Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread Nine

Status
Not open for further replies.
IAmTheCheapestGamer

IAmTheCheapestGamer

Banned
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 or which ones you've grabbed 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.

Furthermore, I would like to thank our Wiki editors HeatDolphin and Rocko for updating the Wiki. Great job.

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 Trading Clearinghouse(old one, locked now):
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102021

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

Guide Lists(master drop lists and recent drops):

Master Drop List(by store, alphabetically):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28master_lists%29

Recent Guide Drops(by date,also check the second post in this thread):
http://wiki.cheapassgamer.com/index.php/Category:Strategy_Guides_%28recent_drops%29

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.

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 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.

Prior Reduced price game guide threads:

Guide Three:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50515&highlight=guide
Guide Four:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1496376
Guide Five:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85976
Guide Six:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116918
Guide Seven:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131717
Guide Seven and a half:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142400
Guide Eight:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167157

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
BookPool
CircuitCity
Gamestop
Overstock
StrategyGuides.net
ToysRUs

Thanks to floormat, Guinavere 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.


 
Last edited by a moderator:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Holy crap on a cracker, Vahn! :shock:

That's like 3/4ths of most BB guides on the shelf. I guess I'll have to see what's left on Monday evening.

Also looks like about 85% of what already dropped at GS, so I guess that's the vendors doing it across the board.
 
[quote name='Antic']Some of those have been marked down to $2 at my BB anyways (SC4 LE and Zelda TP for example).[/quote]If it's between $2 and not getting it when it pennies, $2 is well worth it.

Average guide would cost at least that much when picked up from another CAG.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']If it's between $2 and not getting it when it pennies, $2 is well worth it.

Average guide would cost at least that much when picked up from another CAG.[/quote]

I got the Fire Emblem and the MGS4:LE guide the Tuesday before Black Friday like that. It's definitely worth it to me, and I'd buy them if they were that low. Usually RPGs don't make it down to that price though (besides being pennied). I'm in desperate need of LO, ToV, and Fable II LE. Almost everything else on that list I already have.
 
[quote name='Antic']I got the Fire Emblem and the MGS4:LE guide the Tuesday before Black Friday like that. It's definitely worth it to me, and I'd buy them if they were that low.[/quote]My cut-off point for most guides is about $5 or so, if I found them at a store. Obviously, $2 or $0.01 is a better option, though for some guides, I'd go above that.

When BB had the GTA4 guide for $9.99 and they had a 25% off sale on all guides, I figured $7.49 for a guide of that size (and it's really huge) is worth it for not having the issue with tracking it down from another CAG. There's a few other ones like that.
 
I went to my local best buy just a few days ago and most of those were stocked.
Let's hope it stays that way until Monday... *crosses fingers*

You don't think they will mind if I walk away with like 20 guides do you?
 
I'm hoping I can get a lost odyssey guide, maybe a fable 2 LE. I know my BB doesn't have Tales of Vesperia unfortunately. I'm tempted to try and go hide some, but I don't feel like making two trips out that way. I'll just have to be there when they open Monday.
 
I am heading to Best Buy today before going to my girlfriend's house. I guess I'll be skipping class on Monday to go guide hunting. Hopefully this advance notice doesn't mean BB is going to start pulling them early.
 
Oh man, I think I might need to call in sick on Monday. I'll have to go for a long run in the cold or something to help the process along. Thanks for the list Vahn!
 
I went to one of my bestbuy's and with any luck I could easily walk out with 100+ guides on the list. This is the same store I had no problem getting 5 copies of the AC LE guide 2 days after drop, and the same store that still has pennied guides on the shelf from a few months ago like Devil May Cry 4.

So with any luck i'll be able to hook up alot of CAG's.

On a sidenote after going to Post Office today I swung by a gamestop and employee sold me 2 penny guides for $5 each. Snagged Gears of War 2 LE and Fable 2 LE, so well worth $10 for the 2.
 
[quote name='Brian9824']I went to one of my bestbuy's and with any luck I could easily walk out with 100+ guides on the list. This is the same store I had no problem getting 5 copies of the AC LE guide 2 days after drop, and the same store that still has pennied guides on the shelf from a few months ago like Devil May Cry 4.

So with any luck i'll be able to hook up alot of CAG's.

On a sidenote after going to Post Office today I swung by a gamestop and employee sold me 2 penny guides for $5 each. Snagged Gears of War 2 LE and Fable 2 LE, so well worth $10 for the 2.[/quote]

Lucky doesn't describe your last sentences.

I would gladly pay $10 for those two guides!
 
Ended up paying about $10.00 for just the Gow 2 LE. Glad I did, as it's not in the BB drop. Here's hoping for everything to be there on Monday. I checked the other day, and they had pruned the section and there were 0 penny guides left. This is the first time they've ever done that. Hope it's not a bad sign.
 
Well I already had a trade here for Gears Of War 2 guide so i'll have an extra one now.

Only guide i don't have that i really want from Bestbuy list is the Fire Emblem one but ALOT of guides I want to get for trading from that list.
 
Figuire i'll post a few hints that help me out when buying guides.

Don't take up alot of guides at first. Take up 2-3 common ones and see how cashier reacts. Casually mention they are clearanced out and if they are cool with it go back and get several of the good ones. Don't get greedy and take all of them at once unless you know they are ok with it.

