Man, this holiday might start to be known for broken street dates from GameStop as two more high profile games received the corporate go ahead to get released before their release dates. Three stores in Jersey City, NJ, released both Assassin's Creed II and Left 4 Dead 2 ahead of their November 17 release date. The stores, numbers 4627, 4260 and 6005, said it was because a local independent retailer had done the same.
Kotaku gave the stores a call and all three said the early release was in order to be competitive with the independent store and that they had called corporate to make sure it was OK to sell the game early. This broken street date was for those stores only. No reaction from Ubisoft or Valve yet, but gaming companies have to be wondering how they can put a stop to this. It was just last week that MW2 was released early without permission from Activsion, but with permission from execs at GameStop.
And what of these elusive independent retailers who keep leaking games early? I would think a smaller retailer wouldn't want to risk getting cut off from the developer for dropping the game early and thus wouldn't risk it. Could GameStop simply be claiming others are releasing the games early so they could get the drop on their competition? While I'm wildly speculating, it's possible they were also involved in the Kennedy shooting.
Matthew Razak is Destructoid's Associate editor and co-founder of film site
Flixist. He began as community member "cowzilla" and was since sequestered to write brainy features material. He lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife.
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Contest:
2:00 PM on 11.15.2009
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Basically, Irvington = The Ghetto.
Jersey City = The Ghetto.
Notice a trend?
So I don't blame these GameStops, not with how quick word probably spread about the independent stores selling shit early.
Still, you'd think they wouldn't need to worry about competing so much with smaller stores.
Yeah this doesn't surprise me one bit. The people around here can be pretty dense sometimes. "Street date? Whatevs bro."
I lived it Jersey City for a while and it's the absolute asscrack of America. If any place is getting rammed in the ass by the economy it has to be northern Jersey. No one can afford to keep AAA titles in the backroom.
Also, GameStop is full of shit as a company anyway. My bet is on them pulling that stunt purely in the interests of getting the drop on their competition, as I wouldn't put that ethically-low tactic past them in the absolute least. This is StopGames we're talking about, remember?
If it's a single player game like AC2 (where severs don't matter) I'm sure devs/publishers are fine with it.
After all it gives them a few extra days to inflate their NPD numbers.
the early release was in order to be competitive with the independent store and that they had called corporate to make sure it was OK to sell the game early.
Corporate? Well, there's no excuse now.
One just opened up in my area while a Game Crazy store closed. The world is at peace, for now. =)
I wish the GameStops in Woodbridge would break street dates. Luckily, the 7-11s sometimes do it instead.
My kids watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Dragon Age sort of breaks up that pattern, unless you count it as 'the real NWN2'.
also jersey city does have a really nice downtown area. Detroit, however, is the definite asscrack of america. Robocop pretty much cemented it in that position forever
I just picked up a mint copy of Fatal Frame 3 for $25. That's about $10 cheaper than anywhere online, and we're talking mint condition. Gamestop is far from perfect, but it has it's uses.
"StopGames"? Seriously?
Personally, I might pick up a game early, but unless it's a Wii game, I sure as hell wouldn't play it early. People have been banned for less.
I dunno. They're pretty even. The thing about Detroit is occasionally you can find a likable person. People from Jersey are...ewwww.
I needs me some road trip fast.
/me continues to laugh.