Topic: Gamestop no longer carrying console bundles with digital pack-ins

[idolminds]

Giantbomb with the story

During a recent earnings report conference call, GameStop executives outlined their decision to move away from "digital" bundles and highlighted their recent effort to provide "physical" bundles instead. This new strategy went into effect just last month, with the release of Madden NFL 16. While other stores sold Xbox One and Playstation 4 bundles featuring digital copies of the football game, GameStop "worked with Sony, Microsoft, and EA" to reach an arrangement for the retailer to provide a physical copy with any new console purchased. This isn't just a little experiment either. GameStop COO Tony Bartel explained that if Sony and Microsoft continue to release digital bundles, GameStop will turn to "third party" physical-bundles. This could mean that they'll work out a deal with a major publisher like EA or Ubisoft to include a free physical copy of a recent release.

Goes on to explain the pretty obvious reason why: Gamestop makes its money on used games. If the pack in is digital then the user can't trade it back in for GS to resell. Gamestop just happens to have enough clout to get their way. Austin Walker also retweeted someone saying that this also makes sense in areas with poor or no high speed internet, as modern games can be upwards of 50GB. If you can't download the game then it's not really a bundle, is it?

On the other hand, for people like me that like physical copies in general, this is a reason to buy systems at Gamestop over other retailers.

[Cobra951]

I can see it from both sides, and I guess this will give people the choice.  It's bucking a powerful trend, though, and I wonder how long they'll be able to keep doing that.

[Quemaqua]

Their reasoning is shit, but yeah, I'm a big fan of the hard copy. I'd never buy a bundle with download pack-ins unless there was no other option, and I'd buy a base system with no pack-ins first.

[scottws]

I recently bought a PS4 with the new Batman game.  I was pleasantly surprised to see the physical game in there and not just a redemption code.  I bought it from Amazon.

[W7RE]

My only gripe is that they (any retailer) need to clearly identify to the customer whether they're getting physical or digital versions of the games. I've been 100% digital since the launch of the new consoles (already have been on PC for years), and it would bother me if I thought I was getting a code and got a game disc instead. I actually went to great lengths to avoid a disc for GTA 5 when I picked up the XB1 version. I took my 360 copy to Target because they were offering $30 credit if you traded it in for the XB1 version. Then took the still-sealed copy of the game for XB1 to Walmart to return it in exchange for $60 in XBL Currency cards. The first Walmart wouldn't let me, but the second one did. I legitimately could have gotten any game with the $60, but I did actually go home and buy GTA 5.

[scottws]

Digital downloads are convenient, but I don't like the content being tied to agreeing to crazy EULA's that basically bend you over in every way imaginable.  Sure, you can disagree with and refuse the EULA, but then you lose access to your entire game library.

[Cobra951]

My only gripe is that they (any retailer) need to clearly identify to the customer whether they're getting physical or digital versions of the games. I've been 100% digital since the launch of the new consoles (already have been on PC for years), and it would bother me if I thought I was getting a code and got a game disc instead. I actually went to great lengths to avoid a disc for GTA 5 when I picked up the XB1 version. I took my 360 copy to Target because they were offering $30 credit if you traded it in for the XB1 version. Then took the still-sealed copy of the game for XB1 to Walmart to return it in exchange for $60 in XBL Currency cards. The first Walmart wouldn't let me, but the second one did. I legitimately could have gotten any game with the $60, but I did actually go home and buy GTA 5.

I don't go to those lengths (that's some dedication, man); but I've gotten to appreciate digital a lot more.  If I have to go to a shelf, pull a disc out of a case and swap it for the one in the machine, I end up playing those games a lot less.  When games are always available a button press away, I can play several of them back and forth for short periods of time, on a whim--which is something I find myself increasingly doing.  (I also get leery of constantly having the machine physically push, pull and spin discs--stressing itself, but that's just me being anal.)  I have only 2 disc games for the One, and whichever is on the shelf has the least chance of ever getting played.

The funny thing about those crazy EULAs is that they also apply to all online support and connectivity for the games, whether they're on disc or got downloaded.  Patches, DLC, multiplayer, all bring in the verbose agreements.  You could avoid ever updating a game or going online with them, I suppose.  But it's not ideal.  Besides, have you read the small print on the disc cases and inserts lately?  They're going to try to slap legal restrictions on you no matter how you get your goods.  I don't ever read any of them.  Unless you're a lawyer, that gives you the best chance of prevailing in court if it ever comes to that, ironically.  Many courts won't enforce an agreement on you if you weren't even aware of it.

With PC, it's kinda moot anymore, no?  Steam owns the world.  Don't most newer disc games have to go through Steam, Origin, et al to even work?

[MysterD]

I don't go to those lengths (that's some dedication, man); but I've gotten to appreciate digital a lot more.  If I have to go to a shelf, pull a disc out of a case and swap it for the one in the machine, I end up playing those games a lot less.  When games are always available a button press away, I can play several of them back and forth for short periods of time, on a whim--which is something I find myself increasingly doing.  (I also get leery of constantly having the machine physically push, pull and spin discs--stressing itself, but that's just me being anal.)  I have only 2 disc games for the One, and whichever is on the shelf has the least chance of ever getting played.

