EB-Gamestop wants your Halo 3 money -- now!
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 1st 2006 at 11:15AM }
EB-Gamestop has launched an aggressive campaign to secure your Halo 3 pre-order, today -- well, technically, yesterday. Chances are if you're on file, the company spammed you yesterday, via phone, to let you know that pre-orders for three different Halo 3 editions are now being accepted.First, the details (or lack thereof): EB-Gamestop is collecting $5 for the standard edition, $10 for a collector's edition, and $25 for Legendary Edition (a.k.a. Master Chief's bust). The company cannot confirm the final retail price for any of these items*, nor does it know when it will stop accepting your free money. "We stop taking pre-orders the day they call and tell us to," a Gamestop employee in the New York area told us today.
Certainly there's a pre-order cap, but what is it? Collectively, retailers sold more than 1.5 million Halo 2 pre-orders. Let's assume each of those pre-orders cost $5 -- knowing that many were sold for more. That's $7,500,000. Say, EB-Gamestop secured 30% of those pre-orders; then the company alone pulled in $2.25 million, plus interest.
Accepting Halo 3 pre-orders now is taking advantage of us, the consumers. The game isn't due until at least next year, but for fear of pre-orders suddenly ceasing, for fear of not owning Halo 3 on day one, we go out there and hand over our security deposits; and the retailers sit on it, making money off of our money -- the money that bought us nothing more than a promise.
It's fine to offer pre-orders a few months in advance. In fact, it's a good idea -- but only once the release date is known; the retail prices confirmed; and shipment numbers allocated. But asking for our Halo 3 money now? Today? C'mon, you really gonna play us like that?
*Legendary Edition is rumored to be priced at $100.
[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
32_Footsteps @ Nov 1st 2006 11:22AM
Okay, pardon me for asking the really silly question, but how far along is Halo 3 in development?
I mean, we all know it'll come out eventually, sure. But how much work has Bungie actually done on the game? I mean, hell, you could probably accept preorders of Final Fantasy XIV right now too, since you know that'll come out eventually. But shouldn't we wait until they're at least 75% of the way finished with developing the game before accepting preorders?
Firegirl @ Nov 1st 2006 11:23AM
It's not worth my money to preorder anything because on the date new releases should be out, they never are in my town. Can't wait to see this game, but it's not worth the trouble to preorder.
Toneman @ Nov 1st 2006 11:25AM
My Gamestop has been asking me to preorder Halo 3 since the 360 came out.
Intentless @ Nov 1st 2006 11:26AM
Halo 3 is just about to enter the alpha phase. I will personally be pre-ordering because it is only in the first few weeks that it will be hacker free, at which point I won't play online anymore...
Arachneya @ Nov 1st 2006 11:31AM
"*Legendary Edition is rumored to be priced at $100."
Rumored by whom? Joystiq? That is the most ridiculous statement I've read here. How about "let's make up our own rumor: Legendary Edition will be available for the princely sum of $117. Go secure that pre-order now."
By chance, is the standard version of game rumored to be $59.99 US? Because I'm not sure what it fact/likely and what's made up anymore.
lothar @ Nov 1st 2006 11:28AM
Its software on a standard DVD format not BluRay there shouldn't be any issues manufacturing these in mass amounts. Preorders are pointless, just go to a Best Buy or other larger chain where they order 1000s of units and you wont have to worry about not getting one on release day.
ill trooper @ Nov 1st 2006 11:28AM
Yes... What was that lame automated phone call I got last night? A pre-order one year out is a little extreme to me, especially when a disc can be far more easily mass-produced than a piece of hardware - In less than a month, you could likely make a disk for every 360 sold if you had to, even if MS hits 10-15 mil next year...
bassbeast @ Nov 1st 2006 11:28AM
Thanks for stealing my argument about why I don't like pre-orders in principle. I published that a while ago.
Plaid Ninja @ Nov 1st 2006 11:28AM
No game is worth $100
BlindsideDork @ Nov 1st 2006 11:32AM
So it isn't just MS who wants your money! haha I kid...
But after hearing about EB gaining money off pre-orders, I decided to pay the bare minimum for my Wii pre-orders and I pre-ordered to make sure I get it.
The people who are obsessed with that overrated game (Halo) will dish out $150 for it probably.
jc @ Nov 1st 2006 11:31AM
I don't pre-order anything, thanks tho...
