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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[quote name='Ultragamer']Too bad I don't have a car or I would go and ask what was dropped. Would be nice to pick up God of War Collection, GTA, and LBP Super Book. Hopefully I can manage to grab one or each tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

Haven't had any luck with getting those 3. All the copies i found were really beat up, so I left them
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']Haven't had any luck with getting those 3. All the copies i found were really beat up, so I left them[/QUOTE]

I know my gamestop had a couple copies of LBP when I was there last week. Can't recall seeing the others though sadly. I can only hope theres one left that the employee's didn't take.
 
For all of you guys who haven't gone to Gamestop yet, keep an eye out for Star Ocean: The Last Hope International!!!

Several of the stores I went to today had this, but I didn't find out about it until the last one I hit. :wall:
 
They had already pulled the guides at my closest GS store and had them sitting on the back counter. Even though I'm pretty much 'in' with the employees there I didn't dare ask for any of them. But I did find a Singularity guide still on the shelf, so they said(right in front of a bunch of customers)that it was a penny and I could just take it.

If the manager were there I would've gladly asked for a few but since they were already pulled I didn't wanna push it. They had about 3-4 WOW: WOTLK, 2-3 K&L2: DD, 3-4 Resonance Of Fate and a couple other odds n ends from the list.
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']For all of you guys who haven't gone to Gamestop yet, keep an eye out for Star Ocean: The Last Hope International!!!

Several of the stores I went to today had this, but I didn't find out about it until the last one I hit. :wall:[/QUOTE]
That was ANOTHER of the ones that was 'not available online' just a few days ago, so perhaps that IS an indicator of possible future drops. If that's the case, then I think Just Cause 2 might be another one to either check or will drop very soon.

EDIT: Second n third posts re-updated w/ SO: TLHI.
 
Ditto i pray people can snag me a

WKC
Star Ocean
Resonance of Fate

Managers here cracked down after a gamestop employee was selling them on ebay
 
OK....I think I FINALLY have the whole list, as I see I missed a bunch earlier(Batman: AA, Borderlands, NIER, TF:WFC and fuckin' Darksiders which I've now missed at TWO chains when they dropped it!!?!?!? fuck!). I already have a copy from a trade on here, but it's kinda ratty compared to the rest of my guides.:roll:

Oh and btw....my closest store used to have a lone copy of the Metal Gear Solid 4 guide on the shelf and I didn't see it today, so if someone gets a chance could they check that one too.
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']For all of you guys who haven't gone to Gamestop yet, keep an eye out for Star Ocean: The Last Hope International!!!

Several of the stores I went to today had this, but I didn't find out about it until the last one I hit. :wall:[/QUOTE]BTW, that guide is OOP, so if you find it and you're interested in it, get it without a second thought.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']BTW, that guide is OOP, so if you find it and you're interested in it, get it without a second thought.[/QUOTE]

you guys are killing me! I saw 2 effing copies of that guide but didn't think of it! have to go back later, thinking of wife excuses NOW! Was able to grab GoW Collection, MUA:2 and both WoW guides. Pre-order dropped on Dead Space 2 PS3.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']BTW, that guide is OOP, so if you find it and you're interested in it, get it without a second thought.[/QUOTE]
Every GS store around here had 2-4 copies of it in stock for the longest time.
 
Time too bust out my flashlight and dumpster diving gear. I love that one of my Gamestops doesn't have a food place near by. The other does and I've watched them toss the trash over an hour after gamestop tossed their guides. I'm hoping to hoard and share later. Yes they are (semi) clean, lol. I don't grab the sticky or ripped ones.
 
So before I go to Gamestop, is there any reason that the guide wouldn't ring up as a penny? I read the FAQ, but is there any chance that the registers wouldn't be updated?
 
