I'm pretty sure the EB Games at the Rideau Centre uses the bathroom as storage. It's pretty central in Ottawa too. Not that it really matters since I'm pretty sure they aren't culturing samples of bubonic plague in there and that no one is licking the box their 360 came in, it only bothers me in the feeling that it just adds to the lack of respect EB/Gamestop has for its customers. Like "this copy of Spore has a few pee stains on it but I swear it's brand new. $59.99 please. Do you want to get an EB Edge card for $15?"

This is definitely normal.

I worked at an EB Games three years ago, and yes, we ended up using the bathroom for storage during the XBox 360 launch.

In my opinion, I didn't see it being that bad; so long as the games are not propping the toilet up and we assume the employees have a certain level of hand-eye coordination.

They are such a huge chain of stores why not just rent out larger spaces? It doesnt make any sense. They make so much money off used games sales who not just get bigger buildings?

if i worked in a game store that did this i would piss on the 360's just to get the message to management that:

A. customers deserve to be given a product that hasn't been stored in a place designated for SHITTING and PISSING.

B. game store staff deserve toilet facilities that aren't full of xbox 360's.

"It's a common practice in the retail business to give loyal customers a break."

I'm not upset by the practice of membership cards it's that the Edge card is totally worthless. You need to spend $200 to recoup $5 from the cost. I'm gonna spin into a rant if I go further.


"The majority of new games that are sold are still shrink-wrapped from the factory and the few that aren't are opened because it was the last copy and the case was used as a display - but the game has never been played."

That really doesn't matter. I buy a new game so that I don't have stickers and shit all over my case. I like my games pristine and as long as the game is guaranteed to work I don't mind in the end but it cheeses me off to have to spend 20 minutes peeling a sticker off so that I don't have glue rectangles all over my game.

"Plus - used games are cheaper, so why drop more money at a department store (which, by the way, supports them in underpaying and taking advantage of its employees. It's a stab at Wal-mart.) I don't get why there's all this hating on GameStop, it's actually a good deal."

It's not. If I want used games I'll go to eBay and get it for half the price. ANY online store will offer cheaper prices than Gamestop. I used to buy from Gamestop to support game companies that deserve my money but since used games offer no support at all I may as well get a credit card (a piece of plastic with actual usefulness) and save not only about 40% off the New price but another 15-20% off the Gamestop price.

And picking at Wal-Mart is like saying "at least we aren't Nazis". Everyone already hates them and thinks they're the worst thing ever so to say you're better than the worst isn't saying anything at all.

GameStop's have bathrooms?

BLASPHEMY.

Has happened in 2 games I have worked in. Only during xmas mind you.

I worked at an EB Games that did this. Two years later I worked at GameStop that did this as well. You barely had room to use the restroom at both.

The website is called "Engadget."

Ira Flatow made the same mistake.

Not only is that new copy you got is gutted but also as some fecal matter and urine on it too.

@ Blind Assasin

"I'm not upset by the practice of membership cards it's that the Edge card is totally worthless. You need to spend $200 to recoup $5 from the cost. I'm gonna spin into a rant if I go further. "

The card is 15 dollars I believe....you save 10 percent on used products. You spend 150 dollars in the entire year and you saved 15, spend any more and you are saving money. L2Math.

non-news story - anyone who has ever worked at a retail store in the mall knows about this practice.

This isn't new news at all. I've heard about this sort of thing a long, long time ago. Not to mention that recently there was an ex-GameStop employee who was posting YouTube videos talking about how horrible the place is mentioned this tidbit of news as well. People didn't want to believe him though because he was just "disgruntled". Disgruntled or not, he was telling the truth.

We did this in the Electronics Boutique where I worked summers 2001-2004 or so. I thought it was just because we had a tiny store (half of the back room was occupied by the bathroom). Once we dropped a DS in the toilet! :D

Gamestop is gross.
cwutididthar?

When I did work experience at a Gamestation 2 years ago the toilet was the biggest storeroom in the building, because there was no more space in the building.

Bottom line, not shocking and certainly not something restricted to Gamestop. More of an industry wide trend.

@Blind Assassin: Rock Band 2 Special Edition and another Guitar(small question, is the Guitar wireless?).

Not hard shit. And lots of people actually buy it like that.

this is fucking unacceptable for any store. need room, then you fucking make room, not stick shit in the fucking bathroom. are all you other people saying this is okay know what the fuck you are okaying? i hate bathrooms, public and private and never touch those door handles without a paper towel.(because we all know not everybody washes their hands and thats the one thing everybody has to touch). that's fucking disgusting.and if you think otherwise, you are disgusting.

@ Daxelman

If you bought a car and someone said "Hey thanks for the $30,000. Since you're an auto-club member here's $100 back." Would you feel like you saved ANY money at all? It shouldn't be a question of whether or not it's easy to pass the threshold but whether it's even worth it. Rounding up, after spending $200 you've saved 3%. After you make back your first $15 you need to spend $50 to get another $5. In your first year of Edge card ownership you need to spend $900 to get a new 360 or PS3 game on saving alone. If you shop there exclusively and very frequently, you may as well get one since you're already pissing your money away but there is really absolutely no reason to own an Edge card.

What's the big deal? I do all my gaming in the bathroom.

Seriously, the whole "GameStop is evil and totally sux0rz" thing needs to stop. Don't like it, don't shop there; it's pretty simple.

The retailer does offer a number of services that many consumers and gamers could find useful. That includes, but is not limited to the "rip off" discount card people cry about. The fact is, if you do buy used games at GameStop (forget for a second that maybe you can get them cheaper on eBay, Craigslist, Goozex), you're going to save money. Additionally, I think anyone who is going to slag on Game Informer is ignorant -- because of their size and circulation, they get plenty of exclusive screens and game info before it even hits the net (the info hitting message boards the second it hits the printer, notwithstanding). Besides that, the magazine is high quality in terms of content and material, so I don't really get the hate there.

There are a lot of arguments for not wanting to shop at GameStop (or any retailer, for that matter), and I could make plenty of them myself. But most the ones I'm seeing are pretty weak.

People are pretty whiny today.

I dislike a lot of their practices, but I have to agree with Nick Chester here. They are a BUSINESS, they are supposed to try and make money. The people behind the counter may become annoying with the constant pre-order and discount card offers, but they're only doing their job.

I prefer to shop at Best Buy, but sometimes GameStop is the only option, and even sometimes it's the best option. So yeah, don't go there if you don't want/have to.

Besides, if they didn't offer things like used games and all, they'd have been put out of business by Best Buy a long time ago. Then many people would have no Video Game Specialty stores anymore. I can't say I blame them.