
Earlier this week GameStop made a brief statement regarding the pricing of used copies of Xenoblade Chronicles in its various retail outlets.
The company said it had sourced new copies of the "vintage" title and claimed many more were on the way, including Metroid Prime Trilogy, which has become notoriously difficult to track down.
Now, true to its word, GameStop has released the rare Wii title and it's available to buy pre-owned from the website now for $84.99. There have been claims from a Kotaku source that the retailer is obtaining these copies "with no shrink wrap" so it is possible that they have never been played before and are therefore as good as new.
GameStop has said its pricing for these games is competitive and is based on the current market value driven by supply and demand. As we know there is plenty of demand for Xenoblade Chronicles and Metroid Prime Trilogy, which is why the price tag is so high.
What are your thoughts on GameStop's vintage releases? Would you like to see more like this or do you take issue with the pricing? Let us know in the comment section below.
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[source nintendoeverything.com, via gamestop.com]
Comments 125
As with Xenoblade Chronicles, so happy I got this at launch. Still need to beat Corruption, though.
This is simply crazy O.o This will also eventually hurt the common used market (amazon, ebay) since people are going to crank up their prices to match gamestop simply becaus ethey can now.
I always shrugged people like youtuber EventStatus or Jim Sterling off when they said that GameStop would eventually become the bane of gaming, but i see now where these warnings have been coming from.
I'm actually curious about this game's condition. Is it just a regular box and game, or does it have any of the original run's extra goodies?
There is something very fishy about this. Doesn't bother me though; I got mine for $19.99 new.
Mwhahahaha. I only paid 50 for this gem. Totally worth it. It's saying something when I say that's possibly the best 50 I spent on a Wii game. Three big, and really good games in one. Really cool tin box, and little art booklet with the story in it as well.
Have they reprinted it ? (Or did they stash them during the original run ? or buy from a 3rd party ?).
The collectors edition of this did have not that many copies to start with.
@Burning_Spear whoa, 20? Wow, you realliy did get a deal somehow
@Einherjar The sensible thing to do would be for Nintendo to put a version on the eshop with just simple upscaling. At the old RRP.
I'm just glad people get to play Xenoblade Chronicles & Metroid Prime Trilogy as they are really amazing games. Plus I got my copies much cheaper iirc.
@Einherjar Actually, the price will drop. It's been somewhere around $130 on eBay. I got it locally for $80 awhile back.
Game.co.uk are not as far down the road as Gamestop but of a similar kind of mindset. (Why I won't buy from them and hence don't get retail downloads for 3DS there is at least 4 things I would have got if in the process I wasn't going to subsidise them).
This is ridiculous. I saw a used copy of this at Gamestop (in tin and all) a few months ago, going for $50.
Use promo code GUST15 and have paid membership to GameStop - new total AFTER shipping is $64.99 - very reasonable for a game that goes for $100 on eBay
@WiiUExposed Xenoblade came like new - I'm hoping this comes the same way. I've heard GameStop has a policy of including the original manual with every used game they sell online - ordered it for $65 from GameStop - will be here next week and will report back
In Europe too or only in America?
@Swiket Got mine for $64.99 at GameStop Online - promo codes are your friend
Good thing I picked this up when it came out! Saved a lot! The metal case is a thing of beauty. All 3 games are either perfect or nearly perfect.
No problem for me, I got Metroid Prime Trilogy day one back when it came out in 2009 I think. Same goes for Xenoblade Chronicles.
Wouldn't it be awesome if Nintendo did HD re-releases of the Prime titles for the Wii U? I can't even imagine how good those games would look.
Kotaku sauces are very thin and unusable
How much do these GameStops pay for used Xeno copies?
@SkywardCrowbar Too bad that we Europeans only got the plain white plastic case for our version. Still can't complain. Got the game as a gift from the brother.
All Gamestop sells is used games. Even if you buy a new game they give you a copy that has been already opened and state oh its the store demo or some B.S. like that. If you want new games your better off going somewhere like Wal mart or Target.
@Tasuki Your statement is only true for certain locations and if that's their last copy. There's no need to exaggerate stories
@Tasuki ive only had that happen once. It was a copy of The last story. It was their demo case. I personally didnt care and trusted the guy being hes always been honest with me. Sometimes we've talked for close to 45 minutes. Knows me by name. Never had it happen with preorders ever. Ive seen plenty of new copies behind the counter in their wrappers.
