Everytime a new console is released, EB Games/GameStop put together a “bundle” for you to purchase from its online stores. Gamers are usually forced to buy these bundles if they want the console at launch due to shortages from the manufacturer. EB Games/GameStop does not offer the console by itself at launch. Since gamers usually buy accessories and games when they buy new consoles anyway, this isn’t a big deal. The problem comes with the Nintendo Wii, a console aimed toward a non-gaming demographic. The Wii is supposed to be a console that everyone can buy and play, with a price tag of $250 (with a game), it’s also significantly cheaper than PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Due to high demand and a limited number of consoles, many of us have to buy the Wii bundle online from EB Games/GameStop, which increases the price of the Wii from $250 to over $400 (the official email says under $699, so we could be facing an even higher price).
Business Week and Game Daily have both pointed out this issue claiming maybe even console manufacturers are in on the whole process. Why? Because companies like Sony and Microsoft lose money each time one of their consoles is sold, and make most of their money from first-party games and peripherals. All three companies denied they had anything to do with the forced bundles from EB Games/GameStop or any other store. Sure, if people stopped buying the bundles from the stores and waited until next year to purchase a console, maybe we’d finally see those bundles stop. But as far as supply and demand goes, EB Games/GameStop could be selling the Wii bundles for over $1000, and we’d still buy them.
EB Games/GameStop Take Some Heat For Console Bundles EB Games/GameStop