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The Engadget Interview: GameStop CEO Paul Raines talks tablets, OUYA and the MVNO that never was
Looking to unload your unwanted gaming gear? You're probably on your way to GameStop. As the largest dedicated video game retailer in the world, it's hard to imagine a games enthusiast who hasn't browsed its wares a time or two. Over the last few years, however, the firm has been expanding outside of retail sales -- dipping its fingers into digital distribution, streaming and even phones and tablets. The brick-and-mortar store even seemed to be flirting with building a mobile network. With all these changes underfoot and a new console cycle just around the corner, it seemed like a good time to catch up with GameStop CEO Paul Raines to get some perspective.
N-Control Avenger Controller Elite reaches GameStop, sells like gangbusters
We got a look at N-Control's Avenger Controller Elite just last month, and the company is rounding out the hardware's May release with a full-court press on GameStop. The retailer's online store is now selling both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 variants of the controller assist as straightforward, bundle-free $50 units. Company creator David Kotkin also tells us that the add-ons have had an extremely warm reception so far: although the Elite lineup had an unsung launch at GameStop on May 29th, it sold out on day one and is still in tight supply, with Xbox 360 examples currently on backorder as we write this. N-Control may have had a tough road in the past several months, but it looks as though that perseverance has paid off.
GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores
GameStop selling Android tablets in-store isn't anything new, but we've been curious to see how well the initiative would take off following a soft launch at 200 locations last November. Things seem to be going swimmingly, as the company now has "more than 1,600 locations" stocking the slates. If you'll recall, the devices all come with pre-installed titles of the retailer's choosing, with models from the likes of Samsung, Acer, ASUS and Toshiba. There's still yet to be any word about whether you'll eventually be able to trade-in your own, but it would seem like a logical next step -- aside from becoming an AT&T virtual carrier. Hit up the source link below to see if a store in your area is part of the lineup.
DS Lite discontinued at GameStop
We caught wind of an internal GameStop memo this morning announcing the discontinuation of Nintendo's DS Lite. The memo (pictured above) asks employees to remove displays of Crimson, Black, and Metallic Rose models, once they've burned through their stock -- we've since confirmed the fact with an employee of the gaming chain. Not a huge shocker, of course, given the fact that the five-year-old system has since been eclipsed by 2009's DSi and, more recently, the company's glasses-free 3D portable, the 3DS. We have reached out to Nintendo for comment on the matter and will update this post with official word once received. Update: We heard back from Nintendo, receiving the usual "Nintendo doesn't comment on rumor and speculation."
DJ Hero Renegade Edition now accepting callers, lists for $199.99
So how badly do you want that metallic DJ Hero turntable? The game's official website is now directing your attention to GameStop and Amazon, both of which are now accepting pre-orders for the Renegade Edition (due to launch October 27th alongside the standard bundle) for just one copper Lincoln under $200. That's a $80 premium over the regular bundle but does also include a stand / carrying case hybrid and a two-CD collection. Then again, it's also well over the cost of the entire instrument bundle for Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero World Tour. Anyone gonna bite? [Thanks, HArry]
DJ Hero spinning a $120 price tag, October 27th ship date?
While far from being a confirmation, major online retailers Gamestop and Amazon have independently of one another put up listings for the DJ Hero / turntable bundle with the same October 27th ship date and $119.99 price tag for Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 owners -- the PS2 version is either the same price or $20 cheaper, depending on which site you trust. That's a good $70 less than the two-instrument Guitar Hero World Tour package, but of course you're paying for a more single-player setup. Again, we haven't heard word one from Activision, and with over four months until this supposed date, things are likely subject to change (assuming these even came from the publisher in the first place, and weren't just magically pulled out of a large, black cap with frilly edges). We wouldn't be surprised to see this being the final price, though, and either way, it serves as a nagging reminder that the life of a fake plastic musician doesn't come cheap.[Via Joystiq]Read - Gamestop listingRead - Amazon listing
Wii shortage finally nearing its end, says GameStop exec
We never, ever thought it'd take this long, but we've finally received a sign that the Wii supply and demand might be nearing some equilibrium, almost two and a half years later. According to GameStop SVP Bob McKenzie, the retailer now has a couple weeks' worth of supply, which seems to be fairly unprecedented given the numerous shortage stories we've heard over the console's 852-day lifespan. That's not to say the console's popularity is waning -- it's still topping US sales charts, and according to NPD, pushed over 750,000 units last month. So now that one shortage might be nearing its end, how about Nintendo find a way to keep Wii Fit in stock?[Via Joystiq]Read - McKenzie on Wii supplyRead - February NPD figures
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.
