MW2 street date "most broken in history"

By Games Industry.biz Published 9 November, 2009

Retailers lash out at supermarkets, etailers.

The release date for Modern Warfare 2 has been one of the most disregarded in the history of UK games retail, according to SimplyGames MD Neil Muspratt.

Evidence suggests that many online retailers received stock of the game as early as last Wednesday and shipped it immediately, he told GamesIndustry.biz; an action which has led to hundreds of cancelled pre-orders for stores adhering to the official November 10 release date.

"So far it appears that the street date of Modern Warfare has been one of the most commonly broken in the history of UK games retailing. We only got our stock on Saturday and have had to pay for every copy to go out by courier in order that it reaches people tomorrow.

"We've seen dispatch notes, delivery reports and hundreds of cancelled orders from people who received their copy early."

Retailers have further concerns too that even after stock is sent to customers they could experience high numbers of returns and refunds as the supermarkets slash prices as low as GBP 25.

There are fears, said ShopTo CEO Igor Cipolletta, the title will be devalued by these supermarket deals, both upon launch and in the future as the value of trade-ins and second hand stock is impacted.

"We invested a lot of money and energy to ensure our customers receive their game on release date and hope that the most awaited game of the year is able to retain its value, but fear that loss leaders are both devaluing a new product and consequently affecting second hand and trade-in prices also," he commented.

Cipolletta called for publishers to consider "categorising" their customers as a result before they see themselves hit by the actions of the supermarkets.

"This may be something that Activision and others can control. We feel that there are currently enough specialist retailers and etailers to supply and cover the market, and publishers do not need supermarkets and similar to promote such titles as this and FIFA," he said.

"Publishers may need to begin categorising their customers and supplying the right product to the right ones. For example, a mass market title like Professor Layton may be more oriented to a supermarket, whereas a 'hardcore' title such as MW2 might be better suited to specialist retailers, otherwise we may find ourselves in a position where there will be less unit sales, which will hurt publishers and their investments as a result.

"I hope publishers are looking into this and make changes where appropriate."

Earlier today several specialist retailers praised Activision's handling of MW2's launch so far, saying it has dealt with it to the best of its ability.

The sentiment was echoed by Cipolletta who blamed the early sending out of copies of the game on etailers selling European stock not meant for UK customers.

"Activision has done a good job with the direct account holders that they are dealing with," he said. "I don't see how they can improve on this, with some stock always being outside of their control."

Picture of Games.

About Games Industry.biz

Read more articles from Games by visiting the Games Industry.biz archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (86) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • RobotRocker #1 2 years ago

    Consumers to Retailers: "Get over yourselves you pricks"

  • the_sas_man #2 2 years ago

    It's a two edged sword using postal deliveries. In this day and age of postal hell, how an earth can a retailer make 100% sure the game arrives on day or release?

    If a game arrives early, publisher is mad but gamer is happy.

    If a game arrives late, gamer is mad and retailer suffers.

    Unfortunately, it's one of those necessary evils of big releases, especially by post. It's not a practice the film industry has to worry about (unless illegal copies).

    Likewise, if you receive a DVD release or CD album early in the post there doesn't seem to be the same debacle as games. Not sure why that is, just an interesting point.

  • Ducklord #3 2 years ago

    Actually, it's probably just that this game is big enough for people to notice. I mean, would anyone care if a Harry Potter game was sent early by every retailer in existence?

    And if Sainbury's are selling at £26, my moral highground will be well and truly surrendered.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 18:36

  • Rich72 #4 2 years ago

    £25? i'd buy one on 360 and ps3 to play with both sets of mates. a trip to asda in the morning me thinks, just to check

  • Derblington #5 2 years ago

    These 2 do like to whinge.

  • the_sas_man #6 2 years ago

    So it's confirmed Asda is doing it for £25?

  • carlitoswagon #7 2 years ago

    Thanks GAME for my courier delivery this afternoon. I love you!

    p.s. All haters can watch the montages on youtube.

  • Gazza_UK #8 2 years ago

    £25 at Tesco if you buy another "chart game"

  • the_sas_man #9 2 years ago

    @MrEd..

    £32 is still very good! I just heard a lot of people on forums saying it's £25 at ASDA. I've yet to see any proof of this either, but still tempted at the £32.

  • the_sas_man #10 2 years ago

    Scrap that - Sainsbury are doing it for £26!

    http://ww w.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/nov...

