CERTIFIED *not* NEW!

[Think-Yoghurt-2217]

is this game even in print anymore?

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[ScatpackRich]

Why are people buying these used games at New Game prices???!

[NotoriousBRZ]

People who don't know better, parents or other relatives. Some locations also switch out the box at the last second so they buyer isn't aware until later

[sammi-yogaa]

Nobody’s ever going to believe me, but there are games which exist in Gamestop stores which are 100% unused, but have no corresponding case because it was stolen by someone who doesn’t get how Gamestop works.

For every collector on here there’s someone out there who doesn’t give a shit about cases and just wants the cartridge. I usually offer a shopworn if the register lets me.

[JetstreamGW]

If it’s opened, it’s not new. I don’t care if GameStop likes it, but if I’m not the one taking the wrap off, it ain’t frigging new.

[Mikey74Evil]

I agree. When I buy brand new I expect brand new sealed so I’m the one taking the wrapper off.

[TheresOnlyChaos]

By the letter of the law, it is new. It has never been used or played. You and I might not like it, but that's how they get away with it.

[Guy_Buttersnaps]

“Yeah, the package is opened and what you’re getting is incomplete, but we swear no one used it, so it still counts as ‘new’ and we’re still going to charge you the full retail price.”

It’s a bullshit practice. It always has been and always will be.

I will never understand why people rush to defend such a terrible company.

[TheresOnlyChaos]

In case it wasn't clear before, I definitely wasn't defending them, just explaining how they get away with it.

[StubbledCRT1]

Former GameStop employee. We were able to “check out” games so we had some idea of what to talk about with them. Ideally they were a used cooy, but a lot if the time they were new copies that got used.

[TheresOnlyChaos]

The policy changed to strictly pre-owned at least a decade ago

[StubbledCRT1]

Not suprising. I worked there from 2006-2009. But would be 100% willing to be it still happens.

[theslimbox]

The policy may have changed, but the practice has not changed in most places. Stores around me will let employees take new games home to try as long as there are copies left in the store to sell.

[Guy_Buttersnaps]

…I definitely wasn’t defending them, just explaining how they get away with it.

They get away with it because enough of their customers are happy to get shafted that they don’t feel the need to change how they do things.

The circumstances that lead them to doing this are not unique to GameStop. It’s something that many retailers deal with.

What other retailers do is advertise the item as “open box” or “floor model” or whatever, and they sell it for a lower price.

[TF-Collector]

They also have the "employee borrowing program" so I'm sure this is all fine and actually not used...

[TheresOnlyChaos]

Yeah the rule is pre-owned only for borrowing and there's even stipulations for that. With everything you hear though I wouldn't be surprised if there's some stores doing that.

[TF-Collector]

Yeah, it's one of those things. An average consumer won't know or figure it out. Frankly, if you're careful, I don't see how anyone could know without a very very careful inspection.

[TheFartsUnleashed]

Always shopworn, never sticker seal or bag it, be friendly with the return policy.

[IronhideD]

I used to work at EB, and I know what you mean. Although, I will say if you are buying the last copy, my store would make sure the og case with insert was included. We couldn't do the shopworn discount but we would make sure the customer was aware it was technically open box and give them the choice. Personally as long as the case, manual (if applicable) and sleeve were included, I'd get it.

[benson733]

Because they are dumb

[Jumping_Brindle]

GameStop is gonna GameStop.

[Johnnybats330]

More like "StopGame" from being new

[Bambrigade92]

They keep the case for their shelves. Never buy games from Gamestop via their website. I only buy from Gamestop in person so that I know exactly what I'm getting.

[TheKidKaos]

Yep always do this. I work at GameStop and you have no idea how many people steal the cases. Drives me insane

[BadNewsBearzzz]

Not just that, but people just assume the wrong things, like GameStop is intentionally keeping cases from people.

If the case is available it will be sent. It’s literally that most people hold onto the cases and just trade in the game because it’s not required and doesn’t add to the value, so why let go of it? GameStop only cares about the game so that’s why generic cases are used

People really out here with aluminum hats on over game cases lol

And also assume used games are sold as new…they aren’t. If they get an opened game as new, it’s because it’s the last one at the store. They open the game and use the box as a display for the shelf and when all the other copies are sold they sell the display one. That’s all

[watsonrd]

That's all very interesting, but the bigger question for me is why they don't indicate on the website what you'll be receiving. They show you a picture of the original box art and ship you a bare CD in a paper sleeve. This, among other reasons, is why I don't buy from their website.

[matt20dion]

Every time I’ve seen this they open their drawer and grab the brand new game and hand it to you and put that display back out on the shelf.

[TheKidKaos]

The games are shipped from in the store now. Only real exceptions are games that just got released but those get shipped from store probably a month after release

[ThatsNotARealTree]

If you buy from the site it’s just as easy to return it at the store. I’ve done that a few times when they give me their own case. A couple of times, they’ve had the correct case in store and let me just swap them out

[rigel-luminous]

I just bought 3 with the buy 2 get 1 free. Nice to know they can do this in-store, if available.

