The Daily Grind: Should stores pull game boxes for games that are no longer for sale?
It's an ongoing joke among MMO fans: finding a shelf at your local Stuff Mart that contains Tabula Rasa boxes for sale or maybe a few copies of Realtime Worlds' version of APB. While doing some shopping this week, I came across a shelf of DC Universe Online boxes for $39.99, and while DCUO isn't free yet, it still set me thinking.
Do stores have a certain responsibility to keep track of the status of these games and adjust their stock accordingly? I've heard both sides of the argument. On one hand, the retailer purchased those items for resale, and if the shop can sell them after the game has closed, changed hands, or gone free-to-play, more power to it. Maybe someone even wants to purchase one for nostalgia's sake.
On the other hand, those shops are selling a nonfunctional product to potentially unsuspecting customers. Is the onus on the retailer to keep track, provide a warning to customers, and maybe even pull the items from the shelves? Or is it the customer's responsibility to make an informed purchase? Let us know what you think!
Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