  • Xeopuppy #11 2 years ago

    Who cares about Retailers, get it off Steam...

  • Paperghost #12 2 years ago

    They should "categorise" 55 RRP as rather silly, then we might be more receptive. Until then he can kiss my shiny metal asda.

  • DDevil #13 2 years ago

    I can't help think that part of this has been caused by the inflated RRP set by Activision. Surely there wouldn't have been as much of a clamour to get the lowest price.

    Well, I mean there still would have been low prices by supermarkets and so on, but I still got the cheapest price I could rather than pre-ordering from Play like normal because of it. Fuck you Bobby Kotick, and stick your £55 RRP up your fat spotty arse.

  • jonsaan #14 2 years ago

    Competition is good.

  • Gaol #15 2 years ago

    Many online retailers have broken street date due to the fact a two day postal strike was only just averted. Can hardly blame them for wanting to avoid disappointing customers with late delivery.

    As for the price war, it's just the supermarkets squeezing smaller retailers as usual. Great for us consumers in the short term, but not so good for competition, choice, and a whole lot of jobs long term.

  • waggy79 #16 2 years ago

    This is the supermarkets flicking the V's at Activision for putting the RRP at £55 and I for one am all for it. Im a big fan of IW but Activision's hype machine almost killed my interest in this game.

  • Mark1412 #17 2 years ago

    I ordered from shopto but please, Igor, tell me why I shouldn't return my £42.99 copy when I can either get it for the same price earlier from another online retailer, or £26 at midnight tonight from Sainsbury? I mean, that's earlier than you too!

    I know it's hard for retailers, but one of the reasons I buy online is to get games earlier than street date.

    Obviously that's totally a consumer point of view there.

  • Machetazo #18 2 years ago

    50% more popular than GTA IV on Amazon.
    http://ww w.videogamer.com/news/modern_wa...

  • serpantdarius #19 2 years ago

    "The sentiment was echoed by Cipolletta who blamed the early sending out of copies of the game on etailers selling European stock not meant for UK customers"

    yeah because shopto never used to sell eu copies of games that weren't meant for uk customers.

  • Law07 #20 2 years ago

    Amazon are doing the game for £32 although if you order now you dont get it dispatched until the 10th!

  • Whizzo #21 2 years ago

    yeah because shopto never used to sell eu copies of games that weren't meant for uk customers.

    Indeed, that's pretty bloody hypocritical considering the number of titles I've had from Shopto that very obviously weren't UK sourced copies.

  • p00ntang #22 2 years ago

    Where's the review then?

  • spazmo #23 2 years ago

    The Hype machine in full effect.

  • Fleeby #24 2 years ago

    The embargo that Activision has put on any reviews is absolutely tragic. Only the Telegraph seems to have dared break it.

  • bratmandu #25 2 years ago

    Game and Gamestop - please get bent you sons of bitches. The amount of hassle I've had from both stores over the last 10 years outweighs any sympathy I would have had for the demise of the high street retailer. Internet shopping/downloading straight to console is the future, adapt or die.

  • makeamazing #26 2 years ago

    when I can either get it for the same price earlier from another online retailer, or £26 at midnight tonight from Sainsbury? I mean, that's earlier than you too!

    LOL seriously.. i recommend you send your game back and then see if you can go pick it up from one of the supermarkets (not that Im supporting ShopTo as ive never purchased from them). You know the supermarkets buy probably about 2 to 3 thousand of these games and sell them off cheap. Why, because they are loss leaders and they dont want to lose that much money. They can get the good press that they sold an item at an amazing price. You will find the majority of people will turn up and not actually get a copy (it wouldnt surprise me if half the staff get the game before it goes on the shelf as well).

    So by all means try it, I hope your lucky, but most people will find the item out of stock and will probably have to buy it from the normal retailers anyway.

    Ive actually got it pre-ordered from Asda, but I can bet that when i turn up tomorrow, they wont have any pre-order stock (which kinda kills the whole concept of pre-order). So i will probably be buying it elsewhere. Its a shame the Big stores are getting the press for actually not doing much for the buyer (say 5000 copies when compared to probably a couple of hundred thousand sold is not much).
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 19:09

  • winter #27 2 years ago

    "We invested a lot of money and energy to ensure our customers receive their game on release date and hope that the most awaited game of the year is able to retain its value, but fear that loss leaders are both devaluing a new product and consequently affecting second hand and trade-in prices also,"

    I don't see how this will affect the second hand values?

    asda/tesco/sainsburys and morrisons will sell these at a loss for a few days only. once they've cleared out
    their intial batch, it'll be back upto full RRP ala FIFA10.

