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monkeydelarge: Most Americans I've met who played games were console gamers so I'm pretty sure retail stores started making more room for console games because that's what most of their customers are looking for.
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Magnitus: I'm not sure it's the entire story.

I mean, I think consoles always had the lion's share of the market since NES came around when I was 6.

Yet, there were plenty of stores selling PC games.

Then all of a sudden, ALL of those stores started specilizing in console games and shrank their PC section to a limited selection of new full priced titles. The PC bargain bin went totally extinct in my area in the span of a few years.

I'm thinking the push couldn't have come entirely from the desires of the customer base. There must have been other considerations.
I think you are right. One thing I forgot is some retail stores made tons of money buying cheap used console games and then selling them. So maybe those stores started catering to console games mostly because they saw more money in people being console gamers? There's no money in selling used PC games because of DRM like Steam. So why promote games you can't make money with later?
Post edited March 25, 2014 by monkeydelarge
does rollercoaster tycoon count as bargain bin crap if it was in a bargain bin?
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AFnord: Robert D. Andersen & the Legacy of Cthulhu had nice cutscenes, but the game was really bad.
Haha, i got that game on a Gamersgate sale years ago. It turned out to be one of the worst games i have ever played, and i'm VERY forgiving when it comes to FPSes, i even enjoy those cheap City Interactive shooters. But that game was completely broken and unplayable.
Carnivores Dinosaur Hunter, the first one.
Amazon Trail 3rd
Star Trek Legacy
Bard's Tale
Age of Empires 2
Hellbender
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genericola: does rollercoaster tycoon count as bargain bin crap if it was in a bargain bin?
Not if you knew that the game was going to be good.

There are certainly classics to be found in bargain bins, but most of it is made up of more obscure titles. You have to dig a bit sometimes, and these days, much of it here seems to be made up of shitty City Interactive shooters (try saying that after a few glasses of liquor) and link-the-gem games sadly.
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jamyskis: Anyone found bargain bin fodder that is better than its reputation would deserve?
Not too many bargain bins in the shops around here these days, but there are a small number of shops that have used games and a few still-sealed packages. Today I picked up Freedom Force for $2 in excellent condition. Hadn't heard of it before, but took a chance considering the price and the game's art style. Turns out it's a pretty decent, albeit cheesy, superhero game using something that strongly reminds me of the Neverwinter Nights engine. So, I'll likely get Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich here just because the first is so much fun. Totally remids me of the Superfriends cartoons I grew up with.

Also picked up The Game of Life ($3.00) and a copy of Sacred (the original version, not Gold) for $2.00 in decent condition. I also found a copy of Syberia GotY for $3.00, but sadly it's missing a disc and can't be installed. The store doesn't take returns, so I'm outta luck, but it's the first time I've ever had an issue with anything used, so I can't complain too loudly.

Flynn