Gamestop places 16 in Barron's top companies list
Based on "cash-flow returns on investment," Barron's magazine (subscription required) has placed Gamestop at 16 in their list of the top 500 U.S. and Canadian companies. The infamous game retailer received an 'A' for increasing sales growth and an 'A' for 52-week stock growth, ultimately earning a grade of 3.5 out of 4.0. The hype surrounding the console launches was listed as a contributing factor -- and may we also add their massive profit margin with used game sales. Other games industry business Microsoft made the list at 21 with a 3.25 grade, earning a 'B' in stock growth and a 'C' for slowing growth. The period of preparedness prior to the Vista launch was cited as reasons the company did not rank higher.Barron's also recently listed Nintendo's Satoru Iwata among the world's best CEOs.
Tell Gamestop 'no reserves' with this geek chic shirt
Now you can advise Gamestop to just not ask without ever uttering a word. Perennial webcomic entrant Steve Napierski of Dueling Analogs has created this t-shirt, distributed care of Ze Stuff, for all those who like to rag on the biggest video game-centric brick and mortar retailer.Of course, showing distaste for Gamestop is the cool thing to do these days, so why not let everyone know what side you're on against in the Retail Wars of 2015?
Rumor: Microsoft will publish bargain-priced US Project Sylpheed
Never trust retail listings as concrete evidence of future releases, but GameStop has an interesting page up on its website for Square Enix's Project Sylpheed, here spelled Silpheed. What makes the listing all the more bizarre is its bargain price of $39.99 and its publisher, Microsoft Game Studio (which, oddly enough, is also listed as the developer).Of course, the actual developer, Game Arts (Grandia, Lunar series), has used many publishers -- Grandia II, for example, saw Square Enix publishing the title in Japan and Ubisoft publishing in US and Europe. We don't feel this has anything to do with Microsoft trying to butter up Square Enix while Final Fantasy XIII's exclusivity is supposedly in discussion, but that Square Enix had no interest in distributing the title outside of Japan. But, if the $40 price is accurate, how much faith does Microsoft have that US audiences will embrace the game? There's so much about the listing that feels shaky.No announcements have been been made by Microsoft, Game Arts or Square Enix. According to the listing, Project Sylpheed will be released July 11.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
512 MB MU falls off face of the Earth
As soon as it went up, it has gone down. The 512 MB Memory Unit listed on Gamestop for $49.99 with a March 1st ship date has since been removed. Microsoft has stated that there hasn't been any announcements of releasing a larger Memory Unit. Also worth noting is that retailers occasionally jump the gun based on information currently available, take some of their listed release dates for example. Until confirmed, those are just speculation and placeholder dates so pre-orders can be made. In any case, time will only tell whether or not we'll hear anything more about increasing the memory card's capacity. So what do you think will be officially announced first, a larger Memory Unit or Hard Drive? Place your bets.[Via Next Generation]
512 MB Memory Unit listed on Gamestop
Back in early December we reported a 256 MB Memory Unit being listed on Gamestop. Apparently, the same page now lists the card as being 512 MB, double the capacity of the previously unconfirmed accessory. This definitely can support the rumors of the new 250 MB cap for arcade titles and even the 450 MB limit that needs Microsoft's approval. The $49.99 price tag isn't that bad, for those that utterly oppose buying a hard drive for their 360. With the 20 GB alternative out of the equation, ten bucks for eight times the storage is an obvious steal. So would you pick one up if your 360 is a Core, or your profile is on the go between Xboxes?[Via Gaming Bits]
Pachter gets one right; GameStop stock worth buying
When video game analysts are mentioned, most of us who closely follow game news think of Michael Pachter. Like any analyst, their predictions aren't perfect. In fact, many abide by the 51% rule; if you get at least 51% of your predictions right, you're a good analyst. Back in November, Pachter predicted GameStop (GME) to ride a wave of consumer spending on video games. GameStop has released some information proving that buy a good one. GameStop has increased its already strong revenue outlook by $50 million and its Q4 earnings per share from $1.53-$1.59 to $1.58-$1.60. On top of other interesting sales promotions, GameStop certainly enjoyed the console launches and top-selling games like Gears of War immensely. GameStop is still looking like a strong buy with the strong Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii lineups for 2007 along with continuing PS2 support (though not everyone is in consensus on this). Since we're going to make some money off this one, we're going to forgive Pachter for some of his missed predictions.
