Kid: "Thanks for calling Gamestop, where we have the best Christmas bundles for the most affordable prices and you can subscribe to Game Informer for only $9.99 a month plus you get a free Resident Evil watch which will allow you to be on time for any zombie attack. My name is Mike, How can I help you?"
Reg:" Sell one more of those goddamn bundles and I'll string your staff up by their balls."
Kid: "Wha?"
Reg:" You're making Nintendo's focus on affordable prices look like crap. I can't have that. I work too hard to make this company what it is today to have it ruined by some snot-nosed brat."
Kid:" You work for Nintendo?"
Reg:" Yes, that's why I'm calling, genius."
Kid:"....Is Mario there?"
No, of course Reggie Fils-Aims would never call Gamestop. However, the unofficial bundling of Wiis with extra games via various online retailers has displeased Nintendo, and this isn't the first time Nintendo has expressed that sentiment. From Reggie himself:
"Retailers have already been given feedback that we are not big fans of that," Fils-Aime told Reuters. "We think it masks some of the price advantage we have versus our competition and, frankly, the consumer should decide what they want.
Not that Reggie's ire will stop many a retailer looking to increase their item count for sales, but some may listen considering Nintendo's muscle. Personally I miss the days where bundling was a given, but I can see the point Nintendo is trying to make - they don't want to lose their advantage over the pricier consoles. Regardless, a kid needs a game to play once you finally find the damn Wii, doesn't he?
[Via GamesIndustry.Biz -- Thanks Jonathan!]
Contest:
12:19 PM on 12.18.2007
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As for them being pissed, I don't blame them. That's why I couldn't get a 360 for Christmas the first year, my parents said they wouldn't buy a 700 dollar fucking bundle.
So I bought my own after Christmas.
But anyway, this post was genius Collete. I lol'd. The picture was perfect.
The whole point of the exercise was to give consumers choice, not back them into a corner.
They're doing it to capitalize on the current Wii fervor. Who knows what the market or supply situation will look like come January 2008. Lock them in with a purchase while it's still at the top of their wishlists AND blunt any consumer animosity from the fact that the only way to snag one currently is by surviving a frostbitten winter night outside Best Buy, plundering octogenarian communes, or getting ass rapped by ebay powersellers.
I thought you had kids? You lying bastard.
Regardless, I don't understand how masking the price advantage is hurting Nintendo. They can't make enough to meet demand. Unless Reggie is saying, "People will not be satisfied with the Wii if they paid $350 for it."
Which is probably true.
Glad to see one of the big 3 speaking out against this bullshit. It's consumer gouging. We wouldn't accept this practice if we were buying a car. A game system should be no different. But I suppose the real problem is people who will buy the packages anyway.
if a bundle was pick two games out of ALL the games we have not here is one crappy game and some shitty accesories that will work for about half an hour I wouldn't mind, but thats what they put with them.
Considering I just recently got around to buying a PS2, this issue doesn't really effect me.
What the hell is up with the pricing on those though, eh? They're charging more than double the cost of a Gamecube for them.
Yeah, really fucking painful moron.
Welcome to Dtoid, the new Joystiq. Game Informer is 14.99 for a yearly subscription.
And nevermind overlooking these bundles are only online.
Ron Workman would be rolling in his grave if he read this trite.
Yea I know Nintendo isn't totally to blame here, but at the same time this retailer practice shouldn't shock them, there were shitty bundles last year too. I bought my Wii with a bundle this summer, but I was able to pick and choose what items/games I wanted with it, only had to choose 2, and the choices fit me just fine.
Gamestop: Hey let's just shit on these people over that want a Wii cause you know, we cater to the gamers. Let's add 3 games, an extra controller, SD card, Wipes for cleaning the discs, a magazine subscription, extended warranty and this here lube to make it easier to fuck you.
It's pathetic. But Reggie knew this shit when they aligned themselves with Gamestop.
Also, liqideos can go fuck himself.
No U!
Also: "...Is Mario There?" made me poop my pants a little.
Wiibayers selling just the system for the same price = Free Market Opportunist
Post on Dtoid = Retards with internet connections
I second the pants-pooping.
Nintendo is just pissed that they didn't charge more money for the machine in the first place.
NO BUNDLES in actual stores, that is only online. GI price is wrong and is never said on the phone, and i dont know where the hell the other thing comes from..
Seriously..
Thank you for calling GameStop where we buy and sell used games, this is Mike, how can I help you?"
Its been that way for nearly THREE YEARS.
sigh...