    CoD MW is still approximately £25 to £30 second hand after how long now?

  • Razz #28 2 years ago

    Bitter man says bitter things.

  • Pirotic #29 2 years ago

    Mines getting returned to shopto as soon as it arrives, do they really expect customers to pay £15 over the odds and be happy about it. Even some small token gesture could have saved the sale but many just seem to want to pretend the price war isn't happening in the hopes people don't realize.

  • Wolverfrog #30 2 years ago

    The irony in this situation is overwhelming. Activision try to sell Modern Warfare 2 for more money than any other 'standard' Xbox 360 game in the past, and yet it is now one of the cheapest blockbuster releases there is. It's even cheaper than ODST was, and that was just an expansion.

    Once again, the irony...

    Anyway, I'll be hopping on the train to Asda tomorrow. It's a confirmed £25?
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 19:31

  • niteninja #31 2 years ago

    Gamestation are refusing to price match with the supermarkets same as blockbuster.
    Still have the trade in advantage though.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 19:29

  • el_pollo_diablo #32 2 years ago

    To what extent does the Royal Mail strike all affect this though? After all, if Play.com were to wait until the day before the day before launch to send their pre-order copies out, then they'd have a million angry people on the phone when it took another week to get through the Royal Mail backlog. I'm not making excuses for anyone here, but...

  • Mercatoria #33 2 years ago

    LOL
    why is this a problem if a game is released early. I just dont get it.

  • Thedni #34 2 years ago

    There are usually some pretty hefty fines involved for stores breaking street date so I can see why they would be a little miffed.

  • paulf #35 2 years ago

    there's at least 170,000 people who have played this already on xbox live (that was my rank after one game of team deathmatch), the guy at the top of the leaderboards has clocked over 3 days playtime already ...

    the good news is so far the game is really good

  • makeamazing #36 2 years ago

    why is this a problem if a game is released early. I just dont get it.

    Read above :) but in short its called a unfair competative advantage.

  • niteninja #37 2 years ago

    Morrisons going to announce their price at about 10 o clock uk time.
    Are game retailers now obsolete?
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 19:53

  • midnight_walker #38 2 years ago

    "Anyway, I'll be hopping on the train to Asda tomorrow. It's a confirmed £25?"

    No, it's £32 at ASDA - read the thread!

  • youhavenomail #39 2 years ago

    "This may be something that Activision and others can control."

    It sure is, Mr Retailer. They could make it so everyone can sell their games for a more than reasonable £25. But they won't, so you'll just have to either shut up or go and find a new business.

  • Wolverfrog #40 2 years ago

    "Anyway, I'll be hopping on the train to Asda tomorrow. It's a confirmed £25?"

    "No, it's £32 at ASDA - read the thread!"

    Ah, okay then. Still, pretty cracking deal, compared to the £44 GAME is selling it for.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #41 2 years ago

    I find the price debate ridiculous. If a shop wants to sell it for almost no profit whatsoever or maybe even at a loss it is their decision. The industry is big enough so we really don't have to worry about less competition. There are more than enough sales out there for everybody.

    On the other hand I agree that selling games too early is bad and fines should be accordinly rough. However, I think this is also the publisher's fault. Why choose a Tuesday to release your game? That gives retailers just one business day to ship the game and every other shop an entire weekend to sell the game. Why not release it on a Friday like everyone else? More than enough time to ship the game and let's face it: People want to play this over the weekend. If they preordered and are going to get it on Friday they will be happy, I doubt hordes of gamers will cancel their preorders just because they can get it on Thursday in Asda. As long as they get it before the weekend everyone will be happy.

    Another possibility would be to actually lock the game until the day of release like it's the case with games released on Steam. Buy the game/Preload the game but you can't actually start it before it is released. It would be difficult to pull off because I am sure that there are still some 360s out there with no internet connection (which obviously isn't a problem on Steam if you download the game from the internet anyway).
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 19:59

  • giant_frying_pan #42 2 years ago

    I like Igor and while I appreciate he has a business to run, I do think he tried to give as much value as he can to customers.

