I dont understand how GAMESTOP sells you a "new" game but its already been opened with a sticker price barcode on the cover???? NEW games should be sealed
[EDIT] All I did was answer the fucking question, if you wanna hatefuck GameStop so badly, go do it yourself instead of telling me how much you hate the policy, I'm sure after the *40 YEARS* the company has been around, your complaint will be the one to convince them not to do it anymore. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They have to have a game to put out on the shelf for display, and they will sell the sealed copies until that's the only one they have left. Once they're down to that one, it's all they have to sell you. The disc has not been played, the disc has hardly been touched, the case may be open but the game is still "new." If that's a dealbreaker to you, that's understandable, but they're not trying to scam you, shockingly enough. I worked a few holidays at my local GS. I know a few things.
@@lightninstriker10yea but if I need to return the game then gamestop will say it's not new since it's not sealed. Its a crappy business practice even if you describe it with a paragraph
@lightninstriker10 the last 5 times I went in there and got a NEW game, they've given me the game like that??? I guess I was being sold their last copy. Thank you, I did not know that.
Last black Friday, GameStop had several "new" (they're technically not new because they take the game out of the case) games marked down from $50 to $40. So then I checked Walmart for some deals. (All their games are sealed and locked up) They had the same games on sale for only $30 each!! I never buy new games from GameStop anymore. I either use Walmart or Ebay.
Depends on the location and relationship with the employees. After chatting with an employee last week, he let me know a collector turned in 250 mint condition x360 games and let me rifle through and pick out anything I wanted. They were in beautiful shape, and had yet to be priced. I walked out with 3 large bags of games and it was awesome
Manager types and higher rank employee have to be jerks. Not only do they get maybe a higher income but they also have to be on the business side of things like make a fast successful sale with a customer or else their boss (either a higher ranking member or a company man whose close to the CEO) will go medieval on them.
I want Gamestop to do well. I remember going a lot as a kid, but I feel like they shoot themselves in the foot. My store gets retro in, but oftentimes it's fake because they (understandably) don't know what they're looking for. Then most pre-owned games feel gross, when I feel like they could either clean the stuff better, or just deny products that are little too "loved." It'd be nice if they had some sort of legit refurbishing process for consoles, that isn't just taking a magic eraser and scuffing them, and cleaning the products. That's their niche. Walmart can beat them at new game prices, so they need to focus more on pre-owned anyways and make their stores more lively (by making employees more happy. That's another issue in itself, so many miserable workers) and also make sure the employees are trained on legit checking.
Bro, I'm a fellow skateboarder from the 90s and I feel your energy and nostalgia. I'm also a physical therapist by trade but I skateboard with friends at night and collect retro games. I would have been rooting you on and yelling when you got that heel flip over the sewer. Cheers man.
I like GameStop as it sells the stuff I enjoy the most, Video games! A lot of ppl talk crap on GameStop. But they will all be sad when they leave like toys r us did and they will all say remember how GameStop was so good. So I think we all need to support all types of game stores, whether it’s local shop or franchise.
First I love your content! But you can’t really compare a retro shop (which is usually a unique, personal, nostalgia driven experience), to a modern day business line. They have different business models so it’s apples to oranges. You are spot on about customer service and inventory though as long as you’re not expecting a GameStop to have 3DO or Saturn stuff. I do think GameStops should play around with their layouts and make sure they employ nice people. Rooting for you to finish the NES set!
I find many deals at GameStop throughout the year but the bad experiences I keep having definitely ruin things. It’s hard to have a good spirit about GameStop when I keep getting screwed by the employees, etc.
Last year I had to fly down to Florida for a funeral. I also was driving by my old skating stomping grounds and had to stop and get out and just absorb it all. It was an old business park that had a Subway sandwich shop off in one of the corners and it never seemed that busy so we didn't get chased out very often. Plenty of stairs and rails and flat surfaces, it was the best, so many memories.
I visited my childhood home in Maryland a few years ago. I had so many incredible 90s memories there. Our neighborhood had 2 giant cul-de-sacs attached to one another with about 20-30 homes and every home had kids around the same age and parents around the same age. We’d run loose for hours and would go to each other’s house to play SNES/N64 and our parents would all drink and cook out together. I seriously can’t imagine a better childhood, it was fun all day every day. Then when I was 8 my parents said we’re moving to Delaware, and in my 8yr old brain I’m thinking “I don’t wanna live in another country” not realizing it was a 3hr move 😂
I saw a garage sale sign one day and the address was my childhood home. I stopped there took the backyard in sound something to buy then told the family I grew up here. We had a great conversation. It was a feeling!!! Your old neighborhood was more interesting then the gamestops 😂 👍🏽
Had to pause midway to leave a comment! I love that you took the time to stroll through memory lane. It’s so good for our health, emotions, and memory. I always ask the question, was the past truly better because it was simple and easy? Or because it was our childhood and that’s simply why we miss it? I know I would do anything to go back and time and spend one day in our childhood. Not any particular day just a random one when we walked over to get snacks, played outside, walked around the neighborhood, etc.
