GameStop’s Revamped Trade-in Program Gives You More Cash, Probably Still Sucks

It’s easy to hate on GameStop in the age of digital distribution, but I’m sure we all have fond memories from our tender, formative years of standing in the store among wall-to-wall games, playing demos of the newest thing, and being robbed blind on trades. Now, GameStop’s got another too-little-too-late measure to keep you coming back to relive those memories: a better trade-in program.

The new program, to be implemented on August 18th, aims to simplify their current pricing structure from the current setup which can offer ten different prices for a game to a new one that only offers four. On top of that, the trade-ins will see a 20% increase in value, which means $12 instead of $10! You’ll be rich! Don’t spend it all in one place. (Or do—at GameStop, because that’s probably their hope.)

There will still be slight variations in price depending on whether you choose to receive your untold riches in cash or store credit, as well as whether or not you have a GameStop rewards card.

Personally, I’ve always been grateful they’d buy back a product I’d already used at all, but with the advent of digital distribution and the ability to sell games directly to other gamers on the Internet, this improved trade-in program seems like the least they could do. Or it seems like gaming’s biggest middle-man is scrambling to convince gamers it’s still relevant.

(Kotaku via Polygon, image via Mike Mozart)

Previously in Gaming’s Awkward Phase

• GameStop said no one would buy a console that couldn’t play used games
• Nvidia’s new gaming tablet is a sign of trouble for consoles
• Cosplayers mock the “women are too hard to animate” line

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