Gamstop selling new games already opened

So I've tried to buy several games from Gamestop now, and I guess they were the last available copies, so the games were opened already, discs in paper sleeves. Since they used the cases as display cases they were not in good condition at all. One of the games looked like it had been chewed on by a dog. I was really bothered by this. So much that I never want to go to gamestop again and just buy online from now on. Am I just being too picky? When I buy a new game I expect it to be NEW as in still in the shrink wrap, sealed. Has anyone else every had this happen? Were you bothered by it?

Are you new to Gamestop? They've been doing this forever.  
 
And, yes you should be buying all of your games new online. It's cheaper and easier. 

You aren't being to picky, if you buy a brand new game it should be in perfect condition (it's okay to take the disc out of the box though). If they look like they were used it probably means someone at the store used them. If it's not too late you should return them back and see if you can get your money back.

When a game is marked as new but not actually sealed, it means one of the employees borrowed the game and played it. Stupid yes, but how else will Gamestop employees be able to recommend games to customers, especially on there mediocre paychecks.

Yeah Gamestop's stupidity in this area has been pissing me off for a long time. It has nothing to do with the display case, its the jackassery of "we are afraid of thieves" mentality. When I go there I don't expect my game to be in a drawer stuffed with countless other games, but in its original package sealed. When I get my game and I see them "search" for the disc and then package it with a small amount of their tape, it really pisses me off. This is the reason I stopped using their shit service and moved onto Amazon.com...

Ask if you can borrow a new game before you buy it. Only fair.

Yeah this is old news.  Sorry it was such a bummer for you.

I once saw I Gamestop employee convince a mom to get Black Ops for her children, they looked like they were around 10 years old. Gamestop is disgusting and I too have seen the used games being sold as new. Only reason I go in there is to kill time before my food order is ready next door. Haven't bought one thing there from my pocket in years.

Don't put up with that bullshit. Next time bring in some games to trade and tell them that they are still new and that you want full price for them.

If it works, it works.

@m0rdr3d: Yeah, it was the first time I'd been to a gamestop in like seven years. I'm not going back. And I did return the games. Was just curious if it was something only the gamestops in my town did, or if it was all of them. Guess it's amazon from now on. Or best buy, but the best buy in my town has very bad selection of games.

If you don't pre-order the game you don't get it in the plastic wrap.

This is nothing new. They've been unsealing games to use as display copies for years.

Yeah, and I just traded in my DSi for a 3DS today. I had the box and the manuals and everything. I feel like they might turn around and try to sell it as a new DSi.

yeah i never buy games from there anymore...  the copy of Uncharted 2 i got was punctured and i feel bad for not getting a full refund for it.

They've always been doing this. It happened to me once and I chose to never go there again.

If you pay full price for something, it should be brand fucking new, sealed and untouched.

http://www.amazon.com/
 
http://store.steampowered.com/

They've been doing this for years and it has nothing to do with it being the last copy. They often open new games and play them and then sell them as new. An unwrapped game is not new. It is used - the same way a product is sold as "used" when someone brings it back to the store and returns it.

I'd suggest going the Amazon route. Especially if you have Prime. Usually launch-day delivery, usually a couple bucks cheaper, no tax, and often with a $10 or $20 credit toward a future game purchase.

Just google "gamestop sells used games as new".

There's only been a couple of times I've gotten the "display copy," meaning an open box and a disc from a sleeve. When that happens, I ask to see the disc, and the one time the disc didn't look pristine I politely said no thanks. When the disc is fine and all the new game stuff is still inside the box, I have absolutely no problem getting an open copy of a game - I'm just going to open it within 20 minutes anyway.

It boggles my mind why people would continue to buy the game at full price fully knowing that it was opened only to bitch about it later because it was opened.

That is unless Gamestop seals it back up. Then that's super shitty on their part.

@animathias said:

There's only been a couple of times I've gotten the "display copy," meaning an open box and a disc from a sleeve. When that happens, I ask to see the disc, and the one time the disc didn't look pristine I politely said no thanks. When the disc is fine and all the new game stuff is still inside the box, I have absolutely no problem getting an open copy of a game - I'm just going to open it within 20 minutes anyway.

Wait, you mean you act civil in a Gamestop? Blasphemy!

If I wanted an opened copy of a game, I wouldn't be paying full price for it.

Yeah, and I just traded in my DSi for a 3DS today. I had the box and the manuals and everything. I feel like they might turn around and try to sell it as a new DSi.

I actually tell them i want a sealed copy for my games when i buy new and make them go into the back otherwise i tell them they wont see a dollar. It works most of the time.

When a game is marked as new but not actually sealed, it means one of the employees borrowed the game and played it. Stupid yes, but how else will Gamestop employees be able to recommend games to customers, especially on there mediocre paychecks.

@HatKing said:

@Turtlebird95 said:

When a game is marked as new but not actually sealed, it means one of the employees borrowed the game and played it. Stupid yes, but how else will Gamestop employees be able to recommend games to customers, especially on there mediocre paychecks.

