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Gamestop has stopped online WotLK Collector's Edition pre-orders
Until recently, Gamestop was offering pre-orders of the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, the Collector's Edition. At this point, you can still pre-order, but you'll have to drop in at one of their locations, because according to their website, they are "currently not available online." Being Canadian, I'm an awfully sad panda right now. I could not decide if I wanted to pay the extra $20, plus customs, and have to wait an extra week at least in order to get my hands on one, and now I'm regretting not putting in the order. At least it would have been a back-up I could have canceled later!I stopped into my local EB Games last night and was told that they do not know if, when, or how many copies they'll be getting. Of course, if you're willing to shell out approximately $300 for a copy, Amazon has you covered. Anyone else have any leads?
Rumor: Beyond Good & Evil being reissued this month for $10
A NeoGAF user apparently snapped the photo seen above, featuring a promo for a $10 Beyond Good & Evil reissue coming this month. The sheet, allegedly stuffed in a GameStop binder, shows the reissue is only for the PlayStation 2 version. It'd be a shame considering the GameCube version would work perfectly well in all those millions of Wiis. The Xbox 360 does not currently support backwards compatibility for the Xbox version of the title.We've contacted Ubisoft for confirmation of the information on the sheet. Meanwhile, this is a good a time as any to remind you of our "Where to find BG&E" post from earlier this year.Update: Ubisoft's response to our inquiry: "We sell a PC Download of Beyond Good & Evil for $10 through our digital store." Um, that wasn't the question.[Via Game|Life]
LittleBigPlanet pre-orders: Canada and EU
Apparently, those LittleBigPlanet pre-order bonuses were specifically only for the United States. Canadians will have to keep watch on a separate, slightly different pre-order campaign. Only two out of the four announced items will be up for grabs in Canada, namely Kratos Sackboy and Nariko Sackgirl in-game items. Like the US, Canadians can get Kratos from EB Games/Gamestop, while there is still no information on the Nariko code yet. As for all of you across the Atlantic, European pre-order items will be "announced shortly." While you wait for that, have a gander at the UK box art posted above. Isn't it beautiful?
EB Games Canada: GameDays sale deets
Canadian gamers have read over the details for GameStop's USA Game Days sale and wondered, "when's it gonna be my time?!" The answer is, right now and until June 22.EB Games and GameStop stores in the Great White North are offering a slew of Xbox 360 games and bundles on the cheap--well, what they consider cheap at least. Gamers looking to pad their Xbox 360 library, or Gamerscore, should take a look at the sale as some offers are only available for a limited time throughout the month of June.Oh, and if anyone asks you if you'd like to pre-order something, exclaim "Yes, I would!" excitedly and promptly leave the store. Totally messes with their heads.Full listing of specials after the jump. $5 not required.
Anti-Aliased: How to pick the MMO for you
Let's be honest for a moment - there are a ton of MMOs out there. We have everything from fantasy, to dystopian future, to fantasy, to horror, to fantasy, to pirates, to fantasy, to sci-fi, and even all the way down to fantasy. While this is great for people who love choice, this is a complete nightmare (or should I say Bloodymare, ha ha, gaming puns) for anyone who's new to the genre or wants to start off with a fresh game that's different from what they're playing.How do you separate the good from the bad? How do you know if you'll stick to a game? You don't want to gamble with an expensive game only to find out that you totally hate it and wish it would burn in the deepest depths of hell. (I'm looking at you, Risk Your Life.) So, do you rely on what your friends tell you or what reviewers tell you?In my opinion, no one knows you except you. So when you sit down and want to pick the right game the first time, here's a few pointers and suggestions to get you started.
