GameStop offers 'Palazzo Medici' with Assassin's Creed 2 pre-order
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jun 23rd 2009 at 6:45PM } 
The Palazzo Medici Ricardi is, like, a totally famous place and stuff. So, exploring it in the game for treasure is far more liberating and cheaper than flying to Florence and checking out the real thing. We also believe that, in the real building, they won't let you climb up the walls and sneak around.
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shagittarius @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:51PM
Not for PC - Preorders??? THATS RACIST!
.jpg @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:54PM
what's the point?
Arctrick @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:56PM
Hmm... maybe it IS worth a preorder.
Ghen @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:57PM
don't do it. fuck gamestop and their bullshit tie-ins.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:58PM
Well since Gamestop loves giving me free things with my preorders then they will get it once again with this.
Ashitaka @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:58PM
What's so special about this building to make anyone want to pre-order the game?
ArchiGamer @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:02PM
Its the the "palace" of a wealthy family, the Medici, who spent most of their time spending their money on supporting the arts and artist; in other words, they were serious patrons to the arts. And this pre-order bonus makes sense since its supposed to take place during the Renaissance.
Survey of W Arts FTW!!
Ashitaka @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:07PM
Yeah but... Why would I want it? So I can look at the paintings and stuff? -_-'
ArchiGamer @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:10PM
What, you never wanted to stab random paintings? I have.
whylekat @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:27PM
I believe it's the lvl they designed for the E3 demo. They did say numerous times that it isn't part of the actual game and they specifically built it to show it off at E3. It makes sense that they use it in some aspect like this.
deanb @ Jun 23rd 2009 9:41PM
Well if it truly is filled with treasure n the like you can probably grab some of the cash for buying some new stuff ( Don't forget AC2 has stores you buy your weapons from now, and probably for bribes n prostitute distractions too)
RandomZero @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:02PM
As long as Gamestop doesn't magically "run out" of pre-order gifts, like they seem to be prone to do around my neck of the woods.
MystileArmor @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:53PM
That's cause all the employees take their fare share (and for everyone they know) first. Trust me, I used to work for them.
WiredKnight @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:25PM
...doesn't sound like their fair share to me.
MystileArmor @ Jun 23rd 2009 11:14PM
Yeah I know, poor choice of words on my part.
Taco_Hell @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:02PM
I'm really tired of Gamestop persuading the publishers to give the games with less content to other retailers. As a customer who pays full-price for his games thus expects to have the full content, this is just something that pisses me off.
whylekat @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:31PM
It's worse now that different stores are getting different exclusives. For example, pre-ordering ghostbusters at gamestop nets u the flight suit from ghostbusters2 but pre-order from best buy u get some new character for multiplayer. Annoying.
Kevin949 @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:31PM
100% on your side. also for "console specific" content. Always bugged me that one console may get something and another one doesn't (or gets an entirely different something).
emirabal @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:34PM
I feel the same way, personally i really would like to see this level but i dont want to pre-order at gamestop, ill get the game but im realistic, i wont play it right away, i still have a back catalog of Dark Sector, Bio SHock, Mass Effect, Prince of Persia, Army of Two, Viking, i mean you get the point. I really do like to play games completely hence why it takes so long before i stop playing them.
It just really annoys me to see developers still leaving this stuff out when it should just be in game.
whatever ubisoft, there really was no need for this.
Johnny Neat @ Jun 24th 2009 9:52AM
I agree, this is becoming bullshit. Game makers need to stop this business practice. I won't ask gamers to stop as anyone who wants it all feels forced at times. I think this is just insulting.
tyetheczar @ Jun 24th 2009 11:16AM
I bet this is going to be the winner on GameSpot's Dubious Honors award for Worst Use of Retailer Pre-Order Bonus like they did with Shawn White Snowboarding at Target.
ArchiGamer @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:03PM
This seems cool, I guess.
Rincewind @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:08PM
and what are us stuck on the british isles supposed to do? it really ires me when there's no similar deals for us brits...
LordToastington @ Jun 23rd 2009 9:50PM
I agree, mate.
LordToastington @ Jun 23rd 2009 9:50PM
Ireland's the worst. Can't get anything out here.
Boff @ Jun 24th 2009 7:15AM
Yeah I'm with you both there. You'd think they'd do a UK/Euro deal with GAME or something.
Although if I do pre-order it's usually online anyway. Gameplay has sent me a couple of titles a day early. Such a nice feeling knowing you shouldn't really have it!
