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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Used in store pick-up for several guides, got them all no problem--3 Fallout, 3 Gears, 1 SFIV,

No sign of WOlfenstein or MPTrilogy or LBP or Star Ocean...really wanted those...
 
[quote name='polishpride212'] Actually I will go back seeing that the hard cover edition of Fallout 3 has pennied. Should I return the regular edition?:whistle2:k[/QUOTE]

I hope you're kidding about trying to return a penny guide.:lol: That would be some funny conversation.

You: Hi. I'd like to return this.
Cashier:
You: What? What's so funny? I need that penny if I wanna be able to give someone my two cents sometime when paired with another penny.
Cashier:

[quote name='Rocko']Wait, I thought the Fallout 3 hardcover CE was not pennied? Now it's listed in the second post.[/QUOTE]

Slowdive21 mentioned that they got a copy of it at one of their stores and I think it actually makes sense that BOTH Fallout 3 normal edition guides would penny simultaneously due to the GOTY editions being out now.

[quote name='stoned99']Call of Duty: World at War 1c at my BB[/QUOTE]

Can anyone confirm either COD:WAW or the Fallout 3 CE version? I'll add COD:WAW to the second and third post, but hopefully someone can confirm or deny that that dropped as well.
 
Thanks everyone, only things I couldn't grab were Tomb Raider (which is odd, as they had like 10 copies just last week) and LBP. Of those, I only wanted LBP. Easily one of the most succesful trips in a long time. Picked up ~5 non-LE Fallout 3's, which may end up in my trade list, but I know that at least 3 of them are spoken for already from people at school.

Also, anyone else think they got lucky and found an old drop of GTA:China Town Wars, only to find out it was a PSP version of the guide? I didn't even know the PSP version was out yet, let alone a guide for it.

Edit: fuck, didn't know CoD:WaW dropped. Mine had a handful. Not that I need a guide for that, but I hate missing one. Bah, next time I'm in the area I'll see. Mine still has 5 copies of Madworld sitting on the shelf.
 
[quote name='Zmonkay']
Also, anyone else think they got lucky and found an old drop of GTA:China Town Wars, only to find out it was a PSP version of the guide? I didn't even know the PSP version was out yet, let alone a guide for it.
[/QUOTE]

Yep. I noticed it looked different from the one that pennied a while back, and when it rang up @$17.99 I said I'll pass.
 
I didn't know LBP was a penny as well. I saw one or two of those at my BB. I didn't check it though. It was on the list I got here before I left. Oh well. I got the Fallout 3 guide, which is the one I wanted.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']I hope you're kidding about trying to return a penny guide.:lol: That would be some funny conversation.

You: Hi. I'd like to return this.
Cashier:
You: What? What's so funny? I need that penny if I wanna be able to give someone my two cents sometime when paired with another penny.
Cashier:


[/QUOTE]
The better conversation would be...
You: I would like to return this.
Cashier: Reason being?
You: I found it at a better price.

But yeah, I am joking. I am just pissed that I made the drive all the way there, and didn't get the CE. I really don't know why I am pissed, I don't even need the guide as I already have 100% in the game.
 
[quote name='Rocko']Man, if the Fallout 3 CE guide is pennied I will be pist.[/QUOTE]

Neither of my local BB stores have had them in stock for a LOOOOONG time already. I think my local store started pulling them like others reported seeing at their stores.
 
Maybe we should just all stop talking about our hauls and say "hey I got all the guides I wanted." You don't know if I saved 70 guides for the dumpster today. I found out finally that my store does toss the guides. I grab what I needed and the rest and long gone by now.

I think it's great that people grab a lot. It's not like anyone's gloating about selling them on ebay or craigslist. Or perhaps they are but not posting which is the best way to go so this thread doesn't get the same, "stop being a hoarder" posts.

*and by "I grabbed what I needed" I got 1 of what I wanted and extras of what I figured other may want. My store only had 1 SFIV and 1 lbp.
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']Maybe we should just all stop talking about our hauls and say "hey I got all the guides I wanted." You don't know if I saved 70 guides for the dumpster today. I found out finally that my store does toss the guides. I grab what I needed and the rest and long gone by now.

I think it's great that people grab a lot. It's not like anyone's gloating about selling them on ebay or craigslist. Or perhaps they are but not posting which is the best way to go so this thread doesn't get the same, "stop being a hoarder" posts.

*and by "I grabbed what I needed" I got 1 of what I wanted and extras of what I figured other may want. My store only had 1 SFIV and 1 lbp.[/QUOTE]

It's too late to stop the 'zomg you're a hoarder' comments, as there have already been a bunch.

Thanks for the reports when you can get the info, Frosty. I wonder whatever happened to fuss, who used to be our 'source' for BB info?
 
FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUU-

Damnit.

This, right?

fallout-3-20081007000016715.jpg
 
[quote name='Rocko']FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUU-

Damnit.

