"I can't believe Gamestop jacked those codes. SMH."
Good old Gamestop. The video game retailer/reseller may not be content with dominating the used game resell market. They may not be content with being the leader in video game sales. No, they may want it all.
Ok, Tony Montana wanna-bes. You ask the Cool Kitty Ski11z what's wrong in the land of Gamestop? Here's the dilemma, class.
Square Enix, who published the recently released game Deus Ex Human Revolution made a deal with fledgling, cloud-based gaming service OnLive. The deal? Every copy of Deus Ex for the PC would include a code for - get this - another copy of the video game on OnLive. OnLive would win because the move would get more gamers to try their cloud-based gaming service. Great move, right?
Enters Gamestop, stage left. Allegedly, Gamestop decided it wasn't in the company's best interest to allow sealed copies of Deus Ex for PC to see the light of day with those vouchers for gasp ... A FREE GAME!!!!!!! So, the corporate geniuses at Gamestop decided to fix the glitch and remove every one of those OnLive vouchers for a free copy of Deus Ex. In a memo, Gamestop employees allegedly were instructed to remove the codes from PC copies of the game, and the game was still sold as "new."
This post led to a huge customer backlash. OnLive, interestingly, has remained silent. Square Enix released a statement about the controversy.
"As part of Deus Ex: Human Revolution's boxed offering on PC, Square Enix included a third party coupon," wrote Square Enix in a statement. "GameStop was not made aware of this inclusion and Square Enix respects the right of GameStop to have final say over the contents of products it sells and to adjust them where they see fit in accordance with their policies."
Gamestop, who earlier defended their position to remove the vouchers, changed course and has asked for Gamestop stores to pull all of the DXHR stock from shelves and accept returns of the game from customers.
If you check out Gamestop's site, the PC version of the game is removed.
Are you one of the customers affected by this decision? What are your thoughts on the matter?
M4d Ski11z's take - This was a win-win strategy for Square Enix and OnLive. OnLive is really looking for a way into more households with their cloud-based gaming service. Then, Gamestop found out. I am all for competition, but to open a product without the consumer's permission, then sell the product as *new*? Seriously, Gamestop. You could have told Square first - or even told consumers your plans and see if they agreed. I liken it to a computer store removing copies of an operating system off new computers and still selling it for full price. The real victim in this deal? The consumers. They are the ones who had their choice to use the voucher, sell it on eBay or give it to Fido trampled on. Shame, Gamestop. It's NOT a game.
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