Every time I go back to Puerto Rico for vacation I have to take a time to drive by my neighborhood where I rented my first VHS tapes and rented NES games. So nostalgic
I wish GameStop would change their website structure for purchasing games online. It gets frustrating when you purchase a game at cib prices and receive disc only or a “new” game that’s clearly been opened and placed in a resealable bag.
we don't have GameStops in Finland anymore, we used to but they went down around 10 years a go, now we have puolenkuunpelit in like three cities wich happily one is where i live. But let's put it this way, i love that there are still physical stores for games available
Riff it's André from the Netherlands here. Childhood memories of your childhood home and things you did their; are priceless. And seeing you enjoy and talking and getting emotional made my sunday already; because I know the feeling. Thanxs ones again for filling up so many peoples lives with all the good and funny memories, nostalgia and just for being you. Love you mate. Keep up the good work 🙏👊 blessings and love from the Netherlands for you, your family and the guys. Greetings and have one good end of 2024 and beginning of 2025 from André
Never watched a video on this channel before, but this popped up so I watched it and the trip down memory lane you had genuinely made me so happy. It was beautiful to see. Thank you for that. Great video!
Dude, I cannot express how relatable the feeling of walking the place you grew up is. I moved when I was 13 from California to Oklahoma. I never wanted to claim Oklahoma as my home town. But now I have kids and I take them back to see where events that shaped me happened and it brings a whole new light to those places.
Former employee here. I’ll answer any questions you might have Riff. I can say I have had a LOT of jobs in my life and GameStop treats their employees worse than any place I have ever seen. It’s sad.
okay question that point system sounds like alot but in reality its a little why? and games that are sold as new that are open already really new? how many times do you replace price tags on pre-owned games from lets say 4.99 to 15.99 you know those buy 2 get one 1 at so and so price
I agree. Been a customer first, for 22 years now. I've got friends at local GameStops near me that get treated badly, and have had breakdowns from the pay, and the way they get treated by higher ups.
Oh man riff. Seeing your feels from being in your old neighborhood was so great. I visited my child home home for the first time in 24 years this year. It hit me so hard seeing what had changed and what hadn't. Seeing my old school boarded up and falling apart brought me to tears. Is such a unreal feeling
I bought my childhood home a couple years ago. While driving around I’m constantly pointing things out to my wife from my childhood, but she never cares. It did bother me that she didn’t care, until this video. Now I see it from her prospective, thanks, I’m going to stop doing that to her. Great video! GameStop is the worst.
My wife and I do this, but we both care. I don't know your wife, but if she doesn't care about where you came from to become who you are, it may be a red flag.
RIFF.. loved the trip down memory lane.. We went and did the same thing just a couple months ago, revisited our local shops and videogame store and parks and houses we grew up in. So many emotions really do come out !! Great stuff man ❤
I wish you did this with a hidden cam. Once they know they are being filmed they will be the best fake employees you won’t get the real experience. But generally the reason I hate gsmestop is how much they pressure you for subscriptions, protection plan, reservations. I’ve had them add on the protection plan without me even asking and later when I checked my receipt. The fking girl added it on secretly. Another time the same store kept wording my transaction where I HAD to pick a protection plan for my ps5 on purchase It always feels like you’re about to battle a bunch of vultures. Makes each visit a pain in the ass. I’d go to a diff store farther away just so I can purchase stuff in peace.
Growing up in the military it isn’t so easy to retrace all the places you grew up in around the world. But I’m actually pretty blessed that now I’m in my 40s I’ve seen them all again and yeah it was a trip for each one.
Watching these videos reminds me that just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I can't enjoy the smaller things in life. To be a kid again in a video game store is priceless.
Protip on fester's quest. Even the manual tells you to use an autofire controller on the game, otherwise you spend hours constantly mashing the fire button
I haven't been to my local Gamestop in years. The last time I went the experience itself was fine, the employees were great and super nice but there weren't a lot of games; mostly funko pops and stuff like that which isn't really my thing. I will however cherish the memories there with my friends, like going there on weekends to check out the latest games, playing in tournaments, & waiting in line for the midnight release of Skyrim. We still talk about some of those things to this day.
Santa Ana, yup. So familiar and also so sad. Every home with walls and gates with graffiti everywhere. California has not changed, only older now. Didn't improve, didn't become safer, didn't get any cleaner. I moved away from California many years ago to Texas. A night and day difference. When I told people at the time I was moving out of California, in 2007, they asked what was wrong. Now I ask whats wrong with those that say. There's a better life in many other states today. Beautiful cities, safe, clean, new and some of the friendliest people you'll never meet in California. RIP CA.
I know why. It's the last copy that they used for displaying on store shelves. All the games they display on shelves come from physical copies that they eventually sell. It's opened for display but not used. They will sell all sealed copies first. Once they have sold all sealed copies, that's when they sell you the display copy.
The 1st Gamestop you went to the employee is probably a trainee or lower rank staff who got hire not to long ago so they’re gonna be nice and share their passion with you (like they’re some temporary best friend). The 2nd Gamestop near your hometown is a veteran employee manager, or higher rank staff who been working there or other Gamestop for years. They tend to be kinda rude because once they get to the top (like employee of the year) they have to follow strict protocols from the higher ups and act more boss like not chitchat or gossip with customers about videogames or they get de-ranked and possibly fired.