Sold mine on e-bay for $85
I remember GameQuestDirect.com making a deal with various publishers to re-release rare PS2 games like Gitaroo Man and the Fatal Frame series. They were new copies sold at regular prices but the cost of printing each title was over $100,000-200,000. I wish GameStop would sell Prime new for $50 like GameQuestDirect did with the PS2 games.
Let's see them do it more, hopefully this'll lead them down a path that ends with them going out of business.
Reads the title of the article faceplam
xenoblade and MPT are vintage copies with "competitive" pricing in mind.........whatever. Should've said this at the first place to save yourself from backlash.
Mother of God. I checked the price on amazon and it's selling for 254$!!! O-o
Bought the game at launch...this is kinda stupid though. Since when does an old game's price go UP instead of down at retail? o_0
Wow that is the cheapest I have seen it, no joke.
I wish GameStop was not the only video game store that sells physical copies of games in my town ;c
If it's new but sold as used, isn't Gamestop getting all the money instead of a portion going to Nintendo?
How is it competitive when they're in a position of monopoly for these titles?
@gaby_gabito Obviously they will have had to pay for it in the first place ($25 or whatever) but yes.
It is not as bad as Xenoblade though because for Xenoblade they were given a monopoly on selling it in stores. (Nintendo online had some and that was it).
LOL, I am glad I got Xenoblade pre0ordered when it came. I am also glad I got Prime 1, 2 and 3, sure they are on seperate discs but I got those used each for $20 and then prime 3 was $15 on ebay
Stupid, stupid me for not getting this at launch. I traded my copy of Corruption for it, and I guess I waited to long because I never found it in stores again.
And there you have it: Gamestop "magisterially" changed a devorable rumor into a favorable reality.
Who there to mess with them now?
Bought my copy straight from Nintendo initially. Every chance I get, I harass them to release it on Eshop or do a REASONABLE reprint so more people have a chance to play this masterpiece before "X" lands.
Simply ridiculous. I really do hope that Gamestop falls flat on it's face with these outrageous scams. Arguably the games are worth it because of the scope and great production values, but the price should NEVER be higher than RRP, no matter what excuse these idiots use. Screw 'em, I say.
For all you PAL gamers (that's European/Australian versions of the games for all you n00bs) this site may will be VERY worth your while. It is in Dutch, but I assume we can all understand prices...
And of course you could run the site through some translator like Google or similar.
Anyways, get em while they're hot:
http://www.gamechecker.nl/g/Wii/9013/Metroid-Prime-Trilogy/
And here's Xenoblade on another Dutch site:
http://www.bol.com/nl/p/xenoblade-chronicles/1004004011558658/?Referrer=ADVNLKIE00201200099
Just sayin'...
Bought the PAL version for £15 used from CEX last year (although the points code was still intact )....it didn't come with the outer card sleeve or inserts (just the instruction booklet and points code) but I was able to find and buy the card sleeve and inserts (without the game) on Ebay for £1.25, so I now have a complete copy that I didn't have to pay the earth for. Shame we didn't get the nice metal case in Europe though
I still think Gamestop are technically guilty of price fixing (or at least attempted price fixing) as far as US copies go.
@Joshers744 I got mine at launch, but I found it brand new for €10 in a toybstore, while at launch it was 50. Believe me, you can do great bargains by going to a toy store and asking if they could check the inventory of all their stores for this or that game. That's how I found a brand new Zelda 3ds at slightly discounted price while ebay was already well above the launch price for a used one.
No way is that game worth that much to me, especially if it's pre owned. I'll pass and while some people will definitely get it, I won't touch it unless it drops 60 dollars
Xenoblade and Trilogy are easily worth over $100 each. Good for Gamestop for making these available.
Xenoblade and Trilogy are easily worth over $100 each. Good for Gamestop for making these available.
The good thing about this is you never see older PSBOX games sold at premium prices... Nintendo products have staying power within the market years after the dust settles and all the doom & gloom subsides
@crazyj2312 I can definitely go along with finding the current price ridiculous, but honestly so is your desired price, even though some other people did get lucky from what I've read in the previous comments. But that's just what it is: luck. And this game DEFINITELY deserves a good price: you get three great games on one disc with improved controls, framerate and slightly improved graphics, which makes it well worth of anything between $45 and $55. $20 is barely enough for the wrapper...