[quote name='o_O']So before I go to Gamestop, is there any reason that the guide wouldn't ring up as a penny? I read the FAQ, but is there any chance that the registers wouldn't be updated?[/QUOTE]

Its only happened to me once, strangely a guide (Bioshock 2 regular) rang up regular price at one store, 25 mins later 10 miles down the road, a penny! I'd say there is only a 1 in 10 chance of that happening, like maybe the clerk didn't do the opening procedures correctly/computer system didn't get updated.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']BTW, that guide is OOP, so if you find it and you're interested in it, get it without a second thought.[/QUOTE]

That one never dropped at BestBuy yet though, correct? (I just re-read through thread and first pages, and its only saying 'the last hope').... I know one BB that still has a few left... because the difference is the International edition part, right?

** In case anyone desperately needs it at list price I could get it and ship it to them if thats the case since OOP...
 
[quote name='jmarano7836']
** In case anyone desperately needs it at list price I could get it and ship it to them if thats the case since OOP...[/QUOTE]
Keep trade/sale requests to the guide trade/buy/sell thread please.:whistle2:#
 
Snagged the following

Star Ocean International
Batman Arkham Asylum
Darksiders
Singularity
God of War collection
Alpa Protocol
White Knight Chronicles
Nier
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

Only one i couldnt find I wanted was Resonance of Fate
 
Just hit my second Gamestop. I got there at just the right time - I'd waited long enough to know what else had dropped and had about one minute to grab what I wanted before the manager came over and started pulling the guides. I got away with Borderlands and a second Bioshock 2 LE (this time in its wrapper with no shelf wear :bouncy:). I left a bunch of other stuff, which was promptly scooped up.

I watched the manager from behind the PS2 rack as he made the pulls. Alan Wake LE was marked down by a few bucks but was not pennied out. Also, he didn't even touch MGS4.
 
The Gamestop drop seems to hold more guides I want than the Bestbuy one did, here's to hoping I can collect a couple of them. Only one collectors though in this drop. Odd that City Folk still hasn't dropped at gamestop though, as it dropped at bestbuy in their drop before the last.

*keeps fingers crossed that Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks Collectors Edition is in the next drop for either gamestop or bestbuy*
 
damn, i hate going to GS but there are four on that list that i need: batman, darksiders, gow collection, and mua2.

on a completely unrelated note, i picked up 2 extra copies of GOW3 LE at the best buy that never pulls anything. I left those 2 and after a week no one has yet picked them up so i figured i might as well get them.
 
Picked up another Saboteur. Also, can't confirm but Star Ocean the Last Hope International may be pennied. I saw it in a stack of pulled guides behind the desk at one store.
 
I would love to get some of those guides, but GS is like what BB is turning into around here. Not a chance in hell of me ever finding penny guides any longer. I only got in one or two BB drops before that plug was pulled.
 
this bites i saw a bunch of those guides today to when i was out this morning. going to check a few gamestops tomorrow and see if ill have any luck.
 
got 1 copy of each of these

Red steel 2 LOL
resonance of fate
white knight chronicles
singularity
alpha protocol
marvel ultimate alliance 2
littlebigplanet super book
kane & lynch 2 dog days
and
world of warcraft wrath of lich king

still have like 2 left of each and also nier and batman which i didn't knew they were 1c

one gamestop had a huge pile of 1c guides behind the counter no luck in that one.
 
[quote name='dabamus']Picked up another Saboteur. Also, can't confirm but Star Ocean the Last Hope International may be pennied. I saw it in a stack of pulled guides behind the desk at one store.[/QUOTE]

I can confirm Star Ocean Last Hope International. Didn't know about it until my very last store. :wall:
 
Harvest Moon Hero of Leaf Valley, think you can add that.

Did not ring up but it was with the rest of the guides that the guy through it out to the dumpster. My 1st dumpster dive.

Is the Batman: AA with Joker cover rare?
 
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[quote name='nixmahn']Is the Batman: AA with Joker cover rare?[/QUOTE]

Thats the only cover I've seen for that guide at gamestop personally. So I don't believe so.
 
