Is Wal-Mart Controlling Modern Game Design? |
There is an interesting article over at the escapist which covers the topic of how much influence Wal-Mart really has over the video game market. Looks like the Wal-Mart goes as far as to tell the publishers what the box art will look like and they choose which publishers to carry and which to not carry which is devastating to not be carried by the biggest retail chain in America. Who knows maybe next they will tell us what is cool and what isn't.. oh wait we already have that and it's called MTV.
Publisher sales reps inform Wal-Mart buyers of games in development; the games' subjects, titles, artwork and packaging are vetted and sometimes vetoed by Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart tells a top-end publisher it won't carry a certain game, the publisher kills that game. In short, every triple-A game sold at retail in North America is managed start to finish, top to bottom, with the publisher's gaze fixed squarely on Wal-Mart, and no other.
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Comments [refresh]
That's such a bull***** article.
walmart sucks
If it'll keep kids from playing GTA and Halo, it's fine.
They only reject games that have offensive box art or are otherwise not family friendly.. they do this to keep their customers.. they have evey right to sell and not sell whatever they want it is a free country. if you dont like them you can go to target the french owned lesbian pansy store.
That is such bull*****. Wal-Mart has no control over the game industry, just the games they carry.
Anyway, anyone who shops at Wal-Mart supports the fact that they hire illegal immigrants to clean their stores after hours, while keeping their employees paid just enough to get by struggling without benefits.
For giving the "O.K." on great games like Big Mutha Truckers, Aquaman, Ford Racing, and The Simpsons Skateboarding.
Walmart is pure evil.
i hate going there
I walk in there and it seems to be a celebration of poverty.
i had to go there 2 weeks ago to buy a USB keyboard at 1am (and Oblivion). (yes, the closest walmart to me is open 24hr)
it wanst fun. took forever for someone to open the glasss thing to get the game out and then they walked me to the front so i could pay for it.
***** walmart.
- Morlok8k
@ I love wal mart........The only reason you love it is because your trailer home is fully furnished by it
"they do this to keep their customers" - What kind of stupid ass over offended loser gets upset at box art?
It's a "free country" yeah? As long as you agree with their vision of free.
BS
walmart was selling red skull action figures
and he's a friggin Nazi
What? Walmart? I wouldnt ever even consider Walmart having any influence over anything, since every walmart i've been to, is *****ty and never carries what I need. It's not that it's sold out, but they just dont carry it, ever. I dont go there for anything.
I think the articles arguement is pretty sound. Walmart does carry almost every game that is published, and always sells them for less. They were actually the only place in town with a 360 when I wanted to get one so I had to go there.
Walmart is freaking HUGE and that's the reason they charge a couple $'s less for the games and such, and the vast majority of kids will have their parents buying the games at walmart. It would definately be huge for a game developer not to be able to sell their game at walmart, and face it, developers want to make cash in the end....maybe the artists and dudes really close to the game want it to be the best it can and don't care, but the CEO's who make the decisions could care less about that, as long as people buy it.....holy run on sentence. Anyways it sucks but I do think it's partially true...
I've worked for Walmart and Target and let me tell you that I prefer Target. Sorry Walmart fans.
basically walmart probably reflects similar attitude towards not offending its customers as all other retailers... so if a game's box art is offensive or whatever then other shops may be happy to see walmart flex some unholy muscle and see it rectified. if walmart decides it doesn't even want to sell a game it has to be pretty crap, so who really cares if it doesn't come to market?
i guess we might miss out on the odd gem but i doubt it, as good games normally get their rightful recognition.
now i have to petition to get walmart to drop microsoft products (xbox320 i mean you!)
basically walmart probably reflects similar attitude towards not offending its customers as all other retailers... so if a game's box art is offensive or whatever then other shops may be happy to see walmart flex some unholy muscle and see it rectified. if walmart decides it doesn't even want to sell a game it has to be pretty crap, so who really cares if it doesn't come to market?
i guess we might miss out on the odd gem but i doubt it, as good games normally get their rightful recognition.
now i have to petition to get walmart to drop microsoft products (xbox320 i mean you!)
did i post twice?
target cheaper
Walmart sucks any way. I don't ever go there unless I need to get cat food other then that hell no, plus it to packed. If your going to buy a game sgoto Best Buy or Game Stop. As for MTV it sucks also MTV was good back in the 80's when they played everything. Sorry but today's music is not all that. But bubble gum pop music is not what I call music.