@Erica_Hartmann: A lot of old games go up in price when they are really good, were limited and out of print.
Whats USD85 in £s? Okay, that's still a lot of money. iirc i paid £30 new.
If someone can get that sort of mark-up on line as a private sale, well ok, but for a large multiple outlet retailer... Not fair!
Slightly off topic, at the other end of the scale, my local Tesco was selling copies of Skyward Sword for £10... all sold out now
i can get new PAL copies of MP Trilogy for 20 euro.
Eff. Good thing I got this for $40 bucks a little after it came out. I haven't really played it much (outside of Echoes), but still...
@Mk_II original ones? Where would that be? Some of my friends would be very interested...
@MadAussieBloke Um...wut? Some old games sell for $70+ used
@ToxieDogg I'll say it again. They're not price fixing.
I like GameStop less and less and while the games draw me in as I pass by the store in the mall, the name almost disgusts me. I stick with Gamefly and if I really like a game, I buy it. I have saved myself from much heartache I used to experience purchasing games by using Gamefly. For me, it has been worth the price. You have paid for it with 4 rentals.
As great as Metroid Prime Trilogy is (my favorite game of all time, in fact!) GS is ripping people off with this pricing. It came out about 4 years ago, and its priced higher?
Why not just sell it in a plain Wii case, if its the tin case that's making it more expensive to resell? I got mine day one way back with the awesome poster and (one size fits all) t-shirt.
If you missed out on getting this nearly perfect trilogy, I say go with your gut and snag a copy.
@Austroid Conversely why would you sell it for much less when it can be sold at a higher price? You need to realize that businesses do not solely exist to please customers. They're out to make money first.
@LzQuacker Well, then why aren't all older games priced higher then? Besides GS makes plenty of money as it is; with their preorders, trade-in credit, etc.
It could be one of the following reasons:
1. Limited edition/printing
2. High demand and low supply
3. The average price on online sites is the same or higher
Metroid Prime fits all three
Though they are fantastic games there is no way I would pay that much for them. I already own the first two games, and Corruption is fairly cheap on Amazon. I guess if you want the official collection with motion controls for all the games you simply have to pay big. As for me I am perfectly content with the gamecube versions of Prime and Echoes, and I plan to get Corruption soon!
@Ryno Yeah I just don't think I've ever seen it happen at retail though. Just online...
This really must be a North American thing. Here you can easily find them new for €40-45 or just €35 when used.
RIP OFF!
Jesus, I'm so glad I picked this up when it was released. I had no idea that copies would get so flipping expensive.
I want this but if I do get it I refuse to get it at gamestop. It just does not feel right for them to do this.
EDIT- Also I already got all 3 primes so it is kinda pointless for me to get it anyway but gosh dang it I still want it.
So being a retailer should make Gamestop follow a different set of rules in terms of pricing? You all realize this is more or less pawning.
Don't they realize they would sell 10x more copies if they sold it for cheaper? Okay maybe I just want this but I'm broke.
Funny how the choice "vintage" games just happen to be the ones that sell like crazy for high prices on eBay. I highly doubt you will see any special "vintage" trade-in prices either.
The games are being sold at higher prices because people are willing to buy them at higher prices. If the games don't sell at that price then the price will go down, so I don't see a problem.
Wow, I guess I am lucky then. I've bought 3 hard to find limited edition old games on the GCN & two on the original Xbox for a decent price, but I'm not surprised by this as there was a pawn shop selling some used Dreamcast games for £50+.
@LzQuacker I would also have to say that it comes down to those 3 things you've mentioned, since this particular game would be tempting to buy at a price like this and it's valuable too.
Don't buy people!
@koopakid That is the dream! Prime Trilogy I always make time for, usually every 2-3 months I have to pop it in and play through at least 1 prime game. I can literally play the trilogy over and over and never get tired of it. WiiU HD release would be most welcomed
I wouldn't pay 90 dollars for the Trilogy. I know they're great games, and I've actually played Prime using this very disc myself, but I would much rather save it and use it to spend it on something that would feel more worth the money. But that's natural.
