Ben-DutkaMicrosoft is into giving gifts. Just ask anyone who goes to any trade shows or anyone who has worked for a GameStop or EB in the past decade or so. I was working at an EB when the first Xbox launched and to help promote it, Microsoft reps handed a ton of goodies to EB managers and assistant managers at the annual company meeting. Just recently, when I was down to GameStop, the employees were talking about their upcoming meeting in July, and they all fully expect to get preferential treatment from the big M$.
Now, I also distinctly recall our assistant manager at the time being all psyched about the PS2, and about how much he liked it, and about all his reservations and skepticism concerning Microsoft's new game console. …then, that meeting happened, he came home with a bag full of free stuff, and his tune changed considerably. That tune also changed in regards to customers, even though that stance switched back again during/after 2001, when certain PS2 gems like Final Fantasy X , Gran Turismo 3, Twisted Metal: Black, Grand Theft Auto III and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty hit. Oh, and if you didn't know, this year at E3, Microsoft was handing out free Xbox 360 Slims to the press…and all this time, Sony never really did much for GameStop/EB employees. They freely admit they get a ton of stuff from MS but they know they can't expect much from Sony.
Look, free stuff is cool. But has anyone noticed that many GameStops do seem to hold more of a Microsoft slant, both in the placement of their products and the attitude of employees? Granted, I would hope most stores aren't like this one , and in fact, I do go to a GameStop location that hires some pretty cool guys. They're really not biased one way or the other; if the game is great, they'll tell you. If it's a personal preference and doesn't jive with the critical reception, they'll tell you that, too. I'm not implying that all GameStops are all about loving Microsoft, but I am suggesting that Microsoft's business tactics have resulted in some artificially created love on the part of the retailer and its employees. Not that there's anything wrong with that in the realm of business, I suppose.
It could just be me. But in terms of how Microsoft and Sony treat GameStop employees, there is indeed a distinct difference based on personal experience. Take from that what you will.
I don't have a Game Stop anywhere near where I live. In fact I think we're down to Walmart as our only VG vendor. I suspect there is one employee there who is a 360 fanboy. He is never stocked to hear me bring up the PS3 it would seem. So I'm always excited to see him there when I go to buy my next game. Just the look on his face to see me putting my money down for Sony and not M$ makes the whole experience that much better.
I don't know what it is but up here in Canada between 2 towns and almost 10 GameStop/EB Games locations they are all the same, the PlayStation 3/PSP section is always at the front of the store and the employees all seem to know to keep their mouths shut about console wars and fanboyism.
No, oh get that game for the better system or whatever, simply if you ask for it, they look for it in the computer or help you find it. Even helping people who have no idea, they seem to ask questions and not be biased although up here the hiring standards seem to be much higher as most locations are served by staff not in their teens or early 20's and the ones that do have staff that age obviously select good candidates as these people like video games from all platforms in general.
It's because of this I'll still browse a GameStop/EB Games location for the good deals as in Canada, online shopping for games isn't nearly as great as the U.S.
I went to circuit city stores at Chicago couple of years ago while my to USA (im from Jordan/Amman)
at the day of black Friday ,i asked one of guys who is working there which console to buy xbox 360 or ps3 but i was already fixed my mind at ps3 because im a huge fan of sony ,the guy kept pushing me hard to buy the xbox360 against my own well telling me that the xbox is the right machine to own a ur home for its high reliability
my responce for that was NOTHING,because i was hugely shocked
thanks God i can buy games on ebay without costumes
It will come back to bite MS on the ass. Trick people into buying junk (hardware-wise. nobody likes a rrod) and it will leave a bad taste in their mouths forever.
Unfortunately though, most americans are idiots and make up a huge section of the market.
Sony will keep selling consoles based on actual virtues like good hardware, diverse games, and insane first-party support and leave their customers happy as can be.
I'd rather have 10 happy customers instead of 100 unhappy patrons, and i'm sure Sony would agree. This is a business where return customers are everything (except the wii, but the wii is an exception to every rule ever). MS may have had the jump by pushing their console out a year too early and by buying up all sorts of games, but in the end people are going back to Sony because Sony at least seems to give a crap about their customers.
I dont usually by my games from the main game stores, GAME and GameStation (UK) as they are much cheaper elsewhere. But if I do venture to into one the service is always unbiased and very helpful.
I was in GAME just after christmas, as I had vouchers, and overheard one of the employees talking with a customer about which console to buy. He was very clear on the pros and cons of each, it was great service.
Maybe the problem is mainly in the US, going by the comments/stories people have posted here.
Our local Gamestop definitely has a pro-360 slant. I don't think it's Gamestop, but the employees. I actually had one employee ask me why I bought a PS3 over a 360…
But with the XBox 360's install base, you're gonna get that at many retailers. It's not necessarily a bias, but most people are gonna promote what they know.
it's true, if you ask which system you recommend it's always Xbox, Ps3 is the better console.
From what I know, all the employees working at my gamestop have ps3s. So no worries from me!