No real luck tonight - got a LBP Superbook which was surprising, but that was it. Seemed like it was just missed by the employees.

I think i might have to start a contest/bragging thread. People will get points by sending dropped guides to other CAGs for shipping/packaging costs. Maybe i could get the winner"Guide King" as a custom title or something....
 
Went to a few GS, and picked these up.

Marvel UA2
Batman
Bioshock 2 SE
Little Big planet Super Book
WoW WOTLK
White Knight Chronicles
Singularity
Darksiders
Nier
Alpha Protocol
Kane & Lynch 2
Borderlands
Resonance of fate

They had 2-3 copys of most of them, but I was too chicken to try and buy all of them since I was afraid they would just decide not to sell any of them to me. I should have bought the first stack, then went back and bought the rest...oh well, the worker there seemed clueless so maybe they'll still be on the shelf tomorrow.
 
Lucked out dumpter diving and got various and multiples of

Alpha Protocol
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Bioshock 2 LE
Brutal Legend
GTA: Episodes From Liberty City
Kayne and Lynch 2: Dog Days
LittleBigPlanet Super Book
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Nier
Resonance of Fate
Singularity
Transformers: War For Cybertron
White Knight Chronicles
World of Warcraft: Dungeon Companion III
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King


GTA: Chinatown Wars (old drop)

AND the formentioned Harvest Moon Hero of Leaf Valley
 
[quote name='confoosious']damn, i hate going to GS but there are four on that list that i need: batman, darksiders, gow collection, and mua2.

on a completely unrelated note, i picked up 2 extra copies of GOW3 LE at the best buy that never pulls anything. I left those 2 and after a week no one has yet picked them up so i figured i might as well get them.[/QUOTE]
At least you have BB stores that don't pull anything. Mine anymore either A) pulls everything or B) pulls everything GOOD and leaves me some shit guides like the two Red Steel 2's I picked up.:roll:

Then again I did make out like a bandit from there for a long time.
[quote name='Pookymeister']No real luck tonight - got a LBP Superbook which was surprising, but that was it. Seemed like it was just missed by the employees.

I think i might have to start a contest/bragging thread. People will get points by sending dropped guides to other CAGs for shipping/packaging costs. Maybe i could get the winner"Guide King" as a custom title or something....[/QUOTE]
Isn't that already called the trading forums? Or are you expecting people(aka me) to be altruistic on here and actually not charge others for shipping?

But if you were going to have a contest for most guides, then I should've kept that massive collection I had just a couple of years ago. I would've easily won and could've sat on my guide throne. Literally.:whistle2:#
 
"People will get points by sending dropped guides to other CAGs for shipping/packaging costs. "

RIF.

that best buy still has a bunch of SW:TFU and Red Steel. I also saw a superbook and a pokemon one.
 
[quote name='nixmahn']Lucked out dumpter diving and got various and multiples of

Alpha Protocol
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Bioshock 2 LE
Brutal Legend
GTA: Episodes From Liberty City
Kayne and Lynch 2: Dog Days
LittleBigPlanet Super Book
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Nier
Resonance of Fate
Singularity
Transformers: War For Cybertron
White Knight Chronicles
World of Warcraft: Dungeon Companion III
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King


GTA: Chinatown Wars (old drop)

AND the formentioned Harvest Moon Hero of Leaf Valley[/QUOTE]

Nice! I always forget to look in the dumpster...but it's next to a chinese food place & they share the dumpster :|
 
[quote name='Shan82']Put the new drops in red guys so IATCG can spot them easily! :)

Modern Warfare 2

Found a copy for 1c, with a ton of Lich King guides![/QUOTE]
Thanks for the information. It's been added to the second and third posts as Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

[quote name='confoosious']"People will get points by sending dropped guides to other CAGs for shipping/packaging costs. "

RIF.[/QUOTE]
Woo hoo. So I get to send guides out to people for free to get points towards some contest with no real prize for 'winning'. Awesome. Sign me up
and while you're at it make me at least have a decent amount of cash so I can afford to ship out guides gratis for people.
 