This, right?

fallout-3-20081007000016715.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the pic. Wasn't sure what it looked like. I saw one of the HC versions (dunno which one), but since it wasn't on the list, I didn't bother checking. I'll have to go back and check.
 
[quote name='jazzman']Got denied at the Lake Forest BB, but was able to find everything else at the Mission Viejo and Costa Mesa BB.[/QUOTE]

that stinks jazzman. That LF location used to be a goldmine. They used to never pull their guides. Then a few months back they started pulling them, and if you found what they missed they'd stop you at the register. Good to hear you got some at other local locations. Did you notice if MV had much when you left?
 
Scored as usual. One store still has 50+ Fallout 3 guides on shelf. One entire section all 3 rows is just fallout 3 guides. Sadly no CE in site.
 
First time trying to get penny guides today, and I came away VERY happy. Local BB in Brandon, FL had mult of all guides that dropped today except Fallout CE and Infamous, but I did manage to get the rest with no problems at all. Thanks so much to all who offer tips/advice/lists of guides to this thread, and thanks IATCG for doing such an awesome job of maintaining this thread.
 
another epic run! first) my in-store pick-up of 3 guides bundled w/ a BD worked flawlessly, 2nd) was able to grab almost one of each mentioned (plus Star Ocean) that I hadn't gotten earlier. They even had guides that weren't listed as in-stock (strange)

IDK, it seems to me, like another poster said, that maybe some of these stores would rather have the pennies than see these end up in the trash. They had CoD:WaW on a display table, just sitting there. If they didn't want people to have them, they wouldn't have been in the entrance way. Everybody that helped me today had no problem or objections. It was awesome!!
 
[quote name='Frosty The Batman']Maybe we should just all stop talking about our hauls and say "hey I got all the guides I wanted." You don't know if I saved 70 guides for the dumpster today. I found out finally that my store does toss the guides. I grab what I needed and the rest and long gone by now.

I think it's great that people grab a lot. It's not like anyone's gloating about selling them on ebay or craigslist. Or perhaps they are but not posting which is the best way to go so this thread doesn't get the same, "stop being a hoarder" posts.

*and by "I grabbed what I needed" I got 1 of what I wanted and extras of what I figured other may want. My store only had 1 SFIV and 1 lbp.[/QUOTE]

That's fair. The issue, though, is when people clean out a store and leave nothing for anyone else.
 
I snagged about 10 Fallout 3 guides total. Giving a few to friends, a few for trading, and so forth. Considering my store has LITERALLY 50+ sitting on the shelves i don't feel to bad. Hell there are guides from LAST drop I left still sitting on the shelf like godfather 2 and left 4 dead.
 
Just returned from picking up a few guides. Thanks, CheapestGamer, for keeping up on the thread so diligently. Also, a thank you to Frosty for providing drop confirmations, and all the other CAGs who post about their finds.
 
[quote name='bob330i']Thanks for the pic. Wasn't sure what it looked like. I saw one of the HC versions (dunno which one), but since it wasn't on the list, I didn't bother checking. I'll have to go back and check.[/QUOTE]
I think there is a GotY LE version that a lot of people are seeing and that one seems to be $34.99. I'm assuming it is the older LE version that is pennied.
 
[quote name='jazzman']Got denied at the Lake Forest BB, but was able to find everything else at the Mission Viejo and Costa Mesa BB.[/QUOTE]
Lake Forest denies sometime esp if some lady employee gets confused they call their seniors, but today a dude rang up for me.

Costa Mesa was a biyach denied my 10x FO3 out of still 50 more in shelves. I was just testing their water. Thanks to a 300lb jackass Operating Senior, made a call to corporate to ask if they can sell these.
Still bunch SF4, GoW2 LBP there.
 
Got what I wanted (Metroid Prime Trilogy and Star Ocean, though wish I had found a nicer condition copy of SO), thanks for the alert as usual.

Am I the only one who saw like 5-10+ copies of the SFIV guide lying around though? Had no interest in that one so I left 'em.
 
[quote name='anch']Lake Forest denies sometime esp if some lady employee gets confused they call their seniors, but today a dude rang up for me.

Costa Mesa was a biyach denied my 10x FO3 out of still 50 more in shelves. I was just testing their water. Thanks to a 300lb jackass Operating Senior, made a call to corporate to ask if they can sell these.
Still bunch SF4, GoW2 LBP there.[/QUOTE]

So when the 300lb bastard called, what did they tell him to do?
 
Sorry if I missed it, but I did not see an actual confirmation of this one and someone asked for the SKU:

Call of Duty World at War - 074401056X confirmed.
 
[quote name='GeorgeCostanza']So when the 300lb bastard called, what did they tell him to do?[/QUOTE]
I wasn't on the phone so I wouldn't know.

He said to me, "These are no-go, we are shipping them back. You are not suppose to buy any of the penny guides."
 