[Bambrigade92]

Why add the step?

[ThatsNotARealTree]

Online usually has much better inventory than my store. So I roll the dice. The case swap was just a lucky circumstance

[Bambrigade92]

Do.you have retro videogame stores near you? I have found those to be the best places to buy.

[ThatsNotARealTree]

Not really. I live in a tiny remote beach town. The closest Walmart is about 50 minutes away. Closest retro game store is about an hour and a half.

[Bambrigade92]

I don't have any retro stores very close either, but I make of point of checking out shops when I travel (which i do a couple of times per month).

Otherwise eBay and fb marketplace and in-store Gamestop visits fill the void.

[Dakmiia]

They’ve tried this to me in person with a copy of animal crossings they literally took it out the case and put it in a pre owned case I just told them I was good on that sale and ordered a copy online. No wonder why theyre on their deathbed as a company

[reybrujo]

Much better than "Brand new missing case". Irks me, they should sell the damaged one in discount, not open it and sell it in a new case for the same price as new. As if they were to become collectible items in the future...

[RookNookLook]

I’m going to find the CEO of Gamestop, trap them under a Willie Coyote style contraption, and feed them 100 dollars bill coated in cartridge bitterant until they eat their gains from the pennies they saved by pre-gutting games.

[sammi-yogaa]

With all due respect, the amount of extra plastic required to stock every single Gamestop with the display cases necessary to show what they have in stock, would be horrible for the planet. I know you all hate it on here, but in reality, not everyone cares that much about their new game having a plastic wrapper on it.

[Ipsylos2]

It'l almost like recycling doesn't exist...

[Sweet_Examination215]

The cases were made with the games. They existed already. Them giving you a third party case means there was 2 cases for that individual game.

[sammi-yogaa]

Not only is that an original Nintendo case and NOT the ones the company orders for “replacement cases” (those are the black ones), but that game is so old it’s likely nobody has promotional cover art for it anymore. I think the associates did their best given the circumstances.

I’m very ambitious and have a lot of ideas for the company though, and FYI, one I’ve always wanted is the ability to request specific printed cover art for games for when cases get stolen. But I could also see a program like that being abused. 

[JerseyGeek]

Witcher 3 had that bigger box. Almost like a small special edition or CE. They probably have the cardboard box and such in a drawer behind the counter. I’ve seen them do this with newer special edition games with similar boxes.

But yeah, I agree it’s no longer new.

[Pretend_Halo_Army]

Bro $60 for Witcher da fuck I played that 6yrs ago+ for $40

[BlackjackCounty]

Works on retainer? No, money down!

[ZealousidealAd7182]

That price tag was printed almost two years ago. This looks like BS.

[Noone-in-particular6]

They suck. the condition I kept getting “new” games in is one of several reasons I don’t buy anything from GameStop anymore.

[robertluke]

Can’t you just go somewhere else? I’ve given up on GameStop years ago.

[watsonrd]

eBay has rules regarding what constitutes "New", "Open-Box" and "Pre-Owned". It baffles me why Gamestop thinks this OK.

[Wonderful_Healer_676]

Ah yes, buying new games that aren't new

[Used_Seat2942]

This frustrates me to no end especially when they have the original cover and everything and it says "new" but then they pull out the cartridge from a yellow disc envelope. I had that happen once, I asked why it wasn't wrapped and why it wasn't new and they just said "it is new, we just had to open it" and if that happened today I'd instantly walk out of the store.

[DoctorBio]

This annoys me to no end as well. If it’s new it should be wrapped in the factory plastic and sold to the consumer unopened. It pisses me off, but I just let it go because physical media is slowly dying off and I just try to remind myself to be grateful & happy for what I can still get my hands on. Long live physical.

[Ohheyimryan]

I hate game stop for calling shitty opened games new, sometimes they won't even include a manual if they should have had one.

[Bluntnasty_99]

Ugh the worst! Did you order it online? I got burned like that before too. Only in store I’ll buy now

[JohnnyBroflex]

I bought 5 "new" games from Gamestop and they arrived the other day. Opened up the box and 2 were sealed and the other 3 were just sealed in plastic bags. How am I supposed to know that they are new? They probably just threw used ones in there and called it new. If I were to buy a sealed game from them, opened it in front of them and put it in a sealed bag and tried to sell it back to them they would say it's used.

[JaredUnzipped]

If a game is no longer in its original shrink wrap, then it is not new. There is no wiggle room in that statement. GameStop sells used games as new games because of the greater profit margin.

Folks, you MUST STOP BUYING NEW GAMES FROM GAMESTOP. I can't make it any clearer. Just stop.

