Speaking only for my local 3 or 4 Gamestop's, their policy for big launches is not selling any games to non-preorderers, even if they have them in stock. Case in point, when Halo 3 launched, and CCity had a bunch of scratched to hell copies, I went over to gamestop (because it was closer) to see if they had any that weren't scratched. The guy told me that they didn't have any for non-pre-orders, even though there was a mountain of them directly behind him. It's a scam to make people think that pre-ordering is actually a good idea, and not just a way for them to get your money early (and put it in the bank, and make interest on it basically, which means they make more money, if even just a fraction of a dollar on every pre-order)

That said, it's been YEARS since I've actually seen a game sell out (atleast around here, a metropolitan area). With DVD's being so cheap to produce, and boxes being just slightly more expensive, there is no reason why there should ever be a shortage. If anything, MAYBE they will sell out of the special edition version, but I even doubt that.

I agree with you on the shortage issue, BananaBoat. What's the point of pre-ordering? It's not like they can't mass produce a babillion more copies fairly quickly and get them shipped out ASAP. At the very least, you may end up waiting an extra week to get your copy. I'm not knocking those people who are super anxious to play the game and want to make sure they get their copy on release day. But let's face it, its not like it's going to be a console shortage. Plus, I've said it many times before: I hate Gamestop. They always give you the third degree if you didn't pre-order. :/

When I do pre-order, it's to avoid having to stand in line, or to get something extra. For instance, with GTAIV, I pre-ordered at Bestbuy, and got a free poster + Gamerpics for my Xbox Live account. Not a huge deal, and probably not worth 5 bucks, but darnit...I wanted that poster lol.

Ever since Gamestop started their policy of taking the discs out of their boxes, and throwing them loose into a drawer under the counter, I've never bought a game from them. If I pay 60 bucks (90 in the case of GTAIV) for a game, I want the friggin thing to be in mint condition when I get it. Not to mention that Babbages was my favorite store in the history of stores....and they ruined it.....but that's water under the bridge now.... ;_;

in my small college town (Salisbury, MD) where i buy my games, they say they only get enough for preorders but i remember i preordered Warhawk too late at GameCrazy and it didnt come in on launch day. i didnt feel like waiting a week for it to show up so i just went over to EBGames and picked it up. they had like 4 copies left.

also, i remember going into Walmart the day after the Halo 3 launch and browsing the game section. everyone i talked to about the game (since i dont play it) said that it was sold out at all the game stores, but Walmart had like 4 game rows FULL of just Halo 3 plus a couple more stacks at the bottom of the case. but that could be an exception cause it was such a huge release.

i know if i go to the stores early enough, i really dont need a preorder but i do it anyway just for the security. by the time a new game comes out im usually so pumped for it that i dont want to risk not being able to find it on launch day. i also like being able to say "i already got it preordered" or "ive had it preordered for like X months" when people ask me if ive heard about a game coming out (kinda nerd status thing i guess). plus gas is too expensive to be driving all over town treasure hunting a game.

Bananaboat and mikeG Yes, Mike is so right, our Gamestop has started pulling that crap. I stopped ordering and even preordering from them because of it. If they have a game in stock (and ISN'T reserved) they should sell it. They seem to think forcing people to get used to 'having' to preorder to get it will get them more preorders, it lost them my business.

Err, I mean bananaboat was right. Doh!

the funny thing is, the stores that aren't selling you those copies of the big games are actually operating outside of gamestop's policy.

Isn't it against the law for them not to...you're making me nervous...



OMG!

Well I do agree that it should be against the law to overbook flights, but we don't live in a perfect world, do we?

i have never gone to a midnight launch. i have too much shit to do during the day to stand in line all night waiting for a game that i would probably play all night when i got home. i usually just pick up my games on launch day after i get out of class and just play them for the rest of the day. luckily GTAIV is coming out like 2 weeks before i get out of school so it wont be too long before i can play it on the regular.

Not really. I like Midnight Launches because it's fun staying in a line with people who are just as pumped for the game as you are. So I basically do it for social reasons. And just to say I did.

@ Vegeta:

I'm going to call the word "social" an ironic word choice for that particular situation...

You're not the only one, but I do imagine a lot of the people on here are in the highschool to college age. And some people are so hyped about a game that they'll ruin a night's sleep or even take a day off from work to play.

Also, I think a lot of it is bragging rights.... so you can get online the next day and brag about how you know how it ends, etc.

College man - fuckin college -and yeah, I have finals all next week, but if you think I'm missin out on a midnight launch for that, you're crazy...

You only live once, and there are a million things in life that only come around once...so you better believe I'm gonna be there, just like I was for Halo 3 when I had an 8am exam the day of the launch....

You can sleep when you're dead. Playing video games in heaven has still yet to be confirmed!!! :-D

I'm taking Tuesday off for sure. What better use of a vacation day could there be? For my mental health :)

im a college student but i work a part time job too (damn near full time as much as they work me) so i dont have all that much time for video games honestly until the summer rolls around. im certainly going to pick up GTAIV on launch day (i have to work that day too which sucks ass) and ill just play it when i get home from work. wont be the first time ive pulled an all nighter lol. only one class i have that wednesday is really important so ill probably be done around 10am and then ill head home to play for the rest of the night. like Carpe said, ill sleep when im dead. (i actually say that all the time when people ask me "how do you do it" lol)

i would take the day off but i just started not too long ago and they start you on a 90 day probationary contract to make sure things work out before they get you for the long run. dont wanna tarnish that with calling out all the time.

I work the night shift until 2:00 am. (for a call center ,yay!) So it won't be to hard to be up there because I'm off on monday and tuesday.. and I also may have used some more of my paid vacation days for the rest of the week XD

@Granted

Depends. If you want to be one of the first few in line, get their a couple hours before. But if you really don't care, but at the same time don't want to be last in line, I suggest going at either 9 or 10 pm.

Maybe I just live in a smaller area, but I showed up at 11:30 for the Halo 3 release at gamestop and had my copy by 12:30.

Well said. I never have understood all the paranoia and hatred that starts flying around when a topic about preorders pops up.

If you are so scared about a company earning interest on your five dollars, just preorder like two days before the game comes out to minimize their gain. Of course, I expect that you will be pulling this five dollars out of a multinational-transglobal-intercontinental hedge-sweep-money market-foreign currency fund like all the big shots do.

Don't forget the $5 or whatever you put down goes toward the cost of the game (plus taxes) so it's not an extra $5 either, pre-ordering doesn't cost anything.

And if you think titles don't sell out, ask Atlas or NIS customers about that one... or all the people who couldn't find Splinter Cell Double Agent the week it came out, all the local Gamestops and almost every other store in the area where sold out (at least from the sounds of the people who came into the store I hung out at).

And honestly, those of you complaining about the interest that GS might be making on your crummy $5, none (and I mean NONE) of you better get an income tax return each year, because if anyone doesn't need to be making high interest on your money it's the Government (and they keep it for the whole year, not just a few months).