Yes, after a long time (was it nearly a year?) I now have stuff to be pissed off about. Isn't the world an awesome place?

GameStop/EB has got to be THE worst chain of video game stores in the history of mankind, which is odd because they advertise themselves to be the most knowledgeable of the bunch. The biggest beef I have with them is their horrible "opened but new" policy. We all know the drill. They get a bunch of games, gut a copy (or a few copies) for "security reasons" and when you want to pay full price for a new game they try to give you the gutted, opened, sticker-ridden, sometimes pre-played copy. Can anyone please explain this travesty? No, don't bother with the "ITZ 4 SECURITEE!" because we all know that's not true. How come other stores like Target, Best Buy, Toys R Us, WalMart, and Circuit City don't do this "gutting copy" crap? That's right, because they have REAL security systems. Magnetized boxes, slips of paper, glass cases, you name it. There are tons of ways to go about security, but deliberately opening games and selling them as new is most definitely not one of them. Oh right, security's expensive. I'm very sure it's expensive for a multi million dollar company who always swallows lesser game stores to make a REAL security system. Who is benefiting from this, us or them?

It's not just enough that they do this, but I have had cases where my games were already pre-played. A few of my "new" games already have save files and the instant I tried to take it back, they won't because it was already opened. Uh, double standards anyone? So they can open games and sell them as new but if WE open games and return them they're not new? Again, this is a gyp fest.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have neither Excessive Compulsive or some sort of germophobia of other people touching my games. In fact, I have had my fair share of used games. HOWEVER, they're considered used, not meandering around the definition and considering them new because they were allegedly never played. There are two things: new and used. Do you ever go to a "Bought But Never Actually Used" car dealership where everything's full price? Of course not, because that lousy term doesn't exist. The minute you open it the game is used, no ifs ands or buts. Unopened = new and that's the only way it can be that way. Period. End of story.

My beef is not only with the mere definition, but they also have the nerve to sell it at full price using this lame definition. So why the hell am I getting an opened game if it's new? This just doesn't exist. If I'm paying $50-$60 on a NEW game, I better see freaking shrink wrap because that's what you get when you pay $50-$60 at all the other major retailers. Seriously, get off from your asses and get yourselves a real security system, because what you have now is nothing but a bad Tim Allen joke.