GameStop, Best Buy wage war over used games

A price war of sorts has erupted between two leading U.S. game retailers, leaving only one winner: consumers. Yeah, you.

Best Buy started this skirmish late last week, when it promised to price match “NEW video games at USED prices from Gamestop or Game Crazy.” In short, if you see a used copy of a game at GameStop or Game Crazy, you can get the same title new at Best Buy for a used price. Awesome, right? Right!

Except … it may not last. While Game Crazy has yet to respond to Best Buy’s gambit, GameStop has made its first retaliatory move. As the flyer (above and below) indicates, the retailer has slashed prices on used games, including some very recent releases – Red Faction: Guerrilla, Prototype, UFC 2009 Undisputed, inFamous, The Conduit, Punch-Out!!, and Fight Night Round 4 are all mentioned. This may well put the kibosh on Best Buy’s plans, as the retailer is forced to sell new games below wholesale prices.

Sadly, Best Buy and GameStop’s offers are also very location-specific. As far as I can gather, they’re currently only available in West Jordan, Utah stores; clearly, both retailers are testing the waters here. However, if Best Buy can stand up to GameStop’s reprisal, gamers everywhere could be having the last laugh.

Unless you live in the UK (like me) or Australia. In which case, you better bend over and accept that you’re still totally screwed. Sorry.

[Via Kotaku]