HMV? No way!

Doesn't stand for High Markup Value any more

Now I know that Call of Duty was a successful franchise but I was still surprised to see all the retailers taking advantage and using it as some kind if cash cow. I am used to $59.99 as the price of a new game. Expensive, but the Gaming Collective has broken me and I am used to it. Even Gears of War 2 came in at $59.99 and that is a game that would have easliy sold at a higher price. Activision's stock price must be doing poorly.

So when I went looking for pre-order/purchase deals I was annoyed to find Call of Duty World at War listed a $64.99 at Future Shop and Best Buy (psst! They're the same!)! Apparently Activision has no problem squeezing as much cash as possible out of their customers. So I called EBgames who told me quite clearly that while they had none in stock it would be $59.99. Woo-hoo! Screw you Best Buy, Future Shop.

It's only $5 bucks but its my $5 bucks!

So yesterday Corpsorz and I went out to get our copies. We headed to a local mall and after getting coffee (and some foo foo girly drink for Corpsorz) we went into EBGames. TO DISCOVER to our great shock and dismay the price tag of $64.99. Can't say I was too surprised as its no secret that EBGames has no issue with milking their customers but still.... So we talked it over and decided to check out Zellers to see their price. $5 is $5.

Zellers had no Call of Duty World at War in stock.

Figures. Corpsorz says with a huge sarcastic smile, "you know, HMV sells games now." Among us we refer to HMV by Karloff's infamous nickname, High Markup Value. "Fine, it won't hurt to look."

HMV's price? $59.99. What? Sold. Two copies please. Sold to us by a slightly wacky, hair dyed teenage clerk who couldn't stop talking about how much she enjoyed Call of Duty 4 and how she couldn't wait to pick her copy of Call of Duty World at War tomorrow. See, girls do play video games!

Note that my DVD case was rattling oddly and when I took it back five minutes later she swapped it with a new one with no questions and no paperwork either. Just grabbed it and swapped out a new one. Turns out the case was broken but after the Halo 3 disaster I wasn't taking chances.

So HMV beat out Future Shop, Best Buy, and EBGames and got our business. Good for them.

On our way out Corpsorz commented that we could have taken the $59.99 HMV price back to EBGames and get them to price match. My response? "If they wanted our business they should have priced it lower at the beginning." Kudos HMV, we'll be sure to check your price first next time.

I leave you with Snuffy D's words of wisdom directed at an EBGames clerk and EBGames in general, "You are training me to shop elsewhere."