How many copies of hl2 will each major retailer carry (compusa, bestbuy, circuit city

[Wilson502]

Im new to this forum so bear with me here. I havent preordered the game, but what i plan on doing is going to circuit city (because i have a gift card i need to use). I plan on going there the day of the release early in the morning so maybe i can get a copy. But anyhow if all else fails i can download from steam i guess. But my question is how many copies would u think major retailer would carry? No flames please.:cheers:

 

[GLMinorThreat]

Its not the release of a console or a console game. You should be able to easily pick it up at a circuit city on release day... But I don't buy game from any place now besides places that are Like EB/Babbages/Gamestop/Funcoland/Software Etc... Because they are pretty much guaranteed to have the latest games on release day. Or I'll just order it from EBGames.com.

But anyways yeah... PC game releases aren't as big as console games... even though I know this is Half-Life 2, sequel to one of the best games ever created... It will be big no doubt.

 

[Wilson502]

i was talkin to some people online they said each store would have like 1k copies. That seems kind of high, i mean 1000 copies of hl2 thats 50k of inventory. I am guessing each store will prolyl have around 150-200 copies on hand. Who knows, but feel free to correct me if i sound incorrect

 

[crabcakes66]

Its not that simple.


It depends on where the store is. How big the store is, and who owns/manages it.....and how many they expect to sell.

overstocking inventory can kill a business.

A bestbuy in nowheresvilles is not going to need as many as a bestbuy in Manhattan........

 

[rage_fan]

I seriously doubt very many people are going to go get HL2 on the day it comes out. I used to work at Circuit City, and when UT2003 came out, copies weren't flying off the shelf. It took us about 3 weeks to sell the first shipment we got, which is damn fast for a game, but we never ran out of copies of that game in the first 3 weeks.

I think casual buyers roam around the store, and when they see that game, decide to buy it. Not rush into the store the day it comes out.

 

[crabcakes66]

True . But 90% of stores initial shipments isnt going to be bought by the casual buyer.

And i think HL2 is a bigger release than ut2k3.

 

[Adam]

Originally posted by rage_fan
I seriously doubt very many people are going to go get HL2 on the day it comes out. I used to work at Circuit City, and when UT2003 came out, copies weren't flying off the shelf. It took us about 3 weeks to sell the first shipment we got, which is damn fast for a game, but we never ran out of copies of that game in the first 3 weeks.

I think casual buyers roam around the store, and when they see that game, decide to buy it. Not rush into the store the day it comes out.

Circuit City is not the kind of store people would stand in line at for a game or system. Theres a Best Buy, and a Circuit City right next to each other where I am. Guess which store I slept infront of for the release of Xbox.

 

[Lex Talionis]

Well, I remember I called into GAME to buy Planetside on the day of release. The guy behind the counter gave me the last copy they had; he said when they opened that morning people were queuing outside the door all wanting a copy.

Now Planetside isn't all that great a game, so I've preordered HL2.

 

[Mjolnir]

You guys in the States are spoilt for choice of where to Buy.
Here in NZ the major store to buy from is Gameplanet.
I live out in the sticks so no one local will have it. Have to order online.
Worldwide release has its advantages though, NZ will be one of the first places in the world its released(we are GMT + 12 hours).

 

[Pol]

never heard of any of these shops, apart from game + eb, i'd prefer to order off amazon myself ;D

 

[Wilson502]

i wonder how early i should go to the store because it opens at 10am, i wonder if i should get their an hour early, 30 mins? who knows

 

[Demonmerc]

To be safe, just preorder a copy <= a week before from any of these stores. Then you go in whenver you want and you will be guaranteed a copy.

I wouldn't be surprised if many places in fact did overstock, chains like best buy they can ship unsold units to other stores.

 

[Wilson502]

CC won't let me preorder a copy (grr..) but anyway where i live we have a best buy circuit city, compusa, target, quite a few wal-marts, 2 fun co lands, and an eb games store. So we do have plenty of retailers. and of course if all else fails there is steam.....

 

[riTuaL]

Yea, consoles are the only things I've ever had problems with. Zelda64 was so tough to get lol. I remember that one, and PS2 was impossible, and Goldeneye was tough.

PS. Where can I pre-order? EBgames?

