Error: Do not pass GO, do not collect GOW
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Nov 8th 2006 at 3:45PM }
Reports are coming to Xbox 360 Fanboy that many of our readers on the East coast are having trouble getting a copy of Gears of War. Readers report of showing up the morning of November 8th -- as instructed by EB/GameStop -- only to be turned away. Reader Mark FitzGerald sends this unfortunate message:"The shipments were supposed to come in 11/7/06. Upon not arriving a pre-recorded message was sent to everyone's phone who made a pre-order telling them they could pick it up 11/08/06 at 10:30 a.m. EST sharp. Upon arriving this morning at many locations customers were surprised to learn shipments were "delayed" until the afternoon. but again at about 3:00 p.m. EST, calls were sent again to pre-order customers telling them due to a shipping error, the game again would not be available until 11/09/06 at 10:30 a.m. EST. They are giving a five dollar refund to all those who pre-ordered"
Other readers write in with similar shipping error stories. How about your neck of the woods? Does your local store complain of shipping problems? If so, were you offered any kind of refund or discount once the game finally shows up?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Paul @ Nov 8th 2006 3:59PM
Philly burbs (doylestown)- EBgames. Got it yesterday no problem.
nick @ Nov 8th 2006 3:55PM
This better not be the case with my copy of GoW. UPS hasn't come yet so....
Todd H. @ Nov 8th 2006 3:55PM
Fu#$ GameStop, I had mine pre-ordered and it won't be in until tomorrow. Best Buy has plenty of copies, I'm heading over there after work...
Oh and I thought GameStop has some exclusive rights to release the game on the 8th? This will be the last time I pre-order a game...
They're offering $5 back since the game is delayed, no thanks, what's 5 bucks...
mmmaaattt @ Nov 8th 2006 3:55PM
same out here in the san francisco bay area -- at least, for those (like me) who were stupid enough to preorder at E.B.
first and last time i preorder a game. also the last time i give E.B. my business after I see that the best buy down the road has 100's of copies which they sell to me with a smile when all I can get at E.B. is a smarmy attitude from clerk and a "better luck next time" voicemail. short the stock.
Tony @ Nov 8th 2006 3:56PM
I can say it's easy to find in Chicago. Every Best Buy in distance looks to have a bunch of copies. I ordered mine for pick-up already.
Yawar @ Nov 8th 2006 3:58PM
It's not that bad. I strolled into an EB and picked it up, only to have my 360 light up red when I tried to start a campaign. I guess that I'll have plenty of time to strategize as I repeatedly read the manual, waiting for Microsoft to replace my launch console. Maybe I can use the manual to make cutouts and act out fights with the Locusts...
Why must god hate me?
DA360 @ Nov 8th 2006 3:56PM
I live in the East Coast, and I had no problems getting Gears of War today. I bought it right when GameStop opened (10AM) and I love this game...
But some places get their shipments at different times, so just be patient and wait for the game to come in.
hoodwinketh @ Nov 8th 2006 3:59PM
In Upstate SC here.
There's both an EB and GameStop within 5 miles of me. My friend went to EB and I went to GS.
He got his copy this afternoon and I'm not getting mine till tomorrow morning.
Go figure.
skulls @ Nov 8th 2006 10:32PM
2 gamestops and 1 e.b. around me didn't get shipments. had to go to walmart..
they didn't offer a refund/discount/anything.
Lou @ Nov 8th 2006 4:01PM
Got my preorder at a Gamestop in Chicago. They had preorder copies for everyone, but they did say that they had not yet received the Special Edition (or whatever it is called)
I would have been pissed if I had paid $10 to wait 3 days later than the people who paid less.
VeHeMeNcE @ Nov 8th 2006 4:04PM
This happened to me (I live in New Hampshire) and I walked half an hour in the rain to my local EB Games just for them to tell me that their shipment got messed up and they won't have it till tomorrow....so yeah, I can say I was pretty pissed....when I got back home I got the pre-recorded message that their shipment got messed up and won't be arriving till tomorrow....wish I knew sooner so I wouldn't have walked in the rain like an idiot! And they didn't offer me a discount....it'd be nice but it probably won't happen!
The funny thing is that this isn't the first time this has happened....in fact, almost every single pre-order I've made with this EB has had this similar situation which has caused me to go else where or wait longer then every one else....if it wasn't for the fact that this is the only store in my town that sells videogames, I'd go elsewhere! A hardcore gamer gets screwed over once again....
Aram @ Nov 8th 2006 4:05PM
here in Kansas City, GameStop didn't receive it yet... so I cancelled my preorder and got it at Best Buy where there were plenty of copies!!!
