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Game Crazy parent files for bankruptcy, 250 stores to remain
Game Crazy can't catch a break as parent-company Movie Gallery has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. When the dust settles, only 250 Game Crazy locations will remain. The company already closed over 200 locations late last year. In total, Movie Gallery plans to immediately liquidate and close 760 stores in its financially fallible trinity of brands: Movie Gallery, Hollywood Video and Game Crazy. The company hopes to emerge from the "restructuring" with a "new and sustainable business model centered on a smaller base of profitable stores." The only division of the business unaffected by the bankruptcy is the company's Canadian operations. At least that's one good thing, eh? [Via Industry Gamers]
Survey says, yes, teens and tweens still want video games this holiday
Image credit: alliet What we want to know: If 86 percent of surveyed youngsters are asking for at least one video game this holiday gift-getting season, what miserable manner of childhood have the other 14 percent been living? No doubt leading a crusade to bring joy to teens and tweens everywhere (and, uh, recoup some losses), retailer Game Crazy has put together a handy buyer's guide for concerned parents.Don't know which video games to get your kids because they haven't clearly indicated them in large, bold, triple-underlined letters on their wish lists? Just follow these simple guidelines: For the "Girly Girl" whose fashion obsession is getting way too costly: Wii Sports Resort For the "Music Addict" who's not worth spending real guitar lessons on: Guitar Hero 5 For the "All Things Sports" lover who's just a tad bit uncoordinated to enjoy "outside" sports: Wii Sports Resort For "The Adventurer" who needs to learn that "real life" is largely confined to the indoors: New Super Mario Brothers Wii Oh, and parents, whatever you do, don't buy the oft-requested "Call of Duty" for your kids. It's rated M -- for Mature! -- for a reason. Might we suggest Ubisoft's wonderful line of imagination-expanding titles in its place? Don't worry, their initial weeps are totally normal. Trust us. They'll thank you later, once they've grown up to become animal doctors, champion riders, master chefs, movie stars, and ... babyz.
Game Crazy offers money clip for Darkside Chronicles pre-orders
With any other game, a novelty money clip, like the one Game Crazy is offering with Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles , would be quite an enticing bonus. But when pre-ordering across the street at GameStop will net you a T-shirt that turns you into a zombie, it takes a bit of the shine off the apple, doesn't it? Also, that Raccoon Police clip has the potential to start some uncomfortable conversations in the real world. Are you really ready for people to ask you if the Raccoon Police's jurisdiction extends beyond figuring out who tipped over neighborhood trash cans, or how you got your uniform over your bushy, striped tail? No, we didn't think so.
In progress: List of shuttered Game Crazy locations; MW2 Prestige pre-order, general pre-order, credits details
For a couple days now, we've been attempting to obtain an official list of the 200+ Game Crazy locations closing down this month. As we continue requesting that list from Game Crazy corporate, we're going to try and organize a list from you fine folks out there. Many have already been sending us locations that are closing and we appreciate it. We're going to try and make the process a tiny bit more streamlined: Go to the Game Crazy store locator. Find the store you know (not think) is closing. Copy the store's address as listed. (example: 7841 MALL RD, FLORENCE, KY 41042) Send it to our tips line with the subject "Game Crazy list" (using hyperlink will autofill). We'll begin organizing a list and post it after the break as soon as we can. Update: Significant updates since this morning. Added information about Modern Warfare 2 prestige pre-orders, general pre-orders and trade credits. [Thank you to everyone contributing to this story!]
Closing Game Crazy stores begin clearance sales this weekend [update]
The 200+ Game Crazy stores expected to close by the end of October will begin a liquidation sale, starting this weekend. Locations expected to shutter have received boxes and a list of items that are to be sent back for redistribution, which allegedly includes "all systems, major first party accessories (controllers, memory, etc)." The "majority" of games released within the last year will be also be sent out, "both new and used." Several employees have commented that closing stores will likely be "pretty bare" by the time the sale starts.The timetable for the liquidation, corroborated by several sources: 10/3-10/11: 30% off everything in the store 10/12-10/18: 50% off everything in the store 10/19-Closing: 80% off everything in the store There doesn't seem to be a consistent date for when the stores will close, but we haven't heard of any location staying open beyond October 27. We continue to work on getting a master list of which stores are closing, as well as a list of items sent back for redistribution. Request for official comment from Game Crazy corporate on several issues, including what customers with pre-orders at closing stores should do, have gone unanswered. If you're a Game Crazy employee with more details, please feel free to contact us*. *Tips will remain confidential, please leave a valid email address in case we have further questions. Thank you!Update 2: If you know of specific locations closing, click here.Update: Adjusted liquidation dates slightly following new information.[Thank you to everyone who contributed to this story!]
