GameStop intentionally removing Deus Ex OnLive coupons from retail PC copies

[avelle]

I thought about posting this in the Deus Ex thread, but didn't want to potentially muck up the thread with discussion unrelated to the game.

Source: Joystiq / Gamespy

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.c...henanigans.jpg

Hey, remember the free Deus Ex: Human Revolution OnLive code that comes with the retail PC version? If you bought your copy at GameStop, chances are you didn't get the code. It turns out that the retailer decided not to participate in the promotion ... by force.

GameSpy is reporting that GameStop employees received notice yesterday that they were to open new PC copies of Deus Ex and remove the free OnLive token. To repeat: GameStop employees were told to open new copies and remove contents intended to be sold with the game.

A GameStop representative confirmed to GameSpy that the company is removing the tokens, saying, "Square Enix packed the competitor's coupon with our DXHR product without our prior knowledge and we did pull and discard these coupons." Indeed, some of our own commenters claiming to be GameStop employees said the same thing in our post revealing the OnLive promotion yesterday.

Joystiq is currently investigating the issue, including the possible legal implications of tampering with a product and selling it as new.

Is this even legal? Any Gamestop employees around here want to comment?

[Katlan]

Didn't think it was legal to open a new-sealed game and then re-seal it and sell it for the new price. Your paying full price to have all those items that won't come w/a used copy (lol 5$ discount).

Gamestop had of to looked up the legal implications of this before taking this type of action because it screams "I want to be sued"

[Cephius]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest. Gamestop is the devil so I hope they get sued but... I would think they have a right not to sell advertisements for direct competitors. Haven't they always sold opened games as "new" though? I used to get games without shrink-wrap on them all the time.

[Correction]

In b4 tekkidefenseforce

[Melena]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest. Gamestop is the devil so I hope they get sued but... I would think they have a right not to sell advertisements for direct competitors. Haven't they always sold opened games as "new" though? I used to get games without shrink-wrap on them all the time.

If that's the case, they should have removed the codes for a free copy of pc portal 2 when you buy the ps3 version since that's a direct competitor as well

[avelle]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest. Gamestop is the devil so I hope they get sued but... I would think they have a right not to sell advertisements for direct competitors. Haven't they always sold opened games as "new" though? I used to get games without shrink-wrap on them all the time.

I think they do for console games and that always bothered me too. This feels so wrong though. They could have refused to sell the PC boxes until SE/Eidos or whoever addressed this problem, but then they would have lost out on money.

[Ksandra]

people still buy new shit at gamestop?

this is also crazy, I hope SE takes their ass to court and wins. They could use the money as it is.

[Ohemgee]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest. Gamestop is the devil so I hope they get sued but... I would think they have a right not to sell advertisements for direct competitors. Haven't they always sold opened games as "new" though? I used to get games without shrink-wrap on them all the time.

Its only the last copy they have in stock of a game for display purposes. Its a really shitty policy but eh, as long as the disk is fine I really don't give a fuck since the difference between new and used prices are so marginally low.

[Foxer]

people still buy new shit?

FoReal.

[Katlan]

people still buy new shit at gamestop?

I never buy used shit at gamestop. prefer to buy something new and support the company over saving 5-10$

[Isiolia]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest. Gamestop is the devil so I hope they get sued but... I would think they have a right not to sell advertisements for direct competitors. Haven't they always sold opened games as "new" though? I used to get games without shrink-wrap on them all the time.

They do sell gut copies as new all the time.

Thing is, it's not really an advertisement per se. It's the ability to play the game you paid them money for on the OnLive service. Kind of like the Steam coupon for the PS3 version of Portal 2. Speaking of which, the PC version of Deus Ex Human Revolution uses Steam for DRM (like Valve games, Fallout NV, Metro 2033, etc). Gamestop is also (presumably) prepping a competitor for that (they bought Impulse from Stardock).

It's not at all uncommon for PC games to include inserts n' things for products - Alienware computers, Razer peripherals, etc. It shouldn't be up to Gamestop to decide which stay and which go. Especially not when it's essentially a bonus copy of the game.

[Ksandra]

Not sure what the legality of this is, to be honest.

Also, I think the biggest legality on this situation is the simple fact they didn't tell their customers. SE can make the case that when customers purchase the game they expect the code, and Gamestop would have had to inform the customer that the code wasn't there.

I feel pity for poor SE's customer service if people ahve to call in for a new code or something.

I never buy used shit at gamestop. prefer to buy something new and support the company over saving 5-10$

My point wasn't who buys new games, it was who buys new games from gamestop because of things people listed above.

You can go to bestbuy/target/walmart/etc.etc.etc. and get a new game for the same price without fear of it being a gutted product. The only appeal that gamestop has left is if you want an old game but don't want to deal with ordering it online.


also,

I don't buy anything at gamestop really unless it's something random that bestbuy didn't have (aka had to get a ps DDR pad at gamestop once 'cause best buy only had xbox ones). Gamestop can basically go to hell otherwise.

[Correction]

FoReal.

We are talking about PC games here. If I'm not buying it off steam at a deep discount I'm almost certainly buying a shrinkwrapped unopened box from Amazon.

[avelle]

We are talking about PC games here. If I'm not buying it off steam at a deep discount I'm almost certainly buying a shrinkwrapped unopened box from Amazon.

This. Steam and Amazon get all of my business. Gamestop can suck it.

[Isiolia]

We are talking about PC games here. If I'm not buying it off steam at a deep discount I'm almost certainly buying a shrinkwrapped unopened box from Amazon.

I bought a shrinkwrapped, unopened box from Target (and got a $10 gift card as a promo, which I didn't know about).

Usually order from Amazon too though.

[Katlan]

You can go to bestbuy/target/walmart/etc.etc.etc. and get a new game for the same price without fear of it being a gutted product. The only appeal that gamestop has left is if you want an old game but don't want to deal with ordering it online.

Ya, good point

Oh, PC games are steam only... was thinking about console games

[Cephius]

If that's the case, they should have removed the codes for a free copy of pc portal 2 when you buy the ps3 version since that's a direct competitor as well

Good point. Maybe for whatever reason, they decided that OnLive is more a competitor to them than Steam is. Or maybe they figure that people will give away their extra copy to a friend (is there anything stopping you from doing this?) and hurt their future sales.

[Correction]

OnLive forums are abuzz with rumors that unscrupulous GS employees are now taking the gutted onlive coupons and ebaying them/selling them to unsuspecting customers.

[izembo]

the free copy of portal 2 was for buying a copy of portal 2, that wasnt really competition. and with the company Impulse going under Gamestops name it is indeed possible that they would consider that competition. i wouldn't imagine seeing anything steam related going further either. it's not really hard customer service in a store to just explain this and seriously, who uses onlive?

[izembo]

Regarding the Deus Ex OnLive Codes: GameStop’s policy is that we do not promote competitive services without a formal partnership.
Square Enix packed a competitor’s coupon within the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution without our prior knowledge and we did pull these coupons.
While the new products may be opened, we fully guarantee the condition of the discs to be new. If you find this to not be the case, please contact the store where the game was purchased and they will further assist.