I remember when Gamestop used to be FuncoLand. To those who live in the states, remember that? It was also once called Babbages, weird name, and although some Gamestop's still refer to themselves as EB Games, that's another game store I remember, when it was a separate franchise.

My point?

Going shopping at the "old Gamestop" in the past was a pleasant experience. Yes, they still gutted games but everything about it felt "nerdy," but in a good way if you know what I mean. It was a place where gamers can truly call home, a hang-out where we can talk about games with employees, customers, all fellow gamers just staying there and chatting about the latest titles like Final Fantasy VII, Chrono Cross, N64 vs PS1, when GBA was the best thing since slice bread, the Dreamcast, etc....it was friendly system wars mayhem...ah, the joys of being a fanboy, that was the day. Yes, parents and grandparents came and went even in those days, but it was always to shop with their kids and not for themselves. But it wasn't bad because the lines were never held up or crowded. Holidays did get crowded a bit, but the customer ratio was always 80% core gamer, and the rest casuals. That's how it was. It was a great place to shop.

Until Gamestop became an evil empire...and their loyal subjects known as "the casuals" invaded our territory.

Time's really do change.

But this isn't about reminiscing about the "good ol' days." This is a rant on the flood of casuals that shop at Gamestop now. Seriously, now everyday at the store, 87% are soccer moms, grandmas, aunts, dads, uncles, fathers, etc., all of them not even aware of what in the world they're doing! Honestly, I don't mind when parents shop with their kids. That's sweet and cute, but it gets annoying when some of them hold up the line for 30 minutes or more asking millions of questions to the employees about the systems and its games, and then end up not even buying anything! What gives? And even if they do buy anything, they spend way to long deciding what to do and not even caring about the dozens of people behind them in line!

Like the other day when I was buying something. One lady started asking questions about a Mario game which she specifically didn't know the title to it. The employee took out almost every Mario game on the Wii until she finally noticed what it was, which was Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics. Then she was asking questions if it'd be cheaper online, asking the employee how to buy it on the net and what would be recommended. Then the lady changed her mind and asked for the game because she didn't want to go through the hassle of buying online. The employee handed her the game, which was gutted. The employee explained why it was gutted and guess what the lady does? She says, "Nevermind, I'll try online," and leaves! All this time asking questions and she leaves without buying anything! And there I was just wanting to buy one little used DS game and I had to wait about 20 minutes behind this lady! ARRRRRGH!!!

It really does drive me nuts sometimes. This is obviously not the first time something like this happened, like the time when a old lady and her family held up the line for 45 minutes while the kids are still looking around the shelves for which Wii game to purchase! Guess what they bought? Deal or No Deal, The Price is Right, and Jillian Michaels Fitness. These are obviously NOT for their kids since the kids wanted Mario Kart!

This happens quite often at Gamestop, actually, which is why I shop at Best Buy or other places lately. It's not really about Gamestop either, but it's the casual infestation that raided the place, which makes the shopping experience a miserable one. And oh please don't ask me to go shopping at Gamestop during the holidays! I'd rather push a burning stake through my left eye and run around in my oily underwear while on fire down the interstate highway in the most ghetto of areas! Yeah, I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's the equivalent of the suffering I'd endure waiting in a 2 hour long line with a bunch of soccer moms and their kids!

Anyway, just thought I share that. I really don't mind casuals to tell you the truth. They can play or purchase whatever they want. But it's when they care less about everyone else in the store and hold up a long line asking millions of questions about this and that, that's when it really gets under my skin.

But I get my sweet revenge once in awhile, like the time when I traded over 25 games while a few soccer moms were waiting in line behind me with only one register open! You should've seen the look on their faces all cringing while the employee was typing in the title for each game in the computer because I didn't have the boxes! Har, har, har! Justice is served!

My rant is over now. Sorry, but I had to get that out of my system!  

What's a gutted game?

Ah, they do that here too. Don't really see the problem as long as you just check that it's a new disc and manual.

It never gets that bad here but it can get really busy in the holidays, annoyingly so. The worse is when the moms have a pram!

Anyhow I saw this couple in their 40s looking at wii games, picking up trash like Deca Sports thinking it was some wii sports sequel, when sports resot was riiiiight there. I said not a word.

I don't miss those old days too much.  There's a new chain of stores called Game Trader or something like that, that caters to the hardcore gamer.  I pop in there when I'm nearby to see if there's anything good used for sale, and everytime I go in it's a reminder of everything that's bad about gaming.

The place smells and listening to to guys ramble on about the details about a new PS3 games graphic engine is a reminder as to why I left places like Gamespot.  I can deal with ignorant shoppers. I try to help them out when I can too. Some people don't become knowledge if they aren't given guidance and lord knows Gamestop employees certainly don't offer it.

What a bastard.

And this is why I hate people.

Slightly off-topic, but because of clerks coming up to people in stores, I deliberately wear my MP3 player while in stores just so they don't bother me.

Couple of years back this woman was distraught that Nintendogs was sold out so she couldn't get it for Christmas for her kids.

I offered her my wang.

I mean copy.