POD @ Nov 8th 2006 4:06PM
I didn't reserve and got my copy of GOW yesterday from a Gamestop in NYC around 5:00.
However, I did pre-order an HD Drive for the 360 and am being told that due to some shipping problems, its not in yet and will hopefully be in soon. How could they not know when a product is due to arrive in stores? Has anybody seen the drives at BB or CC? I'm thinking about walking down there and trying to get one there. I know waiting for a DVD drive is no big deal, but I would love to stick it to Gamestop for pocketing the interest on my $5 for the last month.
wvu76 @ Nov 8th 2006 4:08PM
They are available to order for store pickup on bestbuy.com for all of the stores around Pittsburgh. I ordered mine this morning and got an email confirmation saying it was ready to be picked up at the store. I'll be getting it after work today.
h0ss66 @ Nov 8th 2006 4:10PM
apparently a similar thing has happened to the HD-DVD drive. Was supposed to be here this morning but didn't show. Has anyone be able to get it? Does anyone even want it?
btw I'm in miami and there are no Gears of War copies anywhere (BB, CC, EB, or GS) until tomorrow they say
KevvyMcD @ Nov 8th 2006 9:40PM
Gamestop sucks went there this morning cuz the told me to be there or i wouldnt get a copy and what i happens i wait 30 mins only to have the guy open the door and tell us that GOW hasent come in yet and to check back later. So what about all of us who didnt preorder it and went to the store to get it and it wasnt in they should jus mark down the price for tommorow im sick of gamestop's bullship and there shitty trade in amounts!!!
spaten @ Nov 8th 2006 4:14PM
Fry's electronics in Phx, AZ had about 160 copies for $49 today at noon.
B-RYAN @ Nov 8th 2006 4:15PM
I stay in Atlanta GA and was able to pick mine up yesterdya with no problems. Ipre order my two weeks ago at game stop. Not trying to show off. If it makes anybody feel any better i havent played it yet. :)
Garrett @ Nov 8th 2006 4:14PM
Screw pre-orders, they're worthless. I walked right into my local (Kansas City area) Best Buy an hour after it opened and picked up my copy. They had plenty to go around.
Goofy @ Nov 8th 2006 4:17PM
Schaumburg, IL (suburb of Chicago)
EB Games, Gamestop, & Best Buy have a bunch of copies. Picked up mine during lunch today.
Quote the Raven @ Nov 8th 2006 4:17PM
Orlando here and several area Game Stops are saying tomorrow hopefully, maybe Friday. And they were saying all along that the release date was the 8th. Seeing as how everywhere had the 7th posted they apparently have some issues. And no midnight opening for a huge game? It's all kinda weird.
Carmine @ Nov 8th 2006 4:17PM
I picked it up yesterday at EB in North Haven, CT. They had plenty of copies. However, I did hear the clerk mention they only got half of the amount of Collector's Editions they were suppose to get.
Also, I find it great that there is a dude named Carmine in this game. ;-)
Jesse @ Nov 8th 2006 4:18PM
Sucks bad hitting here in DC
BlessedBullet @ Nov 8th 2006 4:20PM
I was mad as hell when I couldn't get my copy of Gears of War yesterday right after work (I live in Seattle) from GameCrazy. The store didn't get it until 8pm and I chewed up the clerk a bit. I guess I turned out to be one of the lucky ones
komamura @ Nov 8th 2006 4:21PM
amazingly the got the CE gears of war but they didnt get the normal one.
Bangarang @ Nov 8th 2006 4:24PM
Huntington, WV. Got the call a bit ago that its delayed until tomorrow. Oh well..
No copies of COD3 either...only enough for preorders;(
GWBush 2004 @ Nov 9th 2006 3:17AM
Well Fry's has GOW for only $49.99 for today only.... for those of you in the west coast they are expecting a shipment of 100+
J.Goodwin @ Nov 8th 2006 4:25PM
This seems to be pretty typical of Gamestop recently. Games and accessories are days late versus the ship dates that a lot of stores have as stock dates in other parts of the country.
It sucks.
Tucker @ Nov 8th 2006 4:29PM
Yeah, as I said in the previous Gears post, the EB downstairs in my mall got it but the one upstairs - the one I traded games at and pre-ordered - did not get it. This makes me very angry, since the only reason I went to EB in the first place was SPECIFICALLY to get it today because I will be too busy for the rest of the week, and specifically to trade in games.
Subsequently, BECAUSE I went to EB, I cannot get the game today and I can't get my money back because of the trade-ins. From here on out I'm selling games on eBay and walking into retail stores the day of release. I don't typically pre-order, because I know it's a load of crap, but this was one of those instances where time and the ability to just walk in and out at lunch today would have been worthwhile. Thanks, assholes - and don't blame it on the shippers, as this is clearly a wider problem. Looks like they should spend less time buying each other and more time revamping their supply chain.
adam @ Nov 9th 2006 11:25AM
Orlando, Florida.
