GameStop Removes Free Coupons from Deus Ex: Human Revolution

GameStop is on the hot seat once again with gamers, this time for removing coupons from retail PC versions of the game Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix). The biggest problem wasn't just that they did it but that they did it without telling the customers who had preordered and bought copies.

They opened brand new copies of the game and removed the factory-packed-in coupons that gave free copies of the game to those who use OnLive cloud gaming service. Yikes! That's like the grocery store removing the toy that came in your cereal box before you buy it and bring it home.

So why would GameStop do such a thing? Are they trying to make their gamers mad intentionally?

Well, not exactly. GameStop actually had a pretty good reason for doing what they did, albeit the execution could have used some work.

OnLive and Deus Ex publisher Square Enix announced the coupon deal on August 23^rd but GameStop was not informed that this offer would be coming in the boxes they were selling from their shelves and since they are coming out with their own online service, they we're keen on promoting the competition.

An email sent out to GameStop employees asked them to "immediately remove and discard the OnLive coupon from all the regular PC versions of Deus Ex: Human Revolution" and made its way to the Internet. GameStop did not deny the accusations but waited some time before they explained why.

So Square Enix goofed in not telling GameStop about the coupons before the game shipped but GameStop goofed by removing them and not telling customers. That was a $50 value that gamers would jipped on so who really got the raw end of the deal here?

It's unfair to the gamers who paid for an un-tampered-with version of the game and it's also unfair that a discount or special that was meant for them was then taken away by the middle man they trusted when they purchased their game.

On their Facebook page, GameStop says, "Regarding the Deus Ex OnLive Codes: GameStop's policy is that we do not promote competitive services without a formal partnership."

That makes sense to me. It's all about business and Square Enix definitely should have made GameStop aware that the coupons would be inside before any copies shipped to the stores so GameStop could make a decision for themselves about carrying the game or not. But in the end, it was the gamers- the customers- who suffered from this whole fiasco.

Now GameStop has pulled all PC copies of the game from their shelves, thus ending the issue altogether. But what do you think? Did GameStop have the right to crack the seal on these brand new games and remove part of the package that customers were buying?