Reduced Price Game Guides: Thread X(Ten)

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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.

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/...d.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. 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 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/...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/showthread.php?t=187222

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, 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.

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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[quote name='neocisco']I hope you all realize that most of your posts will probably get deleted when a mod comes in here. Stay on topic.[/QUOTE]

This thread has been WAYYY offtopic for a LONG time already, so why bother trying to stop it from bloating due to mindless yip yap NOW.

Sorry for the multiple posts, but I'm posting from my PS3 n I dont know how to copy & paste on it.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Ummm you think we were fine with SD? You must have shitty vision.[/QUOTE]

Actually the last time I had it checked it was 20/20, so maybe it's all of the people pushing for HD everything that're blind. Then again, the two main reasons I don't give two shits about HD is 1)the price(fuck paying anything over $200 for a tv the size I need) and 2) the TINY amount of time I use my tv in an average week would never justify paying so much.

I hate most of the shit they call programming on tv now(specially reality show garbage) and I only really use my tv for gaming when I'm not watching the few shows I DO watch, so why do I need to get something new and shiny when what I have still works?

I think the main reason anyone who 'upgraded' bitches about those who haven't and are vocally against paying out the ass for some new bs is just that you're sore because you all paid the higher prices and now you see the prices falling and are kicking yourselves in the ass over being an early adopter.
 
Look for a possible drop for Chronicles of Riddick at Gamestop today. It's off the website. Too early for me to try to confirm out here on the West Coast.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']fuck paying MSRP for anything[/QUOTE]

If I were prone to get tattoos, this phrase would be tattoo #1.
 
I can confirm Riddick pennied. I didn't get a copy but was told that it had been "discontinued" after the clerk briefly looked under the counter.
 
[quote name='Vader582']I can confirm Riddick pennied. I didn't get a copy but was told that it had been "discontinued" after the clerk briefly looked under the counter.[/QUOTE]

Agree, I was able to confirm it just now as well. I was also denied (although they offered to sell it at $5). If anyone scores an extra copy I'd be interested. I've never been denied at that store before, so maybe the rumored crackdown is in full swing.
 
I guess the second post needs updating? crap. i gotta get my ass to the flea market this weekend n pick up the actiontec modem/router combo cuz updating from my PS3 may be a pita.
 
Just picked up @ GC:
Final Fantasy V Advance Official Player's Guide
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin: Prima Official Game Guide

Thanks for the heads up!
 
Just read the first post on this thread, and skipped the chatter, so thanks OP and those that contributed.

Got really lucky, picked up GOW2: Last Stand Edition (CE) and GTA IV: TLaD; just like the first post said.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I don't really care if they track a few penny guide purchases, since it's not like they're going to ask for ID for when I don't use the RZ card when I buy other ones.

Plus, I haven't made a single 'big' purchase at BB in forever. If not for my friends and family having duplicate RZ cards of mine I'd never have received the meager $10 worth of certs I've been given so far.

It takes spending WAYYYY too much fuckin' money at BB just to get the paltry $5 certificates. This site and my frugality in general have ruined me as a normal shlep of a consumer. I'm not just a cheapass gamer, I'm a cheapass consumer too. fuck paying MSRP for anything[/QUOTE]

lol thats right, fight the man!! In all honesty I feel the same way, fuck paying msrp. They always set that shit too high anyway to get all those suckers that have to own stuff as soon as it comes out. Thats when I just sit back and let the prices fall. I don't think i've payed normal price for anything in a while. Clothes, shoes, video games, etc.. Im always bargain hunting. It just gives you a sense of accomplishment when you get something you have wanted for a while for 75% off. Plus, you also get some satisfaction after you tell your friends that you just payed 25 bucks for something that they paid 100 bucks for a month earlier.
 
^^^Sometimes it's not even that hard to to that though. A while back, my friend bought Burnout Paradise and his brother bought Bloody Roar 4 for $30 each. This was when Burnout was $20 everywhere else (and then 2 weeks later Targett started cleanacing them, but they were all bought up at the first drop) and when the Gamestop right around the corner from their house had BR4 for $20 also.
 