Iscariote @ Nov 1st 2006 11:31AM
This blows. I wouldn't feel any need to preorder normally, but I don't want to preorder next March and find out I'm five thousandth on the list for a Legendary preorder.
I'll probably go tonight and preorder, ugh.
brogan @ Nov 1st 2006 11:40AM
Why are you paying before you receive anything? We don’t pay for them in Britain. pre-orders surly aid the shop by giving a fair idea what the true street buzz about a game is and there for how many they should stock. Paying to be a market research participant seems a bit off to me.
romeo @ Nov 1st 2006 11:41AM
For some reason the saying "a fool and his money are soon parted" comes to mind.
PopKornPlaya @ Nov 1st 2006 11:43AM
#9 Arachneya
theirs supososed to be 3 versions
a 50 , 70 , and 100 $ one
Skwurl @ Nov 1st 2006 11:42AM
#9
It's a joke you idiot.
tentaclesex @ Nov 1st 2006 11:42AM
I would be really pissed if they violated the sanctity of my phone with that call. Jerks.
droptop GP @ Nov 1st 2006 11:49AM
So my pre-order money sits in EBs bank account collecting them intrest??
This is who they make a lot of money. It's like buying gift cards.
There will be so many copies, you shouldn't need to pre-order...and there's still not nearly as many 360s out there as there were Xboxs like the H2 release.
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itsasecret @ Nov 1st 2006 12:37PM
why do you guys act like its so bad to take pre orders?
If you dont want to pre order it, then go fuckin stand in line or buy it at best buy.
You all know halo 3 will probably be the biggest game to release in along time. The money you put down goes towards the fucking game..put 5 bucks down and stfu, or fucking dont put 5 bucks down and stfu
skwisgaar @ Nov 1st 2006 11:56AM
Can you wear the helmet?
baby sea tuna @ Nov 1st 2006 12:12PM
Yeah, every time one of those places tries to get me to pre-order something, I remind them of the $50 I put down on a launch 360...the one they finally ended up getting in in February '06 (3 months after I scored one at Best Buy,) and politely tell them to eat a dick.
On the opposite side, I have a friend who pays for all of his pre-orders in full, and well in advance, so he's probably in line over there as we speak. One born every minute indeed...
logikil @ Nov 1st 2006 12:18PM
If you want to get some other screens of the game as well as what the legendary package will look like, Xboxyde has some screen shots from Famitsu of all places.
waxc3 @ Nov 1st 2006 12:20PM
i preordered mine over a year ago from ebgames.com just in hopes of getting it the first day.
i remember when i bout mario 3 the store (not electronic b) was taking orders for mario 4 and mario 5!
i heard about the legendary set for halo3 last night on attack of the show on G4. it has lots of extra things included one of which is rumored to be some sized helmet.
i would rather get a phone call about "please order this game soon" than the ones i do get.
i got 3 calls in the last 2 days from the republican party machine telling me why to vote for them! i dont wnat anyone calling me asking to buy or donate anything, but its gonna happen at least it was for a cause i respect.
MJ @ Nov 1st 2006 12:37PM
Pre-ordering and paying for it is pretty much the most ridiculous idea ever. If you wait till Amazon puts it up you get to pre-order for free. No advantage to those non-virtual stores unless they have some savy exclusives. But I played Halo 1 and 2 and therefore know that 3 will be just as bad. Awfully terribly bad.
droptop GP @ Nov 1st 2006 12:57PM
There will be so many copies, why bother pre-ordering??
There's not nearly as many 360s out there as there were old Xbox like the Halo 2 release.
turo @ Nov 1st 2006 1:22PM
itsasecred made the best comment yet and he gets -1 stars? wow the guy that posted this sure is sensitive about the truth. no one is forced to do anything and ppl still cry about it. for shame...
Agent MOO @ Nov 1st 2006 1:26PM
$100? you people are crazy, I'll just be adding it to my GameFly Queue for $0 extra....
Sign up for gamefly, it rules! http://friends.gamefly.com/r/b922fd84bb261029919d
Trylks @ Nov 1st 2006 1:31PM
This is way excessive in time, but it would have been really hilarious with Starcraft: Ghost.
