Summary
A gamer shared their confusion and disappointment when they ordered two new Nintendo Switch games fromGameStopand they arrived with notable damage and problems. Their experience is unfortunate, and has left fellow gamers sympathetic, though there is a logical explanation for theGameStopexperience.
GameStop, like other game retailers, has had a difficult time as more gamers turn to online distribution platforms to download their games andconsoles ship without disc drives. While eager gamers once lined up for midnight releases, it’s become less common to see fervent fans running to their local game stores, leading the company to find ways to diversify to try and stay afloat. However, its core business still remains selling new and used games, but GameStop’s idea of new left this fan unhappy.
Reddit user VvSweepsvv shared their experience and photos of the two games they had purchased from GameStop online. They orderedOctopath Traveler and Shin Megami Tensei 5in “new” condition. However,Octopath Traveler 2had a spot where a sticker had visibly been removed, leading the fan to wonder if a used sticker had been pulled off in order to sell the product as “new.“Shin Megami Tensei 5was in much worse shape, as it has a large tear across the box that’s been sloppily covered with a piece of clear tape. VvSweepsvv wondered if this was GameStop’s “standard” or if they should get in contact for a refund or replacement.
GameStop and its Definition of “New”
Fellow users were sympathetic, but many also offered an answer that may strike some as unsatisfactory. Users familiar with GameStop’s business practices explained that it’s common for the last copy of a game to be removed from its box in order to display the game on shelves. When an order like this comes in, it gets repackaged and shipped. In some cases,GameStop doesn’t include the original caseat all. While the game itself should be brand new and unplayed, the inclusion and condition of the packaging can be inconsistent.
Further, an employee pointed out that it’s likely that the box damage was due to a customer in the store. If the copy ofShin Megami Tensei 5was the last one the store had available, it would have had three choices: ship the new game in a completely different or unmarked box, ship it in its damaged packaging, or cancel the order outright. Apparently, this location chose the damaged option. The OP confirmed that the games play just fine, but the notion of sending a “new” game out with a piece of tape trying to hold together a badly damaged box struck them as funny. While someGameStop customers have received an expensive game by accidentinstead of what they ordered, this fan has to take a disappointing situation in stride.