Thanks to u CAG's I was able to pick up (1 of each):

Fallout 3 (softcover)
inFamous
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

I had no idea LBP was pennied out, even though my store didn't have any left. May have to check out other stores to see if I can score one.

The cashier girl was really surprised and even stared at the computer for a few seconds before I explained to her that BB tends to penny things out from time to time.
 
Thanks for the update. Was able to get one copy of each:
SFIV
Call of Duty WaW
Fallout 3
Gears of War 2
Zelda Twilight Princess
Little Big Planet

Plus was able to get Fallout 3 GOTY for around $30 after Target PM, $10 Gift Card, and $5 Reward Zone coupon. Going to copy the DLC to the hard drive and use the Fallout 3 I already own and sell the GOTY games for a nice little profit.
 
I have never been denied penny guides at BB in the 25 or so trips to area stores in the past year. It probably helps that I buy an item to go along with the purchase and don't get more than 1 copy of each guide (maximum 10 total per visit). It also helps if you get rung up by a young male cashier. They rarely ever raise an issue. Some female cashiers might ask their supervisors but eventually they let me buy the guides once they see I purchased other stuff.
 
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Argg, bust for me. Seems like the BB I've scored from a few times has finally caught on and pulled guides on day one. Alas, it was a good run
 
[quote name='confoosious']I didn't bother picking it up but why does anyone need a guide for EA Sports Active? (And yes, I have the game.)[/QUOTE]

'Cus its a penny
 
[quote name='confoosious']I didn't bother picking it up but why does anyone need a guide for EA Sports Active? (And yes, I have the game.)[/QUOTE]
Every page says "Get in shape fat ass." It serves to motivate people.
 
[quote name='loxthefox']Got a few more from work:

Star Ocean x2
Metroid Prime Trilogy
EA Sports Active
Wolfenstein[/QUOTE]
I had not even seen a BB with 2 Star Oceans. That was the main one I was looking for. I knew of 4 stores with one copy. I was denied, pulled or beaten to each one.
 
[quote name='ackbar7']Every page says "Get in shape fat ass." It serves to motivate people.[/QUOTE]

Or every page is a tin foil mirror to show how fat you are?

Derek - I don't mean why do CAGs need it. I mean, why does one even exist. Are there some hidden levels I need to unlock? Where's the hidden workout routine I need to beat on sweaty level?
 
I was able to pick up everything except for FO3 CE but I doubt there are many of those still out there. After returning from BB, I saw that CoD:WaW had also been pennied. I went back to pick it up and decided to get some extra guides to trade.

When the clerk scanned the first guide, he immediately called the manager. The manager told me that they should've been pulled and that she couldn't sell them to me. She then decided that she could sell them to me at $1 each. I chose a COD:WAW guide and paid the dollar. As I was leaving, she called the guy in the game department and told him to pull all the penny guides. This store had atleast 60 FO3, 30 GoW2 and 20 SO:TLH guide. They still had KZ2, Wolverine and Godfather 2 from previous drops.

I hope this doesn't ruin things for me in the future. I usually have no problem when I go in the mornings. I'll stop by tommorrow and see if they actually pulled the guides.
 
Since people were wondering: The media manager at my store told me that the Fallout 3 CE was audited before it dropped in order to prevent sales at a penny.

In other words your store needed to be REALLY bad at pulling stuff in order for that to still be out. Either that or you'd need to have hidden the guide a while back.

[quote name='PapaSmerf']I had not even seen a BB with 2 Star Oceans. That was the main one I was looking for. I knew of 4 stores with one copy. I was denied, pulled or beaten to each one.[/QUOTE]

My store had 30 copies. No joke or exaggeration. I got a one for myself and two for friends. Helped an employee pull the rest of them. In retrospect, I should have tried to get them all.
 
Stopped this afternoon at a BB that usually pulls EVERYTHING but I was in the neighborhood so thought I'd give it a try. Glad I did as the person that pulls their guides must have called in sick or something. I scored most everything on the drop list (1 each), but found not only a Star Ocean but a lone Fallout 3 CE sitting behind a bunch of the GOTY Fallout guides. My lucky day I guess.
 
[quote name='Doomstink']
My store had 30 copies. No joke or exaggeration. I got a one for myself and two for friends. Helped an employee pull the rest of them. In retrospect, I should have tried to get them all.[/QUOTE]
That just makes you wonder about how they stock these things :roll:
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']I had not even seen a BB with 2 Star Oceans. That was the main one I was looking for. I knew of 4 stores with one copy. I was denied, pulled or beaten to each one.[/QUOTE]

Really? I think I picked up 4-5 between 2 stores alone. The only thing I couldn't find was the Fallout CE.
 
[quote name='PapaSmerf']I was denied, pulled or beaten to each one.[/QUOTE]
Nothing hurts more than being denied. You get there and see that the guides aren't pulled and are giddy with excitement, only to be stonewalled and have to walk away empty handed. Terrible. :cry: Or maybe I just get too excited about penny guides...
 
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