Hi Riff, I grew up in Costa Mesa. I remember the Kmart and Payless store in the shopping center where the first game stop is. That store used to be one of the best EB games back in the day
I stopped shopping at gamestop back when the SNES classic came out, I was lucky enough to get one online, then on release date I went to the mall and happened to see that they still had some in stock, and I know that my brother wanted one as well since we had SNES growing up so I figured I'd pick on up for him. When I was being rung up I got to talking with the cashier there and I mentioned the story and that I already had one for myself and that this one was going to be for my brother, she abruptly ended the sale there and told me I was not allowed to purchase it since I already got one on pre-order.
My biggest problems: 1. Used copies are only $3-5 cheaper than new copies 2. Trade in value is really bad compared to other stores. 3. Many items in the store are a little garbage and are taking up valuable shelf space. 4. Really annoying when you are just trying to check out and the store clerk is pushing disc protection and GameStop pro memberships at every purchase and every store. 5. Stickers. So many stickers all over their cases and annoying to peel off and clean.
I haven't shopped at GameStop in almost 10 years now ever since their business practices and how they treat their employees became widely public. There are more alternatives out there than people think. Not just online shopping. Lots of people would be surprised to find that they have a small "mom & pop" games/toys store right in their hometown and didn't even know it. - - - - - - Okay, updating comment now at the end of the video. I have to say, that "Hidden Gem" at the end was SO awesome!
I went to GameStop to pick up a game on launch day (Silent Hill 2 remake) and was told by the guy behind the counter that I should have pre-ordered it and that he could order me a copy but had none in store, in the middle of this his coworker came in (starting a shift or ending a break ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) so I waited until they were behind the counter and asked her if there were any copies, she checked and yep they had plenty. The guy I was originally talking to looked so mad, no shocker the place closed down at the end of November.
I recently brought my wife to my home town and walked with her through the route I would take to get to and from school and it was so surreal! Definitely can't recommend it enough.
I don't go to GameStop so much anymore ever since COVID hit. The pressuring/guilt tripping you into buying pro memberships, forcing you to use said memberships to even preorder stuff, too much useless nerd junk, their unethical practices (selling used stuff as new, for instance, and I've caught them a few times) and their flaky opening schedule (Noon? Seriously? Most people open around 10 AM. I'm not gonna wait in my car just for you to open, assuming they ARE going to open. I've seen them still closed even after they're supposed to open) are what deters me from GameStop. That, and the closest one to my house is next door to a newly established Vapor Store. Really??
Was hoping to see a vid from last Saturday! It was cool seeing you in person!! Been watching for years crazy to see you guys as soon as I walk in!! Holler if ever in Vegas 😁
I like GameStop, whenever I’m in the US I’m always eager to visit the closest store, they’ve got games, t-shirts, action figures and more stuff that a geek like me loves and the staff is usually pretty friendly
8:22 so are those carharrt aprons or actual like back seat covers? Because I absolutely need these they are just too bad ass to not get.. especially if they come in black or other colors
The closest Gamestop is an hour and 40 minutes away and they took over EB Games in Canada. The location I sometimes go to when in that city are always nice, the prices are no different than any other store with games, but they have some cool stuff out. It mostly just feels unnecessary at this point. They just took Walmart and crammed the games, cards, and toy section into a less spread-out store.
Gamestop is one of those enigma's where it truly is based on the location and more importantly the staff. It's one of those places where I personally have never had a bad experience and one of my best friends is actually the manager at a gamestop. At the end of the day, it really is a corporation so out of any and all game stores - they are the most likely candidate to be incredibly lifeless and rude compared to any other game store out there. Much like any corporation, you treat people badly enough then they are simply going to go somewhere else. More and more gamestop locations are closing down and they are slowly becoming less and less about video games while diverging into other products in order to produce income. Whether or not it will work in the store or increase sales - who knows. However, if you can't establish a dedicated customer base and be better to your customers than your going to be a closed location pretty soon. At least with this journey Aaron, you got to relive some great childhood memories. I get to go back to my childhood home where my parents still live once a year and I can only really visit the area once a year because it is a 12 hour drive away. Even if your experience at the gamestop locations was a little mixed at best - you got to take a little bit of good out of it by getting an item at hidden gem games and you got to reminiscence about a happier time in your life where being a kid you didn't have to be bombarded with so much responsibility.
Awesome video, and you shouted out like all my favorite nes games and even bought a CIB one! So question for you when I did what you did not so long ago… did your town seem smaller, like almost have the size you remember it being as a kid? Maybe it was just me but yeah nostalgic nonetheless.
Really want a road trip video. Just you guys in the van, travelling across the U.S., and game hunting in towns and stores you’ve never been. Something like the Chasing Cardboard channel mixed with American Pickers and old school hunting.
