GAME Australia "intends" to stock Mass Effect 3

EA, Nintendo and Capcom are not supplying to GAME group. Game Group admit it has an underlying credit rating problem - unfortunately because of the lack of real competition in the UK high street if the game group does collapse (it owns both Game & GameStation) then we in the UK will be left with even less choice and yet another huge block of empty shops in the high street. GAME and GameStation have become very complacent - discarding retro was a big mistake for GameStation and both stores games pricing needs to be more competative.

Our 'Dictators' here in Australia are nob heads. Why is it you can turn on the news and see graphic footage of people shooting each other, blowing each other up and blood and guts yet a harmless video game gets banned. Australia needs an 18+ rating system and it needs it NOW. It's hurting our retail shops like EB Games and GAME. Example: Syndicate was recently banned in Australia. So, i said F-U Dictators, and bought the game online from the UK. It arrived safe and sound (sucked in Dictators) and is over the top! I'm an adult and should be able to make my own decisions on what I watch/play/consume, not some slimey politician who thinks they rule me. Because of them, I couldn't support my local game shop, and sent my money overseas. Oh, and those questioning why would anyone want to live in Australia, that's such a naive thing to say. I've travelled the planet and Australia is the lucky country. Paradise Island. Just ask the British. They sent all their criminals to a tropical Island. HA! Irony there people!

On a slight tangent - I dont understand why EB games sold mass effect without collectors edition on PC and with a stupid inflatable hand. I've traditionally been loyal to EB and bought through them, mainly because i dont want 'game stores' to die and only have department stores left. However, i was forced to buy ME3 through JB-HIFI because they were the only one who sold the N7 CE: PC I dont mind JB-HIFI, but i would sooner buy through EB to fuel them... But whatever, if EB doesnt want to cater to the PC market them they wont get my business. From memory, i bought Dues Ex through JB too, i think it was because again EB didnt have the collectors edition then either... ZZZ Is this maybe because JB is flexing their muscles and getting deals on exclusive rights to certain editions? (or perhaps its just a bidding war).

Thank goodness they're stocking it! I have two pre-orders awaiting home delivery on launch date [the other is for a mate of mine]. @SkyeGuardian I share your opinion wholeheartedly!

I don't like GAME the selling tactics are awful in the UK (don't know if it's the same in Australia) plus the prices are overpriced. GAME have barely any new games and employees are always trying to sell pre-owned games. Not forgetting how GAME always like to harass you when you go into the store "Do you need any help or anything you looking for or anything you want to pre-order?" NO if I needed help I'd ask. What's the point asking half of the time GAME don't even stock the game I'm looking for instead I'm directed to buying online. I barely spend anything in GAME or Gamestation as I spend more in Grainger Games which . I don't feel bad for GAME at all because it's driving it's self into the ground especially the people in the suits that run it clearly don't care about the gamers.

well I'm getting my copy online but its good news.Don't let EB get the monopoly on launch events.

@Spahettificator - that's a nice relevant pratchett reference. generally in australia you should just keep the hell out of long grass ;) I'll be annoyed if GAME in aus. doesn't get Mass Effect 3 because they have a pre-order bonus (in game armour & weapon, i think) when EB has none, but instead have a inflatable 'omniblade' (and steelbook). The marketing guys behind that toddlers toy can stick it. why would i want an inflatable toy!? I'm 25 years old. Maybe then to cosplay as Shepard!? That's gay I'll take the pointless in game sh+t that I'd have to pay for as DLC anyday. Please get the game GAME

@LE5LO Ah Australia, home to 6 of the 10 deadliest snakes (according to Steve Irwin) :) I think Terry Pratchett said it best in one of his books where Death asks for a book on the dangerous animals of the Discworld equivalent of Australia (Called XXXX). He's buried under a mountain of books. He then asks for a book on the non-dangerous animals and a single piece of paper floats down which reads "some of the sheep". Still, it's a beautiful country, plus it has the Platypus which makes up for all the poisonous snakes and spiders :D Hope EA Australia does let Game sell ME3 down there.

@crossaxe Thanks for the info. I just think the rating is unfair to you guys and Mortal Kombat is no different then Dead Space in terms of Dismembering the limps and gore.

