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Nowadays you can't go into GAME without encountering gross incompetence.
I mean half the people working there don't know anything about games, and the other half seem to be so biased it's unbelievable. I was in GAME the other day with my cousin, refunding a game.
Whilst I was browsing through the Xbox rack, I saw a 12-year old with his mother, who seemed to be fairly interested in buying an Xbox. Then, a member of staff walked over and said asked if he could be of any help. The mother replied that her son was interested in buying a new games console, and GAME attendant replied "Well, you don't want to be looking there, then."
When the boy said that his mate had Halo, and he had played it and thought it was a good game, the sales attendant said that "it's the only decent game," and by next year "Xbox will be finished"
He then took them to the PS2 section of the store and showed some games, talked through the specs and let him play a store demo (set up behind the counter). The mother then said "We'll get that one then," but the boy didn't seem too enthusiastic. Nevertheless, they left with a PS2.
I mean wouldn't the store want to shift MORE Xboxes anyway?
I have also come across staff who seemed to know nothing about games, and when I saw someone hunting down Unreal Tournament on Dreamcast a while ago they informed them that it had been "cancelled," even though it was sitting on the Dreamcast rack further back in the store which I pointed out to this customer. The attendant then looked embarrased when he had to check out the game he had just denied even existed.
There are some good stores where games can be purchased however - Computer Exchange stores are helpful, friendly and feature games-crazy staff who keep talking about downloading the latest Everquest patches, and in ePlay, when I was picking up Jet Set Radio Future, the staff commented on how it was excellent.
However, I can see the games industry going down a horribly under-represented route if GAME, one of the biggest games stores in the country, continue to hire mis-informed staff, and as more and more unsuspecting members od the public decide to venture into computer games for the first time, they could easily be misled.
I mean half the people working there don't know anything about games, and the other half seem to be so biased it's unbelievable. I was in GAME the other day with my cousin, refunding a game.
Whilst I was browsing through the Xbox rack, I saw a 12-year old with his mother, who seemed to be fairly interested in buying an Xbox. Then, a member of staff walked over and said asked if he could be of any help. The mother replied that her son was interested in buying a new games console, and GAME attendant replied "Well, you don't want to be looking there, then."
When the boy said that his mate had Halo, and he had played it and thought it was a good game, the sales attendant said that "it's the only decent game," and by next year "Xbox will be finished"
He then took them to the PS2 section of the store and showed some games, talked through the specs and let him play a store demo (set up behind the counter). The mother then said "We'll get that one then," but the boy didn't seem too enthusiastic. Nevertheless, they left with a PS2.
I mean wouldn't the store want to shift MORE Xboxes anyway?
I have also come across staff who seemed to know nothing about games, and when I saw someone hunting down Unreal Tournament on Dreamcast a while ago they informed them that it had been "cancelled," even though it was sitting on the Dreamcast rack further back in the store which I pointed out to this customer. The attendant then looked embarrased when he had to check out the game he had just denied even existed.
There are some good stores where games can be purchased however - Computer Exchange stores are helpful, friendly and feature games-crazy staff who keep talking about downloading the latest Everquest patches, and in ePlay, when I was picking up Jet Set Radio Future, the staff commented on how it was excellent.
However, I can see the games industry going down a horribly under-represented route if GAME, one of the biggest games stores in the country, continue to hire mis-informed staff, and as more and more unsuspecting members od the public decide to venture into computer games for the first time, they could easily be misled.
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What's wrong with small indie shops? I love that 'High Fidelity' type atmosphere. It's great when you feel you are talking to someone who knows their stuff, and I've never been to any of the small stores where someone always thinks they know everything.
Besides, larger stores have profits to uphold and their staff turnover is probably larger too. Even SR stores probably don't have every staff member trained on every console plus the whole history of gaming, unless Tony has invented some sort of new special training device...we should be told!
Besides, larger stores have profits to uphold and their staff turnover is probably larger too. Even SR stores probably don't have every staff member trained on every console plus the whole history of gaming, unless Tony has invented some sort of new special training device...we should be told!
*fears for life*
Here here!
I thought the bit a bit him being 12, and you hearing everything that was said was just that lil' bit dodgy......
I thought the bit a bit him being 12, and you hearing everything that was said was just that lil' bit dodgy......