I would also like to point out that I used to work at Target, and there were a ton of people that would come from gamestop and say some un-true statement about the playstation 3 and by the time I was done sharing them all the facts and that they are in fact getting more in the long run with the ps3, they wanted a ps3 instead of xbox.
I also question the intelligence on gamestop employees as I was asking about Final Fantasy Versus and the manager kept arguing and saying it was a fighting game, I wonder if they just spurt out crap from their mouths and make crap up, because it has completely turned me away from shopping at gamestop.
Not my Gamestop in town. The guys behind the counter are stictly PS3 users.
I enjoy going in there needless to say.
Most of my experiences with my local Gamestop have been pleasant.
Most recently, I put in a preorder for the Gran Turismo 5 Collector's Edition, and the guy behind the counter seemed really surprised.
"Collector's Edition? That exists??" he said.
"Yes, it's listed on Gamestop.com." I said.
"For PS3…" It wasn't a question. It was like he was saying it out loud, to himself. he proceeded to mess around in the computer for a few seconds, then turned to his coworker and said: "Dude! Gran Turismo Collector's Edition!"
"Seriously?" his coworker said.
"Yeah! Day one, man! I don't even care what it includes, I'm getting it."
This made me smile, because I have the same attitude. 🙂
Then, Mr. Employee turned back to me and said: "Alright, it comes out Nov. 2nd, bet you can't wait!"
"The funny thing is, I'm getting married on Nov. 6th!" I responded.
He and I laughed about that, and then I left with my preorder receipt tucked securely in my wallet.
So, pretty good experience overall.
-Arvis
well arvis you'll have 4 days to play the hell out of it before your that. Congrats btw!
Thank you very much! 🙂
I was wondering if anyone would notice if I slipped my nuptial announcment into all that.
Admittedly, I'm more excited about getting married than GT. But only just! 😉
-Arvis
lol so thats why I was having trouble making the connection.
well good for you, I'm a little jealous.
@Arvis,
Glad to see you have those priorities straight. GT is almost as important, but not quite.
To have an opinion on this would mean I would have to set foot in a Gamestop. Which I have not done in years, and will never, God Willing, do again.
why go to gamestop when u can get the game brand new shipped to you for 49$ from gamefly..no hassle at all
Or Amazon, or just cut out the middle man and buy it from PSN (assuming it is available).
Last edited by TheHighlander on 6/28/2010 11:57:38 AM
That's how I buy 99% of my games :)…just got RDR for 42.00 brand new!
Being a UK gamer things are a bit different I guess.
Our main gaming chain is called GAME – and like all big chains they talk a load of crap. Their charts are always completely wrong compared to the opinions of the rest of the gaming world and seem to be based largely on what they can easily sell or anything that EA has recently bought out. I make a point of changing the charts to what they should be whenever (on the rare occasions) I go in one.
In terms of the PS3/360 store space though I would say it is pretty evenly spread. I think 360 tends to be closer to the storefront but I may be wrong.
Employee attitude varies in my experience, some are of course the stereotypical fanboys and some just really seem to have no idea about anything they are trying to sell.
Our other main chain of stores is Gamestation and they are a lot better. If anything PS3 gets more space per store than 360 and they are pretty even in their advertising for both systems. Employees there are generally good too and will offer an unbiased opinion on most things.
Your right, Ben. I do feel like those Gamestop Bastards love them some 360 more. Not that I'm hating, but I want PS3 more at the front of the store because it's always near or on the back wall at any location I go to.
I agree. It might as well be called MicrosoftStop. I can't tell you how many times I've been waiting in line and the employees are just bashing the ps3 to other customers and hailing the 360. It really makes me sick
TBH, i think microsoft has somehow brainwashed alot of their fans,and when the ps3 first came out sony didnt help with what i thought was a terrible advertising campain, this reinforced mirosofts brainwashing and did NOT help themselves at all.. It sounds farfetched but honestly, when i speak to some peopl that are absolutely anti ps3 and all for xbox, u would think this was the case!
I live in in the Capital of Microsoft (Redmond, WA). You would think that if there were a major attitude shift in the direction of M$ it would be here. While admittadly, a couple of years ago the attitude was very PRO xbox at any GS, things are a changin. With price drops, exclusives, and a growing library the PS3 is being recognized as a top notch gaming system. No longer do you get the blank stares from employees who wonder if you've been drinking SOny coolaide when you pre-order a PS3 title. In fact, when I recently went to purchase my 2nd PS3, I could not find a single system. When stores checked their SKU's, the closest PS3 system for many was in Montana. I stopped by a GS in my quest and the employee said, "NOpe…no PS3's..looks like most people are getting their tax refunds and springing for the PS3 since they are sick to death of scratched discs and RROD"
Personally, I think each employee is biased by what they have in their entertainment system at home…and given that the xbox saturated the market earlier and the huge price disparity in the early war, the xbox won favor…but things are quickly evening out. I like that Sony lets its system speak for itself.