@TheRealThanos 20 dollars I admit may be low but I definitely wouldn't pay close to or above MSRP on a three year old last gen game. It's barely had any shelf time for it to be considered "vintage" and even for all it's hype about how good it is I still don't think it's worth more than 40 bucks. I get that the game is really good, I love the metroid series. but I'm not really feeling such over inflated pricing for "too new to be old but to old to be new" I guess it's just because I'm so used to video games falling down in price and being in bargain bins and thrift stores before shooting up THAT far
I personally won't buy from GS due to a good friend working at one as an assistant manager. Given the terrible understaffing, asinine policies he was forced to uphold, and overall employee abuse, I just can't support them. I'm just glad,as is he, that he is finally out.
@LzQuacker:
@Subie98:
I am not exaggerating that has happened to me everytime I went to buy a new game from Game Stop. And it has not just happened to me a co worker of mine has had that happen to him as well which is why he doesn't shop there either. Also this has happened at 3 stores in my area.
Which is why if I want a new game I dont go to Gamestop.
I actually managed to get my copy for $40.
Next up, GameStop will be selling Stadium Events at the low, low rate of $2000!
Their practices may or may not be sketchy, but what we do know is that obviously SOMEONE(s) are buying these vintage titles at a premium, otherwise GameStop would never have come up with this idea. Since I shop on the Wii U eShop these days, I rarely drop in at my local GameStop, but I just may for the little NFC Pokemon figures (Not even a Pokemon fan, just like the idea of using my NFC for something fun!)
With all due respect, this is a public forum and users can write whether or not they have a copy because it is relative to the subject -Lz
@JuanitoShet good idea...
@PokemonManiac hallelujah brother! I'm there with you...
Now that I'm thinking about nintendo should add some of these games on the eshop. If you can download a full wiiu/3ds game why not ds/wii games? They could charge what they want but make it cheaper than the actual copies out there and make a fortune. (Look at Earthbound and how that turned out.)
Do I profit if I buy one from the bin here for ~10 euros and sell it to them Or maybe buy and resell more and preorder a PS4 afterwards
That's a rip off! This is one of the reasons why I dislike Gamestop.
i got mine for £32 dont think its quite as rare in the uk tho.
Does anyone know yet if this arrives with the steelbook case, art book, etc.?
I know its 'pre-owned,' so there's no guarantee here. However, given some of the chatter around the internet (i.e., over at Kotaku) regarding the condition of these, it sounds like there's a good chance of these being 'like new.'
Anyone have experience or insight yet?
I wish retailers would stop using the word vintage about things like clothes and especially about games.
In any case I'd like to once more warn against this collection. The addition of "achievements" to Prime 1 and 2 really drag them down on a level where they don't belong, and It wouldn't surprise me if an HD bundle or separate HD eShop releases were on the way as I type this.
@Ryno @LzQuacker You 2 are pretty much the only 2 making any sense in here! Goes to show not many know the used game market or how this type of store runs at all. I use to work for Funcoland before it was bought out by Gamestop and even though I didn't always agree with their policies didn't mean I didn't understand how it all works.
@Tasuki I can't. Lie and say that's never happened to me but I can say it hasn't happened in over 10 years or more. The Gamestops in your area must really suck and only order very limited copies of the games you're interested in. All the GS I'm my area are really good and in about an hours time could hit about 13 of them where I live. Problem is this could happen with any store chain and i know people who love and hate Best Buy.
@Tasuki
You're not crazy. If I want to buy new I don't go to GameStop. One of my small pleasures in life is taking a new game out of the wrap. The last time I went to buy a new game I refused to buy an opened game and the employee said ,"when you buy a new car it's not in a wrapper". They lost my business . If I'm buying new I should be the one taking it out of box.
Revolting cynical opportunism at its best/worst!
What a bunch of thieves. Screw them
@EJtheK I don't have an answer, but I'm also trying to find out. I'm searching the Internet and Kotaku posts to no avail.
Can anyone speak to the condition of these?
After all, this will also drive what happens to the eBay market where you know what you're getting...
@Tasuki I didnt say you were. I was just sharing that it only happened to me once in all the years ive been going, since funcoland days.