What about Duke Nukem Forever? Are they accepting preorders too? Because eventually it will be available, if there are some developers still working on it looks like they'll never quit (nor finish).
droptop GP @ Nov 1st 2006 1:39PM
They'll announce PS4. Xbox 720 & Woo pre-orders next.
Anything to get you're $$ to sit in their high intrest bank account.
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Anti @ Nov 1st 2006 1:47PM
Ok so everyone has their collective panties in a wad but lets take a look at this not just from a consumers point of view but from an investment point of view. If you bought one share Gamestop stock a year ago you would be up over 20$ a share, thats enough free money to put down on the Legendary edition and not even have it really come out of your own pocket.Wait it gets better... The money you made from buying GME,put that money back into the company at less than what it costs to buy one share GME is about 50$ a share (when you pre-order 10$)this results in something like "EB-Gamestop secured 30% of those pre-orders;the company alone pulled in $2.25 million, plus interest."
This is the kinda news warms the hearts of the Bulls on Wallstreet and in turn boosts the value of the company and said stock,thats right your 10$ could mean a 5$ or more per share boost when this news comes out. This means you make even more money on the stock because you used the money you made from your intitial investment(even if it's just the profit from one share)by putting it back into the company,you increase the value of the stock, by the time the game comes out you could stand to potentially make enough money that GME and it's pre-order system could buy the game for you soley on profit from your shares.
So there are two sides to the coin my idea is why not gather as many coins as possible and let the company buy your games and pre-orders for you.
unimental @ Nov 1st 2006 2:03PM
Yes, EB-Gamestop can earn interest off of your pre-order deposits, but they don't get to record sales revenue until the actual completed purchase. One other thing to keep in mind is that companies are required to return funds to customers who don't complete the purchase, otherwise face the wrath of state escheatment laws.
Gonzo @ Nov 1st 2006 2:17PM
Are there really THAT many people who give these fruitcakes money for nothing?
It's like what HL Mencken said: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
Anyone who takes part is basically lending Gamestop money but collecting no interest; sounds like a crap deal to me. Not to mention the fact that they will sell it on eBay (instead of the customer who pre-ordered) if they can make allot of money off it. And if you demand your money back because they won't give you whatever at launch, so what, they still held on to your money long enough to make money off of it.
I could tell that place was a rip off the first time I went in there and saw that all of the used games are maybe $2 less than new copies. That doesn't even cover tax.
Damien @ Nov 1st 2006 2:22PM
I know if you pre-order online at EBgames.com with your credit card they don't charge you anything until it actually ships. So place your order online, no money up front, and you can cancel it if you want before it ships but at least you know you have your order in!
Neoxkc @ Nov 1st 2006 2:39PM
Gamestop will only be accepting preorders until Gears of War comes out, then no more. Also, someone said that Gamestop has been asking them to reserve Halo 3 since 360 came out, impossible. It was not even in their Point of Sale until today. So, yeah....
Also, STFU Joystiq! It's so stupid that you post this, and yet there is concrete evidence to support the games progress via various magazines as of late, and Bungie's weekly updates.
Halo 3 is (probably) not as far off as you make it out to be.
Kevin @ Nov 1st 2006 2:51PM
It's true. I went to go buy Children of Mana today and the store's manager asked me to pre-order Halo3 since he saw that I have GoW on pre-order on file.
I said 'are you out of your mind? the game wont come out untill a year.'
Then he went on some spiel that it'll all be sold out and that now Gamestop runs EB they wont receive extra games to be sold only those sufficient enough to merit the pre-orders.
THEN after that his assistant said it would cost the consumer 100 dollars, yes 100 DOLLARS for a video game. Right after he said that the manager was like 'I'M DEFINATLEY GETTING THAT.'
Unbelievable.
Ryan LN @ Nov 1st 2006 4:04PM
When games are concerned, preorders are a joke. For practically any given game you can walk into Target at 8:00AM EST of 1st retail date and pick it up off the shelves, pay for it by cash, check or credit card and be on your merry way in a matter of five minutes. Every major title that I have purchased on first date of sale within the last five years I have purchased this way. Consoles may be a different story (wish I had that PS3 preorder) but as far as games are concerened, preorders are a unnecessary- but boy, what a cash cow for retailers! Think about it: if the numbers are accurate, and there were 1.5 million copies of Halo 2 preordered at a minimum of $5 a preorder, at a relatively conservative 6% interest that's $450,000 in interest. FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. For what? A relaxing trip to the store? The right to play it immediately?