dude, you're a curmudgeon. i think pooky was trying to get some sense of community back. but you know, continue to be a dick and hoard a bunch of guides that aren't worth more than $1 each.
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
Woo hoo. So I get to send guides out to people for free to get points towards some contest with no real prize for 'winning'. Awesome. Sign me up
and while you're at it make me at least have a decent amount of cash so I can afford to ship out guides gratis for people.
[/QUOTE]

1. It was a stream of consciousness/CAGs should love each other/fun-selfless contest post.
2. I'm not sure where you keep getting where anything comes out of your pocket. I said someone pays you the shipping/packaging costs to send the dropped guides. Only out your time and goodwill. ;)
 
[quote name='confoosious']dude, you're a curmudgeon. i think pooky was trying to get some sense of community back. but you know, continue to be a dick and hoard a bunch of guides that aren't worth more than $1 each.[/QUOTE]
I thought we came to an understanding and we were almost pals now.:cry: I don't grab that many guides anymore, so I'd hardly call myself a 'hoarder'. Maybe five years ago when I first joined CAG and first found out I could get these things I was paying $15-20 for for $.01 after a while.

As for the sense of community all I can say is maybe five years ago that was true, but this site has become a haven for corporate reps and the eBay reseller mentality and if you don't change with that and become one of them you're screwed.

I've been nice before and shipped deals for folks who couldn't find them in their area before for cost+shipping, but only to those CAG's who I have seen on here for years and who I view as good CAG's.
[quote name='Pookymeister']1. It was a stream of consciousness/CAGs should love each other/fun-selfless contest post.
2. I'm not sure where you keep getting where anything comes out of your pocket. I said someone pays you the shipping/packaging costs to send the dropped guides. Only out your time and goodwill. ;)[/QUOTE]
So you'll send me the money to cover the gap to send X guide to Y CAG if they decide they should only pay $2 shipping for a guide to be sent Media and it really costs $4-5?;)

But I don't see the point in starting ANOTHER thread when you don't even maintain the ones you've already made on the trading forum(PS3 game/game guide ones), where there's multiple posts from people who are too lazy/ignorant to delete their old posts.
[quote name='confoosious']The only goodwill IATTCG knows is the one where he gets his clothes. Hooo-ahh.

Couldn't resist. ;)[/QUOTE]
Damn right. After all, why should I have to shit stain my undies when I could buy them pre stained.;)
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']
As for the sense of community all I can say is maybe five years ago that was true, but this site has become a haven for corporate reps and the eBay reseller mentality and if you don't change with that and become one of them you're screwed.
[/QUOTE]

you're probably right but at least he's trying.

you're too hung up on this "people keep offering me peanuts" thing. Just don't send it. Or respond to their PMs.

And he's not talking about trading thread. He's talking about a "Free guides" thread where people only paid for shipping. I actually have a bunch of guides i'm gonna give away soon cause i just don't need them. Although I'd rather not have a custom user title. My current one is perfect.
 
[quote name='confoosious']you're probably right but at least he's trying.

you're too hung up on this "people keep offering me peanuts" thing. Just don't send it. Or respond to their PMs.

And he's not talking about trading thread. He's talking about a "Free guides" thread where people only paid for shipping. I actually have a bunch of guides i'm gonna give away soon cause i just don't need them. Although I'd rather not have a custom user title. My current one is perfect.[/QUOTE]
So is mine.;)

It's not so much the offering peanuts thing, it's that people want me to lose money to ship them stuff often. Then again I only really ship either first class or Priority anymore, since Media is so f'n slow you'd be better off driving/flying there to get the item to the person before doomsday.
 
[quote name='nixmahn']Etc, etc, etc, etc ....

AND the formentioned Harvest Moon Hero of Leaf Valley[/QUOTE]

Just thought this should be updated .. :) (especially since I want one! ;) )
 
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