44 seconds in and paused to answer the question. My answer is a big no. Story time! About 12 years ago I had a retail job at a Macy's. My break time was spent at the GameStop in the same mall the Macy's I worked at was in. Became friends with the staff there. The manager was a woman and she had 2 full-time employees, 1 male and 1 female. They all got along great. The regional manager was a guy and apparently it is the regional manager's job to schedule people during the holiday, not the store manager...? At least this was what the store manager told me. During holidays the regional manager insisted on giving most of the work hours to the male temp help + the 1 full-time male employee, not the women. So that was 1 thing that started my dislike of GameStop. Another dislike of GameStop was over a game reservation I made at the same location. The game being Fire Emblem Awakening. Whenever I made reservations for anything, I always paid them off during the reservation transaction. However, that location ended up closing down. Once again, the regional manager decided to only keep that 1 full-time male employee, moving him to another location and let go the female staff. Anyway, since the location closed, my reservation was relocated to another GameStop down the street. Not a big deal, until release day. I didn't keep my receipt for the reservation, so had no proof of how much I had paid off on it. They claimed I only had $5 down on it. I made a stink about the situation and management got involved. Ended up just having to pay for the game in full again. Never been in a GameStop since. Whenever I tell this story, I seem to encounter others who have had the same thing happen to them when a location closes and they have reservations moved. So keep your receipts, because GameStop doesn't track it for you, although they typically have it in their system how much is paid.
Our local GameStop has been very much meh. They started selling retro, and I scored a huge lot of clean GameCube games pretty cheap, like 200 to 300 under pricecharting cheap. The next time, I came in to buy N64 games, and picked out Banjo Kazooie, it was in the glass case. As the guy rung me out, I glanced down and immediately recognized that it was a repro. In the nicest way possible I said, I actually don’t want this one anymore, I just happened to notice it’s a repro. Dude is visibly getting crabby, asks me what makes me think that. So I point out all of the places that aren’t right on it. He still acts like he doesn’t believe me, until another guy comes over and was like yeah l he’s right, I can’t believe someone took this in on trade. I’m assuming it was the guy that was ringing me out, because he was just so rude after. Kind of ruined any desire for me to pop in to check their retro selection in the future.
there's a guy who makes leather radio straps for firefighters and EMS and his shop has a 5 star perfect rating. To be fair, he does great leatherworking and I've heard if it breaks, just contact him and he'll fix it free.
GameStop selling a new game that has already been open is just the top of the iceberg they barely even have new games at all. So many times I go in looking for a recent release and they tell me I had to preorder to get a copy.
To my own surprise, over the past six months GameStops have become some of my most frequent game hunting grounds. I live in Phoenix where there’s 30+ stores throughout the city and there’s a handful close to my house I visit each almost weekly. I also travel a lot for work so always check out the local gamestores, including GameStops. I’ve found that more often than not I find retro games and peripherals well below PriceCharting. Sometimes super big drops. Many of the “non-retro” GameStops have retro games they keep in drawers behind the counter and will usually pull them out for you if you ask. Some of my best finds have been at regular stores. Stealing the “power of the ask” from CATRP 😂 Don’t get me wrong, I prefer a local retro shop over anywhere, but you can still get some deals. Anyways, that’s my GameStop rant. Always love the content guys! Hoping to see you guys again at the GameOn Expo
It's such an unbelievable feeling going back to the place that made you the person you are today. It's awesome for you to share that with us and I'm glad to see that it still remains rather familiar. God Bless.
Use code 50PGS to get 50% OFF plus free shipping on your first Factor box at bit.ly/4f3cOiD!
It’s not whether I like it or not, they just seem irrelevant in today’s market.
Hey Riff show graffiti some respect! Go play some Marc Ecko Getting up you’ll understand what it means to be a graff writer 😂🥷🏽💨
I dont understand how GAMESTOP sells you a "new" game but its already been opened with a sticker price barcode on the cover???? NEW games should be sealed
[EDIT]
All I did was answer the fucking question, if you wanna hatefuck GameStop so badly, go do it yourself instead of telling me how much you hate the policy, I'm sure after the *40 YEARS* the company has been around, your complaint will be the one to convince them not to do it anymore.
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They have to have a game to put out on the shelf for display, and they will sell the sealed copies until that's the only one they have left. Once they're down to that one, it's all they have to sell you. The disc has not been played, the disc has hardly been touched, the case may be open but the game is still "new." If that's a dealbreaker to you, that's understandable, but they're not trying to scam you, shockingly enough.
I worked a few holidays at my local GS. I know a few things.
Someone needs to sue their asses 😂
@@lightninstriker10yea but if I need to return the game then gamestop will say it's not new since it's not sealed. Its a crappy business practice even if you describe it with a paragraph
Because people will steal the game off the shelf if it’s in the case lol
@lightninstriker10 the last 5 times I went in there and got a NEW game, they've given me the game like that??? I guess I was being sold their last copy. Thank you, I did not know that.
Last black Friday, GameStop had several "new" (they're technically not new because they take the game out of the case) games marked down from $50 to $40.
So then I checked Walmart for some deals. (All their games are sealed and locked up) They had the same games on sale for only $30 each!! I never buy new games from GameStop anymore. I either use Walmart or Ebay.
it's better they locked it up
Your walk down memory road seeing you taking it all in was So Cool Riff. You are a Great Guy. I Appreciate You Brother.
Depends on the location and relationship with the employees. After chatting with an employee last week, he let me know a collector turned in 250 mint condition x360 games and let me rifle through and pick out anything I wanted. They were in beautiful shape, and had yet to be priced. I walked out with 3 large bags of games and it was awesome
I dont like Gamestop’s business practices but their employees are usually cool!
Yeah its not the employees fault that the store is bad 😂😂
I usually deal with cool employees as well
Manager types and higher rank employee have to be jerks. Not only do they get maybe a higher income but they also have to be on the business side of things like make a fast successful sale with a customer or else their boss (either a higher ranking member or a company man whose close to the CEO) will go medieval on them.