    However, it just seems like sour grapes here that he can't rival the buyng power of the big supermarkets. Rather than lobbying publishers to implement bizarre genre segregation as he proposes, he should be pressuring ELSPA and the big three manufactures to lower license fees so that it's more of a level playing field to start with.

  • Jay-ITFC #43 2 years ago

    "The sentiment was echoed by Cipolletta who blamed the early sending out of copies of the game on etailers selling European stock not meant for UK customers."

    Pot. Kettle. Black.

  • makeamazing #44 2 years ago

    However, it just seems like sour grapes here that he can't rival the buyng power of the big supermarkets

    Ironically the Supermarkets are not actually buying that many copies as ive heard (for FIFA is was in the low thousands). Its not the buying power thats the problem, its the ability to make a loss on such products, they can afford to make a loss on the copies 9 (as they are rich) and have purchased a low number anyway. If people think thats fine, well i guess it is if you get a copy that cheap, but i reckon not that many people will :D...
    Edited by 2 at 09/11/09 @ 20:15

  • YourMessageHere #45 2 years ago

    "Our anger at ourselves for essentially sucking too much to actually be competitive is causing us to become unreasonably loud and whiny, as has become normal for this kind of circumstance. Moreover, our unwarranted sense of entitlement, and the mistaken belief that anyone actually cares about our welfare even though we transparently do not care about anyone other than ourselves, is once again plain for all to see" said a spokesman for specialist retailers, when we swooped on him in search of a comment in the brief window between spitting his dummy and sucking his thumb. "I never asked to be born you know. It's not fair. I hate you." he added.

  • Razz #46 2 years ago

    "Our anger at ourselves for essentially sucking too much to actually be competitive is causing us to become unreasonably loud and whiny, as has become normal for this kind of circumstance. Moreover, our unwarranted sense of entitlement, and the mistaken belief that anyone actually cares about our welfare even though we transparently do not care about anyone other than ourselves, is once again plain for all to see" said a spokesman for specialist retailers, when we swooped on him in search of a comment in the brief window between spitting his dummy and sucking his thumb. "I never asked to be born you know. It's not fair. I hate you." he added.

    LOL! :D
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 20:17

  • Pirotic #47 2 years ago

    I'd love to ask shopto why they charged cards and refused to cancel orders around the exact time sainsburys announced the price cut, despite them not having it in stock at that point.

  • Murton #48 2 years ago

    Must. Post. Another. MW2 Article.


    I can't wait until tomorrow when the game is finally released and Activision finally lift the review embargo so we can get the last of the MW2 shit out of the way and read about some decent games. I haven't really been bothered about this franchise for a few years now, it's stale and tired and needs to do something different, or just stop to make way for a new IP, whichever IW feel more like doing.

  • spiny #49 2 years ago

    ""This may be something that Activision and others can control. We feel that there are currently enough specialist retailers and etailers to supply and cover the market, and publishers do not need supermarkets and similar to promote such titles as this and FIFA"

    Translation:
    We were happy with the previous situation where we had a price fixing cartel, but now the free market isn't operating to our advantage, we'll exclude anyone who dosen't play by our rules.

    You can already hear the supermarket's lawyers engaging first gear :)

  • beckyh #50 2 years ago

    Well Activision are the creator of these problems. Had they not hiked up the price then people would not be going to supermarkets for cheap deals. They have themsleves to blame.

  • loveless #51 2 years ago

    "most broken in history" - probably not, just the most reported one.

    I had my Forza Motorsport 3 delivered nearly a week early date due to the postal strike, but I didn't see any reports of that having broken it's street date.

  • beckyh #52 2 years ago

    An RRP is only a Recommended Retail Price. There is nothing illegal about shops cutting the prices and selling at break even or even a loss. And Igor whatisface can shut the hell up moaning about shops sending out European copies - how dare he complain about that when his store is one of the biggest offenders.

  • beckyh #53 2 years ago

    I think I should write a review for this tonight, I never signed any review embargo.

  • db3 #54 2 years ago

    Once again the supermarkets are doing the publisher a huge favour in that at there will be a massive number of MW2's sold without any trade-ins. Activision are lucky b'stards getting away with the ridiculous RRP.