I'm not in favor of giving corporate american any more of my money than absolutely necessary. Botched and asinine console launches have proven that preorders are a good idea in those instances, but for games- keep your money. Open up a saving account instead and put $5 a day in it. You'll thank me in 20 years.
maddog @ Nov 1st 2006 4:25PM
yes to preorder anything 95% of the time is a waste of your money.but there are some things that you would want to insure you get them ,like halo lmt.they will not have many copys of that.thats why its called limted edition.like wise pre ordering the hddvd with king kong movie is good too, only so many hddvd are giong to come with that movie.
Pince @ Nov 1st 2006 5:03PM
Um, yeah they are going to play you like that. In fact, I don't see why anyone else, in the position of Gamestop or EB would start selling preorders any later than ASAP.
For one thing, if you think it is too early to preorder then...um don't preorder. I don't understand how you can criticize a company for 1.making the preorder available and marketing it and as follows 2.wanting money. Nothing is being forced upon you. Stop whining.
Secondly, it is not like you are paying more money in the end. They arent ripping you off.
The basic concept of business here is that, with that 5, 10, or 25$, GS/EB is not making any more money on the sale of Halo 3, but they can take that money and invest it into other ventures and business activities, which gives them interest revenues/business opportunities which they would not have had until Halo 3 released if they didnt do preorders. The sooner they get your money, the better. They would be stupid not to offer preorders in that case; it gives them payment for a product far in advance. If people will pay it (and they will) may as well offer it.
Now, if you don't want to pay this early for Halo 3, all the power to you. Hopefully, you have some investments or ways of putting that money to use in the meantime. However, if that 5$ is just going to sit in your wallet until Halo3 releases because you hold some sort of spite for Gamestop/EB for anouncing preorders so early, then you just arent performing up to the economic optimum now are you.
The main deal is, I dont see why people get pissed about Gamestop/EB offering preorders this early. If you try to make the argument that, were you in their position, you would do something different, then I would like to hear why it is a better idea.
Griking @ Nov 1st 2006 5:32PM
It's not so much the pre-order thing that gets me, it's the attitude that people absolutely HAVE to get a game as soon as it's released that makes me laugh.
The way I look at it is if you pre-order the only thing you're guaranteed is the right to pay the absolute highest possible price for the game. If you can show a little patience and wait a month or so after the game is released you can get the same game for almost 1/2 price. Besides, a little time will also allow you to read reviews of the game and see just how good the game really was or if the magazines were just blowing smoke up your asses.
I laugh at everyone who paid $50 for Madden. Even the so called "Collector's Edition" of 2006 goes for only $20 now.
Game Artist @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:35AM
Pre-ordering games is just silly. If its out on day one, you'll be able to pick up one within a week. Its not like hardware where it can be out of stock for months.
MadKmkze @ Nov 1st 2006 7:35PM
This preorder is not bad. Think about how many games you preorder and get pushed back until next year, so why is everyone making a big deal about this. There will be 3 different ones to pick from so if you don't want to pay $100 than you don't have to. There is simply choices for the consumers, so you pick whichever one is right for you.
Turk 182 @ Nov 1st 2006 10:55PM
Pince is the only one who had anything actually intelligent to say. There is confirmation on actual prices BTW but I won't disclose it as it will be public knowledge shortly. You know us EB/GS employees work really hard to make buying/trading etc. fun and enjoyable. Some of you have grudges agaisnt the company because you a) had a bad experience with one of the 3% of bad employees that exist in EVERY business or you b) applied for a job there and didn't get hired so youbash us instead. pre-orders give us and the devs/ pubs and idea of how many to a) produce and b) gage probable demand for marketing etc. If you don't want to pre-order then don't, I will be enjoying my legendary edition however and hopefully you won't. Funny thing is half of you bastards criticizing pre-orders are the same f*cktards that call the local store everyday like some crying arse fanboy asking, "any word on Halo 3?" Can't please not one of you simple creatures. Contrary to popular belief most of us in the stores from DM, to SM to sales assoc.'s are gamers and we care about our hobby as much if not more than most. 'nuff said!