I want Gamestop to do well. I remember going a lot as a kid, but I feel like they shoot themselves in the foot. My store gets retro in, but oftentimes it's fake because they (understandably) don't know what they're looking for. Then most pre-owned games feel gross, when I feel like they could either clean the stuff better, or just deny products that are little too "loved." It'd be nice if they had some sort of legit refurbishing process for consoles, that isn't just taking a magic eraser and scuffing them, and cleaning the products. That's their niche. Walmart can beat them at new game prices, so they need to focus more on pre-owned anyways and make their stores more lively (by making employees more happy. That's another issue in itself, so many miserable workers) and also make sure the employees are trained on legit checking.
Came for GameStop slander, stayed for the riff rollercoaster of emotions
Bro, I'm a fellow skateboarder from the 90s and I feel your energy and nostalgia. I'm also a physical therapist by trade but I skateboard with friends at night and collect retro games. I would have been rooting you on and yelling when you got that heel flip over the sewer. Cheers man.
Can’t believe you did not recognize Phanpy, it’s a Pokemon from Gen 2, Gold and Silver.
I think they said they only really played gen 1 which is true for most people.
Before: I like GameStop might not be the best store ever but I enjoy stopping by every now and then.
I like GameStop as it sells the stuff I enjoy the most, Video games! A lot of ppl talk crap on GameStop. But they will all be sad when they leave like toys r us did and they will all say remember how GameStop was so good. So I think we all need to support all types of game stores, whether it’s local shop or franchise.
First I love your content! But you can’t really compare a retro shop (which is usually a unique, personal, nostalgia driven experience), to a modern day business line. They have different business models so it’s apples to oranges. You are spot on about customer service and inventory though as long as you’re not expecting a GameStop to have 3DO or Saturn stuff. I do think GameStops should play around with their layouts and make sure they employ nice people. Rooting for you to finish the NES set!
I find many deals at GameStop throughout the year but the bad experiences I keep having definitely ruin things. It’s hard to have a good spirit about GameStop when I keep getting screwed by the employees, etc.
Last year I had to fly down to Florida for a funeral. I also was driving by my old skating stomping grounds and had to stop and get out and just absorb it all. It was an old business park that had a Subway sandwich shop off in one of the corners and it never seemed that busy so we didn't get chased out very often. Plenty of stairs and rails and flat surfaces, it was the best, so many memories.
I always go in them hoping for gold and leave depressed
Nice solo video riff! always awesome to go back and visit old skate spots. I miss the old days man.
I visited my childhood home in Maryland a few years ago. I had so many incredible 90s memories there. Our neighborhood had 2 giant cul-de-sacs attached to one another with about 20-30 homes and every home had kids around the same age and parents around the same age. We’d run loose for hours and would go to each other’s house to play SNES/N64 and our parents would all drink and cook out together. I seriously can’t imagine a better childhood, it was fun all day every day. Then when I was 8 my parents said we’re moving to Delaware, and in my 8yr old brain I’m thinking “I don’t wanna live in another country” not realizing it was a 3hr move 😂
Maryland for the win!!
I saw a garage sale sign one day and the address was my childhood home. I stopped there took the backyard in sound something to buy then told the family I grew up here. We had a great conversation. It was a feeling!!! Your old neighborhood was more interesting then the gamestops 😂 👍🏽
Had to pause midway to leave a comment! I love that you took the time to stroll through memory lane. It’s so good for our health, emotions, and memory. I always ask the question, was the past truly better because it was simple and easy? Or because it was our childhood and that’s simply why we miss it? I know I would do anything to go back and time and spend one day in our childhood. Not any particular day just a random one when we walked over to get snacks, played outside, walked around the neighborhood, etc.
Loved the walk down memory lane. The camera work was great here as well!
Mort🫡
Thanks for the kind words about the video! 💪
Every time I go back to Puerto Rico for vacation I have to take a time to drive by my neighborhood where I rented my first VHS tapes and rented NES games. So nostalgic
I wish GameStop would change their website structure for purchasing games online. It gets frustrating when you purchase a game at cib prices and receive disc only or a “new” game that’s clearly been opened and placed in a resealable bag.
we don't have GameStops in Finland anymore, we used to but they went down around 10 years a go, now we have puolenkuunpelit in like three cities wich happily one is where i live. But let's put it this way, i love that there are still physical stores for games available
Just wanted to say thank you Riff for showing us your childhood home and area.
It was neat to see where you grew up. Much love from Canada. Game on!
Riff it's André from the Netherlands here. Childhood memories of your childhood home and things you did their; are priceless. And seeing you enjoy and talking and getting emotional made my sunday already; because I know the feeling. Thanxs ones again for filling up so many peoples lives with all the good and funny memories, nostalgia and just for being you. Love you mate. Keep up the good work 🙏👊 blessings and love from the Netherlands for you, your family and the guys. Greetings and have one good end of 2024 and beginning of 2025 from André
Never watched a video on this channel before, but this popped up so I watched it and the trip down memory lane you had genuinely made me so happy. It was beautiful to see. Thank you for that. Great video!
Dude, I cannot express how relatable the feeling of walking the place you grew up is.
