This is just a friendly reminder as you lounge idly on the couch watching TV while your stomach defrags a large Thanksgiving meal. Tomorrow is Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year in the US. Whether you're getting ready for a morning onslaught, getting comfortable with your computer's refresh button, or simply planning trips around shopping centers, here's a guide to finding the hottest deals.
Click on a store above to view its Black Friday Guide
the trouble with gaming laptops is usually gonna be finding a Wifi zone to do online gaming. Plus the size of the computer and having to carry and protect it. So, while they're nice if your taking a plane/train/greyhound bus, taking a DS with your favorite game(s) is just less cumbersome at times.They are nice if you're in college sitting through a 1 1/2 hour lecture though ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfchgCJP4rE a link to that graphics card playing crysis. i would say you can play most games out now just at at res lower than 1280 x whatever.
That laptop is a beast and will run any game you throw at it. A lot of games will need specs lowered, but that laptop will even run Crysis in medium settings with no AA at a half-decent frame-rate. It's a great laptop. A proper gaming PC will be more powerful of course, but if you're looking for a good laptop with some moderate gaming on the side, those specs are great.
Once the laptop comes in, I am going to use steam. The last time I used it was when Half-Life 2 cam out... so I'm excited. Homeworld 2 and Company of Heros is also on the play list.
@Foetoid,
Thats good to know. I've been out of PC gaming for almost six years so I have to idea as to whats good and bad. Now its time to get crackin' on that backlog
It's supposed to be the other way around. Black Friday is the day stores are supposed to start seeing major profits (black ink is positive, red ink is a loss...), to make up for the losses incurred during the rest of the fiscal year.
I worked at the mall for like 7 yrs @ Arby's and filene's/macy's and I hated Black friday with a passion, I think its the root of my disgust for Xmas, but anyways i finally get to and shop grant it one store, staples gonna get me a external HD yay lol but I feel your pain for those who work in the AM 2morro gd luck and if they give u shit if u have enough clout give them hell back :-)
I think Bam Margera put it best when he said "I'd rather rip off my d* and throw in the river" than go shopping on black Friday.
One year I decided to just get hammered (whiskey for breakfast anyone?) and have my wife take me to the local big box retailer... the only thing I got was a hang over.
I had tons of fun at Wal-Mart a couple years ago. I got off work so late the night before that it didn't take any effort to go to Best Buy, eat some hot dogs with guys who were too far back in line to get jack, then haul ass to Wal-Mart in time to see a woman cold-cock a teenager in the back of the head - in front of a cop - for a horrible $400 laptop.
Valve probably patterned the zombie rushes in Left 4 Dead off Black Friday footage. Go to one of these things and see if I'm wrong.
as someone outside the US, can i just ask: What they hell is this black friday that you keep going on about????!!
I'd assumed it was some reference to the global economy being in the toilet, but now it appears that its some kind of annual thing? Is it related to thanksgiving? (thats around now, right?)
Black Friday is the day following American Thanksgiving. Basically it kicks off the official Christmas shopping season. Black Friday itself is a day akin to Canada's Boxing Day, with lots of deep discounts on pretty much any product you could imagine.
It's the biggest shopping day of the year. Basically, there are no more holidays left until Christmas (which revenues billions of dollars world wide) so people try to get their shopping done early. After companies started noticing this, they lowered prices to attract millions of customers. Hope I helped.
It's called Black Friday because it was traditionally the first day of the year that most retailers saw their profits for the year climb into positive territory, or in the black.
It's also worth noting that Black Friday hasn't been the busiest shopping day of the year the past several years. It's been the Saturday before Christmas.
I was just listening to the Cheap Ass Gamer Black Friday live stream and Ron Workman was saying that Golden Eye is most definitely coming to the XBLA. It is currently, and has been for some time, kicking around in certification.
I don't know if its true of not, but I thought I would pass that tidbit of information along. Also, there is probably nobody awake at this point to moderate this post... except maybe for Ludwig... but we all know he can't read... right?
There's footage of it up on Youtube, complete with Live play, it was apparantly finished and ready to go, but apparantly Nintendo stepped in and told Activision that they wouldn't publish any more of their games for the Wii or DS if they released Goldeneye on the 360.
just got from toys r us picked up guitar hero 3 bundle for the 360 for only $50. not a bad deal. may or may not pick up aerosmith for $30 later today. if not i got some dlc to purchase
I picked up Banjo(No price change.), WaW($49.99), and Ninjatown($14.99) for myself and 2 copies of Dead Space($60) for my friend and brother. This was the 1st Black Friday that I haven't had to work in 7 years, so I had a lot of fun. Oh, also Portal ($9.99) and Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ($19.99) for my Dad on PC. Go Target.
I worked at Best Buy for about two years or so. Besides having to get there at like, 4AM, Black Friday was probably the most fun day to work. It was so insane and jam-packed that I couldn't help but be extremely amused by it. I worked in the computer department, so while it was still important to push all of the essential stuff (i.e. service plans), there was so much shit going on that it was more understood that people probably won't be buying it. Plus, management provided lunch, which usually consisted of either McDonalds or pizza.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rocko @ Nov 27th 2008 9:38PM
Can you make this a daily feature? I would like to be reminded everyday what tomorrow is.
