Kmart breaks Mass Effect street date

by Dustin Burg { Nov 11th 2007 at 9:00AM }

That silly, bankrupt and out of touch retailer Kmart has pulled a no-no this weekend and has reportedly put copies of Mass Effect onto retail shelves before its scheduled release date. Cheap Ass Gamer and numerous other fanboys are reporting that Kmart stores nationally are selling Mass Effect before the game's November 20th release date and are being bought up as if they were semi-precious gems. And we're sure it was a simple mistake on Kmart's behalf (or a calculated ploy at foiling BioWare's launch plans), but it's one that benefits us so we're fine with it. Mass Effect fanboys run, no sprint to your nearest Kmart and demand an early release copy of Mass Effect. Just be sure to leave out the whole broken street date bit.

[Thanks, NukeAssault]

Tags: bioware, kmart, mass-effect

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

xenocidic @ Nov 11th 2007 9:10AM

I'm starting to think this whole broken release date thing is a clever marketing trick designed to get people interested in games.

Case in point - Bioshock wasn't on my radar - Toys'r'us breaks street date - I start salivating about getting some early 'cheevos - wasn't able to get it early - got BioShock on launch day anyway. (Loved it!)

JohnHeist @ Nov 11th 2007 9:17AM

Damn...

Now I gotta go to a K-Mart later today...

Jonah Falcon @ Nov 11th 2007 9:18AM

Joystiq reported it yesterday -- without the watermark. >:)

Klink258 @ Nov 11th 2007 9:32AM

looofjbgsd;lsafj;bs;dfider;o;
That's what happens when drool shorts out your keyboard.

maniac0201 @ Nov 11th 2007 10:59AM

I would but our K-Mart closed 4 years ago.

Magic Whiskey @ Nov 11th 2007 11:21AM

Considering KMart closed here around me at LEAST 4 years ago, like Maniac0201 said, hearing they broke street on Mass Effect makes me wonder where KMarts still stand. Maybe that's why they broke street date; nobody was aware they were still around, so who would know? :)

Are there any Gold Circles, Ames, Hills, or Big Lots still standing?? I bet the last console they stocked was the Saturn..

ragingtofu @ Nov 11th 2007 11:28AM

The only K-Mart around here (everything else is a Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) straight up lied to me when I went to their store. After calling one that said they had it, I went to the store where (gasp!) it was gone.

After a brief "discussion" with the electronics desk clerk who swore she never received a call about Mass Effect (she also used the term "XBox 2," so that might give you an idea of what I was facing), I was eventually forced to give up, because she had the right to deny service to anyone. Including me. And by that I mean she basically ended the conversation by leaving the department.

So K-Mart lied to me by saying they had it, then saying they didn't have it (not even "in the back," that mystical place of candy, lollipops, and unicorns), then giving me terrible service before outright refusing to help me.

And people wonder why I don't go there.

maniac0201 @ Nov 11th 2007 11:35AM

Xbox 2 FTW!

Matt @ Nov 11th 2007 11:38AM

Just picked up two copies FTW!!!!!
Thanks X3F, made my Sunday!

BluesmanTLU @ Nov 11th 2007 11:40AM

After using the store locator on their website, I have discovered that there are only 5 stores within 200 miles of Houston. And none of them are actually in Houston.

I had no idea they were THAT rare now. Looks like I get to wait until the 20th.

Sam @ Nov 11th 2007 11:40AM

Question: Forza 2 or GT5?
I was just in a fight with some people on Autoblog about how Forza 2 is better than GT5 and the Xbox is the king of consoles. Those Sony fanboys are some fierce commenters.

Mr Butterscotch @ Nov 11th 2007 11:43AM

Well, we don't have K-Mart over here in the UK, but there is a local independent that would provide games early for a little more than the usual asking price. I don't think they do it any more though after expanding...
------------
www.thelairofthemonkey.co.uk

Magic Whiskey @ Nov 11th 2007 11:43AM

Christmas gift (I'd like..) FTW! :)

This week it's all about Assassin's Creed and Super Mario Galaxy on Wii for me.

Magic Whiskey @ Nov 11th 2007 11:48AM

@11 and Sam...

I've honestly not been stunned by racers yet on any Xbox console, yet keep in mind the 360 is my primary and only high-def console (I'm not getting a PS3, period.)

