Hey willco is back.

[T234]

Hiya willco.

What was cool at that conference for gamestop managers (formerly known as E3)?

[The Fake Shemp]

I didn't go - my promotion was on hold because of the conference.  Instead, I ran our store, which dominated our district and I got it up to 7th overall in the entire region.  That includes downtown Oakland and San Francisco.  So yeah, I was busy.

I'll tell you second-hand knowledge:

1. They got to play Halo 3 and apparently it was incredible.
2. As was Mass Effect.
3. Uncharted is awesome too.
4. Prototype will change some minds.
5. Rock Band is superior to Guitar Hero III in every way (even though Activision actually got Slash to play for the event - folks still preferred Rock Band)
6. Rock Band will have third party accessories like stage lights and smoke machines.
7. Turok, believe it or not, is the real deal.
8. GameStop managers don't care about PC games
9. There are craptons of music genre games coming to the DS
10. There were a lot of good games - yadda, yadda, yadda

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Slash? I hear he's in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. He's one of the Legends. And in the game. And on the box. An in the CMs. And at the Gamestop managers' conference.

When I was in Dallas for my reunion I went to some crazy new Gamestop near my house that was like 10 days old and the new flagship for the region. It was nutty huge and well-stocked and clean.

Bish is on Turok, of course it rules.

Tell me moar about these DS music games.

[The Fake Shemp]

 

The Guitar Hero III presentation did sound pretty awesome, though.  Activision said they had some keynote speaker, and an old guy with glasses came out with a bunch of pie charts explaining sales projections for the first and second Guitar Hero game.  Then everyone started booing and he was like, "Let me show you something from Guitar Hero III!" and everyone got excited.

... but it was more pie charts for sales projections for Guitar Hero III.  Then the Activision PR dude was like, "Alright, enough is enough!" and kicks the dude off the stage.  Behind this screen you hear that menu strum from Guitar Hero - but live! - and everyone goes nuts.  Then you see a silhouette of Slash and he starts, y'know, playing music and comes out.  Apparently female managers started rushing the stage and shit - it was pretty hysterical.

It'll be in Vegas again next year, so I can't wait to go.

[demi]

Jewco, get on MSN later tonight. I have something to discuss.

[Phoenix Dark]

That's pretty awesome Willco, grats. Are you guys getting low numbers of Wiis, or are they just selling out asap?

Also have you seen PSP demand increase with the introduction of the Slim version?

[Mr. Gundam]

3. Uncharted is awesome too.

Everything else you said was a given, but it's nice seeing Uncharted get some lovin' on the 'Bore.

[T234]

Prototype looked generic as hell in GI.

[Tauntaun]

My manager got back from that, he gave me a collared "World In Conflict" shirt, a "Rock Band" T-shirt and some Rock Band drum sticks.  He's really cool with the conference stuff.

[The Fake Shemp]

Apparently the amount of detail and environmental destruction you can do with Prototype was just awesome.  A lot of folks came away impressed from that.  Uncharted changed a lot of minds too; the consensus was that Microsoft has wrapped up this holiday season, but Sony has a lot going on in the next year so they're not KO'd yet.

The DS is sporting Jam Sessions, which is a ton of fun, but there will be lots of imitators and innovators coming out with new touch-screen music apps.  I didn't note all of them, but someone used a copy of Jam Sessions to rock out on stage.

Wiis come in once a week and sell out within 24 hours.  We can get anywhere from 9 - 24, but they'll leave the store no matter what.  Nintendo can't make and ship enough.

The PSP was selling before the Slim.  It sells great... hardware-wise.  It's the software numbers that are problematic.  Yeah, compared the DS, it's not the best-selling portable.  But it sells a lot of units.  The Daxter bundle sold out within a day.

[The Fake Shemp]

That's all you got?

I got the Rock Band drum sticks, Eidos shot glass, free copy of Blue Dragon, a Bandai messenger bag, Bioshock strategy guide and more goodies.

YOU GOT HOSED.

[Mupepe]

willco, did ya miss me?

[The Fake Shemp]

Not really.  I lurked every night.  This is just like, my first legitimate day off.  I'll have Sunday off, but I might have to go in for a store meeting for HALO!

Oh, the biggest point of the conference is that GameStop is changing focus, internally and to the public.  They want to give folks a reason for staying with the company, promote people from within and offer more benefits.  All of that was good news for the employees.

The other thing is that they are close to Wal-Mart in their video game dollars pushed.  So now they want to work on a brand - and that brand will be POWER TO THE PLAYERS.  Prepare to see lots of red, black and white colors at GameStop, on flyers and TV.  Yes, you will be assaulted by POWER TO THE PLAYERS commercials come November.

[Tauntaun]

That's all you got?

I got the Rock Band drum sticks, Eidos shot glass, free copy of Blue Dragon, a Bandai messenger bag, Bioshock strategy guide and more goodies.

YOU GOT HOSED.

Not really, I don't have a 360 or PS3 and he gave away two PS3 games and traded in Blue Dragon and some PSP game.  He knows I don't have time/systems to play teh new awesomeness.  I'm more of a comp gamer anyways.  Plus I only work like 1-2 days a week if that so yeah, it's because he known me for years.

[The Fake Shemp]

They gave away free copies of Lair and Heavenly Sword and every manager traded in LAIR the next day.

[Tauntaun]

They gave away free copies of Lair and Heavenly Sword and every manager traded in LAIR the next day.

   Also the opening scene for Heavenly Sword is sooooo ghey.   

[demi]

Jewco, if I give you a list of games can you see how much I'd get for trade-in?