Game Crazy closing 200 locations in October [update]
Joystiq has learned that retailer Game Crazy plans to close 200 of its approximately 680 locations at the end of October. Sources working at Game Crazy stores attached to Hollywood Video locations have told us that the movie rental chain will remain open after their stores' closures.Game Crazy's official statement on the matter: "Movie Gallery, Inc. is currently operating in an unprecedented consumer/retail environment. In order for us to continue to best serve our millions of customers across North America we're addressing underperforming stores and ensuring that there is sufficient [return on investment] associated with each of these stores going forward. The vast majority of our stores will be unaffected by these efforts."For those who've placed a pre-order at a Game Crazy, it would be advisable to check if that location will still exist at the end of the month. We are currently working on obtaining a list of locations affected. If you're a Game Crazy employee with more details, please feel free to contact us*.Update: If you know a specific location is closing, help us with our master list: Click here.*Tips will remain confidential, please leave a valid email address in case we have further questions. Thank you!
Modern Warfare 2 footage leaked from retailer convention
Video previews for Modern Warfare 2 have been few and far, far between -- thus, we could be satisfied with moving pictures of the lowest quality, provided they depict the highly anticipated shooter in action. Footage of just this caliber recently came to us from a Game Crazy employee convention, where a cadre of overjoyed retailers got an early look at one of the game's single-player missions. Someone captured it on camera, and now it waits for your trembling eyes after the jump.A word of caution: The video shows off a really cool moment from the game that you may want to save till you're the one holding the controller. We won't ruin it for you here, but we'd be remiss if we didn't offer some insightful commentary on said moment: Holy crap! Sweep the leg Johnny!
Pachter says Best Buy's new games at used prices program will fail
Best Buy surprised the gaming public last week with the revelation that it was testing a new pricing program that would see the retailer selling new games at used prices. Specifically, the test store in Utah will match the used game prices of both GameStop and Game Crazy. According to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, the program isn't likely to last very long."I don't think it will do well," Pachter tells Game Politics, adding that price matching forces Best Buy to "either cuts their profit per game in half, or wipes it out altogether." He expresses the opinion that Best Buy can't afford to chop $10 off the price of a $60 game, saying that such a practice won't be effective "in the long run." Furthermore, even if the program does take off, Pachter believes GameStop will simply lower its used game prices "to the point where Best Buy can't match without losing money."He has a point, but, from the consumer perspective, it's hard to see a downside. Whether Best Buy's program succeeds or not, it still means lower prices, if only for a short time.
Nintendo turns Game Crazy stores into Wii Sports Resorts
If you're looking to try out Wii Sports Resort just a bit early, check out your local Game Crazy next weekend. The retailer will host a sneak preview event for the MotionPlus minigame collection on Saturday, July 25, just one day before the North American launch of the game. From 10am to 8pm that day, Game Crazy visitors will get to try out Resort, and also enter to win one of two $1,500 gift cards "toward a real-life resort vacation." The following day, Game Crazy will offer an extra 20 percent on games traded in toward the purchase of Resort, which suggests that they do expect people to buy some and not just play it in the store all day Saturday.%Gallery-27709%
Game Crazy releases useful retail app for iPhone
In the madness of E3, retailer Game Crazy released a nice little app for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The impressive little program gives all the standard info we'd expect, but a nice touch is that it also gives users the current trade-in values and prices for used titles, there's even the option to view trailers.The app is free and the only super useful function we noticed it's missing is the ability to give real-time information of titles in stock at stores. Currently, all it does is note the nearest Game Crazy location. We've contacted GameStop to find out if it has something similar in development, but knowing that corporation, we don't expect its app to give trade-in values. Actually, come to think of it, we halfway expect the GameStop app to ask if we'd want to pre-order anything before even opening.[Thanks, Brian J.]
Amazon trade-in values lag behind GameStop
According to a quick and dirty sampling done by What They Play, it looks like Amazon now offers significantly less than GameStop does for many used games. The study was conducted by looking up several popular titles for each major platform and comparing the trade-in values offered by GameStop, Amazon and Game Crazy. For many Wii and PS3 games, Amazon seems to offer much less than GameStop, while it curiously offers more for Xbox 360 games. Amazon trade-ins do have a few advantages over GameStop trades; one being that trade-in credit can be used to purchase anything on Amazon and not just games. Another advantage is that Amazon accepts trade-ins for many more platforms, going so far as to even accept NES titles.Perhaps the biggest lesson of the study is that Game Crazy seems to offer more for used games than either GameStop or Amazon. Left 4 Dead is one of the more extreme examples, with Game Crazy offering $27.25, while Amazon and GameStop offer $20 and $17, respectively. Game Crazy isn't as big as GameStop and doesn't have as many stores, but it might be worth seeing if there's one near you.