Ignatius @ Nov 27th 2008 9:52PM
Or worse; you have to work retail that day.
Wiinterfang @ Nov 27th 2008 10:01PM
Dammit I have to work tomorrow it's gonna be horrible.
Alien Lord @ Nov 27th 2008 10:10PM
Shit is the ESA paying Joystiq to remind us it's Black Friday tomorrow?!?
Benstamania @ Nov 27th 2008 10:12PM
I have to work as well, up at 3 AM EST, be at work by 4 AM, doors open at 5 and I don't get off until 5 PM.
I HATE retail....
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 27th 2008 10:18PM
I'm thinking of buying me on of them mobile com-pew-tors and I want to know what games you think it can play based on the following specs.
Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile
2.26GHz
System Bus
1066MHz
3MB on die Level 2 (don't know if this is important)
RAM
3GB
PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive Size
250GB (5400 rpm)
ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3470
Alien Lord @ Nov 27th 2008 10:26PM
Buy a DS instead.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 27th 2008 10:31PM
I'm not a pc fan by any means, but being able to play pc games on the road >>>>>> than playing a ds.
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 27th 2008 10:48PM
the trouble with gaming laptops is usually gonna be finding a Wifi zone to do online gaming. Plus the size of the computer and having to carry and protect it. So, while they're nice if your taking a plane/train/greyhound bus, taking a DS with your favorite game(s) is just less cumbersome at times.They are nice if you're in college sitting through a 1 1/2 hour lecture though ;D
Durinthal @ Nov 27th 2008 11:26PM
As a general rule of thumb, nearly every big PC game made within the last 3 years will run poorly on nearly any laptop, if they will run at all.
If you want to play Baldur's Gate 2 or run old console emulators, it's fine. Unreal Tournament 3 or Neverwinter Nights 2? Forget about it.
BigD145 @ Nov 28th 2008 12:43AM
The trouble with gaming laptops is you get less than 1/10th of the playtime as a DS.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 1:05AM
Its not a gaming laptop and its main use isn't for games. It would be nice to play games on it though and I just want some kind of benchmark.
Like, will it play Homeworld 2? Dawn of War 2? Sim City societies? Sim City 4? Team Fortress 2?
Stuff like that. I'm not expecting to play Crysis or anything
Graham Wellington (formerly tyrone washington, or marsha goldberg) @ Nov 28th 2008 1:21AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfchgCJP4rE a link to that graphics card playing crysis. i would say you can play most games out now just at at res lower than 1280 x whatever.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 1:44AM
@Graham Wellington,
Thanks, that link was pretty helpful.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 2:12AM
I just bought a laptop.
I'm also slightly drunk
Foetoid @ Nov 28th 2008 3:19AM
That laptop is a beast and will run any game you throw at it. A lot of games will need specs lowered, but that laptop will even run Crysis in medium settings with no AA at a half-decent frame-rate. It's a great laptop. A proper gaming PC will be more powerful of course, but if you're looking for a good laptop with some moderate gaming on the side, those specs are great.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 3:30AM
I also bought City Life: 2008
Once the laptop comes in, I am going to use steam. The last time I used it was when Half-Life 2 cam out... so I'm excited.
Homeworld 2 and Company of Heros is also on the play list.
@Foetoid,
Thats good to know. I've been out of PC gaming for almost six years so I have to idea as to whats good and bad. Now its time to get crackin' on that backlog
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 3:38AM
*what specs are good and bad
robothouse @ Nov 27th 2008 10:28PM
Gamestop's deals are soooo shitty. Every single price that they advertise as 'an awesome deal' has been beaten elsewhere.
wonderweazel @ Nov 28th 2008 7:08AM
They had a decent price on Hell's Highway, and the new Armored Core for $20 each.
cardinalguy @ Nov 27th 2008 10:35PM
Why are the words "Black Friday" in red?
Squirrel3D @ Nov 28th 2008 1:36AM
Becuase that's when most stores usually go into the red. Just my guess.
Nick8708 @ Nov 28th 2008 2:28AM
It's supposed to be the other way around. Black Friday is the day stores are supposed to start seeing major profits (black ink is positive, red ink is a loss...), to make up for the losses incurred during the rest of the fiscal year.
jaybcorreia @ Nov 27th 2008 10:36PM
I worked at the mall for like 7 yrs @ Arby's and filene's/macy's and I hated Black friday with a passion, I think its the root of my disgust for Xmas, but anyways i finally get to and shop grant it one store, staples gonna get me a external HD yay lol but I feel your pain for those who work in the AM 2morro gd luck and if they give u shit if u have enough clout give them hell back :-)
Linkario @ Nov 27th 2008 10:58PM
I think Bam Margera put it best when he said "I'd rather rip off my d* and throw in the river" than go shopping on black Friday.
One year I decided to just get hammered (whiskey for breakfast anyone?) and have my wife take me to the local big box retailer... the only thing I got was a hang over.