I moved when I was 13 from California to Oklahoma. I never wanted to claim Oklahoma as my home town. But now I have kids and I take them back to see where events that shaped me happened and it brings a whole new light to those places.
Former employee here. I’ll answer any questions you might have Riff. I can say I have had a LOT of jobs in my life and GameStop treats their employees worse than any place I have ever seen. It’s sad.
Appreciate the honesty.
okay question that point system sounds like alot but in reality its a little why? and games that are sold as new that are open already really new? how many times do you replace price tags on pre-owned games from lets say 4.99 to 15.99 you know those buy 2 get one 1 at so and so price
I agree. Been a customer first, for 22 years now. I've got friends at local GameStops near me that get treated badly, and have had breakdowns from the pay, and the way they get treated by higher ups.
I'm also a former employe and I had a good experience for almost 5 years. So yeah...just because you had a bad experience is not a generalisation.
My local GameStop and its employees are all great
Oh man riff. Seeing your feels from being in your old neighborhood was so great. I visited my child home home for the first time in 24 years this year. It hit me so hard seeing what had changed and what hadn't. Seeing my old school boarded up and falling apart brought me to tears. Is such a unreal feeling
I bought my childhood home a couple years ago. While driving around I’m constantly pointing things out to my wife from my childhood, but she never cares. It did bother me that she didn’t care, until this video. Now I see it from her prospective, thanks, I’m going to stop doing that to her. Great video! GameStop is the worst.
Same 👍
My wife and I do this, but we both care. I don't know your wife, but if she doesn't care about where you came from to become who you are, it may be a red flag.
This comment is sinisterly rude, lol.
Extremely interesting...
RIFF.. loved the trip down memory lane.. We went and did the same thing just a couple months ago, revisited our local shops and videogame store and parks and houses we grew up in. So many emotions really do come out !! Great stuff man ❤
I wish you did this with a hidden cam. Once they know they are being filmed they will be the best fake employees you won’t get the real experience.
But generally the reason I hate gsmestop is how much they pressure you for subscriptions, protection plan, reservations. I’ve had them add on the protection plan without me even asking and later when I checked my receipt. The fking girl added it on secretly.
Another time the same store kept wording my transaction where I HAD to pick a protection plan for my ps5 on purchase
It always feels like you’re about to battle a bunch of vultures. Makes each visit a pain in the ass. I’d go to a diff store farther away just so I can purchase stuff in peace.
I have zero game stores in my town so all I’m left with is my mini GameStop.
at least you have them in your area, we went from 8 or 9 in the area I live in to just 1 after all the layoffs and store closures
Growing up in the military it isn’t so easy to retrace all the places you grew up in around the world. But I’m actually pretty blessed that now I’m in my 40s I’ve seen them all again and yeah it was a trip for each one.
Watching these videos reminds me that just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I can't enjoy the smaller things in life. To be a kid again in a video game store is priceless.
Protip on fester's quest. Even the manual tells you to use an autofire controller on the game, otherwise you spend hours constantly mashing the fire button
I haven't been to my local Gamestop in years. The last time I went the experience itself was fine, the employees were great and super nice but there weren't a lot of games; mostly funko pops and stuff like that which isn't really my thing. I will however cherish the memories there with my friends, like going there on weekends to check out the latest games, playing in tournaments, & waiting in line for the midnight release of Skyrim. We still talk about some of those things to this day.
Genuinely fun video! Nice pickup on Fester's Quest I love that game. It really is an amazing feeling revisiting where you grew up.
I cannot remember the last time I set foot in one. It used to be magical.
your making me want to go see my childhood home
I enjoy these chilled videos ,merry Christmas
No apologies necessary Riff. I go back to my town every summer to take a trip down memory lane. .
Santa Ana, yup. So familiar and also so sad. Every home with walls and gates with graffiti everywhere. California has not changed, only older now. Didn't improve, didn't become safer, didn't get any cleaner.
I moved away from California many years ago to Texas. A night and day difference. When I told people at the time I was moving out of California, in 2007, they asked what was wrong. Now I ask whats wrong with those that say. There's a better life in many other states today. Beautiful cities, safe, clean, new and some of the friendliest people you'll never meet in California. RIP CA.
I know why. It's the last copy that they used for displaying on store shelves. All the games they display on shelves come from physical copies that they eventually sell. It's opened for display but not used. They will sell all sealed copies first. Once they have sold all sealed copies, that's when they sell you the display copy.
The 1st Gamestop you went to the employee is probably a trainee or lower rank staff who got hire not to long ago so they’re gonna be nice and share their passion with you (like they’re some temporary best friend). The 2nd Gamestop near your hometown is a veteran employee manager, or higher rank staff who been working there or other Gamestop for years. They tend to be kinda rude because once they get to the top (like employee of the year) they have to follow strict protocols from the higher ups and act more boss like not chitchat or gossip with customers about videogames or they get de-ranked and possibly fired.