Walmart sucks any way. I don't ever go there unless I need to get cat food other then that hell no, plus it to packed. If your going to buy a game sgoto Best Buy or Game Stop. As for MTV it sucks also MTV was good back in the 80's when they played everything. Sorry but today's music is not all that. But bubble gum pop music is not what I call music.
I wouldn't even go to walmart to buy a game now if this whole article said best buy and circuit city instead i might consider it more truthful maybe even thsoe small games trade shops too.
Yah, I always found it kind of strange how Wal-Mart will sell R rated movies, but they won't sell CDs with explicit lyrics
It's a known fact that everytime a Wal-Mart is opened they require a FULL month's stock with no charge to Wal-Mart , from ANY vendor that wishes to sell product in their stores
Thats stupid because I never buy anything from wal mart and it is for old people and kids. I want wal mart to get down and out of business. I hate wal mart so much!
If wal mart is so bad, why is it the largest retail chain in the united states?
One of the many reasons I hate working for Wal-Mart. They only care about making money. Regardless of who they step on or push down. They treat the employees like pieces of shat while management sits around doing nothing. If you don't help make them more money then you aren't worth their time. I can see why companies become Wal-Mart's little slaves, though. A very large amount of people shop there daily. I think some people skip work and school just to come and buy crap. So if tens of thousands of people shop there a DAY and many of them see and/or buy the games then that means more money for the game company.
Well actually it's more like millions of people a day.
i'll tell you why walmart is the largest retail chain in the united states: they're the most evil!!! dan dan dannnnnn.......
yes, this isn't hollywood, the bad guys win and the most bad of those guys is walmart!
actually i don't know the first thing about walmart, i live in the uk and the closest i get to walmart is asda (i think), but i know this: i wouldn't buy food from asda if they paid me!
because their are so many damn old people and kids....
The reason they are the largest retail chain is simple. They know marketing and they can afford to sell less. Wal-Mart in almost every (if not every) country. Making millions of dollars a day. A few pennies aren't going to hurt.
wallmart is the antichrist repent or for feet to walmarts glory.
You are a fool if you do not believe it. The history of gaming is filled with publishers going back to the drawing board to get their games in Wal-Mart's doors. It may be difficult to understand their influence on sales, but it is mighty. I have known this for years, and have always detested it.
Some more simpleminded people here might say they can do what they want, and if you don't like it, shop somewhere else. If you can not comprehend what it means for a retail store to be so influencial that 99% of the games you play are made by companies that will literally gear their games towards what Wal-Mart will approve of, then you are a fool.
Of course, similar items are put under pressure as well, such as DVD cover art, music, magazines, all types of things.
Wal-Mart should have some leniency on what they are willing to display as far as cover designs are concerned, but they should have no interaction at all in what is actually in the game. This is where the major problem is.
so if you are saying a hot title like the #1 game ever has some bad cover art they wont sell it? bs.
and stop the whole walmart is evil. they do give insurance to their employees part time or full time. and you only get treated like crap if you treat your managers with disrespect. i told my girlfriend not to talk to them the way she was, and they did a 180 with how they treated her.
best buy fanboys ha! as bad as ps fanboys
Walmart is the *****test brick & mortar store in the US, their shady business practices and hiring of illegals is atrotious.
Whoever says they have influence over the game industy must be on crack or something similar.
The GTAs and the MGS's are going to sell no matter what.
Hit Walmart where it hurts...just buy online. All they do is sell products from another country anyway and pass themselves off as patriots. 70% of what you buy there is made in a country other than the USA.
Untill we hear from developers that they are shooting down visionary ideas that would change the face of gaming, I dont think its that big of a deal.
If a cover has two dildos sticking out of a sand dune shooting bullets into the pope(who happens to be wearing not much more than crotchless edible undies)...yeah....we might not want that on the shelves.... be it at wal-mart, ciruit city, or best buy.
GTA:SA was droped everywhere, not just walmart.
the only thing wal-mart is doing is making profits whether it be from you or your mom while being able to offer rock bottom prices(lets stay on topic though - whether or not this is the work of the anti-christ). If i were them i'd bet your mom has more money than you and dosent want to see the aforementioned cover in her store or in your room
buy your games from a porn store if you feel like going all indie
gaming fanboy.....all your systems suck and your pc is *****e too
"gaming fanboy.....all your systems suck and your pc is *****e too"
Hey HEY no badmouthing mystery systems
Man, I hate walmart. I go to Future Shop (canadian) for all my games. So much better, cheaper and they know what the hell they're talking about
The store is so depressing...what they sell is so depressing...
it seems only money pinches, trailer trash, and idiots shop there...