/end
Gun Barrier @ Nov 28th 2008 12:01AM
Oh man! I almost forgot that tomorrow was friday! Thanks for the heads up!
obo @ Nov 28th 2008 1:37AM
I had tons of fun at Wal-Mart a couple years ago. I got off work so late the night before that it didn't take any effort to go to Best Buy, eat some hot dogs with guys who were too far back in line to get jack, then haul ass to Wal-Mart in time to see a woman cold-cock a teenager in the back of the head - in front of a cop - for a horrible $400 laptop.
Valve probably patterned the zombie rushes in Left 4 Dead off Black Friday footage. Go to one of these things and see if I'm wrong.
t_m @ Nov 28th 2008 1:29AM
as someone outside the US, can i just ask: What they hell is this black friday that you keep going on about????!!
I'd assumed it was some reference to the global economy being in the toilet, but now it appears that its some kind of annual thing? Is it related to thanksgiving? (thats around now, right?)
js_nw @ Nov 28th 2008 1:40AM
Black Friday is the day following American Thanksgiving. Basically it kicks off the official Christmas shopping season.
Black Friday itself is a day akin to Canada's Boxing Day, with lots of deep discounts on pretty much any product you could imagine.
Doug @ Nov 28th 2008 1:43AM
It's the biggest shopping day of the year. Basically, there are no more holidays left until Christmas (which revenues billions of dollars world wide) so people try to get their shopping done early. After companies started noticing this, they lowered prices to attract millions of customers. Hope I helped.
Dirk Dorkelson @ Nov 28th 2008 3:18AM
It's called Black Friday because it was traditionally the first day of the year that most retailers saw their profits for the year climb into positive territory, or in the black.
It's also worth noting that Black Friday hasn't been the busiest shopping day of the year the past several years. It's been the Saturday before Christmas.
Link: http://www.snopes.com/holidays/thanksgiving/shopping.asp
Deone @ Nov 28th 2008 2:59AM
*sigh*
If only I weren't broke from paying full price for all the stellar games that came out the last two months, I'd pick up dead space for 30 bones.
that1dj @ Nov 28th 2008 3:04AM
Refreshed my cart at 12:00 on the nose and it showed the price reductions. Checked out in like 20 seconds.
Both Fallout 3 and Dead Space for $69.90. Sweet.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 28th 2008 3:35AM
Golden Eye on the XBLA!
I was just listening to the Cheap Ass Gamer Black Friday live stream and Ron Workman was saying that Golden Eye is most definitely coming to the XBLA. It is currently, and has been for some time, kicking around in certification.
I don't know if its true of not, but I thought I would pass that tidbit of information along. Also, there is probably nobody awake at this point to moderate this post... except maybe for Ludwig... but we all know he can't read... right?
Snowblind @ Nov 28th 2008 7:36AM
There's footage of it up on Youtube, complete with Live play, it was apparantly finished and ready to go, but apparantly Nintendo stepped in and told Activision that they wouldn't publish any more of their games for the Wii or DS if they released Goldeneye on the 360.
So it's not going to happen.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 28th 2008 8:29AM
Once again, nostalgia aside, Goldeneye is not as good as you remember it being.
FSK405K @ Nov 28th 2008 5:25AM
Amazon has their black friday deals for pc games available now. Left 4 Dead: $47.99, not $19.99. !@#!@$
todzilla @ Nov 28th 2008 6:48AM
just got from toys r us picked up guitar hero 3 bundle for the 360 for only $50. not a bad deal. may or may not pick up aerosmith for $30 later today. if not i got some dlc to purchase
phobic99 @ Nov 28th 2008 8:22AM
Damn that Dead Space deal went by pretty damn fast. It's back at $59.99 now.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 28th 2008 8:25AM
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd
Smurfy @ Nov 28th 2008 11:38AM
We don't have any "shopping days" in the UK :(
WRE @ Nov 28th 2008 12:18PM
I picked up Banjo(No price change.), WaW($49.99), and Ninjatown($14.99) for myself and 2 copies of Dead Space($60) for my friend and brother. This was the 1st Black Friday that I haven't had to work in 7 years, so I had a lot of fun. Oh, also Portal ($9.99) and Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ($19.99) for my Dad on PC. Go Target.
busydoingnothing @ Nov 28th 2008 12:23PM
I worked at Best Buy for about two years or so. Besides having to get there at like, 4AM, Black Friday was probably the most fun day to work. It was so insane and jam-packed that I couldn't help but be extremely amused by it. I worked in the computer department, so while it was still important to push all of the essential stuff (i.e. service plans), there was so much shit going on that it was more understood that people probably won't be buying it. Plus, management provided lunch, which usually consisted of either McDonalds or pizza.
Biff_McFresh @ Nov 28th 2008 1:00PM
Graham Wellington, I have an apartment for rent with your name all over it. Just don't tell Tyrone Washington.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Nov 29th 2008 9:05AM
http://consumerist.com/5099900/wal+mart-employee-trampled-to-death-as-mob-tears-doors-off-hinges