I do not like that the employees are forced to push the rewards program, amongst other things, I do not do business with gamestop ever
Yea and I get the feeling most employees don't want to do it
@@PixelGameSquad agreed! I have no issues with the employees, just the corporate overlords
Hi Riff, I grew up in Costa Mesa. I remember the Kmart and Payless store in the shopping center where the first game stop is. That store used to be one of the best EB games back in the day
I stopped shopping at gamestop back when the SNES classic came out, I was lucky enough to get one online, then on release date I went to the mall and happened to see that they still had some in stock, and I know that my brother wanted one as well since we had SNES growing up so I figured I'd pick on up for him. When I was being rung up I got to talking with the cashier there and I mentioned the story and that I already had one for myself and that this one was going to be for my brother, she abruptly ended the sale there and told me I was not allowed to purchase it since I already got one on pre-order.
Reading the Google reviews is hilarious! Thanks for another great one Riff!
I love your guys personal touches in videos, taking us to child home is cool.
My biggest problems:
1. Used copies are only $3-5 cheaper than new copies
2. Trade in value is really bad compared to other stores.
3. Many items in the store are a little garbage and are taking up valuable shelf space.
4. Really annoying when you are just trying to check out and the store clerk is pushing disc protection and GameStop pro memberships at every purchase and every store.
5. Stickers. So many stickers all over their cases and annoying to peel off and clean.
God bless ya!
10:57 never imagined PGS to get excited over seeing a manhole cover 😭
Me neither hahaha
Thanks for sharing Riff! Merry Christmas to you and yours!! Cheers!!
I haven't shopped at GameStop in almost 10 years now ever since their business practices and how they treat their employees became widely public. There are more alternatives out there than people think. Not just online shopping. Lots of people would be surprised to find that they have a small "mom & pop" games/toys store right in their hometown and didn't even know it.
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Okay, updating comment now at the end of the video. I have to say, that "Hidden Gem" at the end was SO awesome!
Right, if I had a m&p game shop near me, i would absolutely prefer to give my business to them.
You recommend we all open our creepy van doors? and point a camera at an elementary school while you pineeee to get in at the gate 😂😂
I stopped going there over a decade ago. The big stickers that don't peel clean off the case is a deal breaker.
I came for GameStop, but I stayed for Riff’s heart!
I went to GameStop to pick up a game on launch day (Silent Hill 2 remake) and was told by the guy behind the counter that I should have pre-ordered it and that he could order me a copy but had none in store, in the middle of this his coworker came in (starting a shift or ending a break ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) so I waited until they were behind the counter and asked her if there were any copies, she checked and yep they had plenty. The guy I was originally talking to looked so mad, no shocker the place closed down at the end of November.
I actually like going to my local Gamestop but I also enjoy going to my local retro store for completely different reasons.
I recently brought my wife to my home town and walked with her through the route I would take to get to and from school and it was so surreal! Definitely can't recommend it enough.
I don't go to GameStop so much anymore ever since COVID hit. The pressuring/guilt tripping you into buying pro memberships, forcing you to use said memberships to even preorder stuff, too much useless nerd junk, their unethical practices (selling used stuff as new, for instance, and I've caught them a few times) and their flaky opening schedule (Noon? Seriously? Most people open around 10 AM. I'm not gonna wait in my car just for you to open, assuming they ARE going to open. I've seen them still closed even after they're supposed to open) are what deters me from GameStop. That, and the closest one to my house is next door to a newly established Vapor Store. Really??
Your old spot looks almost identical to my (updated) old home that I lived from 1986-1989. Which was in El Monte, CA.
Merry Christmas brother
Was hoping to see a vid from last Saturday! It was cool seeing you in person!! Been watching for years crazy to see you guys as soon as I walk in!! Holler if ever in Vegas 😁
during city wide garage sale season i visit a small town i use to live in about 30 minutes out
I like GameStop, whenever I’m in the US I’m always eager to visit the closest store, they’ve got games, t-shirts, action figures and more stuff that a geek like me loves and the staff is usually pretty friendly
God bless you and your Fam Riff. very much!! love you and this channel!! thank you for years of entertainment!
8:22 so are those carharrt aprons or actual like back seat covers? Because I absolutely need these they are just too bad ass to not get.. especially if they come in black or other colors
The closest Gamestop is an hour and 40 minutes away and they took over EB Games in Canada. The location I sometimes go to when in that city are always nice, the prices are no different than any other store with games, but they have some cool stuff out. It mostly just feels unnecessary at this point. They just took Walmart and crammed the games, cards, and toy section into a less spread-out store.
Lived very close to you, a lot has changed, some good, some not so good.
But nice to see the place again through your eyes 👍 as a SoCal native 🇺🇸
Thumbs up for the heelflip and the 720 cab! ♥
Don't go too often, but the experience varies A LOT depending on location & employees. Always way too many "Collectables" versus games.
Looking forward to when Gamestop ultimately goes out of business.
What a wonderful memory to visit by the house your grew up in 😊
Another classic episode of Pixel Riff Squad.
Gamestop is one of those enigma's where it truly is based on the location and more importantly the staff. It's one of those places where I personally have never had a bad experience and one of my best friends is actually the manager at a gamestop. At the end of the day, it really is a corporation so out of any and all game stores - they are the most likely candidate to be incredibly lifeless and rude compared to any other game store out there. Much like any corporation, you treat people badly enough then they are simply going to go somewhere else. More and more gamestop locations are closing down and they are slowly becoming less and less about video games while diverging into other products in order to produce income. Whether or not it will work in the store or increase sales - who knows. However, if you can't establish a dedicated customer base and be better to your customers than your going to be a closed location pretty soon.