EB Canada offers full value for select GTAIV trades
Canadian gamers who purchased their copy of Grand Theft Auto IV at any EB Games midnight launch are in for a treat. According to a flyer distributed during launch events, gamers who trade-in Grand Theft Auto IV with proof of original purchase from any EB Games midnight event will receive a trade credit of up to $59.99 until May 13.We anticipate that EB Games assumes most people will hang onto GTAIV and this deal is structured to entice some people, without flooding their inventory due to the recent release of the game itself. This deal is similar to another promotion EB Games has been waiting to run for Haze and is in line with another failed promotion, the dollar-a-day trade program at select stores.Will you hand over your copy of GTAIV for $59.99? What would you buy with the credit anyway? Actually, we hear GTAIV is out, maybe you should use the credit for that.
EB pulls plug on radical Haze promotion [Update]
You may remember last week reading about a Canadian EB promotion that would allow you to buy Haze, play it for a week and then return it to the store for full credit. It's a great promotion, but we're not sure it makes a lot of dollars and sense for Ubisoft. That's probably a good clue as to why we're sadly reporting that the deal is no more.MTV was told by Ubisoft that "there had been a miscommunication between the publisher's Canadian arm and the EB Games retail chain in Canada." You know, the offer seems pretty self-explanatory to us, we're not sure how a miscommunication could have happened.EB Games: Wait, so you want us to give people full price back if they return the game within a week?Ubisoft: Absolutely.EB Games hangs up.Ubisoft: Oh, and by full price we mean $30. Hello? Are you still there?[Update: Reader Duggy promptly pointed out that this ad is still on the EB Canada website. So, what does that mean? We're trying to find out.]
Play Haze for a week, get all your money back
Canadian EB Games stores are partaking in one of the most ... intriguing trade-in offers we've ever seen. If you pre-order Haze and return it within a week, you'll get all your money back (in the form of store credit, of course). What could this possibly mean? It seems to suggest that EB Games is placing a vote of no-confidence in this PS3 exclusive. Are they expecting people to return the game so soon after picking it up?We're imagining this might not be a closed-loop system. Imagine this, if you will: you buy Haze, get the store credit, and then buy the same used copy you sold back to the store for cheaper, and pocket the difference. Then, return the game again ...It won't actually work that way, but it would be a humorous loophole to take advantage of. (Oh, and we highly doubt American GameStop stores will be as dumb generous.)
Rumor: Rock Band delayed in Canada until Dec. 19 [update 1]
Harmonix and Electronic Arts' love child Rock Band is supposed to launch its North American tour in a little over a week, but Canada might not be seeing this game until just before Christmas. Canadian retailer Future Shop (owned by Best Buy) has updated its listing for the game with a new release date: December 19 for Xbox 360 and the day after for PlayStation 3. (Curiously, a version of Rock Band without instruments is also listed for those dates.)A number of readers have also reported that their local Canadian EB Games are corroborating the four-week delay. There's no official word from EA or Harmonix yet. Online retailers are prone to error, and with just a week before the game is slated for release, we hope that's all it is. Otherwise, given such short notice and such a noticeable delay, local EA offices might have a mosh pit of angry Hockey fanatics to contend with.Update: bits bytes pixels and sprites has an interview with Harmonix where it is noted that packaging regulations (i.e. Canadian boxes must have English and French text) might cause a short delay -- though we hardly doubt that would justify four weeks of absence. It should also be noted that the PS2 version of the game is due out December 17 which, if the delay is indeed an error, would explain the origins of the miscommunicated release date.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Rumor: Wii Fit priced at $69.99?