@Tasuki; Pre-ordering helps
Good thing I already bought this when it first came out
UUUGGGHHH.... should have bought Xenoblade at launch >>'' at least I got Metroid for a lot cheaper on ebay...
$85? I already have the three games seperately and I wouln'y want to pay $50 for this, actually, I probably wouln't want to pay much at all for this since I already have them, don't feel like replaying them, and am not particuarely attracted by the Wii controlls. I don't get why people are saying GameStop is scamming people with the price. This is the kind of price that the game is normally found for. I can understand if it's too much for you, most "vintage" games would be too much for me at that price too. GameStop is a game pawnshop, and pawnshops charge what the market will pay, and that $85. Just because GameStop is a retail store doesn't mean that they can't charge in the ballpark that eveyone else is charging and it's somehow wrong if they do.
If people want these games so badly then why didn't they buy them when they were released?
@LzQuacker: True, but that's not the point. I shouldn't be charged for something new and receive a used copy. If anything if they are out of new copies or whatever it is than they should sell me the opened copy at a used price. Not sell me it at a new price and come up with some lame excuses.
What is complete double standard by them is that if I were to buy a new wrapped game from them and open it right in front of them and than say oh I change my mind, they will only give me used credit. Tell me where the logic is in that?
Maybe I have bad Gamestops in my area but thats all I have to deal with so.
@theberrage holy cow! They said a similar thing to a friend of mine! (Houses instead of cars in his case) might be some kinda peer to peer training line (not official mind you, just between employees). We had something comparable to those kind of statements at a place I used to work at...
@Cohort some of these people I am sure (because I'm one of these people I'm about to talk about) were not unaware of the games greatness, or simply did not have the funds with which to purchase them (ask my nephew, that saves up to buy used copies of games). This is why I like sites like NL, keeps me informed
@Platypus101 In all fairness, you've had plenty of time to save up for these, plus Nintendo did announce that MPT was going to be a limited release, prioritize or lose out I'm afraid..
But even in saying that, $80 is disgraceful, I've noticed that Pandora's Tower is also creeping up in price now..
I have a bucket list of Wii games I want to pick up to fill in the gaps in the Wii U library and to play the stuff I missed. That said, there is a high end to what I am willing to pay for games up to four years old.
I picked up Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for $8. So unless Metroid Prime Triology is $30, there is little that will convince me to pick it up. Played the first one on Gamecube anyways.
ah just wait until Nintendo releases these on eshop. Then it'll be funny.
Nintendo....you want to sell systems? Release titles like these two in the Wii U. e-shop. These type of games will tide many gamers over while we wait for your big releases...
@crazyj2312 40 bucks is definitely a worthwhile price, if you can get it for that amount, so I hear ya. I never bought the trilogy myself because I already had the first two on Gamecube and have the third one on the Wii. I did find the controls better in the third game, but to me it didn't make enough of a difference to warrant buying the games again. Even so, the experience with all three games was a very good one and that's why I put the aforementioned pricetag on what I think the trilogy is worth. But GameStop is delirious with it's far from realistic price tag. Every fool knows that the so called market related price is based on what people WANT to offer for things, not what it ACTUALLY is worth. Some people will pay the most insane amounts of money for a bauble when it has some limited label or has been owned by a famous person. People... tssss...
@Tasuki I get what you're saying. I got my copy of Game and Wario opened, but the game worked fine and the booklets were included and the Club Nintendo code worked as well. I didn't really see the big deal. It technically was not "used" if they didn't use the copy. Like I said, pre-orders help because they'll have enough copies in shrink wrap for all orders.
...and they wonder why people pirate games?
@LzQuacker: I too get what you're saying too. But honestly why else would it be open unless it used? Maybe I am being too pickey.
@EJtheK
I just got my copy via UPS today. It does not come with the steelcase, nor is it indicated as a "Collector's Edition" in any way. The plastic case, disc and booklet are all in perfect condition.
@Loverde Thanks! That's too bad about the case given the price. I am guessing there was no art book either? Was there a Club Nintendo code? Thanks again! I am glad to hear it was in great shape. I am still waiting on my copy...!
@tchaten - Did you get your copy yet?
