Evil EB

Store: EB Games
Location: Macedonia, OH + Solon, OH
Employee Description: Fat Nerd + Surfer Dude
Submitted By: Ghaleon

I’ve harbored hatred for EB since Gamestop bought them. Price fixing + no competition + no old games = totally awesome.

When Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence came out, I actually pre-ordered to get the exclusive bonus disc. I learned my friend from high school was the main dude at the Solon EB, so I patronized his location instead of the one five minutes from my house.

Lo and behold, on MGS3:S launch day, he wasn’t at the store, and the other clerk said my “friend” had given away all the bonus discs to completely random people coming in and out of the store weeks before the game released. “Oh hey, we got these Metal Gear things, who wants one,” I guess was his sentiment. Naturally they didn’t call the pre-order people to let them know the discs had come in. I had to call myself because the clerk would only try the one by my house, literally every GS/EB in Cleveland to find a store that miraculously had a few extra copies. Never went back to my friend’s.

Also, everyone knows they sell used copies as “new,” but this was a shock to me first time I saw it. Dude at my Macedonia branch takes Trauma Center DS off the shelf (disfigured by their stupid “NEW” sticker), puts in the game in, and won’t sell it as used though it clearly had been around. When I went home and it had a game save, yeeeah, boycott.

The only time I attempted to buy anything there since was trying to get Super Paper Mario on my lunch hour. Seeing SIX Marios new and in prominent display on shelf, I wait in line for A) A kid trying to build “Elder Scrolls FIVE,” B) Some brainiac’s trying to return opened games for full money back with no receipt, and C) Some random event in which the clerk had to extricate himself to the back of the store and help idiots shop for PSP titles.

Finally I get up there and request Mario, but I get the Question: “DID YOU PRE-ORDER?” “No.” “Sold out.” “WTF are those displayed on the shelf like they’re actually FOR SALE then?” and walked out, because I’d kind of expected that. I went to Circuit City after work, where they had about 25 copies.

I have no idea why people bother bitching about Wal-Mart when Gamestop is 10 times the customer-unfriendly monopoly of an organization.

How do you like them GTAs?

Store: EB Games
Location: Macedonia, Ohio
Employee Description: Random Clerk
Submitted By: Jase1

I decided to stop pre-ordering games when I could easily find the games at bigger stores such as Best buy, Circuit City and so on. I was excited to get the new GTA: Vice City game and on launch day I went to the EB to see if they had any copies. I walk in and this is the conversation we have.

Clerk: Hi welcome to EB games how can I help you?
Me: I would like to purchase GTA: Vice City.
Clerk: Did you preorder it?
Me: Nope
Clerk: Good luck finding that game anywhere. We cant keep them in stock. That’s what you get for not pre-ordering.
Me: You think Blockbuster would sell it? (they were right next door and I was on my lunch break and didn’t have lots of time)
Clerk: Yeah right, they don’t get new games until after we do.

So being pretty upset about not being able to score GTA I decide to go to Blockbuster and purchase a used game. I get into the store and am greeted by the counter guy and ask him, “I know this is a stupid question, but do you have any GTA: Vice copies left?” He opens the cabinet behind him and I can see at least 30 GTA copies. I was feeling really good about my lucky score so I decided to be a dick and go over to the EB and rub it in. I can see the clerk talking with a customer through the window. In my best Matt Damon impression I knock on the window and the clerk looks up. He gives me a weird look and I put my new GTA game against the window and laugh.