@caffiend7 - GOLD! In Australia, just like in ANY other part of the world If you have an appetite for eating and drinking from poisonous sources and hanging around wild animals, of course it will soon get dangerous. But a death-trap? Come on?! It sounds like the only knowledge of Australia you have is from Bear Grylls and Steve Irwin. We have cities mate, and almost 5 million people live in our biggest one, Sydney. So, it can't be that much of a death-trap, mortality isn't that low, lol :)

@EasyComeEasyGo very few games actually get banned. just a few unlucky ones like mortal combat. we have both dead space games and the range here is much the same. the only really big name title to be banned here recently is mortal combat. most of your M-17 or whatever it is games get a MA-15 rating here. its not like we miss out on gta or god of war or anything

I'm surprise that Australia is getting ME3 due to being an M-Rated and most of the time GS normally post news that M-Rated game is not coming to Australia such as Dead Space, Mortal Kombat ect. but I live in the U.S.A and I don't know how they rated games but I would love to go for a Vacation one day and see what Australia has to offer.

@caffiend7 it saddens me when people who have never been to a country and know nothing about the country say stupid stuff like that. Good to see Game are still going to stock ME3 i do like Game.

Incredible :)

@Caffiend7 - That's what UK has been doing for generations - sending their criminals to Australia.

I completely agree @SkyeGuardian. @caffiend7: STFU :)

@caffiend7 the british did origianally send there criminals to australia to use a prison of sorts

@caffiend7 We live in Australia because this is our home. We have some of the worlds most beautiful beaches, one of the worlds most stable economies because of our rich natural resources and great tourism industry. Most of the people in Australia are relaxed and easy to get along with. Our geological location makes us isolated from most wars that go on, but not so isolated that we can't trade successfully with other countries. I bet you've never even been to Australia. If you had, I'd bet you'd be telling a different story. It's the greatest country on the planet in my opinion.

Why would anyone live in Australia? Seriously look where it is. What they should do is relocated everyone from there and move every criminal there. The place is just one giant death trap. Almost everything in Australia can kill you.

Wow a game that Australia will actually sell! Now thats progress!

I haven't bought a video game from a brick '& mortar store for years... and I suspect I'm not in the minority here. They are clearly unable to pay their creditors, bye, bye, GAME (and soon to follow EB Games).

@illmatic87 Yep. As bad as EB Games are, and they are pretty bad, they do have a very good range of stock. Mostly over priced, especially the pre-owned, but at the end of the day you can't criticise them for not having stock. For a while GAME have had limited new items available and have focused on pre-owned games. Recently the trade in prices they've offered have been laughable, ridiculously low for even virtually new release games, so i've declined to trade in quite a few games recently and prefered to go down the ebay route. I've also seen them have run out sales on quite a lot - I bought a few brand new games for $5 recently from GAME. They're acting quite desperately and making it difficult to see where they're making money. I think we see that they've not been making money and that recent sales and marketing approaches have been a desperate ploy to keep up with cash flow. And it seems to have failed. It looks like GAME UK is dead, and I can well imagine GAME Australia following suit. I can only hope that a new player comes along.

I know its not as easy as going into your favorite physical store, but there's always Amazon. Theyll carry it worldwide, Im sure. As will many Ebay stores and other online outlets. If a specialty store like this wants to pick & choose, theyre signing their own "Going Out Of Buisness" certificate.

It's either: GAME throwing their weight around against online passes that is harmful to their trade-in-and-resell-as-used business model. Or EA is doing anything they can to get a cent of Mass Effect 3, like say... asking for a cut or it could be a silly DLC thing. - I have heard many reports from UK gamers of how abusive GAME UK are, though, with them successfully barring certain games to be sold on Steam. But, as much as people hate EB and other said retailers, they stock a wide range of games and if specialist game retailers go down, publishers just wont make games that Big W/Kmart/Target/DJsMyer wont stock. And that's alot of games.

Why did they choose to not stock SSX ? :?

@Evilbunz - Any business has a line of credit established with their supplier in order to meet their stock demands. If you don't have the line of credit, you end up paying the price up front for the inventory. Think of it as a personal loan account with EA except that GAME hasn't been paying their credit bills off and now they are in debt to their eyeballs. EA doesn't see them as financially viable or stable to keep supplying them with their stock that they can't even pay for.

anyone know exactly what happened? EA refused to give them special pre-order bonuses or did they do something to EA?

@ TrueProphecy22- It's not really EA's fault if GAME can't afford to pay their bills.

Well.. EA seems to be alienating more of its distributors. First Valve and now a brick and mortar store in the UK.

but why?

Use your GAME credit now. They're about to go pop.