Pat @ Dec 19th 2006 11:16AM
I never stick up for gamestop so this is the only and last time I will. If you as any store manager or district manager at EB or Gamestop, they will actually tell you that they want you to only put down the minimum on any preorder. I hear alot of people saying that EB/GS wants to take all your money make money off of it before the game even comes out. The fact of the matter is, is EB/GS corporate want you to only put down the minimum for any preorder because why.........because any good salesman knows, if somebody has paid for something in full, chances are they do not have any other money with them. They are simply going to pick up the game and go home. If a person puts 5 down and owes 45, then they have that money and chances are, they have alot more. I used to manage an EB and left when GS took over because of the BS that GS puts you through. So put down 5 all you want and think you are hurting them, fact is, your actually hurting yourself. If you really want to hurt them, keep your old games, never buy used, and always ask for the District Managers # if you have a problem. We were trained to always give that number away. In my 3 years, my DM never turned anyone down. I hate EB/GS!
cheekymunky @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:28AM
how come no one was outraged that GameStop was taking preorders on Twilight Princess 2 years ago? Or FFXII about 2 years ago? Or Halo 2 even 2 years before it came out? Why the outrage now? Either reserve it, or don't. Anyone who is outraged by this is welcome to the dick buffet...all you can eat.
justifier @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:43AM
nobody likes xbox halo all the real players are pc players when is their gonna be a halo upgrade for pc
Ross @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:00AM
When you preorder, you are paying for the guarantee that you will get your product the day it is released. The problem with what EB/Gamestop is doing is that they lie to consumers about this guarantee when they cannot actually assure you of that promise. I learned the hard way when I placed a $75 reserve on a 360 at each store months in advance only to be told closer to the actual release date that I would not be getting my system in the first shipment. The guarantee I paid for was a flat-out lie- and though I got my money back, it irks me that they made interest off of it (and everyone else's money) within the months they had it. Likewise with Halo 3- though the game itself will be widely available (since it is easy to replicate dics), I am confident that many people preordering the Legendary version will be dissapointed when Eb/Gamestop finds out they'll only be receiving enough Master Chief Helments for half of the customers that preordered. Eb/Gamestop does not know for certain what the product availabilty will be, and they should not deceive people into thinking that buying a preorder will guarantee anything.
gyro3683 @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:32AM
Stop complaining. You might be living with your parents, mooching off of them so you don't have to keep a budget, but if you have money for everything you want, then more power to you. If you don't then you know what it's like to wait for something, then run out of money when it finally came out. It's easier for me to go put down 10 or 15 bucks every couple of weeks on a reservation, than spending 60 all at once. I don't lose any extra money, and once it's paid off, I don't have to worry about untill it's time to go pick it up. It's not very often I have an extra 50 or 60 dollars just laying around waiting to be spent on a game in one day, but if I ration it out, I might be able to get what I want.
justifier @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:44AM
xbox halo is not where the real players are we are on pc when is next gen of halo pc
Justin @ Jan 10th 2007 1:29AM
This article was a bit frustrating. I work at Gamestop. This article, which I thought was going to make me more excited for H3, turned out to be a big Gamestop/EB bash. First off, yes we do offer preorders on upcoming games. This deposit, which comes off the price of your game, is Fully Refundable, for Any reason. Now, if you told me that I could put money down on my favorite console game, and I could get that money back at any time for any reason, but untill then (if that situation arises) I am Guarenteed a copy, and a phone call when that game comes out, I'd ask you where to sign. And thats just what I did, I preordered a copy of the legendary for myself from my home Gamestop. And for that "free money" comment, you are paying for a portion of the game right then, if not all of it. I thought this article was a little out of line, and it seems like they could've done a bit more research on the preorder aspect of Gamestop/EB, before tearing it apart. I felt hurt a little bit after reading that, but then realized that regardless of whether or not it seems like a good idea, if you can secure your copy of halo 3, only a fool wouldn't.
Zach @ Nov 2nd 2006 11:30AM
I dont really understand why you are all bitching if you are that into a game that you read online artlicles about it then actully take the time to bitch about it then you will buy the game so stop bitching and stfu. When you preorder a game the money you put down is taken off of what you pay for the game so what does it matter it just reserves a copy for you. And when you preorder games at the store i order at they have a VIP line for those that preorder vs. the regular line that people have to wait in on the release date. So it pays to reserve games.