Category: Video Game Musings

Gamestop To Increase Focus On Phones And Tablets Instead Of Video Games

(2024 Update: Source Link broken and lost.)

Popular US video game retailer GameStop has announced that it plans to increase its focus on both smartphones and tablets, rather than video games. GameStop CEO Paul Raines calls the bold new move GameStop 3.0. Raines says the company will close around 2% of its current retail stores. GameStop will be opening Spring Mobile and Simply Mac stores instead. Spring Mobile will cover AT&T-branded phones and Simply Mac covers Apple products. They will open over 200 Spring Mobile stores and 20 Simply Mac stores… and only 20 Mac stores because there’s already something called Apple Stores that covers that base just fine.

So my thoughts on this matter of utter importance and magnitude? I don’t care.

Way to build up the moment for a response like that, but the truth is I honestly don’t care what happens to Gamestop. Fact is I haven’t bought anything from a Gamestop – or rather, they call it EB Games up here in Canada – but I haven’t bought anything from a Gamestop in a year or so? The last major purchase I can remember making there was WWE ’13 when it launched.

And that’s it. I might have made a couple more minor pick-ups like battery charges or Steam cards or something, but other than that, my only real gaming purchases are usually from the flea market, the occasional trip to the Value Village thrift store, or Best Buy. And if I’m really, REALLY desperate, I will usually dabble online as a last resort.

So personally speaking, I honestly do not give a rat’s ass whether they decide to go from Gamestop to Tabletstop or MacStop or Pitstop or BathroomBreakStop. Doesn’t really affect me in the slightest because right now, they’re not carrying anything that I’d want. (2017 Edit: A statement that is even more true nowadays, what with half the store space dedicated to collectibles and those stupid Funko Pop things.) I don’t have any of the current gen or next gen consoles, so that doesn’t concern me. I’ve got an original Wii, but their selection of games is rather shit. They’re not carrying any stock for the older consoles; not even PS2 or Xbox Original or anything of the sort… so, if that’s the direction they want to go, then whatever. It’s their brand, their company, they could do whatever they want. I’ve got alternatives. I’m not going to shed a tear if they go away.

That having been said, I have to question their decision in going from Video Games To Tablets And Phones and things of that nature. I have to question whether that’s really a good idea to jump into a market that, let’s be honest, everyone’s doing it. Apple Stores, Best Buy Mobile, Amazon, The Zoo. They already got that market covered and happily done. And yeah, I understand that sooner or later, gaming-dedicated machines will be a thing of the past and we’ll be able to game on any conceivable electronic device from tablets and phones to televisions to video receivers and cable boxes to wristwatches and alarm clocks. It is going to happen, you can’t ignore it.

However, at the moment, gaming-dedicated machines – and I’m talking the consoles and handhelds – they’re still selling reasonably well, there’s still an interest in that sort of thing, and Gamestop, for better or worse, has that corner of the market covered. And they want to give that up to go into a market that is already inhabited by several other entities? Especially since, from my perspective at least, when people go to a Gamestop – or rather, IF they go to a Gamestop, because more often than not, unless it’s the EB Games in downtown Montreal, NOBODY is going to these things around my neck of the woods – they’re not checking the feeble selection of tablets and mobile phones they have on display; they’re checking out the, you know, GAMES. After all, they are called GAME-Stop, right? Right?

Maybe there’s a bigger picture missing that we don’t know about. Maybe the Gamestop monkeys know something we don’t. Maybe they’re doing this to jump ahead and be a little more proactive or something. Maybe the Gamestop monkeys enjoys all the negative press from all the stupid stuff that they pull and this is just the latest stunt to try and get that attention and spotlight focused on them… or maybe… just maybe… we don’t care either way.

Well, I don’t care; I don’t know about you, but… yeah, that’ll be interesting, either way. I suppose…

Oh, by the way, how’s MovieStop doing these days? Is that any good? Does anybody know about MovieStop? Has anyone ever heard of MovieStop? Anyone…? Any takers…? Hello…?

Hmm… I guess not.

