Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread XI

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IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

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First off, let me welcome you all to the new guide thread. Second, I'd like to ask you all to please keep conversations not pertaining to guide drops to a minimum to avoid cluttering the thread. It's not that I don't enjoy the chit chat, but that it may stop others from locating information on the newest drops.

That being said, let me thank Cheapy for creating this site, without which I would've spent probably 10 times what I HAVE spent on games and guides. Moreover, let me thank each and every one of my fellow CAGs for continuing to contribute to making this site a great place to find out about sales and clearances of the items we as gamers use most. Without a great community, NONE of this would be possible.


Now, with that out of the way(and before I get to rambling), let's get on to making this new thread.

Useful Information(and links):

Game Guide Trade Thread(KEEP ALL TRADE REQUESTS HERE OR IN PM'S):

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175548

PLEASE keep ALL trade requests in there or PM's. Thank you.

Reduced Price Guide Discussion Thread(KEEP ALL DISCUSSION NOT RELATED TO GUIDE DROPS HERE!!!):

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

What is the purpose of this thread?

The purpose of this thread is to let our fellow CAGs know when a guide has dropped to a low price(it's NOT ALWAYS A PENNY), so they can go out and grab guides for themselves and for trading with other CAGs.

Anytime you have guide drops to report, post them here. Please specify at which store you found them and which guides you found and list them in alphabetical order. Thank you. Please, whenever possible, use RED font to make the drop info stand out. Thanks again.

What are penny guides?

Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.


Prior Reduced price game guide threads:

Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ighlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/....php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...ad.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=142400
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=167157
Guide Nine:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...d.php?t=187222
Guide Ten:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219547

Finally, below is a list of website links, each of which goes to their respective guide page. Whenever possible, I will update the links with better ones(if available).

Amazon
Barnes&Noble
BestBuy
Gamestop
Overstock
Strategyguides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinaevere and anyone else who has created and maintained the guide thread before, as well as to all of those who find out either advance information on drops or provide a list of which ones dropped when we do have a drop.

The post below this one contains a list going back at LEAST six months of the more current guide drops, which stores they occured at and which ones dropped. Note that sometimes(Oblivion guide, Quake Wars: Enemy Territory)there are multiple versions of a guide, be it that there are Prima versions, Brady versions and the occasional Nintendo and Doublejump guides.

Please specify WHICH version has dropped when mentioning possible guide drops. Thank you.

Common Guide Drop Related Questions(FAQ):

FAQ - If you are new (or a vet with a few questions) look here SECOND! (After reading the above!)

Q: What Are Penny Guides?
A: Penny guides are guides which have been on the market for a while and the publisher(or store chain) decide that the remaining stock of these guides have little to no chance of selling, so they issue an order to pull them from the shelves and destroy them. At that time, they are also marked as .01 in their inventory system, except in the case of BBV, which marks them .01 only AFTER pulling them.

Most stores have an agreement with the publisher that states that if they destroy the remaining stock of those items, they will receive a credit for their value from the publisher. This is why many stores are usually annoyed when we CAGs come in and buy the guides AT the penny price, since otherwise they would've received a full credit for those items.

According to an employee at a local BB, they also have a recycling program for the pennied stock, so as to not clutter landfill space with the guides. As to how true it is, I cannot confirm, but I would hope that the paper is at least recycled instead of just dumpstered.

Q: Do all guides from all stores drop at the same time?
A: No. While most chains have nationwide drops within their own store (as in every BB will have the same drops coast to coast), not every different chain drops at the same time (what drops at BB is NOT necessarily dropped at GS). When in doubt, check post TWO for drop info.

Q: I found a penny guide and a clerk denied me! I'ma report 'em!
A: Whoa, hold your horses there, pardner! First of all, not a question. Second, just because something is on the shelf, the clerk does NOT have to sell you that item. Most stores are PRIVATE property and as such can deny you just about anything they want - including a sale. The best advice is to not be rude, not be arrogant, and just try hard to get them to have pity on you.

Q: Why don't the clerks want to sell me their penny guides? Aren't they just throwing them away?
A: As stated above, the stores are ordered by the publisher to trash the guides, and are then given credit for those guides. If they don't do this, the publisher won't give them the credit - it's like losing a sale. On the employee level, selling a penny guide can sometimes get them in trouble (or even fired!) I know it seems silly, but this is their job we're talking about! Respect the man (or woman) behind the counter and you'll get a lot more guides than otherwise!

Q: Should I just ask if the store has penny guides then?
A: No, since that denotes that you have some insider information as to the runnings of these businesses.