I tried the demos of Forza 2 (played all of Forza on the first Xbox), the newest PGR and still, I have to say the better racer is still the old Gran Turismo 3 on PS2. I love taking my DeLorean out on the Nurburging Nordschleiffe course(sp) and just relax.

I might get DiRT eventually for 360..but as much as Knuckles HATES Ridge Racer, it's the only racer for the 360 I own and like so far.

edhe @ Nov 11th 2007 12:09PM

KMart aren't too out of touch - prioritising HD DVD after all ;)

Xbox69 @ Nov 11th 2007 12:11PM

Tried Crofton, MD Kmart, NONE. Everyone who bought Mass effect from Crofton seems to have it listed on Ebay.

This Charming Man @ Nov 11th 2007 12:18PM

Just checked 2 local Los Angeles K•marts... No go.

oh well, more time for see oh dee fuwr.

Drav @ Nov 11th 2007 12:26PM

Any other games on the shelves before their street date? Like say... Assassin's Creed?

Drav @ Nov 11th 2007 12:27PM

I may have to go check for AC myself.

Inferno Requiem @ Nov 11th 2007 1:12PM

I got mine, last copy at my store in PA.

monkeymonkeymonkey @ Nov 11th 2007 1:12PM

The Kmart in New Orleans area had Guitar Hero 3 on the shelf 10 days before release.

tony @ Nov 11th 2007 1:33PM

i guess alot of yall forgot that sears and kmart are the same now? so, if you dont have a kmart why dont you try calling sears?

tony @ Nov 11th 2007 1:34PM

went to mine and i dont see how any of you got it when it clearly has a big orange stick on top saying do not sell before 11/20/07. the sticker like the one on crackdown. so you must have a blind person working in your kmart if you got one. the one near me had two and i tried to get them both but whn i asked fr the second one it made them suspicious and then they noticed the big orange sticker on the top.

BrianM @ Nov 11th 2007 1:45PM

Damnit!

JJDoglegg @ Nov 11th 2007 1:48PM

Just checked the 2 kmart in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti MI area, no go.

Grant @ Nov 11th 2007 1:50PM

"so you must have a blind person working in your kmart if you got one"

I think you over estimate the sorts of people that work in these stores.

Fact: If you have any education above highschool, walmart will not hire you for anything lower than a manager position, otherwise they could not offer you a fair salary.

I have many times gone into my local walmart to find that the people inside don't remotely fluent english or have any sort of literacy.

As for street dates, they are a joke these days. The simple fact is, if you want a street date, don't even bother with stickers, ship the thing 3 or 4 days before launch.

rockeranimefreak @ Nov 11th 2007 2:30PM

haha check this out I searched for Mass Effect at Kmart and they have a pc with 802.11mp3 haha check it after the jump 3rd item to the right LOL http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/search_10151_10104?vName=Computers+%26+Electronics&keyword=mass+effect

JoP @ Nov 11th 2007 3:30PM

I actually work in the electronics department at a K-Mart, and we almost put Mass Effect out last Friday

it was only when I told the head of the department that the game wasn't coming out until the 20th when he actually checked the street date

so this story doesn't surprise me at all

ogvor @ Nov 11th 2007 4:24PM

One of the guys on my firends list has Mass Effect and I saw him playing it before I knew that the street date had been broken. I think my message to him was something like "ZOMG HOW U HAVE MASS EFFECT!!??!!11!1" Alas, their is no Kmart in my town.

eveilded @ Nov 11th 2007 5:55PM

Picked up a copy at the K-Mart in Dover, NJ. They actually had 2 sitting on the shelf. Didn't see any AC though.

Drav @ Nov 11th 2007 7:43PM

Yeah I didn't see any Assassin's Creeds. :(

serialrocker @ Nov 11th 2007 7:47PM

The closest kmart says that it won't hit shelves until the 20th, of course i get one of the only competent stores.

DjDATZ @ Nov 11th 2007 7:52PM

DAMN...WHY THE FUCK DID KMART CANADA GO OUT OF BUSINESS LIKE 10 YEARS AGO?! If there's one game I want early, it's Mass Effect. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait till the 20th. :(

Evan @ Nov 11th 2007 8:41PM

I just got back from stopping at KMart (ironically in my Target work clothes). They had a memo go out to pull it from the shelves according to an employee I spoke with. The unfortunate thing of breaking this news is it often leads to the retailer realizing its happening. Looks to be the case in this situation. On a side note, when I entered Kmart it felt like I went back to the early 90's. That place is wayyyy outdated.