No, guy who has never worked at Gamestop, it doesn't. When a game is marked new an is not sealed, it means that it is the last copy of the game. Since they don't want to put all of their games behind a glass case (like Walmart), making it impossible for people to examine the box, they gut the box and put the disc in a drawer behind the counter. It is against store policy for employees to check out copies of new games, not that shady stores don't exist, but blame the individuals, not the company.

I've actually taken a used game box to a Gamestop employee and they turned around and gave me a new sealed copy. I don't think I've ever gotten a new game not sealed from my Gamestop.

@Turtlebird95 said:

When a game is marked as new but not actually sealed, it means one of the employees borrowed the game and played it. Stupid yes, but how else will Gamestop employees be able to recommend games to customers, especially on there mediocre paychecks.

No, guy who has never worked at Gamestop, it doesn't.  When a game is marked new an is not sealed, it means that it is the last copy of the game.  Since they don't want to put all of their games behind a glass case (like Walmart), making it impossible for people to examine the box, they gut the box and put the disc in a drawer behind the counter.  It is against store policy for employees to check out copies of new games, not that shady stores don't exist, but blame the individuals, not the company.

They shouldn't be. It is against company policy. In fact borrowing games against the set rules is one of the few ways to instantly be terminated. At least in my district anyways. They encourage you to borrow games for knowledge but new games are off limits.

Also, Gamestop will never try to sell you a used item as new. It just doesn't benefit them in any way. They want to sell that used stuff because they make nothing but pure profit off of it.

Even though I work as a manager at Gamestop I'll be the first to admit it's a greedy heartless coporation. They treat their employees like crap and want to squeeze every cent out of their customers. Not to mention their obsession with pushing merchandise that no one wants (Duke Nukem Forever, Dead Island, their stupid free to play game like Legends of Zork). However, they do have rules and standards that are in place for a reason. One of which is that any new merchandise has to be displayed on the floor. My store constantly has issues of just about anything we place out on the floor that hasn't been "gutted" disappears. It's gotten to the point where we even have to take the manuals and such out of games to keep people from taking them. So, the games are taken out for a good reason. If you don't want the display copy then I completely understand but don't take it out on the employee. That is unless they are trying to be shady with you. Then let them have it.

The misinformation in this thread is astounding.

Whatever, my opened copy of Super Street Fighter IV still works fine.

@ThePhantomnaut said:

Whatever, my opened copy of Super Street Fighter IV still works fine.

Blasphemy.

This is why I only shop at locally owned game shops and Amazon.

I'm too lazy to shop at other places... 

So politely ask for a sealed copy...It's not like they can get pissed off, spit on the disc and rub the manual on their junk.

@hoossy said:

I'm too lazy to shop at other places...

You're too lazy to shop at Amazon and stay home?

@hoossy said:

I'm too lazy to shop at other places...

You're too lazy to shop at Amazon and stay home?

GAME does the same. And that's why I only buy on Amazon nowadays. (Well, that, and the stupid imposition of Spanish as the only language available in certain titles)

it seems every time i go into a gamestop i get offered a job..

which is why i dont go to gamestop.. order online or bestbuy usually

Whatever, my opened copy of Super Street Fighter IV still works fine.

Or they have no dummy sleeves for said new game for display purposes, so they gut the games and put the case on the shop floor. Valid enough reason I think, or a customer has returned it within the appropriate return window.

Always buy online. It's usually cheaper too.

At least you have Gamestops in the US or wherever you live...

http://www.amazon.com/
 
http://store.steampowered.com/

When a game is marked as new but not actually sealed, it means one of the employees borrowed the game and played it. Stupid yes, but how else will Gamestop employees be able to recommend games to customers, especially on there mediocre paychecks.

They've always done that before, it's best to ask if they have a sealed copy before they charge you, they should tell you if they have any or not.   Or yeah just don't shop there, i don't :)

Brick and mortar stores having been doing this for years. 
 
They remove the shrink wrap and place the game in a paper/cardboard sleeve and use the box as a display case, It is one of the reasons why I switched to buying my games online at the start of this generation of hardware, but mainly i switched because buying online meant I could get the game delivered to my door on the morning of release sometimes a day or two early, Also I have been saving a few pound on game purchases as i rotate between Play.com and Amazon.co.uk as you get free delivery from play and games never cost more than £39.99 for the standard copy, Amazon have LE copies of games for £39.99 sometimes, Also these two sites usually charge between £29.99 and £39.99 where as some stores charge between £39.99 and £49.99(49 being the rrp in the uk which is a joke, pleased most places dont go that high). 
 
i have bought games brand new that look like they have been used and some places they actually have, my friend works at grainger games and has worked at both game and gamestation and he has been taking games home to play for years, they take the paper sleeve and disc home at night and bring it back in the morning, When i heard of this i statered to get suspicious of all stores as several new games had scratches on the disc and i assumed they had been used or poorly looked after while in the paper sleeve. 
 
I very rarely buy any games from in store, unless i happen to be shopping for something else and see a 2nd hand game I wanted or certain games on sale.

It sucks that you guys have experienced that stuff at gamestop but the one I go to is fine and I have never encountered any problems. It's a short walk down the street so it's more convenient for me than buying online.