@Loverde & @tchaten - I suppose it's picky for me to be upset by them not sending the steelbook case. However, I figure I'd contribute two points for thought here: (1) I called GameStop and was told by a manager that they do not accept pre-owned copies without the steelbook case, so "AT THE VERY LEAST" it would include the case (I guess this wasn't true though); and (2) every now and then complete versions of the game in Very Good to Like New condition go on eBay for sub $100.
@EJtheK Mine arrives on Monday - for $65 shipped - I'm quite happy to get this collection that I thought I wouldn't be able to afford.
I'll report back to see if it does come with the steel case or not.
@tchaten Thanks! Good luck. Congrats on the $65! Being a member definitely helped there. After GUST15 and SAVER, mine was between $74 and $75 after tax. Your deal was a good one!
Thanks yea - don't buy much from GameStop, but using my membership for that and Xenoblade has more than paid for it.
I only wish W101 was out already so I could use GUST and get that game for cheap ...
@EJtheK Unfortunately, unlike the "potential-reprint of Xenoblade Chronicles" fiasco, my copy did not come with a Club Nintendo code whatsoever.
I called my local GameStop this morning and posed the same question; regarding the Steelcase Trade-In, as you had. The Store Manager (Santa Monica, CA), with whom I am very close with, claims that anyone is able to trade in a copy of "Metroid Prime Trilogy" with or without any case. Also citing that when a copy arrives, it never lasts for more than a day or so. Thus, their Region Distribution Centers (RDC) would likely never see a copy of this title, as they barely make it into the store before being sold immediately thereafter. Also, to the best of her knowledge, there has been no directive to ship copies of this title from In-Store to their RDC.
That being said, I asked for details regarding quantities-on-hand at the warehouse level for the title. The Store Manager claimed that the warehouse still had over 2000 copies available to "Site-to-Store" or "Site-to-Home Address"
I'll leave the conclusion up to individual interpretations.
I hope this information is of some use to everyone
EDIT: Fixed a couple typos that were bugging me!
@Loverde Thanks for sharing everything you learned on your quest! I certainly appreciate that you have spread the word on all of that!
That's all very interesting. I have a copy arriving Monday from GameStop. At this point, my plan is to return it if it isn't 'complete,' so that I can simply pick one up on eBay that is. When I get it, I'll post about what I get for the benefit of all. It sounds like I can expect it in the condition described by you, @JLoverde.
Again, thanks for the information!
Just so all of you folks have an accurate image
http://s871.photobucket.com/user/jonathanloverde/media/IMG_3059_zps7b9c8f23.jpg.html
Let me know if for any reason that link doesn't work properly.
@EJtheK No problem at all! Glad to be of any assistance.
Good luck with your copy! Let me know if you receive something fancier that I did!
And good luck to anyone else interested in picking this up as well.
Hey all. I said I'd post, so here's the result.
My copy is just like the one @JLoverde received. It looks brand new, but it didn't come with the collector's goodies.
I took it back as soon as I got it because I wound up getting a complete, Like New edition for $85. I missed out on the coupon codes, but it was worth the extra bucks to get the whole thing for me. That said, the GameStop copy was excellent if I were to have not cared about the extra goodies. The disc certainly looked brand spanking new. For that matter, so did the manual and case. Certainly an interesting situation...
If you want a new copy of the game and don't care about goodies, GameStop with coupons (although some may have expired) is a great option. Otherwise, watch eBay and Craigs List with patience.
Cheers.
@EJtheK Interestingly enough; GameStop.com is now selling Metroid Prime Trilogy ("Used") for $69.99 and Xenoblade Chronicles ("Used") for $79.99. I don't know if that price applies to "in-store copies" as well, but I thought I'd share it with everyone!
EDIT: Should've added these links for an easy link to the products' page:
http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/metroid-prime-trilogy/74982
http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/xenoblade-chronicles-gamestop-exclusive/98535
@JLoverde That is definitely interesting. With the Metroid pricing, that seems like an appropriate adjustment considering that it does not come with all the other fixings and was listed (not including promo codes) at a price around the point you can get all of that on eBay. I think that's a wise drop.
As for Xenoblade, I'm not sure of the current going rate. Perhaps this is below? That'd be a great deal. Fortunately, I was smarter there than I was with Metroid, and I got that one at launch. Phew.
Good luck to all!
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