Even if you can keep from losing your head from pre-orders and add-ons at GS / EB, you still can’t deny that some of those are pretty nasty places to shop at. To use some of David Jaffe’s words (censored):
“Would it hurt EB to put on an even SEMI professional front for the consumer? Would it hurt if they cleaned the carpet once in a while to remove the stains and the smell of day old nerd sweat? And would it hurt if the walls were not 80% filled with semi-damaged used game cases that were covered with unattractive stickers that made the products look like you were buying something at a garage sale?” [Read more Jaffe here]
Heh, nerd sweat. Anyways, you’ve got to admit, he has a point. Should something that cost around $50 look like it’s been touched by every single greasy hand in the food court? And that’s after the game box’s been covered with price stickers. What’s shrink wrap for? What happened to new is new, not because the label says so?
After working in one of these stores for a while, I got to thinking that things needed to change. I said to myself, “If Nintendo has their way, and it looks like they will, a lot of casual players are going to enter the market, so unless GS / EB shapes up, it’s going the way of the dinosaurs.” I started dreaming up designs for a new store, Starbucks-like, dark wood colored, lots of glass, with huge LCD TV, and interactive set-ups. I thought about how to let customers browse freely and yet not have to worry about the bad eggs stealing product of the shelves (Microsoft Surface). Profit would come mostly from low cost commodities like video game centric trinkets, keychains, posters, t-shirts and stuff.
Looks like someone had the same idea. I got the chance to go to a Play N Trade over the weekend, and wow, was it nice. I’d say it’s about 80% of what I’d envisioned, though Play N Trade started in 2001, so they beat me to it, but that’s cool. It would have taken me years to get the money. Play N Trade’s a franchise chain and it’s retail different from the rest. Just look at the picture of the wall. They even let you try out new games in the store. If you have one of these in your area, definitely go check it out.
Thursday, 14. June 2007
That’s a great article! To be honest, I never thought of what I’d do differently to make buying games a better experience.
I do compare stores like Apple (always crowded) and SonyStyle (rarely crowded). Although both stores are in the same location (Tysons Corner, VA), they have radically different approaches to products and consumers. Apple is clean, with a limited amount of products on display, but with professional staff and very helpful. SonyStyle looks overwhelming, with too much on display, not a very professional staff, and not nearly as helpful. I usually end up explaining things to SonyStyle employees rather than vice-versa.
Apple “gets it”, but Sony doesn’t. I think the same is true for Play N’ Trade vs EBgames. EBgames reminds of the late 80s and early 90’s Electronics Boutique and Egghead Software stores. Boxed software in bins, “nerd sweat”, and underpaid kids hawking games. David Jaffe is right.
I’d love to see a clean store with utilitarian lines, displays, and gaming consoles. Have consumers be able to see and play games. Retrieve the games from boxes or CDs that are out-of-sight. If it’s a new game, keep a box on the shelves. If it’s an older game, direct the consumer to a kiosk, allow them to look it up (check reviews?), and see if its in-stock.
I hope to see the Play-N-Trade model succeed over EBgames. I truly hope that is the future of video game retail.
Wednesday, 27. June 2007
Oh wow!
Between “The Darkness” and the SplitFish FragFX PS3 Controller, there’s alot on the PS3 begging my attention this week.
Have you seen this?
SplitFish FragFX PS3 controller gets reviewed
…I’ve been lusting after it since R:FoM. Now FPS will be alot more fun on the PS3.
Thursday, 28. June 2007
Sure enough, I picked up “The Darkness” on the way home yesterday and played for hours last night in the single-player campaign. Unlike most PS3 games which play in 720p HD, “The Darkness” plays up to Full-HD (1080i/1080p). Since my HD DLP projector only supports up to 720p/1080i, I was playing in 1080i last night.
Posted screenshots and links to my site at:
Innospyre: Scenes from “The Darkness”
…it definitely deserves the M rating for Mature Audiences. Graphics are incredibly well done, but it’s violent, gory, and graphic in its depiction of murder and the human anatomy. I suspect I’m already halfway through it, it looks like a “short” (under 20 hours) game.
I hope this is the shape of things to come… I’m looking forward to “Haze” and “Unreal Tournament 3″ for the PS3.