Seeing a person walk up with 25 guides might draw the attention of a manager who could tell the cashier to not sell em.
 
I will definatly be there when they open. This is going to be my first BB drop and its huge. I hope I can get the guides I need first. Im not going to be greedy
 
Thanks Vahn! Looks like many of the guides from the recent GS drop are on the BB list. I struck out at the 4 GS I checked yesterday. I missed out on Disgaea 3. :(
 
I don't like the fact that Best Buy stores are getting this list two days early. I have a feeling there will be a lot of disappointed CAG's come Monday morning.

By the way, this is probably the biggest Best Buy guide drop ever.
 
Honestly it doesnt matter if they get the list early or not. Either your store cares and pulls them or it doesn't. Takes 15 minutes to pull guides if they were going to do it.
 
[quote name='Josef']I don't like the fact that Best Buy stores are getting this list two days early. I have a feeling there will be a lot of disappointed CAG's come Monday morning.

By the way, this is probably the biggest Best Buy guide drop ever.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Brian9824']Honestly it doesnt matter if they get the list early or not. Either your store cares and pulls them or it doesn't. Takes 15 minutes to pull guides if they were going to do it.[/QUOTE]

Here's to hoping for lazy BB employees across the whole country and penny guides for everyone.
 
[quote name='Josef']I don't like the fact that Best Buy stores are getting this list two days early. I have a feeling there will be a lot of disappointed CAG's come Monday morning.

By the way, this is probably the biggest Best Buy guide drop ever.[/quote]

This is VERY likely so I hope everyone tempers their hopes for a big haul with a dose of realism. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
 
This sucks for those of us who work M-F jobs. :p Will have to stop by after work anyways and see if there's anything left. I doubt there will be.

I am playing Crisis Core and would love the guide for it. :
 
[quote name='Ryouko']This sucks for those of us who work M-F jobs. :p Will have to stop by after work anyways and see if there's anything left. I doubt there will be.

I am playing Crisis Core and would love the guide for it. :
 
[quote name='BarbblerElf']Wow, its people that do stuff like this that makes GS not want to give out the guides. I dont think he will sell any, but it still makes me mad that he posted it.

newjersey.craigslist.org/tag/1015157490.html[/quote]

Meh, I bet ten bucks its a GameStop employee.

Really psyched for Monday, though. I'll have to go between my two morning classes.
 
[quote name='BarbblerElf']Wow, its people that do stuff like this that makes GS not want to give out the guides. I dont think he will sell any, but it still makes me mad that he posted it.

newjersey.craigslist.org/tag/1015157490.html[/quote]

WARHAMMER ONLINE AGE OF RECKONING : $15 *********
WARHAMMER ONLINE AGE OF RECKONING ATLAS :$10 ************
**BUY BOTH FOR $28*********

This is probably the best part.
 
[quote name='Ryouko']This sucks for those of us who work M-F jobs. :p [/quote]

It took me 2 tries before I read that as Monday through Friday.
 
[quote name='guessed']It took me 2 tries before I read that as Monday through Friday.[/quote]

I wish I didn't have a motherfucking job, either. I don't have very much on my plate right now, though, so I might be able to phone in a sick day. I needs me some guides.
 
[quote name='cdul']WARHAMMER ONLINE AGE OF RECKONING : $15 *********
WARHAMMER ONLINE AGE OF RECKONING ATLAS :$10 ************
**BUY BOTH FOR $28*********

This is probably the best part.[/quote]

I know, I lold when I read that.
 
Great Game Guides. Thanks
1x1t.gif
 
[quote name='Dajinn']does YMMV for that BB drop?[/QUOTE]

should be universal. Only YMMV is the selection at your store.
 
Vahn, I think I just... came in my pants.

But seriously, my BB has NEVER yet pulled a single guide, and often even tags any I leave behind. I've seen penny guides, tagged 0.01 sit on the shelf for weeks. I'll be there when the fuckers open though, just in case the asshole that hit my BB up last year at this time returns (he told me this was his 4th BB of the day, had a cart full of MANY multiples, and wouldn't friggin share). Depending on quantities, I'll try and snag duplicates for fellow CAGs too, since last I was there there were at least 10+ of most of those (though only one or two Tactics A2, which I'm worried about). THANKS
 
^^^I hope it wasn't me! :) But I missed this drop last year (folklore,manhunt,etc). If someone tells me they are a CAG I'll share. I usually wear my wristband if it is a drop day in case another CAG wants some stuff. We should all do that on a drop run.
 
[quote name='sacreddoctor']can we all chill on the posts until monday when we get some confirmations on who got what and where, please.[/quote]

And when people DO post their scores, maybe they could put them in the RIGHT thread(Discussion Thread)? But that's asking too much.

Also, wtf happened to people who post lists of what dropped putting them in RED, so they stick out amongst the eleven billion 'I got X, Y and Z' posts? That's not too much to ask, is it?

EDIT: I personally don't see ANYTHING wrong with posting a list of guides for sale on Craigslist, since if they're not selling here and they're collecting dust then you have to explore every avenue available to you. Most of that list from the CL ad was for $6 a pop, which is about what it costs with DC and the other expenses to ship out a single guide, with maybe a buck for the person selling it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
bread's done
Back
Top