Q: What if the clerk wants to know how I know so much about guide drops?
A: If asked where you got your info about guides that pennied, simply say either 'the internet' or 'a friend of mine told me they're on clearance'.

Q: But clerks will know what a penny guide is, right? I can talk to them like anyone else here...
A: Never use the word pennied to ANY store clerks unless you have built up a good rapport with them. Even then, it may seem a little fishy if you know more about their shop than they do.

Q: Are guides labeled as a penny on the shelf?
A: Sometimes. Most times, no. GS seems to label everything that gets a price drop, so often times guides will be stickered. But even so, they most likely won't sell them to you. A sticker does not mean 'have to sell'.

Q: I tried to buy a guide that this thread said was pennied and it didn't ring up as such! What gives?
A: Either 1) Our source was wrong (this rarely happens and is usually verified a FEW times within maybe an hour of posting), or 2) The clerk changed the price. It's usually number 2.

Q: What's the easiest way to get penny guides? This sounds like TONS of work!
A: Best Buy is probably the best place to get guides, followed by GameStop, GameCrazy, Toys R Us and then Blockbuster. From what I've seen though, probably 95% of guides that people get are snagged at BB - the rest come from the other stores. But it never hurts to try!

Q: Has there been a drop recently?
A: If you are asking this question you didn't fully understand the OP - go back and read it once more. When a drop happens, it will be posted, and then placed in the second post - trust us.

Q: How do you guys know so much about penny guides?
A: We sometimes have inside sources with the information from the stores themselves; other times, fellow CAGS just like you or me simply take suspected guides to the register and ask them to ring them up, to check their prices. Feel free to do this yourself, and help give back to the community by telling us what you find! However, DON'T ask "Has anyone checked XXX lately?", unless you are in the right thread (discussion area).

Thanks to GrilledWitOnions for creating the above FAQ, which should eliminate the need for such questions popping up in the thread from this point on out.
 
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Initial recon of Objective Alpha looks good. They don't have the FO3 GOTY CE anymor, but they have a bunch of the rest unpulled.

I found out that there are only 3 copies of the FO3 GOTY CE at BBs in NE Ohio left. Two at one store and one at another.
 
Good luck to those hiding..in hope.

A while back I learned that they must have tons of cameras at my local store, as my attempt at hiding resulted in nothing being there a day later.
 
[quote name='msriflegirl']Aww crap...did you check the Garner store too? I am going to check two of the Durham stores on Monday during my lunch break. I will report back with any finds.[/QUOTE]

I would check those 2 Durham stores on monday, but I have to work...and I work in NE Raleigh of of 540.

:bomb:

I did see the FO3 GOTY CE guides @ one of those stores before. This wasn't recently however, as it's been awhile since I've been to either of those stores.
 
[quote name='dragonjud']Good luck to those hiding..in hope.[/QUOTE]

i guess Hope is a place, but yeah, what you said! when I was stashing my DAO LE and a Darksiders guide, the yellow shirt was staring me down and shaking his head. Since I'm always wearing :cool: I didn't make it look like I noticed. But I should have bought something..I literally walked in, over to the guides, stashed them behind kids books and walked out..

good luck to all tomorrow, wish I had time to do more recon, I only have one option going for me, debating to make the drive from work during lunch, but we'll see
 
[quote name='slowdive21']They are out there...My first serious girlfriend in 1995 would stand next to me at the arcade, hold my pop and give me the straw if I needed a drink (while I dominated at Killer Instinct). This next bit may be offensive:
She had a great personality, big boobs, and would give me pretty much daily bjs
. The only flaw is she "hates" Star Wars. I think she would just say that to set herself apart from everyone else. I am rambling and OT. Don't give up hope![/QUOTE]

All this talk about girlfriend's is making me wanna show off. lol My girlfriend is incredibly gorgeous and even though she can be the biggest bitch of all time, she's amazing. She has an amazing personality and whenever I go out to trade games, she's always by my side. Whenever I want to go and get games at midnight, she's always there too. She's even there on days that guides penny at Best Buy. To date, she's gotten me a PS3, a crap ton of games for PS3 and 360, and she just got me a Wii for my birthday this past friday. Talk about feeding the habit.

Anyways, to get back on topic, I went the closest Best Buy to me which happens to be the one where I get most of my penny guides, and quite a few of them are still there. In fact, there's still a few guides such as Mirror's Edge, FEAR 2, Halo Wars, and Prince of Persia. I'm just hoping that they don't keep me from getting the guides come Wednesday when I hit the store (I have to work all day monday and tuesday, but I may consider hitting the store on Tuesday... Assuming, of course, that they do penny.
 