  • daz217 #55 2 years ago

    Makro selling it at £20 next best deal is sainsburys at £26 . Both confirmed

  • Razz #56 2 years ago

    look what ShopTo are up to now:

    6. If you decide to cancel and return your order to us you will be refunded the full amount minus the £1.99 UKMail delivery cost.

    [link url= http://www.shopto.net/page.php?page=info-mw2shipping
    ]http://ww w.shopto.net/page.php?page=info...[/link]

    oh dear... trading standards will be contacted.

  • MinerWilly #57 2 years ago

    I think its wrong that you can return a Game to say for instance Shopto , Play , Game etc . I mean you took the chance in ordering early and where happy to pay that price at that moment . I was even thinking perhaps they sent them out early so that you guys would get it and then enjoy the Game and not then want the hassle of having to go out get another copy and then resend your original back perhaps they where anticipating correctly that the supermarkets would do what they have today ?
    I think its crazy the way you can return Games , DvDs , Music just with the explanation that you don't enjoy it !
    You cant buy a house or 2nd hand car and then say do you know what mate I don't like this and theres a cheaper one in the local paper etc ! (clothes I can kind of understand)

  • D_arkTrooper #58 2 years ago

    Our local Morrisons have had LOADS of copies in for every format.The PS3 version scanned (was talking to the guy on the Techno counter) today (Monday) for £54.99 BUT they've been told this ISN'T the definate price and to destroy the price labels they have for the game.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 21:27

  • Razz #59 2 years ago

    "I think its crazy the way you can return Games , DvDs , Music just with the explanation that you don't enjoy it ! "

    Why? It's the entertainment industry. If something doesn't entertain you why would you want to keep it? Just as if a piece of clothing doesn't fit or suit, you can swap it for one that does. I actually find it ludicrous that (currently in the UK) you can only do this at a loss. Buying games/DVD's/music is risky business.

  • InvisibleCrane #60 2 years ago

    "I'm just pissed off that I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in this cynical carbon copy shoot 'em up that doesn't do anything different etc etc. Why can't street date be broken and prices slashed for a decent game I actually want?"

    Oh wah wah wah you crybaby...the reason for this is simple, lots and lots of people want the game (including me) so that's why this happened

  • Mercatoria #61 2 years ago

    There is nothing wrong or illegal about selling a "european" product within the european union.

  • beckyh #62 2 years ago

    look what ShopTo are up to now:
    6. If you decide to cancel and return your order to us you will be refunded the full amount minus the £1.99 UKMail delivery cost.
    [link url=http://ww w.shopto.net/page.php?page=info...
    ]http://ww w.shopto.net/page.php?page=info...[/link]
    oh dear... trading standards will be contacted.

    Seeing as they offered the ukmail courier as a free option they cannot take it from someone's refund. Anyone subject to this shitty clause should contact trading standards. This is outrageous and illegal.

  • keano #63 2 years ago

    lol sainsburys actually have a tv ad out advertising their £26 offer

  • Embattle #64 2 years ago

    You'll find that they still pay the postage, I tend to think you won't get much out of it quoting the often used "I'm going to contact trading standards blub" although like any one you are more than welcome to try.

    The major supermarkets will always sell these games for a loss since they use them as a loss leader but they often don't keep the low price for that long, or they sell out of there stock rather fast either way those that stick to either side of the argument rarely understand the others problem with such tactics.

  • Collymilad #65 2 years ago

    "Consumers to Retailers: "Get over yourselves you pricks""

    "You'll find that they still pay the postage, I tend to think you won't get much out of it quoting the often used "I'm going to contact trading standards blub" although like any one you are more than welcome to try. "

    Er. I don't know THAT much about contract law, but surely if the postage is advertised as FREE, the fact they paid it is their problem, no? Since you agreed to buy it with FREE postage, i don't see how they can legally take it off your refund.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 22:28

  • curtlikesmeat #66 2 years ago

    Please please please let it be 7/10.

  • Zomoniac #67 2 years ago

    @MinerWilly

    Distance selling regulation rules. If you ordered a house or car on the internet, you would be entitled to return it. If you return something to a shop without a fault they are under no obligation to give a refund, many do so to boost customer happiness (hence my now buying high street games at Gamestation now, as they still do a 7 day return for shit games, refuse to use Game since they stopped the 10-day).

    But anything you order online or via mail order you have a week to return for a full refund if you wish, and the shop are legally obliged, since you can't inspect the product before paying for it. Nothing to do with it being a game, it covers anything you buy online.

