Confused about new purchase..."Property of Nintendo"???

[willy3d]

This is an odd first post, but I figured if anyone knows the answer, the folks on this site would. (BTW: love the site!)

I recently made an impulse purchase at GameStop, intending to find a game for the DS that I could play with my children.  After much debating, I chose a new copy of Magical Starsign, a game that I admit to selecting for its perceived appeal to my 10-year old daughter more than anything.  After opening the case and removing the chip, I flipped it over and saw a label that says "Not For Resale" and "Property of Nintendo".  I know that there have been a few DS games that were given to GameStop stores for display purposes only and subject to return on demand, like certain Pokemon titles, and they all had the same sticker.  Is it possible that GameStop repackaged a sample game and sold it?  If so, am I in danger of Nintendo ninjas dressed as Mario and Samus busting into my home and demanding said game?  I wouldn't normally worry (Samus ninjas?  AWESOME!) except my son, daughter, landlord and fish won't appreciate the intrusion.  Plus, the game is not half bad.

[scott]

Hmm, I have no idea. Hopefully some of the DS peeps will though. Welcome to the site btw!

I have a Pokemon FireRed event cart, which was kept by a friend of mine who worked at Toys R Us. He received it from management after the event was over, as they didn't need to ship it back to Nintendo afterwards. Also Pokemon promo carts have are notorious for leaving stores and circulating the "wild" (tall grass). If it is a special promo cart, I wouldn't worry about the Samus Ninjas, unless they are Zero-Suit Samus Ninjas. In that case you may die from dehydration from all the drool. ha

[scott]

Also, the only thing I would be upset about would be the fact that you bought it new. When if it was for display/ not-for-resale, it obviously isn't new, or retail. I'm guessing it wasn't sealed?

[madmax]

You definitely should ask around. Maybe reddit?
I unfortunately don't collect DS games so i can't say anything about it but sometimes these become collectors items because they aren't very commonly distributed

Good luck

PS: i wouldn't worry about the "property of Nintendo" thing. I have several games that say "Not for use outside of Japan." and some other warning that says sales of the game outside of Japan is forbidden. If anyone's getting ninjas, I am xD

[matt]

I used to work at GameStop and can clue you in on this. Nintendo used to ship us games that were formerly used as display copies. What I gathered was that when the reps would visit the store to maintain and change out the games, they would send them back to Nintendo and then GameStop would buy and sell them as used copies.

Also welcome to the site!

[desocietas]

Also, the only thing I would be upset about would be the fact that you bought it new. When if it was for display/ not-for-resale, it obviously isn't new, or retail. I'm guessing it wasn't sealed?

I agree with Scott here... though I know Gamestop has a tendency to open all their games so that they can pull the carts out.  No factory sealing... they just slap on one of those clear circle stickers to "seal" it.  They'll do this even if it's a new game, which irks me.

I'm wondering if maybe they put the wrong cart in the box?  A used cart in a new box?

[willy3d]

I did notice that the box was re-shrinkwrapped, but since I know that some GameStop employees tend to open new copies then reseal them I made no real stink about it.  I believe it's like desocietas says: they opened the factory seal, took out the cart for whatever reason, and put a display copy in its place by mistake.  Hey, as long as Nintendo doesn't order an alpha strike on my house I'm okay...though I got kinda intrigued with scott's Zero-Suit Samus idea!  And the game is not half bad for $15; my daughter likes it just fine.  Thanks for the insight, folks.

[brettybluevein]

In a related GameStop story, I bought the first Prof Layton "new" at GS, and when I got it home it already had a save file on it. I bought a second copy when I was out at BestBuy so I took the GS copy back and told the manager I wanted a refund, to which she replied "hmm, welllll, I really should give you just store credit since it's opened but I'll do a full refund just this once." I about flipped shit on her. I said "umm NO, you sold it to me opened and as a "NEW" game, and furthermore one of your employees has started a save file that can't be erased (Layton save files can never be erased). She refunded me in full.... Regardless, I won't buy from GS unless they are the last resort. Just shady practices all the way around.

[andrew]

Sounds like you're in trouble with this one. Unless you want a pissed off Miyamoto showing up at your door, I think you need to send this to me!

[desocietas]

Sounds like you're in trouble with this one. Unless you want a pissed off Miyamoto showing up at your door, I think you need to send this to me!

XD haha

[desocietas]

In a related GameStop story, I bought the first Prof Layton "new" at GS, and when I got it home it already had a save file on it. I bought a second copy when I was out at BestBuy so I took the GS copy back and told the manager I wanted a refund, to which she replied "hmm, welllll, I really should give you just store credit since it's opened but I'll do a full refund just this once." I about flipped shit on her. I said "umm NO, you sold it to me opened and as a "NEW" game, and furthermore one of your employees has started a save file that can't be erased (Layton save files can never be erased). She refunded me in full.... Regardless, I won't buy from GS unless they are the last resort. Just shady practices all the way around.

Ugh, yeah, I try not to buy new games from GS if I can help it - I'm fine with pre-owned there.  I hate that they open everything and leave the box open without the cart so that any kid can open up the box and mess with the manual/inserts.  I wouldn't care if they only did that with pre-owned (that way, I can make sure there's a manual before I purchase), but it seems silly to do it with games they try to sell as "new."

It's pretty ridiculous how they pull off the factory seal, slap an additional sticker on it (with a nasty residue!) and punish you if you try to return it with the sticker removed.  I'm always concerned that they'll put the wrong cart in there, seal it, and I'd be screwed completely.

(and no offense, @matt!  we all appreciate your GS experience and insight to the inner workings )

[willy3d]

Sounds like you're in trouble with this one. Unless you want a pissed off Miyamoto showing up at your door, I think you need to send this to me!

LOL

[matt]

I'd be honored to have a pissed off Miyamoto at my door ha.

[scott]

They'll do this even if it's a new game, which irks me.

I've not shopped at GameStop in... I can't say how long. But, I totally agree. What is the point of opening the games, if they are in a glass case/ drawer anyway?

[willy3d]

They'll do this even if it's a new game, which irks me.

They got into a big mess for doing that recently, opening new copies of Deus Ex: Human Revolution to remove the coupon for the free OnLive copy.