GameStop Pulling Deus Ex: Human Revolution PC Off Shelves [UPDATED]

Bad move on both their parts. Surprised SE doesn't seem to be getting shit for this.

Demoskinos wrote: In rare cases its actually cheaper.  Case in point Shogun 2 is still $49.99 on steam while my local walmart had the disc version with extra DLC for $29.99.  I'll buy a disc copy if it makes sense.

Nobody is looking good in this situation.

@JohnPaulVann said:

What about buying used games, people? Don't we need Gamestop for that????

Good luck buying those used PC games.

Square-Enix: "We realize the seventeen different ways GameStop could fuck us in the future if we piss them off, so we're going to apologize now and let them save some face."

Square Enix apologizes when GameStop acted like fuckfaces? Oh great

Square Enix correctly admitting they were at fault and GameStop still gets the blame? Awesum.

GameStop basically had three options here: allow the game to be sold with the code after having been blindsided into carying it in the first place (which would set a precedent and be criminally stupid on their part), remove the codes and sell the game (which they did), or pull the stock from shelves and send it all back (which they have now done).

Perhaps they should have taken the last option immediately, but I bet if they had done that, they'd still have got just as much shit for it from the press and from gamers - probably even more. 'GameStop fucks over SquareEnix / PC gaming by pulling game from shelves on launch day' etc. Square put GameStop in a lose-lose situation here and I think they are right to apologise for it.

Kinda embarrassed that the bulk of this community can't put their emotions aside from time to time for the sake of having a logical discussion about these sort of things. 
 
Seriously, can 85% of this community honestly not understand Gamestop's position on this at all? 

What a PR nightmare for them. They seem to only ever choose the wrong thing to do. Maybe they should fuck off entirely.

Yet people still buy from them make a stand or stfu. I worked there for three years. We had the most sales in Texas for Halo so they wanted to up the price of the game 5 dollars. Then Pc gamers never pre order so doom 3 we only had 50 pre and were sent 70 the dn forced me to sell pre order copies I told him no! But had to only 16 ppl got their pre order. I stopped buying games from them for the most part. But my gf wanted Lfd 2 they sold me a copy of it new but opened no discount fuck them!

The Gamestop in my little town is the best place to buy games. This won't stop me from going there. It has a comic shop type feel to it and the people are great. I bought Deus Ex there and I'll buy a bunch more fall titles there. I'd rather support that store than the Futureshop in my town where the service blows. I'd rather support a local store that a giant website.

I'm not defending what the higher management chose to do here but I care way more about the direct service I get.

What a bullshit Square-Enix response.
GameStop can "adjust" the products where they see fit? Way to bend over.

What a retarded company... I've had nothing but bad experiences from them in the past and I'm frankly surprised that they are still in business..

Square Enix forced to kiss some serious ass obviously.

This is it, Gamestop has officially joined my black list of corporations I don't make business with, right up there with Apple.

The only people losing out here is GameStop. But how many PC games do they even sell in the first place?

Who seriously still buys boxed copies of PC games? I think that's the bigger shock in all of this...

@SwirlinDervish said:

kinda disappointed in Square's response to this, why are they blaming themselves. Clue me in, please?

they're being the bigger man. It's actually quite noble.

Square Enix kissing GameStop's ass shows how much power GameStop has. How unfortunate.

@MikeydCT:

just sent this to GameStop:

Good Morning,

I wanted to take a moment to inform GameStop that they have lost a very loyal customer. For the past ten years I have made an effort to pre-order and purchase all of my games from GameStop. Over this time it is fair to say I have put up with a lot of less than satisfactory behavior from GameStop employees at stores, and GameStop corporate policies. I have always taken issue with the GameStop policy of selling "gutted" copies of new releases at full price. It always made zero seance to me that if I were to purchase a game and open it that it is only worth store credit if I decide to bring it back yet if GameStop does it the company is comfortable with asking full MSRP [sorry but there is no logic in the corporate policy].

The recent actions that GameStop has taken in regards to opening all copies of Deus Ex to remove a simple coupon has pushed me over the line. It is absurd that this directive was given to all of the retail stores.

Yesterday I went to my local GameStop and canceled all of my current pre-orders as a direct result of GameStops actions, and I see no reason at all to continue to do any business with the company.

I expect this email to fall upon deaf ears but I wanted it to be know that poor corporate decisions can in the end cause you to loose loyal customers.

Thank you for your time.

Gamestop has a digital store too right? Does this mean that they're also forcibly removing discs from games that use Steam to authenticate?

@AndrewB said:

So when does Gamestop start pulling games that support Steamworks?