For the record, my Gamestop happens to be very fair from what i've seen. The guys are always very pleasant and we end up talking about whatever game it is i am picking up that day. When i went in to get GoW3 i talked to both of the employees for a good 10 minutes about how awesome Heavy Rain is.
There are better places to buy games, other then GameStop.
I think it's more the individual employees than the companies, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's some 'kickback' from M$ for them to push 360 more. It could also be that Xbots are more inclined to choose such a 'career' (being that solely PS3 owners are almost 10 years older on avg than solely 360 owners…like Wii is for kids, 360 is for tweens and PS3 is for adults).
Sorry to those who responded to AudiaK, but he will always be banned immediately for constantly causing problems. As usual, his hypocrisy is hilarious…talking about a flamebait article when the only thing he's ever posted here is crap fanboy bait.
Anyway, gone.
All good. I should have ignored his post anyways.
Bloody cronies
Edit: Why sign up to a site just to bash the article?
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 6/28/2010 4:28:05 PM
The trolls need to feed.
They have no lives, obviously.
Could have been a paid astro-turfer.
Aw, I logged on just to see his response to what I said earlier today, too. Ah well. I knew he was trolling, but I tried to be tactful about it.
"Microsoft is into giving gifts." Better known as kickbacks.
true dat
Any consumer asking an honest question in regard to a console would expect to be given a non bias answer, but that's just it now, the consumers are not aware of the under the table bribes that some of these people recieve. So here they are being fed BS and believeing because they don't know better. The safest thing to do is read up for yourself.
As I don't live in the U.S I can honestly say that here in New Zealand there is little BSing going on in these stores. It really does seem to be mainly a U.S thing.
Mind you the late night news over here really only covered Xbox news from E3. They made out Kinect was this amazing piece of technology.
Yes but also it could have to do with the fact that the gaming industry in NZ is in its infant stages. I only saw four people at my uni housing that had a current gen system, and even then, their knowledge was lacking.
2 of them had a 360, one of which used the "PS3 has no games" argument for buying the 360.
Out of the two with the PS3 only one brought his up to uni and the only games he had was Modern Warfare 1 and 2(which I think he borrowed), Far Cry 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, and GTAIV (which IMO SUCKS!!!)
Basically he had this great console but did not have any of the great exclusives that go along with it.
And yea that bothered me how much they praised Kinect and I also saw something about some Wii game in the past month that made me cringe because they put a spin on it making the product seem like this novel idea when it was just another clone of some other wii game.
Also something else that annoyed me about gaming over here is the lack of standard in pricing. I'm not sure if its just JB HiFi but I have never seen such a bizarre range in prices before. Though it seems like GS sets a standard but even so games are way overpriced here even with the conversion rate. NZ$120 > $60
It does seem that way
The GS that I go to is definitely XBOX slanted. I was once in the store and there was a mother in there buying a PS3 for her son and this employee was trying to talk her out of it. I stepped in and reminded the employee about the failure rate of the 360, and I saw him shrink 2 sizes. The lady left happy with a PS3, and I told her that her son would appreciate it and would have trouble free gaming.
Last edited by THEVERDIN on 6/28/2010 7:07:37 PM
Hell yeah I do that kind of thing all the time. Shutting down the xbots at gamestops is such a good hobby.
Yea I remember I went to a GS in a mall at New Hampshire and a associate at the register was recommending PS3s to anyone that asked between the 360 and PS3… And once the manager noticed he was doing that he took him off the register and sent him to the backroom and he took the register… When ppl asked which is better between the 360 and PS3, the manager said 360 to a few ppl… F***ing tool
I have to say that the majority of the GameStops that I have been to certainly seem to be biased towards microsoft and not only do the employees typically reflect that, so does their floor setup. The Xbox pyramid usually towards the front and center of the store, along with the Xbox games lining the walls. You usually find the PS3 games way at the back of the store and all of the little manuals and adds I see in there are specifically aimed at Xbox as well. The employees really tend to try and discourage the purchase of PS3 games and have very little to say in that respect. But when a Microsoft product comes up, they are all happy and willing to go into some depth.
It could be that I have just had bad experiences w. this store, but I certainly have not run into the well balanced and fair opinions that Ben has.
I noticed many of them dont turn their display PS3's on either. They have the PS3 on but the TV off. The only one thats on 100% of the time is the Xbox.
Funny thing too, the Xbox's always look new while the PS3 look like its been their on display since launch and its still working.
at least they have the option to turn on the ps3 while their 360 crashed.
a week before RDR came out i went to gamestop to reserve it. i never went into the 360 area, i was looking a some ps3 games and the guy asked if i needed any help, and i said i would like to reserve RDR. So when i go to pick it up on launch day he hands me a 360 version, i said whoa i need a ps3 version, and he said r u sure. i was like WTF dude just give me my damn ps3 game!! i thought that was a little messed up.
At the EB that I go to it's not too bad. I'm sure if a family went in there asking which was better they would say 360, but they're not so much as to try to talk people out of buying a PS3.