Well, it still requires Steam anyway, so the joke's on GameStop? Sort of?

Opening a game then selling it new, though, is par for the course for GameStop. Like that's already an okay thing for them to do somehow. Also, GameStop are bastards.

P.S.- The digital download is only $39.99 on Amazon right now.

file a anti-trust lawsuit agenst them. have their company ripped in two.

@Sharpshooter said:

Are they even allowed to do that? Is this even legal? I cant imagine that it is. Tampering with and removing items from a sealed product. So far as I know the only thing any retailer is allowed to do under these circumstances is sell the product as provided by the supplier unless they have explicit permission to do so or not stock the product. In other words deal with it or piss off.

Also the wording of that letter just sounds like its from a soulless robot. "Our desire is to not have this coupon go to any customers". Either that or it was written by the Ferengi.

Rule of Acquisition #24: Until you have purchased the game and are at least 1 mile away from the store you are not legally considered the owner.

Isn't this breaking some sort of law? Like, won't the publisher and OnLive have something to say about this?

I haven't bought anything from GameStop in years, and stories like this ensure that this practice will continue.

Never been impressed with Gamestop, but I had limited contact with them.. prices were always too high, even for used games.  Went in to buy Operation Darkness on 360 a long time ago and was happy I found it, new.  Also picked up a used copy of another game at the same time.  Since they keep the discs separate from the boxes, I asked to inspect the used disc for damage.. it was flawless.  I then, on a whim, asked to see Operation Darkness's disc and it was dusty and scratched up.   Didn't buy it.
 
My guess? they just take whatever disc is available and give it to the person who buys.  That used game that was flawless? Could have been a brand new disc.  The Operation darkness disc could have been used.  Who knows.  Maybe the guy was trying to hook me up on the used game, and they had hooked up someone else previously with a new disc in a used box for Operation Darkness.  Could just be real sloppy work.  Ended up getting it online, instead. 

All I can say is "blathering blatherskite!" 

@EthanML said:

Isn't this breaking some sort of law? Like, won't the publisher and OnLive have something to say about this?

This is what I was thinking....

Fuck GameStop. I hope BestBuy moves in harder on the retail of games. It's time to fuck up GameStop's monopoly bullshit.

And this is why I buy all my PC games from Steam.

Bitch Move Gamestop.

As a floor manager of Hastings, I can confirm that we have sparkly new, wrapped copies of this game.

What I would like to know is that at which point does this kind of stuff become illegal?

Lol Onlive. However, selling opened games is a nono.

I stopped buying from GameStop because they open the games. I received a game once with a manual that looked used. F-that!

This is pathetic!

This doesn't surprise me at all, nor does the fact that Gamestop is selling opened copies of a video game new; they do that with games all the time. If the only "new" copy of the game left is the one the took out of the case so as to use it for display purposes, they just put it back in and sell the game to you at the new price. It's bullshit.

Way to solidify the reputation of being scumbags.

Reminds me of our government, in SO many ways. 
One for example: As long as the trucks of money from the people keep coming in, they just keep doing what they want.

It's good to know most PC gamers don't even go to this shit store.

So long Josh Avanoff. You had a good run.

@TreyoftheDead said:

This doesn't surprise me at all, nor does the fact that Gamestop is selling opened copies of a video game new; they do that with games all the time. If the only "new" copy of the game left is the one the took out of the case so as to use it for display purposes, they just put it back in and sell the game to you at the new price. It's bullshit.

Their employees are even allowed to play the games at home and still sell them as new afterwards.

While this is nowhere near the same thing, I really wouldn't be surprised if I heard that gamestop was planning to remove DLC codes and online passes from new games so they could scam customers  out of an extra 10 dollars on top of the 60 dollar price.

thats disgusting

God. They have a rating of 4 Satans.

good job pushing the game? People are buying it because it is a good game, not because some fucking Gamestop clerk convinced anyone to buy it.

Why arnt onlive lawyers all over this?

@ahaisthisourchance said:

And this is why I buy all my PC games from Steam.

Oh, does the Steam version come with an OnLive code then? Probably not, because Steam would probably tell anybody that suggested including one with their game to go fuck themselves.

OnLive is an actual thing now?

I understand all the comments professing outrage, as I'm as put off by this practice as anyone. However (and I haven't dug down through all of the comments, so if I repeat someone, my apologies), I haven't seen anyone touch on the legality of this practice.

a) If I purchase a product, I do so with the expectation that I am receiving the entirety of the product, whether it's cables with a television, drill bits with a power tool, or mounting hardware with a piece of computer hardware. Even if I don't know there's supposed to be something extra in the box, when I give the retailer money for something, there is the expectation that I will get everything I'm entitled to. If I don't get everything I'm paying for, something has been stolen from me, which is exactly what Gamestop is doing here; they're stealing from me, which is patently illegal.

b) Wouldn't this be considered anti-competitive? If the publisher wants to include a coupon for a competing service, and the retailer with whom it directly competes removes said coupon for the sole purpose of preventing additional competition in the market, I would think that falls squarely under the purview of anti-competitive practice laws. I mean, Microsoft got nailed for including their own internet browser in Windows, and they were ADDING a service. Illegally (see point 'a') removing intended content in order to quash a directly competing service seems way, way worse (although on a smaller scale).

Wow, I can put up with annoying sales people and what not, but physically reducing the value of the good sold to avoid competition? That's a new low.

I wonder who the scapegoat will be for this.

OnLive is an actual thing now? Who knew.

I'd already boycotted GameStop for lesser evils, but this would certainly be another reason to do so.

Pretty horrible of them to do this when they got exclusive preorder content for Deus Ex. I hope this drives Square Enix/Eidos to stop offering them pre-order incentives since they are forcibly destroying a business arrangement with OnLive.

Fuck gamestop  I stopped by games there  99% of the time because they suck.
 
The only time I go there is to get stuff I cant get anywhere else

Certainly the removing of these coupons is bad, but Gamestop has been opening new games for as long as I remember. They place the discs in a drawer and take it out when you bring up the case. You have to specifically ask for a sealed copy.

pretty sure this goes against some sort of fair trade act

Alex does the best news articles. Awesome captions, pictures, headlines and text.

Wait, Gamestop still carries computer games?

This is why my mouth is agape that people still shop there. Buy your shit off of Amazon or Steam already.

Guess I'm getting this at bestbuy...

Is that even Legal?

I smell a lawsuit brewing. Or at least, there Goddamned well should be.

What the shit? Goddammit, Gamestop. Just... no. 

I feel like a terrible person for pre-ordering Battlefield 3 from them. EVIL!!!!

Unsatisfied with stopping me from going to their retail stores, now GameStop has guaranteed I'll never use their online services either.

That's why we buy our games online, right?

woooo amazon :)

It works out doubly well for Gamestop, if you decide that you want to return the game because you bought it as a gift, and the person already had the game, or any other reason where you would normally be able to return it unopened, Gamestop will simply tell you that it has already been opened, so they can't accept it for a return. GENIUS!!!