For all of you young whippersnappers talking up your girlfriends, see how it is when you have been married to her for 20 years. If you can say the same, only then will I be impressed. Just so you know where I am coming from, I am one happy Papa ;).

Also, BB's in my area seem to be pulling guides early :cry:.
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']Also, BB's in my area seem to be pulling guides early :cry:.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I witnessed one of them pulling on Fri. If only I had gotten off work a few min earlier...
 
with girlfriends its simple, just get a slutty one and let her know that you're gonna pimp her out to your good friends and that she better be cool with you playing video games all the time or back to the street corner she goes!
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']with girlfriends its simple, just get a slutty one and let her know that you're gonna pimp her out to your good friends and that she better be cool with you playing video games all the time or back to the street corner she goes![/QUOTE]

You must really be raking in the pussy huh?
 
Video gamer girlfriends are the WORST, I know someone knows what I'm talking about. They take up your TV, always want to play with you (Trust me its a bad thing) and generally are annoying. Now I'm not saying video gamer girls are bad (still very hot) , just having one of your own is (at least that lives with you :p).
 
[quote name='phantasyx']Video gamer girlfriends are the WORST, I know someone knows what I'm talking about. They take up your TV, always want to play with you (Trust me its a bad thing) and generally are annoying. Now I'm not saying video gamer girls are bad (still very hot) , just having one of your own is (at least that lives with you :p).[/QUOTE]
Sounds like a personal problem.
 
[quote name='phantasyx']Video gamer girlfriends are the WORST, I know someone knows what I'm talking about. They take up your TV, always want to play with you (Trust me its a bad thing) and generally are annoying. Now I'm not saying video gamer girls are bad (still very hot) , just having one of your own is (at least that lives with you :p).[/QUOTE]

my friend had a gf who was a gamer and she had a cool personality but was fatter than a cow!
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']my friend had a gf who was a gamer and she had a cool personality but was fatter than a cow![/QUOTE]

Douchebag much?
 
i've only ever got penny guides form gamestop. When you go to best buy do they actually charge you a penny for them and give you a receipt? As if they just give it to you like they do at gamestop you wont have any proof of a transaction. And since bestbuy has guys at the door they want to see a receipt. How does it work as i'll be going there tomorrow.
 
[quote name='Nico0020']i've only ever got penny guides form gamestop. When you go to best buy do they actually charge you a penny for them and give you a receipt? As if they just give it to you like they do at gamestop you wont have any proof of a transaction. And since bestbuy has guys at the door they want to see a receipt. How does it work as i'll be going there tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

The only time the loss prevention guy @ the stores near me checked receipts was for large purchases like an hdtv or laptop. When I picked up a few copies of Crimecraft recently, the cashier told me to make sure I showed the LP guy my receipt, however the LP guy acted like he could have cared less. Probably because he was right by the registers & saw the cashier ring them up.

In regards to BB penny guides, they process it like any other purchase w/ a receipt. That is unless you get a douchebag cashier or manager.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']The only time the loss prevention guy @ the stores near me checked receipts was for large purchases like an hdtv or laptop. When I picked up a few copies of Crimecraft recently, the cashier told me to make sure I showed the LP guy my receipt, however the LP guy acted like he could have cared less. Probably because he was right by the registers & saw the cashier ring them up.

In regards to BB penny guides, they process it like any other purchase w/ a receipt. That is unless you get a douchebag cashier or manager.[/QUOTE]

Learn to use the edit button.
 
[quote name='Nico0020']i've only ever got penny guides form gamestop. When you go to best buy do they actually charge you a penny for them and give you a receipt? As if they just give it to you like they do at gamestop you wont have any proof of a transaction. And since bestbuy has guys at the door they want to see a receipt. How does it work as i'll be going there tomorrow.[/QUOTE]
If you find the ones listed on the shelf and they come up a penny when you go to the register one of a couple things may happen.

Either:

A) The cashier is just shocked by how low of an amount the guides ring up for, but still just processes the transaction. You pay and are out the door in no time.

OR

B) They ring up the guides, see the low price, call over a manager and the manager either allows the sale or denies it.

If your stores are lax, you may get A to happen, but if you get a newbie cashier who doesn't wanna get in trouble for selling something so low, you may get B.

Unfortunately, in my own area unless I preface the transaction by saying I 'found these guides on the clearance rack over there' and point to the rack, I usually end up getting denied anymore.

