This is a strange story. Strange because no-one really noticed or made a fuss. In the US Gamestop has just confirmed to multiple outlets that it will no longer be accepting PS2 trades after June 1 this year. This has made headlines. People in the US chased this up; they cared for some reason. Kotaku US ran a story that we chose not to publish on this site about it.
But just to check on the local angle, I thought I’d chase up Electronics Boutique, essentially the Australian arm of Gamestop. If EB Games also decided to stop taking PlayStation 2 trades, this story might be worth running on Kotaku Australia.
So I quickly shot off an email to EB Games’ local rep. The next day I received a reply.
And I was surprised to learn that EB Games — without a modicum of fuss, without a care in the world — had casually stopped taking PS2 trade-ins as early as December 2012. EB Games will still sell what PS2 stock they have, but they won’t take new trades. Hilariously, no one really noticed. Crazy. Why was this a story in the US, reported on by multiple different tech and game sites, yet in Australia no-one seemed to care?
Part of it, I suspect, is the fact that it really is a low impact story — let’s be honest here. I think another reason is the timing. When the biggest gaming news of the day is the announcement of The Sims 4, you might find some outlets, including us, grasping for straws — that’s the nature of media. Had Gamestop quietly stopped taking PS2 trade-ins in December, during a busy release month where everyone wants to talk about games of the year and whatnot, maybe no-one would have given a damn.
As a friend pointed out to me — most people who haven’t already traded in their PS2 games most likely intend to keep them as a collector’s item, or for nostalgia reasons. At this stage it’s probably not worth the hassle of lugging a box of games to a store for the inevitable disappointment of being offered $24 for a collection that cost you hundreds of dollars.
Comments
23 responses to “As Of June Gamestop Will No Longer Take PS2 Trades. EB Games Hasn’t Taken Them Since December!”
Strangely – some video stores still rent them.
coz Americans like to freak out over little things beside who da hell still has a ps2 yes majority may do but its a low amount for anyone to care right
I’m sorry… Are you implying that nobody has a ps2 while also saying that the majority does? Also… I LOVED the ps2. It had an amazing library and I still have mine laying around, hell I still have my ps1 laying around. And I did kinda get annoyed when I found out that I couldn’t trade my ps2 games to EB…
…
Wut.
“No one has a PS2. Majority may have a PS2.”
So… my PS2 is in an alternate dimension, where I do technically have it, but it’s just not here. I suppose that makes sense.
Schrodinger’s PS2
+1
You sir are win!
Ahah, perfect!
My collection of PS2 games are currently boxed up… 🙁
Need a mancave, so they once again can be proudly displayed (and maybe played)!
it was always the biggest rip of to trade them in anyway mabe ill take a look next time im around an eb to add to my collection got an eytoy camera and a game for $5 bought it just cause i had $5 in my pocket the worst thing is that they only sell the shit games no one plays now for ps2 all the good ones got snatched up
No one cared about EB Games Australia not accepting PS2 games anymore because they offered like $2 per PS2 game prior to the change, you would have to be brain dead to accept that and please don’t preach to me about the fact that they are resellers I’ve heard it a thousand times.
Yeah, I’d never really noticed. Walked into one the other day (I don’t buy anything anymore, but I like to see what’s going on at ground-level) and saw they were still selling pre-owned PS2 games, and just thought nothing of it.
I’d like to thank EB Games AU for refusing to trade PS2 and Xbox titles. Without whom, I wouldn’t have been able to sell single titles that are becoming harder to find for up to $50 on ebay. Good times.
I’ve known about this for a few months, and I couldn’t care less. If I want to sell any of my PS2 games (which I don’t), I’d just do it on eBay. Let other collectors try to outbid each other and then reap the rewards. 😀
Yeh, because everyone has a ps2 – Its will be like sega’s – Store them up in the attic for the rest of time!
i find it strange when i see a ps2 game out in the wild these days.
It’s just like a few years back when you watched a movie and they were still using VHS, when DVD has been out for ages. The PS2 was a great console on so many levels. But it’s time to put it out to graze.
Seeing as some tradein values for Xbox 360 and PS3 games can be as low as $5, it’s probably just not worth it.
Hey I remember a regular article in Kotaku, “Trading places” was it? That gave the trade-in values for certain games from JB, EB and Game. I usually trade mine into JB, but interested to see it compared with EB nower days. Could we resume that article? or is there any way to get an updated tradein value list? I cant find anything online locally for it.
I would try their specific websites.
In the last year I’ve traded a tonne of games and with the exception of Halo 3 and Mirror’s Edge, JB Hi Fi always offered a higher price than EB Games.
WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
Can you guys just clarify for me that you…
CHOSE NOT TO RUN A KOTAKU US STORY?
You have that power?!?
PLEASE EXPLAIN!
Considering I gave up on trading when I found out I could get most games cheaper from overseas than the EB price after trade in I stopped caring about EB’s policies. Oh, and my PS2 still has pride of place in my entertainment system (along with my original Xbox, Megadrive, PS1 and PS3 – I don’t have room for the rest of the stuff… sorry, had to show off)
That’s fair enough. Just highlights the failure of Australian retailers to move with the times. (Must admit i have GTA V pre-ordered at EB of all places and I’m paying an outrageous price for it also, just cause i want it day 1, rather than wait for ozgameshop.com to get it to me 2 weeks later)
Already put down my $109.95 (highlighting the outrageous cost, compared to buying it of the net at ozgameshop.com @ $63.99) for the standard edition, waiting on R* to announce the collectors edition which ill upgrade to as soon as they announce it!
EB games are making $46 out of my lack of patience.
Between my back log and my pile of shame I can usually find something to play while I wait.