Game Crazy is shutting down nationwide

[Ganelon]

Well, Game Crazy has bit the bullet. All stores will begin liquidation in about 2 weeks and close within 3 months and for anybody who actually rents movies still, yes, Hollywood Video is gone too.

It's sad that yet another competitor to GameStop is disappearing... They usually have better employees from what I've experienced (although no less intent on selling their service program).

[Never_Scurred]

All but two Hollywood video stores have closed down in my city.
Waiting for Blockbuster to take the big dip as well.

[BulletMagnet]

Has this been confirmed? I'd read rumors the past day or two but nothing had been officially declared yet.

[Vexorg]

The GameCrazy here closed down back in October, followed by the Hollywood Video store it was attached to about a month ago. I actually liked the one here better than Gamestop, but I guess that no matter how well they did they were going to be chained to a drain-circling obsolete business model next door.

[undamned]

I don't know if I can call this "old news," because I don't know when it was first announced, but they've been dropping like flies for the past few months in the greater Phoenix area. A buddy of mine and I hit up one about two months ago that was auctioning off everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. I actually bought a nice industrial glass counter/case for $50. Full fluorescent light kit and everything.
-ud

[Domino]

If they train employees to act like this then no wonder they are going down under.

[greg]

I scored neat stuff. Space Invaders 2 and From the Abyss for the DS, Legend of Heroes for the PSP. For a friend of mine, I got Contra 4 and Etrian Odyssey 2 for the DS, as well as R-Type Command for the PSP. Maybe Game Crazy would still be alive if it wasn't tied to Hollywood Video.

And I'm probably the only one of my small circle of friends who does not have Netflix.

[Never_Scurred]

does not have Netflix.

[undamned]

And I'm probably the only one of my small circle of friends who does not have Netflix.

I don't. No emo for you.
-ud

[Specineff]

Neither do I. I have Blockbuster online, but I don't stream anything.

[GaijinPunch]

Anyone know how to bypass Netflix IP check for streaming?

[Lordstar]

Man thats has to be one of the better training videos ive ever seen.

[Damocles]

Word, L-Dog.

[gabe]

Anyone know how to bypass Netflix IP check for streaming?

I'm assuming that you can't stream Netflix because it tells you that the service is not available in your country (Japan)? If so, the only work around I know of would be to use a US based proxy.

[EPS21]

I can't wait for the closeout sales, hopefully they'll slash new game prices as well.

Then once this last bug to squash out any competition for Gamestop, I can safely never have any desire to set foot in those stores again because they will surely only get worse than they already are from here.

[Never_Scurred]

I don't get the anti Gamestop sentiment that is prevalent on the 'net these days.
You walk in, pick a game you want to buy, buy the game you picked out, MAYBE play at the kiosks, and walk out.
What is there to dis/like about that?

[Pixel_Outlaw]

I don't get the anti Gamestop sentiment that is prevalent on the 'net these days.
You walk in, pick a game you want to buy, buy the game you picked out, MAYBE play at the kiosks, and walk out.
What is there to dis/like about that?

They don't get many of the small release games.
That, and the idiots they employ are rude and don't know shit about gaming history.

[gabe]

I can only speak for myself, but I don't buy games at GameStop for the same reasons I don't buy groceries at Wal Mart.

That said, I'd like to hear less people complaining, and more people voting with their dollar. If you don't like GameStop, take your business elsewhere.

[Ed Oscuro]

Anyone know how to bypass Netflix IP check for streaming?

I'm assuming that you can't stream Netflix because it tells you that the service is not available in your country (Japan)? If so, the only work around I know of would be to use a US based proxy.

Why would anybody want to stream through a proxy?

[Ganelon]

Game Crazy shut down a part of its stores last year (I know all the stores near me were closed down at that time). This new announcement is from late last week and is the actual end of the store. Plenty of official news outlets have already corroborated the news.

As for GameStop, some of the nasty things they've done in the past include bumping up MSRP $20 games to $25. Their website hasn't always honored pre-order promises (sometimes leaving the bonus item message intact but without any bonus stock left) and have sometimes used really shoddy packaging for games. Their B&M stores try to sell opened items as new, some employees steal pre-order items, and some are downright rude and don't want to help you. I couldn't care less that many employees don't know what they're talking about, only that I receive courteous and honest service.