[quote name='neocisco']Some of you guys are thick. This is the .01 guide thread. If you want to talk about clearance games there are threads for that.[/QUOTE]

This isnt the .01 thread, this is the reduced price guide. If someone finds a guide at $5 when it sells for $20, it should be reported. Too many people assume this thread is only for pennied out guides.
 
[quote name='Link927']This isnt the .01 thread, this is the reduced price guide. If someone finds a guide at $5 when it sells for $20, it should be reported. Too many people assume this thread is only for pennied out guides.[/QUOTE]

Read his post again. He's saying this thread is not for game discussion. When he says ".01 guides", he obviously means any discounted guides. His point is that there has been too much discussion about things not related to guides. Come on, now.
 
While I don't blame neocisco for saying that, and I myself am responisble for a little off topic banter... Really, there isn't much going on in the world of reduced price guides. Best Buy skipped this months sale. Gamecrazy hasn't had a drop in over a month. And Gamestop now pennies one or two guides out a week, which kills the excitement of a big drop.
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']Read his post again. He's saying this thread is not for game discussion. When he says ".01 guides", he obviously means any discounted guides. His point is that there has been too much discussion about things not related to guides. Come on, now.[/QUOTE]

uh oh, peeps are gonna get silenced or even worse the dreaded banned, oh what would a person do if that happen....i'd kill myself!!!
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']Read his post again. He's saying this thread is not for game discussion. When he says ".01 guides", he obviously means any discounted guides. His point is that there has been too much discussion about things not related to guides. Come on, now.[/QUOTE]

If that is what he meant, then I guess I did not see it in his post. I'm just tired of people going "Only .01 guides!" when this threads purpose is to inform of any discounted guides.
 
[quote name='DeathBringer']Now that these stores know about this thread that's why there no more penny guides except you go to some ghetto gamestop that don't care.[/QUOTE]

Who told them about this thread? Not me, that's for sure. If employees at stores want to know where I found out that X or Y guide is pennied, I say 'the internet' and leave it at that.

I get a kick out of knowing more than the employees do at times, though that hasn't happened in months with a sale or clearance, but it was hilarious when I would bring up 10-15 guides when my local GS stores were ultra lax on pulling them and they'd ALL ring up a penny.

They would always tell me that was 'some coincidence' that they all happened to be one cent. :lol: Yeah.....coincidence, let's go with that.

As for the off topic banter, I know I was the one originally harping about keeping it on topic, but quite frankly I gave up a long time ago about keeping the thread uncluttered.
 
[quote name='Chronis']While I don't blame neocisco for saying that, and I myself am responisble for a little off topic banter... Really, there isn't much going on in the world of reduced price guides. Best Buy skipped this months sale. Gamecrazy hasn't had a drop in over a month. And Gamestop now pennies one or two guides out a week, which kills the excitement of a big drop.[/QUOTE]

That's my point. If there isn't discussion about discounted guides (that's for you, Link ;)) then there's no need to post in this thread. That's what the rest of the forums are for.
 
Instead of bickering, why don't you guys check Best Buy and see if MGS4 pennied. Some guy reported it .01 and I saw it for 50% off at another Best Buy (b4 he posted).
 
[quote name='slowdive21']Instead of bickering, why don't you guys check Best Buy and see if MGS4 pennied. Some guy reported it .01 and I saw it for 50% off at another Best Buy (b4 he posted).[/QUOTE]


yeah i'm gonna go now!
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']yeah i'm gonna go now![/QUOTE]

It's still full price on the site, so the chances it dropped are slim. Thanks for checking though.
 
[quote name='ballbarfer']yeah i'm gonna go now![/QUOTE]

If it's not .01, you can blame slowdive for being too lazy to check himself. He'll reimburse you for the gas money.
 
Bought MGS4 and Madworld from BBY in Victoria, Texas for $.01 each. Regular edition of Gears of War is $9.99. They still have Madworld, Resistance 2, and Haze on the shelf.
 
