Alright, I just got back from a video game store and I'm going to bitch for a bit.

The State of Video Game Stores
I do not like the direction these stores are headed. I've noticed it for the past few years, but here are the top reasons I hate them.

First of all, I usually go to the store to browse through the games. Sometimes I want an old game, sometimes I'm there for a release date. But now, the geniuses up above realize they are losing money in inventory. The business side of me realizes that they are trying to get zero inventory in the store, but this does not work to the average gamers advantage. Everything is Pre order this, pre-order that. What if I don't want it now? What if I'd rather wait for a review? Ohhh, they're sold out, because the dumbass store only bought 4 extra copies. Like there are only 4 others out there like me. Fuck that. See, and I found out another sneaky thing... I was at the store two weeks ago and saw Silent Hill 4 was $50 pre-order only. This week, it looks like it's $35 and they have multiple copies left. They get the suckers that need the game the day it comes out, and then entice the others to jump on the bandwagon with a lower price. Granted this strategy would work if it was an A-listed game... But with all these games coming out before the holiday rush, guess what? They're losing out. Bottom line, if things continue the way they are right now, the only way we'll be able to buy games older than 6 months old is by going online. And that's no fun either. Who wants to buy a game and sit around for 3 days waiting for it to come by? I did that once, for Sam and Max. But I spent more on shipping the game to me next day than the game itself. FedEx wins. I remember in my marketing class there was some sort of graph showing the product life span, but damnit, everyone gets placed differently all the time. Sometimes, we'll buy the game first thing, other games are not high priority, and sometimes we always wanted a game, but never bothered to buy it, but it caught our eye in the bargain bin.

Another thing. Strategy guides. They all ask you if you want a strat guide for a game you just bought. I understand the chances of getting one of us to buy the game is fairly high during the time of game purchase, but DON'T TRY to shove it down our throats. Most of these guys at the stores are gamers as well... They should know that unless it's an uber complex game with hidden stats and fucked up secrets normal humans would never get, WE DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE GAME. I didn't spend $35 just to go through the motions of playing a game. Maybe that's why adventure games are dying out though... Too many people are turning to walk=throughs strat guides to beat a game? Interesting. But something to blog later....

Finally... I DO NOT WANT TO PURCHASE A USED GAME FROM YOU BITCHES. Yes, I realize I can save myself a whole $5 on a game because some sorry sap decided he wanted $3 for a game he bought for $40. I do not want to fund you bitches in your quest for higher profits. I'd rather support the people that actually made the game, not the bullshit stores that are fucking things up for everyone else with strat guides and pre-order crap.

*sigh* I'm sure I'd be more coherent in a few hours, but I wanted to get it out there right now.