Invalid characterset or character set not supported GameStop is terrible at listing their exclusive games...





GameStop is terrible at listing their exclusive games...
January 23, 2018

With Secret of Mana receiving a North American physical PS4 release exclusive only at GameStop next month, I decided to snoop around their website for the past couple weeks. I knew they've had a couple physical exclusive titles (in NA, at least) in the past, such as Song of the Deep, but I was surprised just how many PS4 exclusives they actually had; Duke Nukem 3D 20th Anniversary, Cities Skylines, and Killing Floor 2, to name the more familiar names. I was then thrown off by the number of "smaller" titles they had, such as Constructor (90s sim/tycoon title), a Prototype bundle of the first two games, Wuppo, and Has-Been Heroes, the latter I've only heard of for the first time while browsing GameStop.

Now here's the thing: I discovered most of these titles by accident. I think I was eyeballing Song of the Deep or Secret of Mana's pages when the titles in the "recommended" section below caught my attention. Then I just kept finding a couple more through more recommended tabs. When I realized GameStop was hoarding exclusive PS4 titles, I went to the front page to find a link to an exclusive listing.

Nothing. I looked super hard. Then I stared at all the website's PS4 sections, hoping to find something that says "GameStop exclusives." Nothing. Then I resorted to typing "Only at GameStop" in the search bar, since some of games had that tag beside their names. Sorta-kinda found more, but I knew not all exclusive titles had that tag. So I went the only route left to take: I skimmed their entire PS4 section, page by page...

That was annoying.

How do you go out of your way to obtain exclusivity to certain titles... and not advertise them? It's almost like they're somehow embarrassed. Case in point: the upcoming Secret of Mana physical release. You think they would have bragged about this release on their front page, somewhere at the top. Nothing at the top where the banners and sliding advertisements are placed. Scroll down on the "Featured Products" and still nothing. It's not until you scroll towards the bottom of the front page do you spy a small Secret of Mana image in the "Coming Soon" section. This is ridiculous, GameStop.

Anyway, here's a list of GameStop physical exclusives that I'm aware of. NOTE: I'm only linking the PS4 pages, but if a physical game is on multiple platforms, I'll name them. NOTE 2: this is based purely on searching the PS4 section. With that said, there's probably a LOT more I missed based on that.

-Song of the Deep (PS4, XB1, PC)
-Secret of Mana (PS4)
-Duke Nukem 3D (PS4, XB1)
-Killing Floor 2 (PS4, XB1)
-Cities Skylines (PS4, XB1)
-Prototype: Biohazard Bundle (PS4, XB1)
-Has-Been Heroes (PS4, XB1, Switch, PC)
-Wuppo (PS4)
-Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (PS4, XB1)
-The Sexy Brutale (PS4)
-Unbox Newbie's Adventure (PS4)
-MotoGP17 (PS4, XB1)
-Constructor (PS4, XB1)
-Industry Giant II (PS4, XB1)
-The Invisible Hours (VR) (PS4)

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honestgamer honestgamer - January 23, 2018 (06:19 PM)
I'm kind of irritated with how pretty much every company is treating exclusive physical editions, honestly. I wanted to pre-order a physical edition of Lost Sphear for Switch, but Amazon didn't list it. I checked around and no other retailers were, either. Then I discovered it is available through the Square Enix store. I immediately ordered it, but with no small measure of irritation because I know some publishers will pull these tricks and then try to say "Well, no one ever wants the physical editions, anyway." Maybe they would if you didn't make them exclusive to one retailer or site and then fail to properly advertise the fact, you dorks!
dementedhut dementedhut - January 23, 2018 (09:44 PM)
The funny thing is, I don't think companies don't even have to go big and loud advertising with every new release. Like, make the first exclusive release a big deal, then use that as an opportunity to inform customers that there's going to be more and to maybe sign up for email notifications/newsletter, and just add an "exclusive games" link on the front page, logically at the top of the page. It's not that hard to include a link... Shoot, add a simple leaflet or card on unrelated order deliveries listing exclusive games.

I was completely unaware that Lost Sphear has a physical release... Learn something new every second.

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