Something to watch with Wii U and New 3DS console sales.
It appears that a new GameStop policy introduced as of this quarter may force changes to Nintendo's sale policy for systems.
First announced during the chain's last quarterly results and reported by GiantBomb, the policy mandates that all console bundles be sold with physical copies of games instead of digital codes. Currently, the most prominent Sony and Microsoft console bundles are sold with included codes. Nintendo's current Wii U bundle includes a preinstalled Mario Kart 8 and Nintendo Land, while the previous bundle with Super Mario 3D World was initially a disc but changed to a preinstalled game.
It appears the policy was enacted after the Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer bundle was announced or terms negotiated, as it has a code inside whereas the FIFA 16 Xbox One bundle was changed to a disc for GameStop. If the policy continues for future New 3DS bundles they will either include a disc, a preinstalled copy of the game or be forced as a store exclusive, such as with Walmart's exclusivity on the Super Mario Maker bundle or Best Buy with the Splatoon system bundle.
Ian, how does this affect you at all? No one was forcing you to buy a hardware bundle, and I hope none of the console manufacturers gives in to GameStop's policy. I hope this causes GameStop to suffer by having gamers get their bundles at other retailers.
Though none of this matters to me given I haven't shopped at Gamestop since I let IGN's Wii forum convince me to purchase Medal of Honor: Heroes 2.
Though none of this matters to me given I haven't shopped at Gamestop since I let IGN's Wii forum convince me to purchase Medal of Honor: Heroes 2.
Hah! They got you? I was convinced for the same reasons but drug my feet on the purchase in favor of some other titles and took so long that Modern Warfare released and put all other FPS offerings on the console to shame, so I got that instead.
Though none of this matters to me given I haven't shopped at Gamestop since I let IGN's Wii forum convince me to purchase Medal of Honor: Heroes 2.
Hah! They got you? I was convinced for the same reasons but drug my feet on the purchase in favor of some other titles and took so long that Modern Warfare released and put all other FPS offerings on the console to shame, so I got that instead.
Bleh, 5 days late but oh well. Yeah the game was said to have the greatest Wii FPS controls and online ever. Everyone on the forum was friending everyone such that you could on the Wii so I figured what the heck join the fun. I seem to recall the on-rails game mode was well thought of also, this being before the on-rails glut hit the Wii. Long story short, other than controls kind of the game did not live up to the hype and it's the last time I bought a game on forum hype.
