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Your local video game store has got soul.
That’s right. Underneath a rough, and often times annoying, exterior of pre-orders, magazine subscriptions, and pushy salesmen, is a soul. A soul that is upheld by hobbyists and fans, not by corporate greed and consumerism.
Going to the video game retailer is part of being a gamer. Its part of the experience! Socializing, being surrounded by release dates, and posters; hearing confused parents asking erroneous questions is all part of the soul!
Can you remember being so excited for a game you can’t help but go to the store 2 days before release date just to see if by mistake they put it out? Asking workers or fellow costumers what they’re excited for, what they recommend, ask for demos, look through magazines, maybe even find a rare game?
Why?
Game Crazy has already closed 200 stores, and GameStop reported poor sales during the holiday season. Poor sales were partly caused by the economy, aaaaaaand Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart was giving out a $50 gift card to costumers buying the Wii, virtually making the Wii $149.00. Sweet Deal.
Consider Wal-Mart the Shang Tsung for smaller business.
Larger retailers like BestBuy and Wal-Mart can offer unmatchable deals because their inventory is so enormous. Example: Wal-Mart can sale the Wii for $149.00 because other people are buying washing machines, gold fish, groceries, and office furniture. The more money it makes, the more powerful it becomes, straight sucking the soul from our video game retailers.
Record stores have already suffered this fate. Download-able music, and larger retailers are making record stores a oddity, causing music lovers scrambling to find a home.
But gamers still have a home, and should protect it while providing the experience for gamers alike. Or you can sit in front of your computer waiting for your Steam Account to finish downloading. But then I ask:
Are you a consumer, or a gamer?