  • Razz #68 2 years ago

    I think the main complaint about the £1.99 returns charge is that it extends to people whose cards have been charged but the game hasn't shipped yet. Which is out of order as the delivery was supposed to be free.
    Edited by 1 at 09/11/09 @ 22:55

  • Embattle #69 2 years ago

    While not knowing exactly how gamestop most only cahrge once they've dispatched if not then yes that would be out of order.

  • Collymilad #70 2 years ago

    "lol sainsburys actually have a tv ad out advertising their £26 offer "

    Yeah I couldn't believe it when I saw this. I just bought F3, Dragon age and Borderlands over the last week though so skint now. Might need to beg someone for money. Or wait. Dunno.

  • Razz #71 2 years ago

    "While not knowing exactly how gamestop most only cahrge once they've dispatched if not then yes that would be out of order."

    According to a few people, shopto.net charged everyone's cards who pre-ordered once Sainsbury's announced their RRP busting price point. Regardless if they've been shipped or not.

  • JayPee #72 2 years ago

    What's Igor on about? I preorder from shopto sometimes in the hope (mostly fulfilled) that I will get the game early!

    It's precicely this game's mass-Market appeal that allows the supermarket to do this - so again what is he on about?

    Supermarkets definitely won't get the lion's share of units, undoubtably leaving many peeps unhappy and signalling this move as a popularity stunt to an extent, but how does Igor call this as not beneficial to the consumer?! His comments feel bitter at best, and his hippocracy is laughable.

    If this means that if, even for a short time, I can get MW2 without having to pay a frankly bullshit premium, I say that's great.

  • JayPee #73 2 years ago

    Woop. Got from amazon for £32. I can very easily wait a day or some for it to come; I only just picked up Dragon Age!

    Thank you supermarkets for cutting straight through the total rubbish "it's modern warfare thus you pay us £10 more" and getting us to a much more realistic price.

    I'm guessing a £12 saving will actually see it in more peoples' hands not less you goo

  • MattyD #74 2 years ago

    Amidst all the wailing and gnashing of teeth there's one thing people seem to be missing: if supermarkets are this willing to loss lead on games, what incentive is there for money-grubbing publishers like Activision to keep their prices reasonable? They can set whatever wholesale price they like, force retailers to take a cut in margins to keep the shop price sensible, and still achieve huge sales. It's effectively letting them have their cake and eat it. It's a shockingly
    cynical and exploitative business model.

  • Killerbee #75 2 years ago

    Ironically enough I'm actually considering returning the copy of Modern Warfare 2 that I pre-ordered from Tesco for £35 - if, that is, I can actually get hold of a copy from Sainsbury's. A £9 saving makes up for any postage cost I might incur sending it back.

    Swings and roundabouts?

    As for Shopto, it's a justified gripe, but one that's not likely to engender much sympathy when the supermarket action is - in the short term - so much in the consumer's favour.

    We'd all benefit from sensibly priced games - say, £30 - that stuck to their RRP on release, but the chances of that happening are slim when the likes of Activision can rake in the cash from an increased wholesale price and let retail do the discounting for them.

  • GooseUK #76 2 years ago

    Sorry, but i love how its like "shopto CEO says." Like its some super market analyst, or the head of GAME lol.

    I dont really know if they company is big enough to warrant me actually giving a fuck what they say, but when my MW2 arrives in the post tomorrow, its going straight back and im going to sainsburys to find a 26 quid deal. Yeah maybe they screw the 'little guys' over but GAME and their like are just as bad nowadays... i feel sorry going in at christmas time and hearing mums being sold into buying utter shit for their kids.

  • ObiChrisKenobi #77 2 years ago

    Erm good luck to anyone hoping to pick up a cheap copy in the morning - most places will be sold out by now...

  • bioreit #78 2 years ago

    @ makeamazing, et al, about the Sainsbury's price point:

    From the Guardian article linked to on the first page of comments:

    "A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's ... added that the £26 price tag was not a limited offer."

    Not a 'when we run out of stock, jog on' job then. Seems like it's going to be a semi-permanent loss-leader for them. And seeing as Asda have it at £32, they might actually win.*

    Still, irrelevant for me, seeing as GAME shipped mine yesterday afternoon and got to start playing it at 8 last night.

