So after advice from many, I decided to pick up Borderlands for the 360 today.
Now typically if I'm actually buying a game, (which is very rare these days) I will order it from Amazon or some other online site and have it shipped directly to me. (Getting things in your mailbox is the best.)
So in this case, not ordering the game, I would have to buy the game from an actual brick and mortar store. Its been awhile since I've had to do this, and man what a surprise I was in for.
Here is the list of stores that I visited or called.
1.) Game Crazy
2.) Toys 'R' Us
3.) Best Buy
4.) Gamestop (X3)
5.) Target
6.) Walmart (X2)
None, I repeat, NONE of these stores had the game. Is this what retail stores have come to for hot new releases? I have to preorder the darn thing just to get it? I know Borderlands got some positive press, but I don't think it was overly hyped or anything.
I live in the second largest city in Maryland, and couldn't find it. I find that unbelievable. To me it was really a sign of the times and how far buying items online has come.
I love to hear some stories on experiences with trying to find new games at retail stores. For those of you who still do it, do you have trouble finding games? No problem at all? What lengths have you gone to find a new game?
Ouch, that sucks that so many places were sold out. I haven't bought a new games at a B&M store for a looong time, but I do know my buddy had an urge to get ODST at 2 am one morning and the first Wal-Mart he tried was sold out, so he had to drive a bit farther to get it at a different one.
Cat in the walllll
Black Fox Zulu: I live in the second largest city in Maryland, and couldn't find it. I find that unbelievable. To me it was really a sign of the times and how far buying items online has come.
Visit the largest city in Maryland?
I hear you. In my case, I now tend to order items online from B&M (Best Buy or Futureshop) when sales are on. Everytime I walk into a store, they don't have any in the shelves. Since BB and FS now offer free shipping over 39$ and most of the time the products are available online. I save gas and just do the order from home and ship it to my work.
This is mostly an issue with Borderlands. Many people I know across the US can't find a copy of this game because it's been far more popular than expected. I personally got the last copy in my area (third largest city in PA).
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taintedzodiac: This is mostly an issue with Borderlands. Many people I know across the US can't find a copy of this game because it's been far more popular than expected. I personally got the last copy in my area (third largest city in PA).
It is supposedly more of an East Coast issue as well.
Since realease in Canada Borderlands has been next to impossible to find. It was on sale for 39.96 at the major stores so it sold out within the first day. Within two days it was almost impossible to find. Everytime any store gets stock it is sold out within a couple of hours. I picked up my copy on release day around 2pm and picked up one of the last ones at my local walmart.
mafafu: taintedzodiac: This is mostly an issue with Borderlands. Many people I know across the US can't find a copy of this game because it's been far more popular than expected. I personally got the last copy in my area (third largest city in PA). It is supposedly more of an East Coast issue as well.
Mafafu can you send me a copy from Salisbury? I will pay for shipping.
Has this title been a hot one where you are too?
Black Fox Zulu: mafafu: taintedzodiac: This is mostly an issue with Borderlands. Many people I know across the US can't find a copy of this game because it's been far more popular than expected. I personally got the last copy in my area (third largest city in PA). It is supposedly more of an East Coast issue as well. Mafafu can you send me a copy from Salisbury? I will pay for shipping. Has this title been a hot one where you are too?
We have been sold out since day 2 -and have zero copies incoming tomorrow
A LOT of stores underbought this game.
It's a store's problem, really. They try to anticipate the demand for a game and order enough copies to cover it. I didn't have any trouble whatsoever finding Uncharted 2 days after it was released because it was expected to be a really big game.
Borderlands, probably not so much.
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Chambered: It's a store's problem, really. They try to anticipate the demand for a game and order enough copies to cover it. I didn't have any trouble whatsoever finding Uncharted 2 days after it was released because it was expected to be a really big game. Borderlands, probably not so much.
First party games always get a push as the B&M want to make the big three happy. Games like this - not so much sadly.
I went to Costco to see if I could get it on the cheap. They didn't have it, and they probably don't carry it. So I went to Walmart and they had a number of copies. Great game, you should pick it up.
This isn't really that often of an occurence. It happens when you couple unexpected high demand with a supply to meet the expected demand. Unfortunately the Borderlands situation is something that happened everywhere. Here on southern Vancouver Island (BC) everywhere was sold out of the 360 version on the first day and most places sold out of the PS3 version also. The game store I work at sold out Borderlands for 360 first day and is waiting on more copies coming in tomorow while we have about 2 copies of the PS3 version left. Personally I like buying games from physical stores and I've actually never had a problem finding any game I wanted.
Black Fox Zulu: None, I repeat, NONE of these stores had the game. Is this what retail stores have come to for hot new releases? I have to preorder the darn thing just to get it? I know Borderlands got some positive press, but I don't think it was overly hyped or anything.
That is why it is so hard to find,there was not a lot of hype is was not on everyones must buy list. Word of mouth spread fast and it is flying off the shelf.
OP got:
The one advantage to living in TBay is most new games aren't difficult to find and they are in good supply. The only recent one I can think of is Magnacarta 2, but that was because stores didn't get it until Borderlands came out. So, when I ordered Borderlands for in-store pick-up I ordered MC2 as well
edit:
I should clarify so TBayers (?) are offended. "The one advantage to living in TBay is most new games aren't difficult to find and they are in good supply" really isn't the only advantage to living in Thunder Bay.
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