 sales reps standing around talking to each other. After searching the camera section two reps approach us and ask us "Help you?? Help you??" in very thick middle eastern accents, their names Khajid and something similar. We point out in the flyer the camera we wanted and ask if they have any of it and they (clumsily) tell us that they have it, but are not able to give the sale price until tomorrow morning.
Absolutely stupefied, we ask them why and how this is possible, whereupon we receive the startling revelation that it is a "soft" grand opening, merely a practice for tomorrow. We think this is just ridiculous and want to speak with a manager when we are informed that none are working today. When asked to show us something similar in the same price range they show us cameras at the original price ($300+), say nothing about the camera except that "It is good, it sell well", then launching in to a 5-minute ramble on the service plan. Completely ridiculous that they advertised this great priced camera and couldn't even give us the damn thing, no manager to complain to, sub-par customer service (only one of many examples on how bad they are)

[ 07-09-2007, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: Kynaeus ]

[Harkoliar]

at the moment here, EB games crashed all thier games. I bought fallout tactics for 10aud roughly 8USD.

Also got 50% with some games. Then again its the end of the financial year.

[Sir Goulum]

Firestormalpha: Heaven forbid, there's more than just Salesmen on the floor at Best Buy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Kynaeus: Your first mistake was going to Futureshop. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Since they're commission based, they're naturally going to push you to buy the crummiest camera, and then pop $100 on the 4 year service plan. That's how they make more money into their pocket. No managers = BS. You just hit some poorly trained, shoddy folks.. probably part timers who are just there to make an extra few bucks a month. Believe it or not, there's those types at any retail store you'll go to.

Everyone else: Has it occured to any of you that with 7 game systems currently producing games on the market, all with a very fair number of games, as opposed to PC's where 1 version fits all, the consoles ARE going to take up more room? This thread is ridiculous. Screw your heads on and grow up.