Elias @ Jun 24th 2009 8:24AM
I assume it will be something akin to the 'Exclusive' Dead Space preorder costumes, and they will come as paid for DLC. So whilst the americans get it for free (assuming they pre-order) we get naught.
Spartacus @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:14PM
Why is it that GS gets all these perks? As many core gamers that hate GS I can't imagine they do more business than say BestBuy or WalMart, so why would devs put in all the extra effort to create bonus content for one specific retailer, especially when said retailer is known for peddling used games- thus cutting into developers' profits?
(Sorry for the run-on sentence)
RandomZero @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:53PM
All three of the Gamestop stores located around me are full of arrogant blowhards who know less then they presume, and will do or say anything that they can to get you to pre-order or sign-up/renew that stupid edge card.
No, I told you the first time I didn't want to pre-order anything. Yes, I know whatever you think you're educating me about. I'm a gamer who pays attention to the gaming news, thanks. Wanna pre-order Halo:ODST? No. Modern Warfare 2? No. Assassin's Creed 2? No. Bioshock 2? Stop it, you're embarrassing yourself.
I've had numerous issues with them, and I refuse to ever deal with them again, after the last fiasco. I'll deal with Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Kmart, GameCrazy, Blockbuster, or even that weird guy in the trench coat down the street before I deal with them again.
RandomZero @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:55PM
That wasn't supposed to reply to that. That was SUPPOSED to go under Ava's comment.
emirabal @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:45PM
I still ask that question, what do they offer, and i mean they have to make some decent offers, my idea is that they are probably one of the few that makes an offer, probably best buy and target and walmart are not keen on making good offers to all developers.
And at some point the people in charge of gamestop must know about gaming, its just the employees that treat the business with certain disrespect, and probably not all the employees but enough to make it seem like its all of them.
AvA (ice~) @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:21PM
and let the unnecessary gamestop hate begin!
Ashitaka @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:25PM
I'm sorry but I think you meant to say *necessary*
ArchiGamer @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:29PM
I'm sorry but I think you meant to say *obligatory*
AvA (ice~) @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:34PM
wow considering how quickly I got downvoted I guess everyone really despises gamestop. For what reason? Cause they're a giant corporation? It's not right to wish a company like fall becasue they employ thousands of Americans. I don't have any problems with the gamestop where I live, they're perfectly fine and I prefer them over best buy, because they're smaller, closer, and it's a lot more convenient.
Shmil @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:45PM
They are a giant corporation that bends over their customers and screws them up the ass. Now that may be ok for some because it it closer and more convenient but for others we'd rather get the better deal rather than be treated as morons. Gamestop employees are notorious for being douchebags though that argument can be made for any store. Now I'm sure there are some out there with their anecdotal evidence about their store having nice employees, they are in the minority.
Consider this, you purchase a brand new game for 60 dollars as soon as that transaction takes place then comes the barrage of would you like to pre-order?
If you do not pre-order an item they will usually refuse to sell the game to you on release day. This is to punish you for not pre-ordering the game. They claim to have only ordered enough to cover the preorder but the next day sure enough there is a stack of games. There really is no need to pre-order games anymore. The majority of games worth buying on opening day will have a large enough launch that you could walk into a walmart, target, bestbuy, any store that sells games and pick up a copy.
Now lets say you want to trade in your new game. you have an approximate 1 month window to trade in your game if you want to get over 20 dollars for it. If you get over 20 bucks than congrats. They will take that game and resell it at the "low" used price of 55 dollars. And that 55 dollars is all profit compared to selling it new where the developers get some of that money.
So they screw the customer, they screw the devloper and now they are screwing over other game stores by having these bullshit pre-order incentives. If i buy my game from another store I essentially get an incomplete game compared to others, another screw over for the customers.
So the hate is justified, you're just probably too young to realize it.
Taco_Hell @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:47PM
Well good for you AvA, the Gamestop near here are full of people who either don't know what they are talking about, or just blatantly lie to the customers face just to get the pre-order. Its this kind of dishonest business that make many people hate them. Not to mention making you pre-order games if you want to full content.
AvA (ice~) @ Jun 23rd 2009 11:14PM
Oh, well I feel for you guys I'm sorry. I mean I've been to 2 gamestops my whole life, and the one by me, well, they're not douchebags, and they don't normally bombard me with pre-orders (any more at least, I've been going there long enough they probably realized that I'm not gonna pre-order anything, so they probably do bombard the average customer with the pre-order thing) but never have i seen anyone turned down a game or lied to because they haven't pre-ordered.