I could spend the next 500 words (or more) explaining the disaster that has been the GoW release for the Orlando area. However I have one story which sums it all up.
When trying to contact the Video Game department in a 24 Hour Walmart for the 26th time this morning:
me: Electronics, please.
operator: Are you looking to buy a "Tears of War Video Game?"
me: no. (i knew what was coming.)
her: you sure son?
me: yes. electronics please.
her: you sure?
me: electronics.
(she finally transfers me.)
assistant mngr.: electronics.
me: do you have gears of war in stock yet?
him: "f#$&^ i told her to block these calls!!!"
me: is that a no?
long story short - got mine at best buy. :-)
Ahsan @ Nov 8th 2006 4:37PM
The Skyline Target in Falls Church, VA had 10 copies when I strolled into it. I immediately called my coworkers and now they are down to about 4 copies. We had called around to all the big box stores as well as the local Gamestop and none had them in and were not being very forthcoming or clear on when it would arrive. Unfortunately Target didn't have the Collector's Edition that I wanted, but oh well I get to play tonight!
Mike @ Nov 8th 2006 5:36PM
Mpls, MN. Ordered on bestbuy.com - drove 2 miles to flagship store and picked it up along with COD3 at the cust service desk. Funny thing was, only the special edition of GOW was on the shelves (those b*stards).
Todd @ Nov 9th 2006 9:11AM
I live on the East Coast and I can't find GOW anywhere. EB, Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys R Us, FYE, Gamestop and Game Crazy all have their shipments delayed a day or two (or maybe 3). It kinda sucks, because I'm eager to experience what many are saying is the best game on the 360, and a game of the year candidate for sure. Don't get me wrong, I'll live. I've got FEAR and Tony Hawk Project 8 and COD3 to keep me plenty busy until the stores get their shipments of GOW in, but it's still kind of lame to be shutout when my buddies on XBL are having a locust killing good time. Oh well. Que sera sera.
Endiz @ Nov 11th 2006 12:42PM
I went to my Local EB (Toronto, ON, CANADA), and they told me that they had a lot of shipping issues with the GOW Release. I was the first, and last person to receive the GOW limited collectors edition because of the error.
Honestly, if I didn't walk out with GOW CE in my hand, my gears would be grinding.
Jason McClelland @ Nov 9th 2006 8:21AM
Tampa FL
As of 4, gamestop still didnt have my copy. Going to Best buy I guess.
Mikeawesome @ Nov 8th 2006 4:53PM
After a quick search I've found that one person in this thread went to Gamecrazy (and stated it). That's surprising to me, especially since this person seemed it was a situation worthy of an argument. I love my Gamecrazy, the clerks are seriously some of the most personable associates I've ever had to deal with, and any questions or needs you have they will meet and are considerably educated in what they do. It's nice to just go in, ask for a game and they know exactly what you're talking about 9 months before it's released. Their pre-order system works wonders as well, and with the combination of their pre-order system and customer service I drove home a happy man.
See, the district manager went to the Airport at around 5 o'clock to meet up with the FedEx flight when it arrived. He took a bunch of the boxes with about half the copies allocated to the stores and dropped them off at the stores to fulfill pre-orders a day early from what they had told everyone they would be getting them (since most game stores, especially "smaller" ones, don't get them on the release date, but, rather, soon after). This is about the 4th or 5th time I've heard of them doing this, it's really nice to have that service, and Gears was an especially nice way to calm down after a stressful workday.
ryan @ Nov 8th 2006 4:57PM
got my ce edition today at eb in ottawa ontario, and i was lucky too as they didnt recieve enough to fill all preorders and i was the last one before the cutoff point
AlexanderJ @ Nov 8th 2006 4:57PM
I went to my local gamestop today to find the exact same thing. They said it hasent arrived yet, but should within the hour. They suggested to wander to the target next door, and they will call my cell when it comes in. They called me and told me they wont be getting it till tomorrow. I then went to target, wal-mart, and best buy. All of them said they wouldnt have it till tomorrow. Im really pissed. (it seems they were all on the same fed-ex truck that was supposed to be deliverd, they said that they only got 70% of there shipments, and my local area was one of the 30% they didnt get.)
Mike @ Nov 8th 2006 5:07PM
Phoenix gamestops got screwed over by fedex I was told this morning.
Only 3 stores recieved copies of the regular edition and NO CE editions made it to phoenix.