 

[Javert]

It is very rare for computer games to be out, even on a first day. They are like DVD's, the publisher can print so many, few retailers (good ones) will have stocking problems. The days of PSX and N64 cartridge were harder because of slower manufacturing processes. But that has changed. I don't expect a sell-out ala. Zelda or Harry Potter books.

 

[XtAkm4p]

every circuit city ive been to doesnt sell anything relating to pcs....

they sold tvs, dvds... even n64 stuff. but no pc stuff.

so if ur sure CC has pc games, go for it, man.

oh wait, that was Good Guys

nvm then

 

[Wilson502]

so what your guys are sayin is probably i should have nothing to really worry about, but i will probably go there before the store opens just to make sure i can get a copy and call in advance to find out when it comes in. And if all else fails and i somehow cant get a copy at any other store, theres steam....

 

[alco]

Don't pre-order. Don't camp outside the store.

Just walk in casually and grab a copy off the shelf. Trust me. This panic is all in your mind. They'll have plenty stocked. The only reason I already paid for my copy is that I won't have to think about that later. (And a phone call from EB will also tell me when they start selling it.)

 

[Goombatommy]

I pre-ordered mine at the EBX which is like 15 minutes from me. Unfortunately, the town I live in has no electronic retailers whatsoever. But in my neighboring town, they have a Best Buy, Circuit City, PC Richards & Son, a Wiz, two Ebgames, and a Software etc. The circuit City up here sells only VERY old PC games, Best Buy is pretty up to par on selling PC games. I was hesitant on even preordering from EBX because I have no worries on release day, I'll just casually go their after my TCP/IP class, and grab a copy. Simple. I don't expect ppl to be waiting outside the store doors before it opens. I doubt that.

 

[Wilson502]

alright ill prolly call in like a day before the game comes out to see when the game comes in. If it comes in sept 30th, ill prolly go over there about 10 mins or so before the store opens and walk in i guess.

 

[mkultra]

When Command and Conquer Generals came out there were about 5 of us (I live in a dorm with a bunch of friends in four suites on the same floor) who went out the day it came out to pick up a copy so we could start lan games up with the new one. We went to 5 places before we found a copy, and that was just the display copys that we begged off a COMPUSA worker (they were sold out too). I want to preorder it but I want the collectors edition, so until it starts showing up on websites I'm kinda worried.

 

[Wilson502]

hmm, well it sounds like i should just camp outside the store because hl 2 will be in more demand than C&C generals, i wonder how early i should go to the store. By the way how early did u go to the store when u wanted to pick up your copy of C&C generals?

 

[hunter-killer25]

Originally posted by Lex Talionis
Well, I remember I called into GAME to buy Planetside on the day of release. The guy behind the counter gave me the last copy they had; he said when they opened that morning people were queuing outside the door all wanting a copy.

Now Planetside isn't all that great a game, so I've preordered HL2.

Don't dis planetside you SOB i was a beta tester for it (lots of people were) but i was in the exclusive and it's just going through some rough times ok?

 

[SensesFail]

dude...don't camp in front of a store for a game...you'd look like the biggest loser and :dork: of your town...thats almost as bad as being a trekkie...

just come, see if they have it on sep. 30. If they don't, ask when they'll get a new shipment...come back then, and get it...the game will still be around bro...

 

[Wilson502]

that is true but steam is a viable alternative, plus everyone will prolly go to best buy, because as i mentioned earler we have a BB, compusa, software etc., and plenty of other places. So Bestbuy in my opinion will be the first place people will go.

 

[nw909]

I've store camped before, but just like 30 mins before the store was open though, and I was sitting on a bench.

On sept. 30 after school im going to call EBGames and ask them if they have any more in stock and then tell them to hold me one and I'll be there quickly.

 

[hunter-killer25]

Originally posted by SensesFail
dude...don't camp in front of a store for a game...you'd look like the biggest loser and :dork: of your town...thats almost as bad as being a trekkie...

just come, see if they have it on sep. 30. If they don't, ask when they'll get a new shipment...come back then, and get it...the game will still be around bro...

hey don't dis trekkies you stupid little, no wait, go ahead

just watch some places are gonna have riots for the game, luckly my town is full of idiots who don't know jack about hl 2.... lucky me (a select few from my entire school know about hl2)

 

[Wilson502]

well i believe Halflife 2 is gonna be a much bigger release than C&C generals was. If he had a hard time getting C&C generals god knows how hard hl 2 will be to get.