Considering that the game won't be released on American shores until early 2008, it's probably much too early to consider any announced price for Wii Fit to be definite. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime even stated that the company still needs to research the cost of its Balance Board controller before pricing can be accurately determined.Wii Fit's product pages at EB Games and GameStop, however, list a placeholder price which is pretty much in line with what we're expecting -- $69.99. That might seem like highway robbery to those who naively hoped for the usual $50, but when you compare it with the expensive fares people will be paying to play games like Guitar Hero 3 or Rock Band, the bundle's pricing doesn't seem too unreasonable. Our only concern is that $70 might be too much for the casual audience Nintendo is hoping to attract with Wii Fit.%Gallery-4745%[Via Digg]
Phoenix Wright: Sales for All
Amazon has cut the price of Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, the sequel to everyone's favorite court-based adventure game, bringing it down to $19.99. We don't expect this deal to last for long, so race your shopping cart to the checkout lane as fast as your feet will allow.If for some reason, God forbid, you haven't played Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney yet and are hesitant to start the series midway through, don't forget that you can also pick up a used copy at GameStop or EB Games for as low as $21.99! We admit, that's still pretty expensive for a game as old as this one, but it's better than paying full price. All you'll need to take advantage of this sorta-bargain is the coupon we posted earlier this morning.
Save $5 on overpriced used games at EB/GS
We've always thought that GameStop and EB Games's used titles were, at the very least, $5 too expensive, especially when you consider the pittance they reward you with for trading in your games, old or new. The thrifty among you will find some solace in this coupon that both companies sent out last night, enticing you to "Save $5 when you buy any used DS game priced $14.99 or higher."You'll have a better selection picking out your game from the stores' shelves, but the coupon code, "EBC3002763," should also work with online purchases. If you head to their "Used Games" pages now, you might be able to scavenge preplayed titles like Elite Beat Agents and Resident Evil: Deadly Silence before the wolves descend upon them and tear their availability from your grip. Check past the post break for the coupon.
Store managers detail PS3 failure rate at less than 1%
The inquisitive folks over at Ripten decided to do a little research on the failure rate of current next-gen consoles. Their conclusions should come as no surprise, with the PS3 resulting in a low failure rate. What is surprising however, is the failure rate for one console in particular appears to be higher than previously anticipated. An EB Games associate singled out the Xbox 360 console by advising "failure rates for all other consoles were not high enough for EB to consider revising their policies" further claiming the failure rate of the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii to be "less than one percent." An EB Games manager reiterated the low failure rates of the Nintendo Wii by exclaiming that "zero [consoles] have come back defective." A Best Buy manager then went on record saying "a quarter to a third" Xbox 360 consoles sold, come back defective, confirming the 33% failure rate percentage. The methods used to determine failure rates for these consoles appear to be too elementary to really prove anything concrete. Nevertheless, this story allows us to breathe a little bit easier, as it continues to prove our console of choice can still fold like a champ and have a longer lifespan than that of its direct competition.[Via digg]
Medal of Honor Heroes gets sequel, according to EB
The retail release calendar has accidentally revealed a new title yet again. This time, it's a sequel to one of the better FPS games on the system, Medal of Honor Heroes. The aptly titled Medal of Honor Heroes 2 listing on EB Games contains no other information, but we think it's safe to assume that the sequel will feature the same massive online battles that the original had.[Via IGN]
Gamestop says no Metal Gear Solid 4 until 2008
Uh oh. Looks like gaming behemoth Gamestop/EB Games is sending a dreaded email to gamers who preordered Metal Gear Solid 4. According to an email sent earlier today, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots been delayed from its tenative September 1st, 2007 date and is now expected March 1st, 2008. This isn't the first time a high-profile title hits a sudden postponement, but we were gearing up in anticipation for this title to hold us over through the holidays. Without the hugely anticipated title expected until 2008, it could cause Santa's little helpers to drop off something else under the tree. Lets all hope this one doesn't quite pan out as the email indicates.
Midnight launches for Lord of the Rings Online
Can't wait to get your hands on Frodo? Wait, that came out bad. Um, ready to start your journey to Mount Doom as soon as possible? Gamestop/EB Games is holding midnight launches in select cities for Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Those waiting in line will have a chance to win t-shirts, signed posters, game subscription codes and various bits of other phat lootz swag. Here's where the cosplayers should start getting giddy: Three fans wearing the best Lord of the Rings-themed costume will win a special prize. Also, various members of the development team will be at the locations answering questions about the game. All events are from 11 PM to Midnight on Monday, April 23 at: Boston - Prudential Mall Chicago - 920 Church Street, Evanston, IL Los Angeles - Store TBD New York - Broadway and 33rd, 1282 Broadway Seattle - 248 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA If you don't know if you're ready to start the quest to get rid of that precious ring, the open beta for LotRO is still going on until next Monday. The game has received decent early buzz and has been a top-seller in the PC category on Gamestop.com for a while. We'll find out in a week if LotRo has what it takes to put a dent in the unstoppable megahit World of Warcraft.
