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GameStop's Holiday Game Picks
Posted by Mike Fahey at 2:20 AM on November 27, 2008
While most retailers don't care what games you buy as long as you buy many of them, GameStop has put together a handy gift guide to help folks shop for the gamer in their life.
They've grouped gamers into categories this year, with everyone from "The Hardcore Gamer" to "The Foodie" represented, as well as an extra section with games grouped by ESRB rating, with nary a High School the Musical title in sight.
They've actually managed to put together a nice little list, so much so that I've nary a bone to pick, with the possible exception of Imagine: Ballet Star under the "Gamer on the Go" section, but that might just be bitterness over my abandoned ballet career dreams, cut short due to an unfortunate being a large, hairy male incident. Hit the jump for the full list in all its marketing glory.
So yesterday saw a 
Soren Johnson -- who wrote the code for Civilisation 3 and 4 and is now a designer for EA Maxis, working on spore -- spoke a few words of charity on behalf of used games and resellers on his personal blog this week. It puts this emerging debate in several thoughtful contexts. Notably, the resale of games increases the perception that they have monetary value, and that is a powerful concept that connects more gamers to games. Especially in times like these.
Just like I did with The Burning Crusade, I spent a good six months assuring everyone I was fine with the regular edition of World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King, only to panic and desperately look for the big Collector's Edition package on the week of release. Well thanks to a timely tip, I found one, and you might still be able to as well. GameStop.com has just opened up pre-orders for the Collector's Edition once again, and having gone through the entire check out and order confirmation process - you know, just to test it out - I can assure you they are indeed available. Keep in mind this is only online, and retail locations are still sold out. 
Let's. Find. Out. As part of a survey commissioned by IGN - dubbed "Are You Game?" - market research firm Ipsos MediaCT asked a whole bunch of American gamers where they shop when looking for games. The answers, while not shocking, are still interesting (the percentages flying waaay over 100% because, obviously, most people buy games from more than one store). Wal-Mart comes out on top, while Best Buy and GameStop/EB come in tied for second place. As for Blockbuster, well...thanks for trying.
Guitar Hero: World Tour was welcomed into the world this weekend in a flurry - possibly even a plethora, I'll have to double check - of publicity, flashbulbs and PR budget splurging.
Those of us who pre-ordered Guitar Hero World Tour were given a little sheet of paper instructing us to go to a website and enter our receipt number in order to receive a special super-secret code that would allow us to unlock all 84 songs included with the game at once. While I play Guitar Hero solo more often than not and prefer unlocking the songs manually, which gives the whole experience a game sort of vibe, I know some of you are impatient and don't want to be stuck playing the songs you don't like when you could be playing the songs you do, so I've gone ahead and printed out a screenshot of the code so the more impatient among us can get their World Tour on.
GameStop are taking preorders for Mirror's Edge. Surprise! Well, it is a surprise, actually, since at the foot of their preorder pages lies a little red note in little red text. Says that a Mirror's Edge demo will be available on November 6. And it says that on both the 
Still flagging this as rumour, but it sounds like GameStop and Activision might have bargained a deal that allows your neighbourhood McGame chain to retail Call of Duty: World at War a day early. Planet Xbox 360 says it spoke to a manager (incidentally, the writer's friend, which is why this remains rumour), who verified that at 5 pm on Nov. 10, you can grab it. Not sure how this affects pre-orders but my guess is that's all good too. Unless of course they get swamped and run out, in which case it sucks to be you. For sure this is a reach for buzz and long lines hype, but hey, a day early is a day early. For the rest of us without a GameStop in our existence, the CoD:WaW drops Nov. 11.
