Topic: The Game Industry is Run by MoronsThe Game Industry is Run by Morons

[Rize]

That's somewhat true, but in this case I was right to predict that supply is plentiful... if you don't mind waiting for it to get back into stores.

[ATimson]

I don't understand the existence or appeal of game-specific stores in this day and age.  Virtually all new releases are carried by general retailers like Walmart, Target, etc. as well as general electronics stores like Best Buy and Circuit City.  What is the advantage of buying a game in a game-specific store?

Game-specific stores are generally the only place to find the collectors editions of games, so if you're interested in those (I usually pick up the CEs for anything Blizzard puts out, and for Guild Wars), you pretty much have to go and preorder them at a game-specific store.

Otherwise, though, I'm more than happy to shop elsewhere.

[KDR_11k]

They have collector's editions in department stores here...

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I guess the reality is that the Yanks have more game-centric stores to make your department stores look like the niche stores.

[KDR_11k]

Probably, can't imagine how else Gamestop survives with having a worse selection and worse prices than every other store out there.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

The GameStops I visit typically have 2x the selection of the department stores.  It's more complete in that they're less likely to rid stock of older, non-selling games like launch games sooner.  They're also spot-on with receiving game shipments on the street dates.

The Wal-Marts and Targets around here miss 3rd-party game street dates by at least a week.  They also do weird things like split the Wii stock into 2 shelves, one that's adjacent to the 360 and PS3 shelves but contains the high-selling kid-friendly games, while the other shelf is on the other side of the wall (different aisle now), next to the DS games and has the Teen+ games I guess they don't want to sell.

[KDR_11k]

Walmart is a hypermarket, not a department store and despite that being defined as a cross between a supermarket and a department store they have abysmal game selections. It's the same for all hypermarkets. Target is counted as a department store but the pictures on Wikipedia kinda make me question that. One department store here has a stupid separation where Nintendo consoles go into the kids section while the PS2/3 and XBox stuff goes next to the PC games but their prices are so ridiculous they can be ignored altogether. The other big department store chain has fairly large game sections, the electronics retailers obviously have large ones too. A GameStop may have more if you count used games too but they tend to stock fewer copies of each game...

[vudu]

Is hypermarket an actual term, or did you just invent it?  We typically call them "mass merchants" here in the states.

[UltimatePartyBear]

I've never heard of a mass merchant.  I've heard of a Hypermart, but I think they're all closed now.  Anyway, in my experience Target and WalMart have the best game selections in general, followed by Gamestop, then Circuit City and Best Buy.  That all varies depending on what platform's games you're looking for.

When I think of a department store, I think of Sears.  They have a terrible game selection, although that is where I found my Wii.  They typically only sell games to grandparents, I guess.

[Caliban]

Is hypermarket an actual term, or did you just invent it?

It's common in Europe.

[NWR_insanolord]

My GameStop has significantly more Wii games and even more of a lead in DS games than any Wal Mart or Target around here. Best Buy usually has about as good a selection as GameStop.

[Kairon]

How does the term "big-box" retailer apply then?

[KDR_11k]

Hypermarket is basically an upscaled supermarket (technically the definition is that it's a cross between a supermarket and a departmet store), things like Walmart Supercenter, Carrefour Hypermarché, Real, ... Big-Box seems to be a synonym for that.

[animecyberrat]

Not all Wal-Marts are Super Centers though. I've been to plenty that weren't. Target here is a lot better than the closest Wal-Mart here and they both have a decent selection on par with GameStop. OUr best stores here in Twin Falls for video games are Shop-Ko (in the mall) and Fred Meyer (which *was* the mall before the built a new mall so it's pretty friggin huge.) Best Buy usually has a good selection also but I rarely go into Best Buy.