[Tauntaun]

Jewco, if I give you a list of games can you see how much I'd get for trade-in?

shit, that's how much 

[demi]

Jewco, if I give you a list of games can you see how much I'd get for trade-in?

shit, that's how much 

Nobody wants to buy this shit, though. Do you want to buy this shit?

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, I can check - no prob.

If you're trading in 5 or more games right now, you get an extra 30% trade-in credit (which you can stack with your sub), so potentially you can get 40% extra credit on all games

[Phoenix Dark]

I need to turn in an application at Gamestop asap

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Yeah, I can check - no prob.

If you're trading in 5 or more games right now, you get an extra 30% trade-in credit (which you can stack with your sub), so potentially you can get 40% extra credit on all games

Is that at all stores?

I dunno, Gamestop sucks, but I think if I get the card and slavishly stick to only trading during promos, it can balance out to "okay."

[The Fake Shemp]

It should be all stores.

But yeah, that's the only time to trade.  Wait for the promos, have the card and go nuts.  The best is when they do the Buy 2 Get 1 Free used game deal, which you can stack with the card.

[Mr. Gundam]

I got a Bandai messenger bag

Old red and white Bandai logo, or the new orange Namco Bandai abomination?

If it's the old Bandai logo.... 

[demi]

Sell me Halo 3 early, and I'll get you a better job.

[FlameOfCallandor]

. Rock Band will have third party accessories like stage lights and smoke machines.

These thing already exist. They are called real things.

[Mupepe]

. Rock Band will have third party accessories like stage lights and smoke machines.

These thing already exist. They are called real things.

omg so do guitars!  i guess it's pointless EA, wrap it up! 

[The Fake Shemp]

Sell me Halo 3 early, and I'll get you a better job.

I cannot confirm or deny the existence of Halo 3 allotments in stores.

[FlameOfCallandor]

. Rock Band will have third party accessories like stage lights and smoke machines.

These thing already exist. They are called real things.

omg so do guitars!  i guess it's pointless EA, wrap it up! 

The game is different. I can understand using guitars as controllers, but why do we need video game third partys to make smoke machines and lights?

[The Fake Shemp]

Regular stage lights and smoke machines would be overkill.  Well, any stage lights and smoke machines would be a bit overkill, but I guess these are pint-sized for dorm rooms and stuff.

[Mupepe]

. Rock Band will have third party accessories like stage lights and smoke machines.

These thing already exist. They are called real things.

omg so do guitars!  i guess it's pointless EA, wrap it up! 

The game is different. I can understand using guitars as controllers, but why do we need video game third partys to make smoke machines and lights?

because people will buy them.  hell, it's a party game.  it just adds to the atmosphere. 

[whiteACID]

Can we still trade in xbox games to gamestop? I have like 50 or so just sitting here, if not I'll just give them to the Mexicans across the street.

[Mupepe]

Can we still trade in xbox games to gamestop? I have like 50 or so just sitting here, if not I'll just give them to the Mexicans across the street.

wait which ones?  let's talk, i will buy some   and i am half mexican.

[The Fake Shemp]

Can we still trade in xbox games to gamestop? I have like 50 or so just sitting here, if not I'll just give them to the Mexicans across the street.

Yeah, they'll take in Xbox games.  None of them, save for Halo and a few select titles, will net you $15 or more each.

[Smooth Groove]

Wilco, when you trade in your free games, do they get treated as new or used?

[Madrun Badrun]

Wilco, when you trade in your free games, do they get treated as new or used?

[demi]

Do you get more for sealed games? I think you should. If I was gonna get rid of sealed games, I'd flip them at Walmart.

[The Fake Shemp]

Wilco, when you trade in your free games, do they get treated as new or used?

Used.  You can't trade in sealed games for new.  Try and flip them at Wal-Mart, demi, but I heard they're tightening up their return policy as well.

[Phoenix Dark]

Yesterday I traded in three games for $36: Mario Kart, NSMB, and Brain Age; tomorrow I'll head back and turn in Pokemon Diamond, which will net me $18

[Mr. Gundam]

Yesterday I traded in three games for $36: Mario Kart, NSMB, and Brain Age; tomorrow I'll head back and turn in Pokemon Diamond, which will net me $18

You will make more money putting them up on ebay or Half.com...

[The Fake Shemp]

He would've gotten another $7 to $10 credit had he traded in five games or more!

[whiteACID]

hey, umm what happened to my thread? it disappeared.

[Phoenix Dark]

Dammit why wasn't this thread made before I went there? I would have made sure I had all 4 games.

They're having a nice deal on the HL2 Orange Box. If you preorder you get it for $45

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, the pre-order deals right now are:

Pre-order CoD4 and you get into the beta and if you pre-order The Orange Box for any platform, it knocks $5 off the register price.

[Saint Cornelius]

You should make another one, redwood! Let your concern shine through.

[whiteACID]

shutup

[The Fake Shemp]

Don't ruin my thread!

[Saint Cornelius]

Sorrie ^__________^ :PpP

[whiteACID]

hey, whatever happened to waychel?

[Saint Cornelius]

Did you not just hear the man?

btw, ask your boy DJ_Tet.

[DJ_Tet]

obtuse, the lot of ya

[Mupepe]

obtuse, the lot of ya

even me?  what did i do?

[DJ_Tet]

Not you stud 

[brawndolicious]

Prototype looked generic as hell in GI.

Didn't they only show a few drawings?

[BlueTsunami]

Turok, believe it or not, is the real deal

Bish