Cloaker

I have seen every detail of the program, and I will tell you it is awesome. It took way too long for us to catch up to the other premium loyalty programs, but better late then never. I will not go into specifics here, but it is significantly better then anything out there in the industry. Rolls out in some test markets, and I think customers will be very excited--and gamers will be very appreciative.

True loyalty program. Finally. I am excited as a gamer who also happens to be an employee as well!

Guaranteed worthy as an entire disc

Rock Band; Rolling Stones (prob the only band left that warrants the RB; Beatles approach)

Rock Band; Guns n' Roses (more of a AC/DC treatment but damn good and I wanna play Appetite For Destruction--every song---but especially "My Michelle")

Rock Band; U2 is just a matter of time cause those dudes have no problem selling out, and especially after seeing the Beatles make the jump they'll be game.

Dream that could happen Tom Petty live style- Rock Band; Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

Wish that will never come true; Purple Rain album as DLC. That would be mythic, but Prince is vehemently against this type of game.

Honorable Mention but embarrassing admission; Would like some songs from ELO. Yes, you can make fun of me but man those songs were catchy.

All of these would be enough and a helluva lot more entertaining then fothermucking Green Day. Too bad the music game genre has officially jumped the shark with this GD announcement. The heyday passed for GH some time ago---RB now joining the rank and file.

As an employee of Gamestop, I had the chance to witness the personal testimonials of several Make A Wish children that we sponsored at our Vegas convention in August. It was one of the most affirming moments of my professional life, seeing the joy these kids had associated with what my company was able to do for them and their families.

One young boy, probably nearing 12 who was given notice he had maybe a final 12 months to live, has his friends and family treated to a Gamestop shopping spree and gaming party at his house. He was so happy to be able to have the experience of gaming and an event facilitated to his request for his loved ones. He told us how happy it made him and we were 6,000 people humbled in an auditorium... giving him a standing ovation for his courage alone living with a painful and debilitating bone disease for the last 6 years.

My boss and his peers rebuilt homes in New Orleans this past summer. The pictures were incredible and compelled me to go work the cancer unit at Texas Children's Hospital a month later, donating time and swag to some truly inspirational little kids. Say what you will about my company, we are a brand that families can go to for specialty retail in one of the coolest hobbies ever, and that when the opportunity presents itself, can sometimes rise to the occasion. I know most core gamers find it cool to hate on us, but I still love my business and the people I get to work with and help.

I have to admit, I am proud of you for deciding to feature something like this. Good karma instead of venom--and no, we didn't ask the kid if he wanted to preorder anything. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving, Joystiqers!

Aw hell yeah! Fat Bottomed Girls is perhaps the best song to ever hit Rock Band.

Vocal fun times a thousand, those lyrics are priceless. The drum leads / finishes are freakin' hardcore. The deep bass line and the second verse guitar entry---seriously, songs like this are why RB was created.

GET ON YOUR BIKES AND RIDE

now if they have harmonized vocals for Bowie and Mercury on Under Pressure I might just explode from the awesomeness.

So if they did a crossover with Metal Gear could it be called Acid Reflex?

My only concern is if they add that rumored DLC shotgun guitar. Gotta keep him away from that, ya know.

obnoxiously adorable. I am disgusted and enthralled and wanna see more.

we gotta have lil' thor.

Oh surprise... another "wah wah wah wah Gamestop wah wah wah wah used games wah wah wah wah."

::insert crying baby picture of choice mentally here::

So Gamestop followed the American theme of entrepreneurship and found a profitable business model? What's that you say? You don't like it? Get over it--if you had figured it out first and you had to run your own business (and STAY in business) to support the hobby you'd do the same. And get off the piracy analogy--that dog won't hunt, because 80% of new game sales are paid for with some form of trade credit that people otherwise couldn't afford. You want to know why the gaming business has held up during the recession? Trades. It's the difference maker between the mid 80's crash and the here and now. People have currency they normally wouldn't have, which enables to spend more then they could have.

Shrink your business by the $1.2 billion currently subsidized through trade in models and used games attraction (which is a different customer then the new software consumer in many cases anyway) and see which developers are then left standing. See if your silly pseudo sandbox wannabe trojan horse desperation demo carrying game does as well next time. Quit whining and accept the fact that 16 million people trade and buy used games yearly, and more likely then not, your job and the industry would be quite weakened without Gamestop. There is room, employment, enjoyment and profit in this beloved hobby of ours for all of us--developers, players and retailers.


Have you ever thought about other reasons that there is a demand for used software? (and not just at Gamestop)

1) Your game sucks because you failed to properly playtest it or had a lazy programming team, and it isn't worth the extra $5 or $10

2) People need to save money, because with the more money they save, the more games they can buy

3) One can even take the opposite approach. EA haters can choose to only buy used Madden as a form of protest for a game they consider to be nothing but a glorified roster upgrade yearly?

I don't know---I buy both used and new. If I HAVE to have it--a product I know is high quality (Bethesda or Bioware products for example) and one that I desperately want (Blood Bowl for 360! UFC! And how can I forget COD MW2?) I am not going to wait and buy used. But if it is a game that I know has a short shelf life, a questionable developer or is just a plain old good deal (I got Rumble Roses XX for like $5 and I confess to a guilty pleasure for it, will buy the next one new at full!) I will buy used, especially if I am low on $.

Face the facts, and move on Joystiq; there's a free market for used and trades that exists--but God forbid we blame the consumers...or even--GASP!--ourselves if we are the ones who have had a transaction with GS.


The GS / used constant bash theme is old and whiny. I just had to finally speak up although I know a bunch of people will trash me for speaking my mind. And yeah, I work for the company and love my customers, co-workers and core business. We promote GAMING.

I am just tired of seeing the same lame "we hate gamestop we hate used we hate people who buy used we hate the trade in prices" stuff over and over again. I know bloggers are a vocal minority compared with the purchasing power of moms and dads and grandparents and girlfriends/spouses worldwide who care not for such debates--but I still love my hardcore gamer base and just wish that they would give my company a little bit of respect for promoting the core business. We aren't perfect--no business is--but we are a place that specializes in what all of us love; Video Games.

That's gotta count for something good in my book.

::off soapbox::

seriously considering going to another blog. pachter is not news or blog worthy to this degree. find another way to generate article ideas...this reeks of amateur journalism, criticizing or reporting on a single analyst over and over again. It's like movie blogs only reporting on Roger Ebert, time and time again.

Like making f***loads of $$$?