At least with this journey Aaron, you got to relive some great childhood memories. I get to go back to my childhood home where my parents still live once a year and I can only really visit the area once a year because it is a 12 hour drive away. Even if your experience at the gamestop locations was a little mixed at best - you got to take a little bit of good out of it by getting an item at hidden gem games and you got to reminiscence about a happier time in your life where being a kid you didn't have to be bombarded with so much responsibility.
Last time I entered a GameStop was when the SNES mini released and I watched the last one sell
Awesome video, and you shouted out like all my favorite nes games and even bought a CIB one!
So question for you when I did what you did not so long ago… did your town seem smaller, like almost have the size you remember it being as a kid? Maybe it was just me but yeah nostalgic nonetheless.
I grew up in Santa Ana. J+J Comics was my favorite comic book shop. Love this trip down memory lane
Really want a road trip video. Just you guys in the van, travelling across the U.S., and game hunting in towns and stores you’ve never been. Something like the Chasing Cardboard channel mixed with American Pickers and old school hunting.
That sounds like my actual dream!
They mistreat their employees and that gives me a negative impression for sure
Really cool seeing ur old neighborhood.
Support your local Retro Game community
The fact that they don’t price match during the holidays because of the deals that you get at other stores is pretty dumb
44 seconds in and paused to answer the question. My answer is a big no. Story time! About 12 years ago I had a retail job at a Macy's. My break time was spent at the GameStop in the same mall the Macy's I worked at was in. Became friends with the staff there. The manager was a woman and she had 2 full-time employees, 1 male and 1 female. They all got along great. The regional manager was a guy and apparently it is the regional manager's job to schedule people during the holiday, not the store manager...? At least this was what the store manager told me. During holidays the regional manager insisted on giving most of the work hours to the male temp help + the 1 full-time male employee, not the women. So that was 1 thing that started my dislike of GameStop. Another dislike of GameStop was over a game reservation I made at the same location. The game being Fire Emblem Awakening. Whenever I made reservations for anything, I always paid them off during the reservation transaction. However, that location ended up closing down. Once again, the regional manager decided to only keep that 1 full-time male employee, moving him to another location and let go the female staff. Anyway, since the location closed, my reservation was relocated to another GameStop down the street. Not a big deal, until release day. I didn't keep my receipt for the reservation, so had no proof of how much I had paid off on it. They claimed I only had $5 down on it. I made a stink about the situation and management got involved. Ended up just having to pay for the game in full again. Never been in a GameStop since. Whenever I tell this story, I seem to encounter others who have had the same thing happen to them when a location closes and they have reservations moved. So keep your receipts, because GameStop doesn't track it for you, although they typically have it in their system how much is paid.
Absolutely LOVED this video sir!!!
Great video, very surprised to see where I was born (Santa Ana) being featured here.
Our local GameStop has been very much meh. They started selling retro, and I scored a huge lot of clean GameCube games pretty cheap, like 200 to 300 under pricecharting cheap.
The next time, I came in to buy N64 games, and picked out Banjo Kazooie, it was in the glass case. As the guy rung me out, I glanced down and immediately recognized that it was a repro. In the nicest way possible I said, I actually don’t want this one anymore, I just happened to notice it’s a repro. Dude is visibly getting crabby, asks me what makes me think that. So I point out all of the places that aren’t right on it. He still acts like he doesn’t believe me, until another guy comes over and was like yeah l he’s right, I can’t believe someone took this in on trade. I’m assuming it was the guy that was ringing me out, because he was just so rude after. Kind of ruined any desire for me to pop in to check their retro selection in the future.
I did the exact same thing a few months ago, it's a great feeling to spend some time where you grew up ❤️Thank you Riff for sharing this with us
there's a guy who makes leather radio straps for firefighters and EMS and his shop has a 5 star perfect rating. To be fair, he does great leatherworking and I've heard if it breaks, just contact him and he'll fix it free.
Gamestop is trash nowadays! I rather go to an independent store and give them my business first!
GameStop selling a new game that has already been open is just the top of the iceberg they barely even have new games at all. So many times I go in looking for a recent release and they tell me I had to preorder to get a copy.
To my own surprise, over the past six months GameStops have become some of my most frequent game hunting grounds. I live in Phoenix where there’s 30+ stores throughout the city and there’s a handful close to my house I visit each almost weekly. I also travel a lot for work so always check out the local gamestores, including GameStops. I’ve found that more often than not I find retro games and peripherals well below PriceCharting. Sometimes super big drops. Many of the “non-retro” GameStops have retro games they keep in drawers behind the counter and will usually pull them out for you if you ask. Some of my best finds have been at regular stores. Stealing the “power of the ask” from CATRP 😂 Don’t get me wrong, I prefer a local retro shop over anywhere, but you can still get some deals. Anyways, that’s my GameStop rant. Always love the content guys! Hoping to see you guys again at the GameOn Expo
It's such an unbelievable feeling going back to the place that made you the person you are today. It's awesome for you to share that with us and I'm glad to see that it still remains rather familiar. God Bless.
12:37 rolling stop, be careful on the road there 😂
Really enjoyed the map edit! Superb!
Man I wish I could find some more Long Boxes for my PlayStation Side quest ! That Tekken looked clean