Respect the Ratings: GameStop unveils new campaign
In an effort to promote ratings awareness (and garner a little PR while they're at it), GameStop has launched a new campaign, Respect the Ratings, aimed at helping parents understand more of what their children are playing. The campaign's website is a meager four pages but is designed with the time-strapped parent in mind. Featured on the website are ratings explanation, genre classifications, and even a glossary of popular phrases so that parents can "crack the code" of the gaming language. We're impressed by the selection of terms, including troll, patch, and lamer. However, some more spelling variants would've been amusing: while they do have both "owned" and "pwned," why not include pwnt, pwnz, and 0wnz0rd? And Leetspeak is all well and good, but the deduction-challenged adult might not connect the term with 1337. The Resources page offers a comprehensive list of links to peruse, including many gaming sites (CVG, GameSpot, GameRankings), safety-oriented sites, and main ESRB page. We'd like to see a news tab that gives a personal feeling to the site and coerces return visits. We're not expecting full-blown coverage (leave that to us), but maybe a weekly post that gives a brief highlight on the news to keep parents up to date on some of the news that the gaming kids love to use.
GameStop has more Wiis, PS3s for Black Friday
During an investor conference call, GameStop has confirmed that both Nintendo and Sony have sent the retailer new shipments of Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles just in time Black Friday, which is only a few days away. Even better, GameStop has also expressed confidence in a weekly shipment of each console, although did not provide specifics on how large any of the shipments would be.Other information from the call, as reported by GameSpot: Unsurprisingly, Resistance: Fall of Man and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were big sellers for their respective consoles. Other standout hits include Madden NFL 2007 for the PS3 and Red Steel for the Wii. According to their sales, the game-to-console ratio for the Wii was 3, while the PS3 was about 1.5. GameStop attributed the disparity to the prolific eBay PS3 auctions and said it should grow once the consoles get in the hands of "real gamers." A constant stream of consoles is a good sign of trying to keep up momentum, but we'd be happier if executives could pin down a minimum number of consoles per shipment.
PS3 launch shipments restricted to top 5 retailers?
According to a memo obtained by GameDaily BIZ from smaller video game chain Rhino Video Games, Sony has "decided to limit the supply of hardware (systems and accessories) to its top five volume retailers (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.)" on the November 17 launch day. However, we know of at least seven major retailers receiving PlayStation 3 units on launch day. In addition to Target and Wal-Mart, we know GameStop / EB Games, Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears and Toys 'R' Us are having PS3s on launch day. We know supplies will be very limited and GameStop won't be fulfilling all of its PS3 pre-orders (already conservative figures).That smaller retail chains will not have PS3s on launch day is not that surprising, but only the "top five retailers" is wrong and makes the memo a bit suspect. Rhino Video Games will not be getting PS3s on launch day -- a fact reaffirmed on its website -- the rest is not true. Rest assured, there will be PS3s for sale at all retailers by the end of 2007. We hope.
