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!]
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21 comments + 95764 views
If you don't like gamestop-esque bundles, Reginator, than why did you just announce your Wii guarantee deal with those douchebags?
@ hoydenspare: Reggie can't hear you on Destructoid. They're doing it so people don't get as pissed at them for their lack of Wiis.
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.
Those retailer-enforced bundles are nothing short of evil.
Yes, the kid needs a game to play. Just not Ninjabread Man. Or use those shitty why-the-hell-were-they-made plastic doohickies that nobody buuys outside of the bundles?
The whole point of the exercise was to give consumers choice, not back them into a corner.
@EDS:
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.
He does need a game but usually GameStop bundles the games that no one wants, as well as shitty third-party accessories and GameStop-branded merchandise. It's all shit. If the kid wants a Wii just buy him Super Mario Galaxy with it, you can never go wrong with Mario.
EDS
I thought you had kids? You lying bastard.
Blah, blah, blah, market forces, supply and demand, etc.
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.
By the way that GameStop quote you did at the beginning is classic, but tragically accurate.
Sic 'em Reggie!
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.
nice spiel.
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.
reggie smash!
Evil Bundles are Evil!
That guy creeps me right the fuck out, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did threaten to chew someone's face off.
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.
Great fucking Gamestop transcription. I can't believe those motherfuggers have to say that every time they pick up the phone.
"Thanks for calling GameStop, where we buy and sell used games?"
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.
Since Nintendo couldn't keep up with the demand for the product this is what retailers will do. Demand is so high, people that are desperate to get one for their kids will buy the bundle, no matter what, if it means Timmy can have what he wants for Christmas. They shouldn't be shocked about this. Retailers know how bad people are jonesing for one of these, and since they can't get enough to meet their customers demands they might as well get as much money as they can for it while they can. Yup it sucks I know, but this is the market Nintendo has created for themselves.
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 does not do bundles in store, they only do it only where they are less likely to get extra purchases. If nintendo would just use some of their profit to open a new production line they wouldn't have to worry about bundles.
Good for you Reggie, maybe they will start to bundle systems with things really need like sex, drugs and rock and roll.... Bundles are garbage and I wish one of the companies would just stop selling consoles to one of them as an example...that shit would stop real quick I think.
I wrote about the ways of Bundles awhile ago. It basically amounts to Gamestop and other retailers guaranteeing themselves a profit. I personally feel that it should be stopped altogether as at least it's unethical and at worse they're ripping people off. Gamestop is basically doing the "Ebay" bidding war without the bid. Whoever are willing to afford their trumped up bundles..win.
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.
You left out the quote where he threatens them without threatening them.
Also, liqideos can go fuck himself.
Make more Wii's and you wouldn't have this problem.
@Sharpless
No U!
what sharpless said.
@Colette's post and not the numerous of retards blathering on fanboyishly: I miss the days of "mandatory bundles" too, when it meant that you got the system, TWO goddamn controllers, and a flagship game. I remember opening up my NES on Christmas Day and getting two controllers, the zapper, and Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt right off the bat. Now THAT'S a bundle.
I would like to see Reggie and Nintendo try to muscle Wal-Mart in stopping any Wii bundlings. Wal-Mart will set their eyes (cue Imperial March music) on Reggie and make him tuck tail and say sorry.
So true. The bundles are bs. Normally, bundles start to disappear after the first few monts after launch, but the Wii is an exception.
They still get Wii Sports right? That is all the game that people need.
Good.
You don't fuck with the Reggie.
sweet a resident evil watch
Amen, DrNutt.
Also: "...Is Mario There?" made me poop my pants a little.
Is it just me, or does Reggie look a little bit like John Mayer in that picture? He just needs hair that’s more curly...
Ha! Reggie should come and visit York here in the UK. I'm after a second DS so I've no need of a bundle or any more games. There isn't a single retailer in town who'll sell an unbundled console on its own though, not one. Actually they're not selling any as they seem to be rarer than hen's teeth. I've been given various reasons for the bundling from the frankly pathetic 'if we didn't do it people just buy them to put on ebay' to the at-least-honest 'there aren't enough to sell so it's the only way to make any money'. We're in need of some Reginator stomp-ass for sure.
GameStop selling bundles = Horible
Wiibayers selling just the system for the same price = Free Market Opportunist
Post on Dtoid = Retards with internet connections
i'm sure it's been said, but i hate the bundles. they give you the games they can't sell and the useless peripherals that nobody wants. the only bundle i've ever bought was for the gameboy advance, and i calculated the price as costing more than if i had bought each item individually. i was stuck with a 5 pound rechargable battery, some rubber grippy case and some other bs, along with a game i wanted and two games i didn't want.
:(.
Nintendo is just pissed that they didn't charge more for the wii. With ppl stealing wii's from old folks homes because they can only find them on ebay... Nintendo is jealous. Sure the outrageous prices on ebay are great press, but this is only telling the truth about the sale numbers Nintendo could have. Just wait until those other colors hit the market. Oooh... a black wii, that will def get the middle-aged Nintendo fanbase craving for more hardware. FUCK the games who needs them when ya got motion CUNTrolls.
Last year when I was still looking for a Wii, I tried to buy one off of walmart.com but the only ones they had were bundled with a bunch of stupid games I didn't want. I think most people would rather just buy a Wii and get their own games separately.
It'd be cool if retailers would actually listen to publishers on this, but for some reason, I think this will fall on deaf ears.
@MechaMonkey:
I second the pants-pooping.
What? Have people never heard of shopping around?
Nintendo is just pissed that they didn't charge more money for the machine in the first place.
Note even close dude..not even close..
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...
No dude I've called gamestop and they give a huge speech before offering any kind of help. Funny.
Good on Reggie for showing that Nintendo does not support this.
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