You are the complete idiot. You base a whole companies staff on one member who you saw probably helping out the mother and kid, I also doubt you followed them around the bloody shop and heard everything that was said. Infact, tell me the shop you were in and I will phone up about that story from the Wimbledon branch I work in and see if they have a set-up PS2 behind the counter.
Or, if you want prove that you are wrong, get your candy behind down to Wimbledon on a Sunday and talk to Joby or Neil or Alex (me being Joby). We each like the three different consoles but we give honest opinions and thats all we can offer. If the kid isn't happy with the PS2 he has a bloody returns policy now extended till 12th January so he can go back and get an XBox.
You sir, are mislead and just plan blind as to what you know.
Or, if you want prove that you are wrong, get your candy behind down to Wimbledon on a Sunday and talk to Joby or Neil or Alex (me being Joby). We each like the three different consoles but we give honest opinions and thats all we can offer. If the kid isn't happy with the PS2 he has a bloody returns policy now extended till 12th January so he can go back and get an XBox.
You sir, are mislead and just plan blind as to what you know.
where's er-no when we need him?
POPideePOP. ;c)
½pint wrote:
>(god bless queue jumping, and stealing held
> items :D)
God bless them with all our hearts... :-)
>(god bless queue jumping, and stealing held
> items :D)
God bless them with all our hearts... :-)
I really hate the idiot "know-it-alls" in CEX Hounslow PC Department. Luckily, Steve Dunn has come back and is now working in Hounslow again. WHOOOOOO...
The fact is, you can't expect perfect service from anywhere. If you see gross negligence in a GAME shop, complain. And do offer YOUR advice to the person. It's happened a number of times to me:
Firstly, once upon a time somebody was looking in CEX for a copy of Rogue Squadron on the N64. He asked at the counter, unfortunately no stock. I had a copy, told the man as he was leaving, then went to 'trade' the game (ie see what I could get for it). Added a fiver, sold. And the shop assistant didn't bat an eyelid.
Secondly, I asked a shop assistant in Game if I could buy GTA3. No, naturally. Asked lots of bystanders to do it for me, lots of 'no's'. Except somebody who looked like an ex-con. In front of the staff, he handed over the game and the receipt. Despite being illegal, the staff still did nothing.
And the funniest had to be when they were doing those £1 game things, when you bought a special sticker item. I went to CEX and got Shaun Palmer's for a fiver. I went to EB, asked if I could trade for Rush Hour (saying I bought it there, of course). Got a trade, great (been looking for RH for ages but couldn't find anywhere I could buy it for less than a tenner). Great.
Game shop staff are incompetent. Big chain staff know little about game, indie staff know too much and act elitest. It's smaller chain shops, such as CEX and ePlay, where you find the friendly staff. And I've benefited. Oh yes. (god bless queue jumping, and stealing held items :D)
Firstly, once upon a time somebody was looking in CEX for a copy of Rogue Squadron on the N64. He asked at the counter, unfortunately no stock. I had a copy, told the man as he was leaving, then went to 'trade' the game (ie see what I could get for it). Added a fiver, sold. And the shop assistant didn't bat an eyelid.
Secondly, I asked a shop assistant in Game if I could buy GTA3. No, naturally. Asked lots of bystanders to do it for me, lots of 'no's'. Except somebody who looked like an ex-con. In front of the staff, he handed over the game and the receipt. Despite being illegal, the staff still did nothing.
And the funniest had to be when they were doing those £1 game things, when you bought a special sticker item. I went to CEX and got Shaun Palmer's for a fiver. I went to EB, asked if I could trade for Rush Hour (saying I bought it there, of course). Got a trade, great (been looking for RH for ages but couldn't find anywhere I could buy it for less than a tenner). Great.
Game shop staff are incompetent. Big chain staff know little about game, indie staff know too much and act elitest. It's smaller chain shops, such as CEX and ePlay, where you find the friendly staff. And I've benefited. Oh yes. (god bless queue jumping, and stealing held items :D)
Heh, I seen this sort of thing happened, I posted about it in the Ninty forum a while ago. It was honestly quite bad seeing as GAME is such a big games retail company.
er-no should just sort em all out.
er-no should just sort em all out.
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