GameStop vs Smyths vs Game

Absolam

Everybody has something to say on the subject so I thought a poll might be interesting;
Which do you prefer and why?

Retr0gamer

None of them. You're far better off buying online. Play.com are cheap. Lik-sang and dvdboxoffice for imports.

DrEvil

How can anyone vote for game they're nearly always the most expensive out the 3?
I find that smyths are generally cheapest and sometimes gamestop

Absolam

Retr0gamer wrote:

None of them. You're far better off buying online. Play.com are cheap. Lik-sang and dvdboxoffice for imports.

I was going to include online as an option, but I guess the point is, we've had lots of threads which included slagging off/praising various shops/staff, so we all obviously visit them a lot! So when you're out and about for that authentic retail experience, where do you prefer to go?

Winters

Smyths usually, if I have the time. However I hate their while CDs and Manual are not in the case policy thing they have. I havent bought a game in a shop in months though, I always buy online.

grimloch

i used to like the gamestop as it once had this really helpful guy who knew what he was talking about prices were allright

Retr0gamer

If there's one good thing to be said of Game its that their DVD prices are good and they like to break release dates for them.

super_furry

Xtra-Game are far better than any of them.

Pacifico

Smyths are excellent!

However i usually browse in Game then buy in Smyths. The PC Game section in the Limerick branch has been scaled down unfortuantly.....

KdjaCL

Most games i have bought are cheap ones from game ,they closest to me. They rip offs on new games but i walk by the shop at least twice a week so see bargains regularly.
Or the €20 sale in PC World kept me going pc wise for about 8 months.

kdjac

DrEvil

Xtra-Game are far better than any of them.

forgot to mention xtra-vision/xtra-game. I use to buy most of my games from them till I found Symths

monument

Absolam wrote:

So when you're out and about for that authentic retail experience, where do you prefer to go?

Do you work for a retailer who offers that authentic, sorry, or is it rip-off experience?

Edit: Oh, yes, on where I buy, if not online, the odd time Smiths, or one of the others for a reduced title, but lately from the toy shop World of Wonders in Ballina, apparently it’s the cheapest in their group for games – or so I’m told by the owner. Well Doom 3 was about as cheep as online.

amp

I usually visit Gamestop, HMV and Game and then end up buying it cheaper in Smyths. Gamestop near Abbey street don't even seem to sell PC Games anymore which I find bizzare.

Batbat

my god i find gamestop to be really expensive, at least the one on henry street, the other one on liffy street is expensive also, I like game because the 2nd hand console games are cheap and there is a good selection

Jim

amp wrote:

I usually visit Gamestop, HMV and Game and then end up buying it cheaper in Smyths. Gamestop near Abbey street don't even seem to sell PC Games anymore which I find bizzare.

I assume your talking about the one in Liffey Street amp? Was in there yesterday and they had (I think) a decent amount of PC games. The one in Henry Street didn't have any / alot of PC games for awhile. Seems to have changed now though.

What Gamestop should really do is import stuff from their stores in the States, give them a little edge that the other big retailers don't have.

Batbat

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

What Gamestop should really do is import stuff from their stores in the States, give them a little edge that the other big retailers don't have.

yes very good idea

Absolam

monument wrote:

Do you work for a retailer who offers that authentic, sorry, or is it rip-off experience?

If I could've found 'sarcasm quotes' for that 'authentic retail experience' I would have Yes, I have worked for one, or two, or three games companies in my time

Personally I prefer online shopping...but it does lack that..personal...feeling.

Jim

"Do you have a reward card"
"No, I don't"
"Would you like to register, you get free coupons"
"No"
"Oh come on, its free!"
"No"
"Look, why don't I show you a brochure"
"I have a copy of Manhunt at home"
"Oh...heres your purchase sir, have a nice day"

evad_lhorg

Batbat wrote:

my god i find gamestop to be really expensive, at least the one on henry street, the other one on liffy street is expensive also, I like game because the 2nd hand console games are cheap and there is a good selection

I was in gamestop the other day and they had shag all pc games. not that it bothers me I would have thought the pc games market was prety damn big. I havnt been in smyths in a good while tbh but they dont have a lot of cube games so I dont like em. If I didnt work in game I dont know where id buy my games.

Jim

Interwebby.

Absolam

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

Interwebby.

Always..but you can't pick stuff up and look, y'know?

honru

Before Gamestop arrived, GAME were terrible. But since this competition arrived I notice things have improved, there are titles here and there that you can find cheaper than anywhere else (even online). Point docked though for their awful prices on secondhand games, Gamestop are definetly better for this. They and Smyths are usually ho-hum affairs (since there is online shopping out there) but I hold no grudge against them. HMV are awful now. Can't properly judge Xtragame.

evad_lhorg

I was in hmv on grafton street and they have a wider selection of gamecube games at least but they are charging 33euro for the players choice games and some games are 66euro

ArphaRima

There was a spell a while back where GAME prices went ridiculous, just after GAME and EB officially changed their names to GAME.

I generally buy games the day they come out from whoever has them on the shelves first. If they all do, I buy the cheapest. No loyalty.

BLITZ_Molloy

Gamestop used have very good prices on 2nd hand games. Now they're pretty much the same as Game.

Problem with GS is their appaling PC games selection. They have a rack of utterly **** games in the Ennis branch and never replace them. Do you think they'd stock Doom 3 or Far Cry? Of course not. They even have a big Doom cut out monster in the window, but no copies. I gave up and pirated it after going in twice a week for three weeks and getting the same "out of stock, it'll be in tomorrow" bull****.

The Real B-man

smyths for me always seem to be in a hurry to get rid of stock so they sell it off cheap to make room for new stuff

lordsippa

Hrmm... this is gonna be unpopular but as gamecube gamer i gotta go with Game as the best in dublin. If only cause they've got the only decent selection. GameStop ain't tooooo bad but Game on Dawson Street wipes the floor with it.

evad_lhorg

YEA GO DAWSON STREET! it's only because I work there ya know

rainbow kirby

*poke*
Damn you guys and having more cube games than us...

evad_lhorg

6th best GAME shop at the moment dont ya know?

yawnstretch

Have to admit - I do prefer the shopping 'experience' at Gamestop Liffey street - 2nd hand games are well-accessible in their new shelves and they have a good stock (nice bright lit atmos too), but they're definitely the most expensive - Smyths for the actual purchase (but they do look the worst in comparison to GS and Game).

Kudos to Game Dawson St. from me2: decent prices and a seemingly perpetually empty store - YAY. (Reminds me of PCworld, Liffey Valley! Staff flocking over from the far reaches of the airy warehouse - buy something...pleeeeease - we'll pay you!! - "Whats that a return of an almost 1year old router?" - "HAPPY to replace it!" MuahaAHAHahA) Gamezone and Bookmart on Talbot St seem to have died a death though...

I reckon PC games arent selling well in general due to massive downloadage.