Gamestop's PC section is like three games sitting in the dusty corner of the store with a flickering light overhead.

I understand not wanting to promote a competing business, but you need to arrange that beforehand. You can't go and manually remove value from the box and then sell it as new after the fact. Given that they didn't know about the coupon beforehand, they should have either pulled the game off shelves or just manned up and sold it. 
 
I've never been too bothered by anything GS did before, but this is just slimy as hell. I'm done with them, no matter what pre-order bullshit they have.

One word.  Steam.

Does anyone even buy PC games at GameStop anymore?

@AndrewB said:

So when does Gamestop start pulling games that support Steamworks?

Gamestop's PC section is like three games sitting in the dusty corner of the store with a flickering light overhead.

So when does Gamestop start pulling games that support Steamworks?

@ the_chojin99 - Actually, we do now, they opened up a web portal based in the UK and are supposidly going to open stores in key locations....Just when you thought it couldnt get any worse than GAME lol

So when does Gamestop start pulling games that support Steamworks?

live in the uk we don't have gamestops but that is some bullshit

A bit xenophobic, eh Gamestop? What's this say about how confident Gamestop is as a company? To me it shows a company that fears they will be out of business in a decade, and instead of changing, they just do their best to obfuscate choice to their customer base. Better hope those people don't buy a Steam Game.

That statemeny from Squeenix is bull.
We acknowledge the right of Gamestop to have the final say on thr contents. Do they hell, if I go to a shop to buy a boxed product I want what the manufacturer put in it, nothing more or less.

You can send all the internet hate you want. It doesnt matter. 
We are not gamestops customers. They don't care about us. 
Gamestops customers are 5 year olds pestering mammy to buy them a game. Grannies desperately trying to buy a birthday present and bro gamers buying their annual cod and madden fix. 

I can't believe Square-Enix is siding with GameStop. Amazing.

@Meptron said:

Still amazed that gamestop still exists. I've never heard anyone say anything good about them. I don't understand - who shops there?

Fat ass americans who laughs at Larry the Cable Guy dvds, waiting for their copy of MW to boot up.

What everyone here seems to be missing is how much the Square Enix statement is actually a huge flaming, eat a dick type response, wrapped up in diplomatic PR lingo. And the proof is definitely:

"Square Enix invites gamers who want to purchase the PC version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution without additional coupons to buy the game at any one of over 4000 GameStop stores in North America," continued the statement, "or purchase a digital download copy online from www.gamestop.com. “

How can anyone read that and NOT pick up on the blatant sarcasm on SE's behalf?

You know what, as annoying as it is that they are doing this I think that we can't exactly blame them. So much hate goes towards Gamestop, grrr, they sell second hand games that take money from developers, grr they dont know what they talk about in store, grr they just want money.  
 
At the end of the day they are a business and its unfortunate that their industry is super sensitive to this sort of action. In the UK our main store is called "GAME" and that nearly went out of business a few years ago. These are companies that need to make money. You wouldn't see a supermarket sell a loaf of bread that came with a voucher for £30 off at a different supermarket. And the used game thing? As much as it sucks for developers it also brings games to those on a lower income bracket. When I was 13 I couldn't afford brand new games. But I could afford the traded in ones.  But hell who knows. That might come down to the exchange rate and be very different in the US. Whenever the staff talk about a $10 game its never ever sold for a £5 here. Its still £10. Sucks really, but thats a rant for another day. 
 
 Im just saying, yeah its annoying but does this make Gamestop the worst company ever? far from it. 

Gamestop has a digital store too right? Does this mean that they're also forcibly removing discs from games that use Steam to authenticate?

@MrGtD said:

The lesson to be learned: BUY EVERYTHING FROM AMAZON ALL THE TIME.

Or Best Buy. Or Fry's. Or Target. Or even K-Mart. Just not fucking Gamestop.

amazon amazon amazon amazon. free release date delivery and like $10-$20 credit when you pre-order games is why I give them my business.

Gamestop come over here lets have a talk we won't hurt you come on little buddy. QUICK HIT HIM WITH STICKS!!!!

POWER TO THE PLAYERS

They really should've just sent the copies back in the first place.

@SwirlinDervish said:

kinda disappointed in Square's response to this, why are they blaming themselves. Clue me in, please?

they're being the bigger man. It's actually quite noble.

What are they going to, tape them back together and place them back on the shelves?

I dunno, I read that "SE invites gamers to...." line as a sly way of saying "If you really wanna buy this game from THESE schmucks, without a coupon you'll get anywhere else, then go right ahead, slutbags." Could just be me though.

Still amazed that gamestop still exists. I've never heard anyone say anything good about them. I don't understand - who shops there?