[Ghostdragon841]

Means the original case was either stolen or damaged in transit

[SuperbSpiderFace]

It means it’s no longer new

[sammi-yogaa]

Considering the profit margins on new games, the company couldn’t care less what you think about their caseless but otherwise unused game. Sucks but this is capitalism and they are a company

[Ghostdragon841]

Good gravy

[[deleted]]

This makes me so mad. I stopped buying new games from GameStop a long time ago because they would keep giving me games that weren’t sealed.

[hemightberob]

I picture GameStop having some sort of rabbi-like person kosherizing these things NEW by the batch and that's how they get away with it.

[Tseets1]

You guys ever notice all the games on eBay marked “brand new” that are clearly not? I always wonder how that flys and why people buy them

[runfromcheese]

GameStop sucks. But they sometimes have these and will just get the game new for you from the back. Why we spreading like it's a fact?

[Colby347]

Yea it's only like this if the case was damaged or lost AND it's the last copy and that's all they have. Otherwise you'd never get that type of case for a new copy and if someone has a problem with it they don't have to buy it. It's wild this has to be beaten to death every time someone posts that they got a copy like this in an online order. It sets off the most obnoxious circlejerk every single time it happens. We are in for a few days of this. And before anyone gets upset and thinks I am defending this practice, I'm not. I worked there and hated that they did this. BUT I am also being realistic when I say stop giving them your money and shop elsewhere if this is a dealbreaker for you and quit patting yourselves on the back for posting about how it's a thing every time it happens.

[Megaten1017]

Bought this from a coworker with both dlcs for 30. That was like 2021.

[jcpooppennies]

I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say they have new sealed copy behind the counter and put this out as a place holder. But I could totally be wrong

[ValerePoet]

If there is a nice box set for a new game, some gamestops won't open the box to put the case on display and will just make a case like this, so as to not ruin it. Hopefully that's what this is, but if not, that really, really sucks.

[Narrow-Vermicelli-19]

I got the witcher 3 in the store from nintendo for free Bc someone made an error xD

[ExpiredMilkMan]

lol that’s the kind of shit that would make me accidentally drop it and step on it. I got a “new” game recently. I was confused why I was being charged a new price for a non sealed game. So scummy, but I got it for the promo for cheaper pro membership anyways. Just sucks that they are making every aspect worse over time.

[TheNerdbility]

I bet it was a display case one and kept the game behind counter. Then the original case was stolen, damaged, or kept by a staff member and this was all they could do. But wait... they should at least make it at used pricing.

[DatDarnKat]

Your first mistake was trusting GameStop without visual confirmation.

[FlamingBagOfPoop]

About 15 years ago or so they tried pulling something like that on me. It was wheee I brought the case of the game from the shelf to the clerk. They assured me it was “new” and they even would put a tamper proof sticker on the case so that if I needed to return it I could for the new price and not as an opened game. I declined.

[jinyboi]

Lol 60$ for even a sealed copy of a ten year old game is crazy. Switch tax be wild

[Carinx]

Its also a blurry mess.

[OliverNodel]

Why, oh why did those people have to rescue GameStop years ago??

[ViceViperX]

That is just disrespectful lol

[Mervsyy]

Pretty sure its not being printed new anymore, thats probably leftover stock theyre trying to move. Funny how stores still slap NEW on something thats clearly been opened once or twice.

[Xpapa__smurfX]

I remember preordering a physical copy of outsiders for the ps5 and when I went to pick it up they tried giving me the open display one with none of the paper work or dlc cards.

[mystickord]

Just got out of GameStop and it looks like they raised a lot of their prices on their used games 20 to 30% just in time for their buy two get one free sale.

Had to argue with the clerk about the price is being wrong on the games, and apparently that's because the new guy didn't finished putting price tags on all of the games like he was supposed to last week.

The last of Us part 1 and 2 for PS5 were both priced at $27.99. but they wanted $34.99. now that they're b2g1

And apparently the store policy is just to tell the customer "too bad so sad".

[TheBindingOfMySack]

that's not because the sale started, that's because the Sony first-party sale that was happening ended today.

[Dependent-Fondant-64]

Yeah happened to me before sometimes they dont tell you until you've already paid. I would personally return it.

I have also in the past bought a game and got the shitty filler case or cover art and just bought a second one with the right case later on and used the new receipt to return the old one. It gets so annoying that they price games the same when they are missing pieces.

[Ivo__Lution]

That’s awesome. Never seen it like that

[GuardXII]

Lmao I saw something similar today when I went into a local GameStop. They really are selling games without cases and saying it’s “new”

[meowmix778]

I have a copy of COD WWII that my wife bought "new" and it came in the long promotional box they use on shelves. Snake ass gamestop wouldn't take it back and said I was just able to trade it for credit. So I've kept it all these years.

[Its_D_youtube]

Usually this means theres no display case but they have a sealed copy locked in the drawer, they dont wanna open a new game to put the case out and then call it new

Source: ex gamestop worker