Confirmed: 360 trade-in value increased [update 2]
Over the past few days there has been a few rumors hitting the web about potential Xbox 360 trade-in prices increasing over at EB Games and Gamestop for the launch of the Elite. Well, we got in touch with a few Gamestop managers and it's true. The promotion started today and dramatically increases the trade-in value for original Xboxes, Xbox 360 Cores, and Xbox 360 Premiums. If you trade in a Premium 360 they'll give you $250 in-store credit, $200 in-store credit for a 360 Core, and $50 for an original Xbox. These trade-in price have increased pretty dramatically, because last week Gamestop was only paying $190 for an Xbox 360 Premium, now upped by $60. Both Gamestop managers also said that the new trade-in credit does not have to go towards an Xbox 360 Elite, but what other reason would you have for selling your 360? There you have it all wrapped up and confirmed. More trade-in cash for your old Xbox 360 to buy yourself a black Elite if you so choose.Update 1: We're thinking there may be a little confusion in Gamestop's head. We just got word from Kevin (who works at Gamestop) that the trade-in program uses coupons that are not valid until April 29th. Kevin says that the only way to increase the trade-in value is to use these coupons and the only way to get these coupons is to buy an Elite. So, according to him, you need to buy an Elite to get the increased trade in value. But, we double checked with our local Gamestop managers and they still are saying we could come in today and they'll pay us $250 for a Premium 360. Maybe all the stores just aren't on the same page ... silly Gamestop.Update 2: Even more details have emerged.
Live in Canada? Have a lot of games? Get a PS3 for $400!
We're assuming the $399.99 price tag is in Canadian currency -- and the price does go towards the 60GB model PS3. What do you have to do to get this deal? Trade in 10 applicable games and get the deal of a lifetime. Well... probably not. Applicable titles is a tricky situation -- they're probably games that either just came out or have a certain trade-in value (an excuse to finally get rid of Disgaea -- the game that's worse than crack).Don't want the 60GB? Well, you can also get a deal on the 20GB model while it still exists -- same conditions apply, but the discount drops the console to $290. That's all we know, since we're a bit far from Canada to test it out. Anyone interested, see what the deal is and drop a comment. We're going to say that unless you beat games really quickly and trade them in, it won't be a great deal. But it seems like it might.[thanks, Cagalli!]
PSP gets even lower price: $170 for Core
Ever since GameStop reduced the price of the PSP Value Pack to the price of the Core System ($199.99), we expected the Core System to drop in price as well. Looks like our suspicions were true. Starting tomorrow (April 3), all GameStop and EB Games locations will drop the PSP's price down to a paltry $169.99--a savings of $30.Think this is a hoax? You'd be wrong! Joystiq confirmed with GameStop, even providing images from their tipster. Check out more proof, after the break. With PSP's new lower price, will it be able to more effectively compete against the Nintendo DS?
Pre-order the Xbox 360 Elite? Not at GameStop
According to Evil Avatar, GameStop and EB Games will not be taking pre-orders for the upcoming Xbox 360 Elite. The decision not to take pre-orders apparently stems from an uncertain number of consoles being allocated to each store. EvAv notes that there is no confirmation about whether or not customers will be able to pre-order the fabulously expensive 120GB hard drive.So, if you want to snag an Xbox 360 Elite, you'd best be prepared to wait in line for one. Well, that or you could pre-order it somewhere else. Has anyone out there pre-ordered an Elite?