GameStop cannot fill PS3 preorders
Retail chain GameStop has confirmed to news outlet GameSpot that, despite playing it cool with PlayStation 3 pre-orders (approximately 8-12 units promised per store), the retail chain cannot fulfill all the initial preorders after receiving a launch allocation number from Sony. That's right, folks: even though you've already given the store $100 to reserve the system, you may not get one at launch. GameStop has done the smart move of asking its employees to wait on their purchases until the second shipment. A representative who spoke to GameSpot is "anticipating having systems to cover reservations before Christmas." Those who have a preorder through GameStop should be contacted by phone and given a status update. The unfortunate souls who have a PS3 preorder but will not receive one at launch will be given a free used game or DVD valued less than $20 ... whenever they finally get their PS3. After having promised $100 to the company, it's unlikely most customers will be willing to spend $600 elsewhere -- or wait in line, for that matter, when they already did so a month prior. It's too soon to tell who's fault this is, the retail outlet or Sony itself. We'll know soon enough just how many units will be sold on launch day. What happens to those who put their PS3 on eBay and now get it delayed? Will they be faulted for GameStop's actions? See Also: Japan to get fewer PS3 launch units due to part problemsMath fun with the PS3 and GameStop (PS3 Fanboy)[Thanks, DawgOnU and everyone who tipped us off!]
GameStop unveils $700 Wii-mega bundle
Beginning Thursday evening (and lasting maybe a few minutes), hopeful gamers will be able to go on EB Games / GameStop's online page and pre-order Nintendo Wii. Akin to the Xbox 360 pre-orders last year, GameStop will not let you order the Wii outside of a bundle package that totals $694.88, or approximately 280% the price of the Wii console alone. The bundle, which we're dubbing Wii-mega, includes: The Wii console ... $249.99 1GB Wii-emblazoned SD card ... $59.99 Additional Wiimote ... $39.99 Six Wii titles: Twilight Princess, Trauma Center, Red Steel, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz, and Madden NFL 2007 ... 6 x $49.99 = $299.94 12-month Product Replacement Plan Game Informer Gift Subscription Assuming "gift" means complimentary (i.e. free), the 12-month product replacement plan values $44.97. Savvy shoppers can find 1GB SD cards for a little over $30, and those savings could be used to buy a nunchuk for the second Wiimote. And while the games listed do span a wide demographic of gamers, we can't assume all consumers are going to want to invest in every game.The fine print is also amusing, with the safety words "contents subject to change" and "ordering this bundle does not guarantee shipment at launch." After $700, you are not guaranteed the listed contents nor a launch window assurance. We're sure these bundles will sell out, even if the store shelves don't. Our advice: if you simply have to spend $700 on Nintendo, buy the pieces a la carte on launch day, and then give the rest to Child's Play.[Thanks Sam and everyone else who sent this in!]
GameStop sued by Louisiana store managers
Six Louisiana GameStop managers have filed a collective law suit against the company, declaring that they have been wrongfully denied overtime pay. The problem derives from the Fair Labor Standards Act, which states that those persons "employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity" do not receive overtime pay. The GameStop employees, whose suit stems from having to work up to 50-60 hours some weeks without overtime pay, claim that they have no manegerial abilities. According to those involved in the suit, GameStop employees are not allowed to: Determine how much to pay the store staff Make any decisions regarding price Make any decisions regarding what and how much to stock Decide the location of items on shelves Control the hiring and firing of their own employees (such a decision was made by district managers) It does seem like "manager" is merely a title. As GameSpot (note the swapped 'p' and 't') reports, a similar suit is ongoing in New York, where Electronics Boutique employees (pre-GameStop merger) in 2004 filed suit about unpaid overtime and denied minimum wage. GameStop is asking that the Louisiana case be dropped due to the similarity of both suits, though the New York case is in the early stages of settlement.[Thanks, Mole]