At least I got a copy :O
Quote the Raven @ Nov 8th 2006 5:02PM
Is anyone else having trouble believing this many Fed Ex hubs happened to screw up and not get the product delivered? I mean Fed Ex is usually pretty spot on (I work with them daily) but to have this many Game Stops saying "Oh Fed Ex didn't get all the shipment here" or whatever just sounds fishy.
akil @ Nov 8th 2006 5:06PM
got a ce edition yesterday in nyc. at like noon. then a call this afternoon telling me my preorder was gonna be late.
Winky @ Nov 8th 2006 5:09PM
F&*k the Gamestop in N. Pasadena. I was told to come in at 7:00pm all day, I get there nothing, the clerks are standing around bullshitting didn't even ask if I needed help. After I asked them if it was in I got "oh no, not till 8pm." Needless to say it never showed. Last time I order from Gamecrap!
Aaron @ Nov 8th 2006 5:26PM
I live in Redmond Oregon, I had to drive a half hr to get to the EB Games store location in Bend. I also took the day off work so I could play GOW. But I had to work for the first hour and 20 minutes because my company Mobile-T are the biggest d%cks on earth. Then I had to walk a half hr in the freezing cold because my car is in the shop. So my brother gave me a ride and as we were about to go in the store I see this guy walk out with GOW (std ed) and he says they have no more copies. I get in the store and they said that the shipment never came. I'm like what the f!?! I just saw a guy leave with a copy!?! Then I get told that its Fedex fault! I called Portland's EB Games and the guy tells me that they only got 50 copies of the reg edition and no collectors ed. He then said that Gamestop at the same mall got zero in. Apparently most of the copies that were supposed to go out, got stuck in Memphis. Where the distrubition center is for EB. This is B.S. and I will never give EB/Gamestop a penny ever again! This happened a couple weeks ago with Ultimate Alliance too! Once again Best Buy gets my money! Why preorder when you can get it at Best Buy b4 Eb/Gamestop!?! Fedex problem my @SS!!!
Len Q @ Nov 8th 2006 5:26PM
Outside of Philly, walked into a Game Crazy, plenty of copies, local Best Buy getting over 120!!
Screw pre-book you get screwed any way!
Dave @ Nov 8th 2006 5:32PM
My Gamestop in Brooklyn had them today. I'm curious though... was this "Limited Edition" actually limited? I mean, if you look hard enough, you can STILL find copies of the Halo 2 "Collector's Edition."
Chi @ Nov 16th 2006 3:20PM
Yup, EBGames screw me over too. Man I am seriously considering giving my business to other companies now. Consider that I am planning on getting the HD DVD, Lost Planet, Halo 3 Legendary, and others, I figure EB Games is losing a lot of business from me. Granted it's not EB Games fault just the shipping company (I heard it was FedEx), but regardless, FedEx's error compounds EB Games' error which ultimately drives me away from EB Games.
Bryan Thumme @ Nov 8th 2006 5:34PM
My Gamestop (Michigan) made it sound like it was an isolated issue...They blamed FedEX for it. I don't know whose fault it is, but Software Etc. brought over 5 copies of the normal edition for Gamestop here...but that doesn't do me anygood becuase I had the special edition reserved. Best Buy had 4 of the S.E. ones.
Now let's just hope this doesn't happen to Halo 3. oh, and all they did was give me back my $10...I should have gotten an extra $5?
Dredd @ Nov 8th 2006 6:11PM
from orlando, FL
got a call this morning from gamestops automated system saying that the game was in. so i decided that i would pick it up after work. Then i get a call at about 1 or 2 pm that due to shipping problem and game wouldnt come until tommorrow. i call my store and they say it wont come until thurs mornin. yep this is the last time i preorder anything from these stores what a bunch of bullocks !!! all the sites have been hyping this game up and i've got to wait another day time to sell my games on ebay and purchase the game on release day. whats the use of preordering a game when you can't get the bloody thing until 2-3 days after it was supposed to be release, what bullocks!!!
Son of a Didlee @ Nov 9th 2006 7:31PM
In Utah I just picked mine up at Best Buy. I think they had over 100 in stock. Didn't have to pre order anything.
Jstew @ Nov 9th 2006 4:31PM
Northville, Mi just outside tha D. I picked mine up at abc warehouse. I walked in and went to the video game section looking for it. Well i didn't see it and just as I was about to walk out the goofy sales guy says "Hey I think my manager said we have GOw in the backroom. Have you heard of it?" So he goes and gets it and I give him my coupon from OXM for 15% off and his manager(being that ABC never says no to a sale.) agrees to match it. With taxes I walked out GOW in hand for $54.09 Gow is SWEEET by the way.