Now, I do think GameStop stores recently have been getting better (had a store recently amicably agree to have me take one of their pre-order items when the website didn't send it, the web site has actually started packaging deluxe items in boxes, and their recent 25% off sale has been the best pre-order sale ever seen for video games, making my game purchases for the rest of this year all set) but when that starts becoming a trend, I'll hold GameStop in a more favorable light.

[Never_Scurred]

I don't get the anti Gamestop sentiment that is prevalent on the 'net these days.
You walk in, pick a game you want to buy, buy the game you picked out, MAYBE play at the kiosks, and walk out.
What is there to dis/like about that?

They don't get many of the small release games.
That, and the idiots they employ are rude and don't know shit about gaming history.

1. Why would you expect them to? Thats like going to Blockbuster and expecting them to have a great selection of indie/foreign films.

2. Who says you have to have that much interaction with the clerks anyways? I've been going to the Gamestop by my house for a few years and I still haven't spoken to any of the staff. Nobody bothers me there. Though, I could understand how the staff could end up being rude considering how pompous, obnoxious, and downright clueless most of their customers are.

[Dragoforce]

If they train employees to act like this then no wonder they are going down under.

Is that video for real

[ShmupSamurai]

The #1 reason I stopped getting most of my games from Gamestop was because they stopped selling NES-Sega Saturn stuff.

2nd reason, they're monopolizing the game store market, yet the government doesn't do anything about it, just like with Walmart.

[JoshF]

There should be a rule at GameStop that if the employee can't take all five stickers off the case without leaving residue you get ten dollars off that "new" game.

[Never_Scurred]

There should be a rule at GameStop that if the employee can't take all five stickers off the case without leaving residue you get ten dollars off that "new" game.

-------> JoshF

[Marurun]

I don't get the anti Gamestop sentiment that is prevalent on the 'net these days.
You walk in, pick a game you want to buy, buy the game you picked out, MAYBE play at the kiosks, and walk out.
What is there to dis/like about that?

A Gamestop that has kiosks? They took those out where I live and they don't let you test out games at all. What I dislike about going to Gamestop stores is that they actually bother you when you're looking at stuff. It's actually a requirement now according to a friend of mine who works(and hates it)for Gamestop. Then they're told to offer you all kinds of warranties and magazine subscriptions, so of course you end up with employees who are rude because they have to try selling you crap even they wouldn't want and the customers end up aggravated that they won't just ring up the game. This is why I shop on Amazon; less hassle.

[greg]

Hey, Blockbuster used to have a decent foreign section. Now half the floorspace is trying to be a DVD sales store, and the crappy titles are usually overpriced.

For what it's worth, I've recently discovered Play N Trade and I am very impressed. They are not like Gamestop at all and they even have Dreamcast, NES, Atari, etc. Still haven't found any Turbografix or Saturn games yet, but they will buy them if people trade them. They'll do imports too. There's a handful of locations in the Phoenix area, so if they have any where the rest of you live, please give them a try. The employees at the store I've visited several times are knowledgeable about retro gaming too.


...
You know, every time I type the word "knowledgeable," I expect the spelling corrector to tell me that I'm wrong, but I'm right. I don't like that word. It just doesn't feel right.

[Domino]

If they train employees to act like this then no wonder they are going down under.

Is that video for real

Yes it is. This is a real training video. I wonder who's idea it is to make a white lady act all ghetto and shit?

[Mortificator]

It's like she's speaking my language!

[BrianC]

I wasn't too thrilled when I found out that Game Crazy stopped selling classic games, just like Gamestop. The closest one to me used to sell NES, SNES, Genesis, DC, GB b/w and Saturn games, but didn't take a long time to get rid of them. The seller there was a bit pushy, though.

I do most of my classic game shopping online, but there's a place that is about 45 minutes away called Power Gamer that sells older stuff. The prices are all over the place, though. They have cart only Genesis Ms. Pac-Mans for about 18 dollars and a rarer game like Montezuma's Revenge for the 2600 was only 2 dollars (ripped label, but still cheaper than it's worth). I also got a cart only Rockin' Katz NES with a good label for about 6 dollars there.

Wow! That lady in that Game Crazy video puts on the hip act worse than Liz Lemon.