The funny thing about those crazy EULAs is that they also apply to all online support and connectivity for the games, whether they're on disc or got downloaded.  Patches, DLC, multiplayer, all bring in the verbose agreements.  You could avoid ever updating a game or going online with them, I suppose.  But it's not ideal.  Besides, have you read the small print on the disc cases and inserts lately?  They're going to try to slap legal restrictions on you no matter how you get your goods.  I don't ever read any of them.  Unless you're a lawyer, that gives you the best chance of prevailing in court if it ever comes to that, ironically.  Many courts won't enforce an agreement on you if you weren't even aware of it.

With PC, it's kinda moot anymore, no?  Steam owns the world.  Don't most newer disc games have to go through Steam, Origin, et al to even work?

Pretty much, Steam owns PC - yes. For better and/or for worse. Most new PC games at retail do want Steam; Origin (if from EA); UPlay (if from UbiSoft); BNet (if from Blizzard); and/or something.

I don't buy most games anymore from retail, unless they have a crazy sale, store clearance, or something of the sort. Prices usually suck on PC, when compared to digital. On sales, you can often get killer deals on digital-versions of games here.

Yeah, I really like that w/ digital games, I don't have to pop a disc in the drive. If I buy a Steam-game at retail and it's multiple discs - screw it, given my Internet speeds, I'm better off downloading the entire thing in a one shot deal while I'm watching a movie, TV, and/or not paying my PC much attention. I don't like switching b/t multiple discs on an install. I don't recall can for putting disc in a drive for a game-boot, even if a disc has a boot-check.

I absolutely understand people wanting retail copies on disc. I like 'em, too. Who doesn't? It's all there for you, provided. You don't have to DL them or anything. All there for you, already. But, on the PC - adoption rate of BR or some kind of format w/ a better size-capacity needs to happen to be adopted b/c I really don't want a retail copy of GTA 5 PC on 7 damn DVD's or so. But, that won't happen likely b/c HD-DVD didn't win the format war (Microsoft backed that format, not BR) + b/c digital took off on the PC side of things.

 

[scottws]

The funny thing about those crazy EULAs is that they also apply to all online support and connectivity for the games, whether they're on disc or got downloaded.  Patches, DLC, multiplayer, all bring in the verbose agreements.  You could avoid ever updating a game or going online with them, I suppose.  But it's not ideal.  Besides, have you read the small print on the disc cases and inserts lately?  They're going to try to slap legal restrictions on you no matter how you get your goods.  I don't ever read any of them.  Unless you're a lawyer, that gives you the best chance of prevailing in court if it ever comes to that, ironically.  Many courts won't enforce an agreement on you if you weren't even aware of it.

Yes, there is fine print on discs that is probably pretty restrictive, but in practical terms you can still play the game.

With PC, it's kinda moot anymore, no?  Steam owns the world.  Don't most newer disc games have to go through Steam, Origin, et al to even work?

It's a pretty shitty situation. I remember the time I got DX:HR as a gift.  It was a physical copy from Target, but it had SteamWorks DRM so it had to be tied to a Steam account to play.  During the middle of the time I was playing that game, Valve introduced their infamous EULA which instituted the forced arbitration.  EULAs are almost universally like that now, but at the time it was pretty new.  So, having been warned about the crazy EULA in advance, I read through it when it came up after starting DX:HR.  Other than the forced arbitration, it also included language that said you automatically agree to future EULAs unless you say you don't agree with them 30 days after they are updated.

I'm like, "Hell no! I don't agree to this!"  The game did not start; it exited.  I try to sign into my Steam account and the same EULA comes up.  I don't agree, and Steam exits.

So basically, it's the same as them having all of your digital goods on some suspended platform over a pit of fire and they are saying "We are going to take this and make you do this and this and this and not let you do that or that. Capiche? Oh and we can tell you anything we want in the future and you have to do it too or we'll press this little red button and all your stuff that you spent a bunch of money on falls into the fire and goes *poof*."

I did eventually agree to the EULA so I could finish playing the game, but I haven't bought anything on Steam since that day.

[Cobra951]

I'm not disagreeing with you.  We live in a grossly anti-consumer country now.  Only the government has the power to reverse the trend, but they are too deep in the pockets of the big corporations.  The system is rotten to the core.

Having said that, what are you going to do, give up gaming?  Not me.  On consoles, I settle for ignoring all the legalese--completely.  Hasn't bitten me yet, and I don't expect it to.  I was never going to sue anybody over a game anyway.  On PCs, I'm all for going underground wherever possible.  They are still wide open, and allow you to keep ownership of everything that by all that is right should be wholly yours.  Torrents, cracks, private servers, VPNs--whatever it takes, I'm all for it.