The store is so depressing...what they sell is so depressing...
it seems only money pinches, trailer trash, and idiots shop there...
sorry toasty (.-.)!!
im just realizing how much fanboy's ruin the scene...wal-mart dosent have much to do with it.... i think
seriosly, walmart is the best store, its cheap its good and they even have food which is cheapest of all food stores n its good too. I love walmart i got nothign against it, but what i dont like is how they use SELF CHECKOUT lanes. They save money on paying employees instead of getting the lines to go faster. Tho i do love walmart and someone does need to monitor what type or stuff they will include on shelfs...its all business and save your butt type of deal from lawsuits. i got nothing on them
Anyone who thinks this is bull needs to learn more about how much power retailers have.
This happens with places like Game and PC World as well (at least in the UK). They might not have much influence with the big boys like EA etc, but for smaller independent publishers, they can and will dictate things like packaging. And as the smaller guys are struggling even more these days, they fall into line with what the retailer wants.
I've seen it happen first hand - it stinks - but the retailers (in the case of smaller publishers) often call the shots when it comes down to what gets on the shelf and how it looks.
I think I've bought one game at Wal-mart ever. They're never the cheapest, they never have what I want in stock, etc. I usually buy my games from Best Buy or EB Games. Most of the tiume they have the games I'm looking for. I don't know that many people that buy games at Wal-Mart erither. I don't think Wal-Mart has as much clout in teh gaming industry as this article seems to think.
lol at MTV, but did u say that almart tells publishers what to put on the box art?!!?
wal mart *****in' rawkssss... people don't stop and think about how other companies would be if they were that rich. THEY'D DO THE SAME *****. and illegal immmigrants are illegal, and should be glad taht it's barely a problem to come here. if they come here, it's got to be better than down there, right?
who would believe such bull*****
Anymore, I just go to Gamestop to buy games. I buy clothes and groceries at Wal-Mart ;-)...LOL. AND for CDs I go to Target ( THEY sell explicit CDs ).
Being a marketing major for an MBA, I have to say that this article is bull*****. If a retail outlet doesnt have confidence that a product as is will sell, they have every right to say they wont stock it. Game publishers shoudl appreciate the fact they will stock the product at all as without the retailers support they would indeed be in deep doo-doo.
With that said, can we dispense with the mickey mouse BS of 'they are controlling our creativity.' If they dont want to stock it, that is there choice. If you want them to carry your product, get with the *****ing program, simple as that.
no2morro
First of all, I don't like Wal-Mart. I only go there when all the other stores are closed.
Second, they can stock whatever they want. It's their store.
Lastly, and most important, who the F buys games from Wal-Mart anyway? The only gaming anything I ever bought from Wal-Mart was a USB cable for my PSP in the middle of the night.
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yea i dont like walmart but its the only place to go thats fun around here, 3am visits anyone?
well a few times iv tried ripping off walmart by returning games that i bout at other places.
america is not the world..
Theres a lot that most people dont know about chain stores like these. Stores have a HUGE impact on prices, amongst other things. For example: In order for Crest to make a profit on a tube of toothpaste, they need to sell it for $3/per tube (thats probably wrong, idk the real price). Walmart dosent want to buy it at that price, so the set it lower, say $2.50. Now Crest can do one of four things. One, give in and sell to Walmart - even if it means less profit (obviously they wouldnt sell if Crest made NO money what so ever). Two, try to reason with WM to raise the price. Three, dont sell at all, or Four, look to sell to another buisness.
Now lets think about this. Isnt WM worried about losing Crest? Well, no. Cause WM has so many other toothpaste companies that make up for the loss of Crest.
Now where the box art thing comes in to place is, its all about how the shelfs work! Companies have to pay MORE to get their product in a better location of the store (generally this is only in chain stores, like WM). Therefore, if Crest is willing to pay extra, but WM dosent like the way Crest designed their box, then WM can afford not to support Crest - cuz their not going to advertise something that looks bad (going by WM's deffinition of "bad"). This is more common with smaller companies then with bigger ones (like Crest, which is well known). But it still does happen w/ the big guys too.