Good luck either way, but since my closest store already pulled not only the possible guides for this upcoming drop but also the guides from a prior drop that were still on the shelf, I have a feeling I'm not going to find anything tomorrow.:cry: Although there's nothing I really want or desperately need from this drop anyway.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']I would check those 2 Durham stores on monday, but I have to work...and I work in NE Raleigh of of 540.

:bomb:

I did see the FO3 GOTY CE guides @ one of those stores before. This wasn't recently however, as it's been awhile since I've been to either of those stores.[/QUOTE]

If I see any FO3 GOTY guides, I will scoop one up for myself and try to hide one for ya....
 
[quote name='msriflegirl']If I see any FO3 GOTY guides, I will scoop one up for myself and try to hide one for ya....[/QUOTE]

You don't have to do that, but it's much appreciated! :mrgreen:

I think both Durham stores had some before, but who knows if they pulled them or not.

In the past I've found more penny guides @ the one of the stores than the other. In fact, the Southpoint store...I've never found a penny guide there.
 
[quote name='Maniac Mansion']COMPETITION!!! :lol::applause:[/QUOTE]

I've been around for the last two years of BB drops, so if you've been getting guides, I'm not too much competition. ;)

But seriously, I think every BB here pulled the guides already. :cry:
 
[quote name='Doomstink']I've been around for the last two years of BB drops, so if you've been getting guides, I'm not too much competition. ;)

But seriously, I think every BB here pulled the guides already. :cry:[/QUOTE]

Yeah, one of the stores in the Raleigh area had quite a few DAO Collector's edition guides, but that was a couple of months ago.
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']gonna be swooping down on Red Dead Redemption as long as my stores still have some![/QUOTE]

Why? It's not pennied.
 
Is FO GOTY guide reduced to penny now?
Went to BB today, found that they're still at regular price.

What about at Walmart? Do they sell them at that price?
 
[quote name='cagfansub']Is FO GOTY guide reduced to penny now?
Went to BB today, found that they're still at regular price.

What about at Walmart? Do they sell them at that price?[/QUOTE]

Price drops are anticipated to take effect tomorrow.

As for Walmart...I've rarely ever seen any clearance prices on guides...games sometimes yes...YMMV @ your own store.
 
[quote name='cagfansub']What else are being reduced to penny? I saw Little Big Planet huge book - is this being reduced?[/QUOTE]

Read the previous posts...you'll find it.
 
East coast people that will be there early please note or notice if you can order the penny guides on BB's computers. That could make things a bit EZ for everyone.
 
I thought it pretty much was confirmed? I was going right away after class at 10 30 am to pick up my hidden copies. Should I check here for a confirmation?
 
pulled at one but strangely... they still got a farcry 2 guide n another penny guide that i dont feel like remembering the name of. champions or something...... sitting there
 
[quote name='Estebon']Wow, chicago bestbuys have been wiped out. I went to 3 more today and all have been pulled. Amazing.[/QUOTE]
Which ones did you check?
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']it's all a rumor until somethings confirmed, everyone's got their panties in a wad![/QUOTE]

[quote name='ballbarfer']last time everyone got all excited it turned out to be just rumors.....that's all they are for now peeps![/QUOTE]

Yeah but this time the info is coming from a reliable source (loxthefox). Besides why would so many CAGs report not being able to find the guides on lox's list. It can't be a coincedence that a large number of BBs are out of these guides. I guess we'll see tomorrow.

BTW, it's our right if we want to get our panties in a bunch... these are penny guides we are talking about!!!:whee:
 
[quote name='emg28']Yeah but this time the info is coming from a reliable source (loxthefox). Besides why would so many CAGs report not being able to find the guides on lox's list. It can't be a coincedence that a large number of BBs are out of these guides. I guess we'll see tomorrow.

BTW, it's our right if we want to get our panties in a bunch... these are penny guides we are talking about!!!:whee:[/QUOTE]

maybe cause the games on the list are really really really old
 
It's not "possible" as far as I am concerned since it was confirmed by a BB employee as showing up in the employee news.
 
Yeah, the news article I read was fairly explicit in saying that a drop is happening today.

Of course, it happens to fall on a day where I have to go in for jury duty. At least it seems like no one has any copies of Dragon Age and/or Fallout 3 nearby.
 
I checked 2 BB out by me and no copies of DA or Fallout. I did see a WoW Lich king though. Perhaps I'll drop by today to see if they still have it. Trade fodder
 
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