So They Found The Landfill With The E.T. Things…

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/04/26/the-dig-uncovering-the-atari-et-games-buried-in-new-mexico-desert

And all I can say is… meh. I suppose I don’t feel this to be as big a deal as everyone else seems to think… if only because E.T. for 2600, for all the lore that the “Great E.T. Landfill Haul” has built over the years, is about as common of a find as Pac-Man for the same system. If it was a rarity, then yeah, I could be a little more enthusiastic about this find. As it is… meh.

So with that, I guess we don’t need that AVGN movie anymore. Rather obsolete by this point… but if nothing else, it’ll probably gain more interest. If only this discovery would increase interest in a better movie on the matter, but we won’t know until the thing comes out…

A Metro Reader Explains His Disenchantment With Retron 5

The article in question can be reached with the link provided and in a way, sort of saves me the trouble of explaining my own waning faith (for lack of a better word) in the console. I’m still looking forward to the thing, but with each delay comes the inevitable thinking that this thing may not be all that it turns out to be. Check it out below;

http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/13/the-problem-with-retron-5-the-retro-console-readers-feature-4696586/

Observations Of Boring Boring

From the Irate Gamer Sucks Blog, a post by the blogger bitching about Chris Bores again; you know, the usual song-and-dance about how he’s not a gamer and how the heck is he supporting himself with this stuff and blah blah blah. This post was brought about by lack of worthwhile content from Da Bores, because let’s be honest; nobody gives a shit about his T-Shirts, only a few folks would care about his Skylander videos, and his website is more bloggy than anything… is “bloggy” even a word? Who cares?

There used to be a time when I would occasionally visit the blog and drop a few observations here and there. Some spats occurred, but most of it was somewhat civil… or at least, I’d like to think so. I’d check, but I have no patience. And that was years ago when the blog was relatively new and somewhat fresh. Even though I’d occasionally drop by, I rarely (if ever) comment. Nowadays, I generally use the site to find out whether there’s a new Irate Gamer video up… How sad is it when a blog called Irate Gamer Sucks does a better job of promoting the Irate Gamer than the Irate Gamer himself?
Actually, now that I think about it, a blog called Irate Gamer Sucks spends more time TALKING about the Irate Gamer than the guy’s own fucking website, which has stories about stuff that nobody in their right mind would care about when they go to a website of a Youtube personality or whatever. Not to mention, that blog does a better job of promoting the show… I’d have to believe that the reason Bores continue to do these videos the way he does is just to give that blog material to work, because then the blogger would bitch about Bores’ latest Irate catastrophe and people would go “Gotta see this for myself.”
And I’d have to wonder what would become of that blog if Bores were to call it quits. Because with Bores gone, there’d be no other reason for that blog to exist. None whatsoever. I really have to wonder about that because every time you see a blog post like the one linked above, it almost comes across a plead to Bores to make more worthwhile stuff for the guy to bitch about. God forbid he’d find something else to talk about or, even worse, catch up on those Recap Reduxes he’s long since abandoned.
By the way, this was a blog post to promote the Irate Gamer Sucks blog. And even though it hasn’t been an overly positive post, you’ll no doubt be tempted to head over there and see “how bad that blog really is” or whatever equivalent phrasing you would prefer.

VIDEO – James & Mike Don't Know What A Prototype Is

(2020 Update: This video hurt my brain… and now I’m sharing the pain.)

I’m watching the James & Mike video where they’re playing the Super Mario Wacky Worlds prototype game and… guys, you do realize that is an UNFINISHED prototype. As in NOT FINISHED. There is a reason why it was never released for sale during the CDi’s active years… BECAUSE IT WASN’T FINISHED AND IT WAS CANNED. You cannot play and bitch about the thing as if it was a FULL GAME. This video was almost Boresian in its conception.

Cop Guns Down Kid Armed With Wii Remote

http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/child-gunned-cop-answering-door-holding-wii-controler/#axzz2tnRuNzCN

For those who don’t want to read the whole thing, basically a female cop was a little trigger-happy and shot a seventeen-year-old kid who was armed with a Wii Remote. She apparently thought that the kid was armed with a gun, despite the fact that a Wii Remote looks nothing like a gun. There is no possible way a SANE and MENTALLY FUNCTIONAL human being could confuse the two.

And people wonder why I have no faith in law enforcement.