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Scalping? Nintendo IPs too popular?Follow

#1 Jan 07 2015 at 5:56 PM Rating: Good
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I monitor Siliconera often, probably the only game news site I do. I started doing it mostly for the "Tales of..." games back a couple years ago when they finally started releasing them almost regularly.

I noticed yesterday morning they had an article about a special edition Majora's Mask 3DS which included a small Skull Kid figurine for a mere 10 dollars more than regular price.

Of course, once it went up for preorder on Amazon it sold out in about an hour. And Gamestop shortly there after (people seem to use them as a last resort).

Then of course Gamestop had a special "Ultimate" limited edition bundle which was just the Limited Edition with a special hard cover game guide. Meaning they probably took a number of their limited editions and bundled it themselves with the guide. Which would logically be taking stock out of the cheaper limited editions, forcing users to purchase then 89 dollar edition instead of the 49.99 dollar edition.

Today around lunch time I noticed another article about the Majora's Mask Skull Kid figurine. And decided to check availability again. Amazon was still out, but Gamestop had their "Ultimate" up for sale. Again it lasted about an hour or so.

I also noticed while looking at the Majora's Mask 3DS on Amazon, there was a suggestion for the Ocarina of Time 3D, and it was not in stock at Amazon, but was being sold for $59.99 New from other sellers. Today when I was checking Majora's Mask I noticed Ocarina was for sale again directly from Amazon, with a note "Stock on Jan 15th." It was up for 39.99 (3DS normal retail). About an hour later I checked again and it was no longer listed as being available for order from Amazon, but instead more sellers had it for 49-59 dollars, but the same "In stock on Jan 15th" note. Meaning they had likely bought up all the available orders from Amazon and were going to turn around and resell them for 10-20 dollar markup once Amazon sold them on Jan 15th...

Seems like Nintendo's IPs are just to popular to not be bought in bulk and resold...
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#2 Jan 07 2015 at 7:30 PM Rating: Good
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Or intentional scarcity creates this sub market? Not saying they are not popular but seems like they do this with a lot of their products at different times. Or maybe they are just really really bad at predicting demand?
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#3 Jan 11 2015 at 7:33 AM Rating: Good
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I've been holding out for a sale on OoT for forever, I should probably just give up and pay the $40 retail for it...

I know the local gamestop has it, so that's fine.

What I would be curious to find out is how many units of MM are being produced. On the one hand, it's a remake. On the other hand, the current generation of younger 3DS players probably won't have played it, so it might have the full venn diagram of the younger potential market and the older players who want the remake (and obviously those in between).
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#4 Jan 11 2015 at 8:48 PM Rating: Good
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idiggory wrote:
I've been holding out for a sale on OoT for forever, I should probably just give up and pay the $40 retail for it...

I know the local gamestop has it, so that's fine.


Ya, doesn't look like Nintendo will print enough copies to make it go on sale any time soon. This last batch (on Amazon at least) seems to have been bought up pretty quick and turned around for 15-20 dollars above retail.

It's been out for 3 and a half years. Places with stock don't appear to be willing to let it go for any discount.
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#5 Jan 12 2015 at 9:13 AM Rating: Good
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Nintendo has always created artificial demand by shipping games in limited quantities. I remember they did it with Earthbound.
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#6 Jan 14 2015 at 2:14 PM Rating: Good
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No big surprise but the exact same thing happened with the special Majora's Mask edition of the New 3DS XL at GameStop.
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#7 Jan 14 2015 at 2:28 PM Rating: Good
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Try to order the Europe version, it comes with MM pre-installed.
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#8 Jan 14 2015 at 2:29 PM Rating: Good
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Yup, but you can still preorder it in store and have it shipped to you, just can't get it from their website. At least, that's what I've heard. Hoping it's true, might make a trip to Gamestop today (would prefer to wait til this weekend but that might be risky).
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#9 Jan 14 2015 at 2:33 PM Rating: Good
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GameStop is right next to my work so I'll probably check and ask. No big deal if I don't get one but for the same cost as a standard version, why not?
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#10 Jan 14 2015 at 2:34 PM Rating: Good
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'Taku is reporting that even retail Gamestops across the country are saying they're out, so brace yourself.
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#11 Jan 14 2015 at 2:55 PM Rating: Good
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I'm actually hesitant to buy a majoras mask one in the off chance that Xenoblade Chronicles gets one.

Edit:
No go. Stopped in on my way home, couldn't preorder. You can still preorder the Monster Hunter 4 version. But that one comes with Monster Hunter 4 preinstalled and costs 30 dollars more. It looks nicer (IMO, brushed stainless appearance) but not a game I'm interested in enough to spend more than the base console cost right now. The Majora's Mask version doesn't come with the game, digital or physical, and is (was) the same price as the regular version.

We'll see how it goes. I probably won't pick one up on release day, no reason to get a standard one if I don't have games that require it.

Edited, Jan 14th 2015 5:25pm by TirithRR
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#12 Jan 22 2015 at 2:45 AM Rating: Good
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TirithRR wrote:
I'm actually hesitant to buy a majoras mask one in the off chance that Xenoblade Chronicles gets one.


This is my hope. I am also hoping that enough people already have "new 3ds" by that point that I can actually preorder one before they all sell out.

Edited, Jan 22nd 2015 12:46am by Olorinus
#13 Jan 22 2015 at 4:37 AM Rating: Good
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Olorinus wrote:
TirithRR wrote:
I'm actually hesitant to buy a majoras mask one in the off chance that Xenoblade Chronicles gets one.


This is my hope. I am also hoping that enough people already have "new 3ds" by that point that I can actually preorder one before they all sell out.

Edited, Jan 22nd 2015 12:46am by Olorinus


Your hope is foolish, People will buy up all the pre-order collector editions just to sell them at a higher price on eBay or Amazon.
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#14 Jan 22 2015 at 1:41 PM Rating: Good
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Shaowstrike the Shady wrote:
Olorinus wrote:
TirithRR wrote:
I'm actually hesitant to buy a majoras mask one in the off chance that Xenoblade Chronicles gets one.


This is my hope. I am also hoping that enough people already have "new 3ds" by that point that I can actually preorder one before they all sell out.

Edited, Jan 22nd 2015 12:46am by Olorinus


Your hope is foolish, People will buy up all the pre-order collector editions just to sell them at a higher price on eBay or Amazon.


I don't think so, with the original 3DS there was never any problem getting the special editions. That gold zelda XL was sitting around on the shelf at my local game store for weeks. I got my zelda original 3DS on a whim when I just happened to be at the store.

So yeah unless Ninty decides they are going to make itty bitty runs of all the "new 3DS" consoles I don't think I will never be able to get a nicer looking one - that said you may be right about a xenoblade one. Maybe I should put a word in with my gamestop ASAP.

Like PLEASE GUYS RESERVE THIS FOR ME THE INSTANT IT IS ANNOUNCED I WILL BUY YOU BEER AND PIZZA
#15 Jan 23 2015 at 4:33 PM Rating: Good
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Gamestop made some of their limited stock available across multiple stores, only available by ordering at the store, and only certain groups of stores.

According to the clerk I asked on my way home (just checked, since I had heard). There was basically a lottery to determine which groups of stores would receive the stock. My store was chosen (or actually, the group it was part of). And it was listed as available, until trying to complete the checkout, it failed because it was actually out of stock. The clerk said that the stock had lasted a few hours.

So, you might get lucky, your store may still have some available. Must pay in full right away.
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