    /bragging

    *Not including Tesco in this - £25 when you buy another top 20 title or £39.70 without, Yeah, 'cos Tesco won't have jacked the price of chart titles back up to full RRP at all, will they..

  • Sunyavadin #79 2 years ago

    "we may find ourselves in a position where there will be less unit sales, which will hurt publishers and their investments as a result."

    So wait, you're telling me that selling something cheaper means LESS copies are sold?

    Of course! That makes sense!

  • HuggyAtHome #80 2 years ago

    Just post the chuffing review and get it over with. Even the Telegraph has a decent review up - why the delay?

  • DevilsNeverCry #81 2 years ago

    Haha, and the price war rages on...25.99 at Morrisons!

    Anyway, as to what chipolata was saying...How can he even suggest that publishers shouldn't sell big games to supermarkets? How selfish is that? And what about consumers choice? If I was a hardcore Supermarket buyer and I went there no matter what, how would my needs be suited then?

    It's all just corporate babble. While I agree that supermarkets are undercutting the specialist stores, they aren't bothered in the slightest about them - just their rivals. It's all about footfall within stores, making money on the extra things people may purchase when in store, not on pure game sales as their is a possibility they are making a loss (don't know how much the games cost at wholesale?).

    What he's neglecting to talk about is how 40 quid for a game is an absolute disgrace when the physical production will cost less than 2 pounds and then the actual development costs recouped after what...15 or 20 pounds per unit? I'm thinking max 25 quid for devs to get their money, then they whack profit margins on top, then retailers do the same.

    The consumer wins as a result of a price war. How does that old saying go...oh yeah! 'The customer is always right'

  • BOFH_UK #82 2 years ago

    Hmm, in two minds about this one. Went to Sainsbury's this morning an hour after they opened and got the last 360 copy (plenty of PS3's left but even they were going quick) and while it's great for consumers I think the supermarkets need their collective heads examined. This is not a loss leader. No-one there was coming in for the game and going out with a basket of shopping. They walked in the front door, queued at the customer service desk with a handful of cash and walked right back out again. Loss leading on the most anticipated game of the year seven weeks before christmas isn't going to do anything for your business except loose you money. They also desperately need to work out how to handle the sorts of crowds that are likely to appear, they still had several 360 boxes on display even though they'd sold out so people are going to be upset when they get to the counter. Tesco had it right with the '£25 with another chart game' idea, selling at £26 on its own is just dumb for the business.

    On the other hand it does show Game, Gamestation etc to be ridiculously overpriced. £45 on the game website right now for the same game the supermarkets are doing for almost half that. There's got to be a comfortable middle ground here where the dedicated retailers are making money but not gouging the hell out of anyone who sets foot through the door. They desperately need to find a way to survive and compete or the game market is going to get a lot smaller in the next couple of years, at least on the high street, and that'd be a shame.

  • kinky_mong #83 2 years ago

    I have little sympathy for independent retailers. If you didn't take the piss with your trade in values and were actually competitive with online stores I might be more receptive to your complaints.

    I was wondering if I should post my Sainsburys receipt to Activision head office with a petulant letter detailing how me buying the game for almost half its retail price was a way of protesting at the ridiculous RRP of the game?

  • FiZiE #84 2 years ago

    Well its now launch day, its 10:50 and i still havent received the game from ShopTo. Its supposed to be here before midday, and if not they can take it back because im heading 5 minutes up the road and just buying a copy elsewhere.

  • BlitzwingHaz #85 2 years ago

    It saddens me a bit but I reckon game retailers are on the way out now. I buy most of my stuff online and if I want to sell a game I go to ebay rather than trading it in.
    I'm not that interested in MW2, wouldn't mind playing a demo first to see if I want it but straight up shooters aren't really my thing.

  • secombe #86 2 years ago

    Our anger at ourselves for essentially sucking too much to actually be competitive is causing us to become unreasonably loud and whiny

    To be fair, they could be the greatest online retailer on earth and still not manage to get anywhere near the price that supermarkets are charging. Like those big tins of sweets you get near Christmas, the supermarkets will be losing a not insignificant amount on every single one sold.

    In my opinion it takes a brave person to pre-order a massive title such as this these days. The supermarkets usually hammer down the price of the really big press-reported releases, and if you can show up at midnight/9am/whenever they open, you can usually get a copy.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/09 @ 13:30