Rumor: GameStop Scamming Killzone 2 Fans?

There are many questionable tactics GameStop have used over the years, but this probably the first to ever be encountered. GameStop’s policy states if a “defective” unit is sold, they will not offer refunds because the game has been opened. The only type of return or exchange offered is the ability to sell your “used” games for a faction of what you’ve paid. A very unethical business policy.

As reported by Daniel Landis from Examiner:

Derek returns to GameStop the next day to exchange his disc. After explaining why he wants an exchange, the cashier tells Derek that an Internet connection issue has nothing to do with the disc and that it’s likely a problem with the PS3 or his Internet Service Provider. Derek explains that it didn’t work on his friend’s PS3 either, which the GameStop employee called “a coincidence”.

GameStop employee told him the only thing he can do is either sell it back to them for a lowered price or keep the game and wait for a extra week for the next shipment to come. Derek truly believed the game is broken, so he sold it back to GameStop and pre-ordered a new one.

A friend of Derek had the same problem, but decided to keep the game instead. Lucky for him, it worked on the official launch date. Derek was shocked and went straight to GameStop to explain the situation so he can get the game back. GameStop refused since the new copies are reserved for other preorders. So basically he had to wait for the new shipment to arrive for his copy to come or buy his old copy at the preowned price which was more than what he got paid for when he sold it.

So to break it down:

  1. Derek purchases Killzone 2 before the official release date.
  2. Sold it back to GameStop at half the price because it wouldn’t connect online.
  3. Pre-orders another copy at full retail price.
  4. Finds out from his friend that the game connects on the official launch date.
  5. Requested to exchange the pre-ordered for the game he sold back. Instead, GameStop sells back the old game to him for near retail price.

There were also 26 pre owned copies of the game just like Derek’s game. So either GameStop knew about the game and sold it before the official launch to cash in the returns or it was just another “big coincidence”

Sometimes you just have to feel sorry for these customers when a store you always go to doesn’t help you at all. While other times its just the customers fault for their own stupidity. Either way it just sucks for Derek and all the customers out there who had this problem.

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