See, WM is like the really hot popular chick, and the companies that want to sell their product to WM are like the class geek who gets strait A's w/o having to study. She won't even talk to him unless he looks a certain way that she approves. Get it? Good.
id much rather go 2 GAME or E-PLAY
got nothing to do with wal-mart (lol wat a s*** store) but i live in UK so my posts are always 8 hours ahead the time right now its 22:20 pm........anyway i h8 walmart because everything is over protected there
i ment behind the time
I work in a similar industry and everything we do is presented to WalMart for their approval before we go into production. I think what a lot of people don't realise is that their distribution channel is so enormous and they control such a significant part of the retail market that not being carried in their stores can bankrupt a company. This forces companies to bed over backwards to appease WalMart's buyers. I personally have had to change product designs simply because a WalMart buyer decided to play 'art director'. They have too much power and I don't think the average customer really understands how much influence WalMart has over what they see, hear, play and wear.
I had a bad experience at walmart one time. I am 17 now, and tried to buy socom, for the psp. Well its rated M, and Ii asked the guy to get it out of the case. He said do you have id for your age. i said yes and showed him my drivers liscense.
He said oh you got to be 18 to buy this game, and I said look on the ESRB rating, it says 17 or older. He then says well its my company that doesn't allow you to buy these games.
I then was pretty angry and went to another part of the store a little bit, and then came back when he was off in another isle. I asked this girl with black hair, and she said let me find a guy with keys. Well thank god she found a different man than the one I had earlier, and this man opened up the case. Well to my luck the one man I asked came back and saw me. He then said to the other guy this kid isn't old enough to buy the game.
Well I was really mad and I said I am 17 you idiot, old enough to buy this game. I got ID. well the other guy was a lot nicer and said it does say 17 on the box. and in the end I got the game.
I hate the morons at walmart. please don't be like them and smoke pot.
i am 15 and i could have bought the game with the ESRB rating as this isnt an official rating it is just the recomended rating for the game.
not once, have i EVER bought a game at wallmart, Kmart, or target (ok once at target)
developers should care more about what EBgames, Bestbuy, Circuit City and other more game and technology centered businesses say than some crappy chainstore that sells things for $0.12 less than everyone else.
if i was the head of a publishing company, and wallmart told me they wouldent carry the game, i would laugh at them and say "Fine, dont carry it, when other game stores make thousands from selling it and getting YOUR business im sure you will change your mind in a heartbeat."
seriously, to hurt these demaning companies, you just have to ignore them, if everyone doesnt do what they say then they will lose money until they finally submit and conform with your product.
no the ESRB is NOT just a recommended rating, it is THE rating of the game, if you sell an M rated game to somone under 17 the business will be fined a HEFTY fine.
you are probably thinking of MSRB which governs price, and is not required to be a certian price.
also, Wall-Mart NEVER has the best price on games, ive found 6 month old games at $49.87.. when at bestbuy or Fries its $30.
i live in UK and the ESRB isnt the official rating unless its a 12,15,18 rated game with a red circle around it
nevermind, i dident know that.
thats a very interesting detail lol, i learned something today!
I hate walmart. I know someone who worked there. Go watch that "age of walmart" documentary. They're like some damn cult worshipping their retail business.
te bay area is cool and mtv isnt sayin it so im cool YEAH and i cant wait for ps3
Wal Mart should be more lenient so game developers can expect to make more of a profit and in turn afford to put more time and money into developing high quality mature games so we can download them for free!
YEEEEEEAAAAAAAA AA...........
After all, all we that visit this site should be looking towards the future. New and unique vs cookie cutter ie; this game uses the "Quake.xx 3D GFX engine", this game brorrows "Key Ellements that make Halo so good" or Mega Man Maverik which is just Megama X on SNES reworked.
Your money talks!
Don't buy video games from wal-mart support your other retailers that are strickly game related retailers no sales for them means not being able to make the rent.
I have now about 18 differnt handeld and consol systems so you could say that I fimiler with video games. Having said that I have found games at EB and GameStop that I've never seen advertised anywhere mature or not! If you only shop at Wal-Mart you have been missing out and I don't mean just "M17" titles.
If nothing else at least buy an ocational game of a gener that "YOU LIKE" for me that would be RPG's
What happend to Working Designs?
Not entirely the same but.........
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Designs
WALMART ROCX ***** U..
I HATE WLAMRAFt!
WALMART IS MACKING ME MAD THAY WONT PUT Oblivion ON THE SHELVS IN SALLISAW OK! AND THE TALK WE NEED MOR GAMES FOR T+ AND M+ I HAV SEEN 13 GOOD GAMES RATED T+ AND LIKE 2 GAMES IN STORE RATED M+ IT'S JUST RONGE