Win a trip to Waverly Hills Sanatorium from Game Crazy during RE5 launch event
Game Crazy is holding a little palpitation-inducing promotion during its Resident Evil 5 midnight launches this Thursday. Five customers who purchase the game will find a "T-Virus" icon inside the box, which will grant them a trip to Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, KY -- a "haunted hospital" shut down in the '80s for "alleged" patient abuse.Although the probability of winning is slim to none, just keep an eye out for the icon if you purchase Capcom's action-horror title from a Game Crazy location. The winners of the "fright-filled" trip to the sanatorium can bring a guest along for the loco experience July 11-12. There are also five T-Virus stickers in boxes at Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery -- those winners receive a year of free video game and movie rentals.
Game Crazy's Force Unleashed midnight launch cosplay parties
Game Crazy stores will be holding Star Wars costume parties next Monday between 8PM-1AM to celebrate the midnight launch of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Those in attendance voted to have the best costumes by a jury of their peers will be able to play the game starting at 10PM at the store, before it officially goes on sale at midnight. The person voted to have the best costume will win "one of 750 limited edition" Force Unleashed dolls action figures.Those who don't want to get dressed up now know where to buy the game at midnight if they're so inclined.
Wii Fit preorders jog away from retailers
If you plan on getting Wii Fit without being trampled by Oprah-watching woman types, you better have secured your preorder already, as pickings are getting slim.Not only has Amazon stopped taking them for Nintendo's popular fitness game, but IGN reports that GameStop has also suspended preorders for the title and Game Crazy is nearly tapped out. GoNintendo notes that Toys R Us (dot com) has run out of preorder stock, too, leaving Walmart's online store as one of the few options left -- although we're sure it's only a matter of time before that ends, as well. This sounds eerily similar to what happened in the UK a few weeks ago, and now retail copies of Wii Fit seem to be more scarce than holy grails there. The one lesson that we can take away from all this? Nintendo is really good at printing money.%Gallery-4745%
Game Crazy owner facing massive financial problems
Bad news for fans of video game retailers that don't have a "Stop" or "EB" in their name. Movie Gallery, owner of over 600 Game Crazy stores nationwide, is having trouble paying off massive debts accrued from its purchase of Hollywood Video and Game Crazy in 2005. The company posted massive losses in the second quarter of this year and creditors just granted a final extension on the company's loan payment obligations to Aug. 27.The company will stay open "without interruption as we work through this challenging period," according to a press release, but rumblings around the industry are that they might have to sell off assets before too long. If that happens, you can bet that other video game retailer will be ready to swoop in with a bid to increase its market share. Hooray for monopolies![Thanks Chuck]
Rumor: SOCOM and Devil May Cry appear on retail radar
According to PSX Extreme, game specialty store Game Crazy apparently has listings for two new PSP games: SOCOM Tactics and Devil May Cry. Earlier, Capcom refused to comment on a PSP Devil May Cry, neither refusing or confirming its existence. However, a new SOCOM seems like an inevitability, considering the success of the last two games.It would be great to get two more high-profile games on our system, especially Devil May Cry. Let's hope this rumor comes to fruition.[Fan art by timwork]
Movie Gallery to enter on-line video rental service
Movie Gallery -- the media cats behind Hollywood Video and Game Crazy stores -- just announced a foray into the online video rental service. Set to launch sometime in mid-to-late 2007, the new service is meant to complement its brick-and-mortar business. They also announced an extension to their movie kiosk program by adding another 200 movie vending machines to the 74 units already occupying high traffic areas in malls and supermarkets. How the new rental service (no mention of download-to-own) will integrate (if at all) with their recently acquired MovieBeam service is unclear. One thing's for sure however, Blockbuster had better get a move on if they hope to compete in this redefined marketplace which is both busting at the seams while simultaneously converging.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
Black Friday deals: get a PSP for only $150! [Update 1]
Cheapassgamer has rounded up the deals you can get today on Black Friday. So, get off the bed, ignore the tryptophan, and start shopping, like a true American. Here are some of the PSP deals:AmazonPSP system only $170. With free shipping.Circuit CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for only $30. That's $20 less than MSRP!Free Pelican kit with purchase of PSP.ATV Offroad, Ape Escape, Infected and Hot Shots Golf are all $10 each.Pirates of the Caribbean 2 is only $17.Wal-MartGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for only $15.PSP system only $170. That's $30 less than MSRP!MeijerPSP system only $150. That's $50 less than MSRP!