[quote name='kurtchampion']Bought MGS4 and Madworld from BBY in Victoria, Texas for $.01 each. Regular edition of Gears of War is $9.99. They still have Madworld, Resistance 2, and Haze on the shelf.[/QUOTE]

Regular or LE MGS4?

If LE, that hung around a long ass time.
 
I stopped by my BB tonight to check it out, but all of them had been pulled recently. (probably a couple weeks since I was in to check). So, I couldn't confirm it, but I admit I was surprised they were all gone.

On a side note, I found an invoice sitting near the guides from Penguin Group to Best Buy for the World of Warcraft Atlas, sell price $19.99, discount 52%, Net 9.59 each. So when BB sells them to us for a penny, there's a chance of them losing up to $10 or so each...
 
[quote name='Ubiiquitous']If it's not .01, you can blame slowdive for being too lazy to check himself. He'll reimburse you for the gas money.[/QUOTE]

This is from the guy that trolls and NEVER checks for a drop. I am one of the few CAGs that check that are not employed by best buy. If you have a problem with me you can drive to Chicago and we can straighten it out. I'll even pay for your gas. bitch


1) I can not check since they are 50% off at my store and ring up at 50% off
2) I already hit the 2 other best buys and they do not have them.
3) If you are ubiquitous, you are already at best buy anyway, so have it scanned.
 
My apolgies for the misunderstanding as I assumed you were like so many others in being too lazy to check. However, there's no need for the hostility as my post, while insulting, was not threatening.
 
Figured. They were gone from my BB.
At least I might get a job there later this week. Fingers crossed.

BTW, does anyone know if the WOW Atlus pennied? It was gone from my store too.
 
[quote name='Quickslvrguy']I havent had a chance to post it, but MGS 4 Regular is indeed pennied at Best Buy. I picked up a couple on Thursday at my local BB.[/QUOTE]

Good to know. My local has got several, so I'll have to see if I can snag a few of 'em the next time I'm in the area (I don't go out shopping specifically for penny guides, it's not worth the time and fuel-- they're an opportunity thing).

i grabbed a couple of Gears of War 2 LEs at one of my local stores a few weeks ago, as well as two copies of several others (Mario Kart, Brawl, LEGO Indiana Jones, etc.). My usual "one for me, one for buddies/trade/sale" rule. Was back in the area two days ago and went by again... and everything I left behind for other opportunists was still there! So I cleaned 'em out. You snooze, you lose! :D
 
I can confirm the regular edition of MGS4 is a penny. At first I thought they mistagged them for the LE's but it rang up as $.01.

My wife also yelled at me when she saw the Best Buy credit card statement yesterday...it had a balance of $.01. I forgot that I found a Wii Mario Kart guide somewhere but didn't have any cash so I used the 'ol BB credit card. Funny thing is, I thought she would be happy that I didn't actually buy anything at BB for a month.
 
Wait, you used a credit card on something that cost a penny?

hahaha

Thats some funny shit. Why would your wife yell at you for that?
 
[quote name='Estebon']Wait, you used a credit card on something that cost a penny?

hahaha

Thats some funny shit. Why would your wife yell at you for that?[/QUOTE]

lol at that
 
[quote name='RockMySocks10']my Bestbuy never has guides this cheap :(

do they mark them with a sticker to show that they are cheap, or do you have to just guess.[/QUOTE]

Its rare that they'll actually be tagged at that price, however, some users have found them with stickers on. I myself had one occasion where the guide did have a 0.01 sticker on it.
 
Assuming I can get my ass to the flea market one of these weeks, the one pc person has a combo modem/router saved for me that should work with my DSL. But I'm still on my PS3 and that makes updating the second post a royal pain in the ass, since I opted to use different colors on it.

Plus, the PS3 has a text limit and it seems that I can't ADD anything without DELETING something. But the update WILL happen. I swear.

I may have to stop at BB either today or tomorrow to check out the MGS4 guide and see if I can grab one. Then all I have to do is find a caring soul whose Hollywood Video restocked and got that game in to trade me a copy. :pray:
 
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