And I agree with you on the company bending over customers and doing dirty things to them in the rear end (anal raping us), but, in the end, most companies do that. That's how they make money, and like it or not, gamestop has a great business structure (for themselves, not beneficial for the consumer) and they make an immense amount of profit off of it. I never feel like I'm getting screwed out of my money with trade-ins because you're not FORCED to trade in your games, you can always sell them elsewhere.
Now, I don't work for gamestop, and I'm not a gamestop fan, I was just wondering why everyone here despises them so much, people here wish the company would just fail and close down. but that's a horrible thing to happen, especially in this economy, like we need more people losing jobs. They may need restructuring, and they should probably start treating us like educated consumers, even though a lot of the people that go in there aren't...and get swindled....
paperless @ Jun 24th 2009 3:20PM
Shmil, they do it like that because it works for them. Sadly, its the non-morons that are outnumbered, not the other way around.
The Dark Wayne @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:23PM
Dammit gamestop, the history buff in me just cant help but preorder
CH3BURASHKA @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:27PM
Well, that sucks.
Infamous36 @ Jun 25th 2009 2:10PM
Does anyone else hate how gamestop gets this stuff? i try to not buy from them but feel forced to at times.
RandomZero @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:54PM
Oh, I don't doubt it. I remember hearing a few of them talking about giving them to their friends. Mind you, this was during store hours, in front of customers. Effing geniuses.
RandomZero @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:56PM
And that was supposed to reply to Mystile's reply. This is an awesome comment system we got in place here.
linex7 @ Jun 23rd 2009 7:59PM
Welcome to the world of big corporations. It's called making money. It's what makes the world turn. People hate on Gamestop and shop at Best Buy or Walmart? Best Buy tries to sell you 100 different things you don't need when shopping for non gaming related things. (Don't get me started on their Geek Squad) Walmart bullies other smaller competition out of the market by using their buying power to undercut pretty much everyone. You can't win. So why waste your breath hating on one company when really they are all trying to do the exact same thing. They just want to separate you from the money in your wallet.
Cesaria (seh-sare-ee-ah) @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:08PM
Yes, that is true. But when shopping for GAMES, Walmart/Best Buy do not constantly ask me for pre orders and other things I don't want. They take the game, ring it up, and I pay for it. Don't try to compare the experience of solely shopping for a video game to said places. It just doesn't match up.
linex7 @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:35PM
Cesaria:
The reservation policy is something the entire gaming industry follows. Gamestop and other retailers that do preorders such as Amazon pass that information on to that publishers as well. It's used as a gauge of interest to judge for production runs of product. Now I'm not going to defend being nagged about preording crap. I to think it's annoying to be asked. Preorders are an integral part of the industry as a whole though.
Young_Nastyman @ Jun 24th 2009 1:22AM
"Yes, that is true. But when shopping for GAMES, Walmart/Best Buy do not constantly ask me for pre orders and other things I don't want"
Yeah, Best Buy only signs you up for 8 "free" issues of a magazine that you don't really want that charges you for a full subscription automatically
aj7981 @ Jun 24th 2009 4:08PM
and lets not forget the evil that is microsoft, sony, apple, etc. Look, all corporations suck just as much as the next guy. So singling out one corporation is f'n ridiculous and childlike. Hate all corporations, but if they all tanked (ahem..GM, Ford, etc), then the economy (or lack thereof) would also tank further than what it has right now. Hell, the entire global community would be in a f'n depression far worse than the 1930's. So yeah, save the bitching for another time.
Lilpunkduck @ Jun 23rd 2009 8:22PM
Now No 1, us brits do have an option rincewind: Gamestation are advertising added content on preorder which my guess is the same stuff.
Now for all this GS hate.
I may be from another country and not having visited these stores but I work for GAME (game.co.uk) and we carry simillar policies. We must keep as informative as we can on things and cant assume you know about consoles. If they are being condecending then they are being douches but abiding by their terms and conditions is their job. They stop offering edge cards ( i presume this is a reward sceme) and they will be put through training until they do, or they get caught in a hidden store evaluation and loose marks---and get put into training. And if its like our game reward card, which is £3 to join then it really does work out better anyway. Pre orders makes sure that you get a copy, and the reason they have a stack the next day is people didnt pick theirs up and they loose their copy (we have a 72 hour period before this happens). Also one last thing. I have worked for both game and gamestation both are very different in the fact that gamestation is aimed at hardcore gamers, Game is generally for the casual and the parents. and to be honest you seem to be complaining about a store that seems like its not really aimed at you