Gamedeals Video Games Blog

Various updates & Things

2010-06-23T16:41:00-04:00

It's been a while since the last blog update, so here's the skinny on the latest happenings around here...

- Our Facebook Page & Twitter feed get more regular updates, if that's your thing, Follow & Like us.

- Play N Trade Richmond is now gone. No real comment on that one other than that makes 3 so far this year. (do I hear 4?)

- Brian & Ray went to E3 this year, some thoughts are posted on the Facebook page. Needless to say, there were some awesome things, some bad things, Cheap Ass Gamer knows how to throw a party, and some business was done that will mean big things for Gamedeals in the near future.

- Retron 3 (NES/SNES/GEN) consoles (as well as SNES Controllers & other things we've been in need of) have been ordered and will be here in the next few days.

- The Gamedeals Van is for sale. It's got issues (currently not running) but it should be a minor fix and once fixed it is an awesome van to drive. Email me if interested, asking price is in the $1000 range or best offer (1993 GMC Safari). Needs to be gone by first week of July (insurance expires).

- The HST kicks in on July 1st. This will have absolutely no impact on our regular in-store customers as the tax has always been 12%, but our online customers that are out-of-province will see a jump from 5% GST to 12% HST. If you want to "Beat the HST" (the new buzz words of the season) then order before the end of the month.

- I'm not sure how many of you noticed, but we did some major price drops across the board on current gen systems. Most common games for PSP, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PS3 & Nintendo Wii are now priced at $9.95. Some of the better & more recent titles are still a bit higher, but overall about 90% of the stuff dropped in price (as well as systems).

- We're looking to get a big TV for our game room to run regular tournaments on (as the little TV doesn't cut it). If anyone's got any connections to get us a deal, please let us know.

- Our DVD section has grown and we are adding more DVD's all the time. They are all in good condition (no scratched up crap here) and only $5 each.

That's all for now.

Happy 4 years Gamedeals!!!

2010-05-22T21:45:00-04:00

You are cordially invited to come & celebrate our 4 year anniversary on Saturday, May 29th from Noon until late evening. The plans are as follows:

- Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament (Gamecube) at 2:00pm.
- Free Pizza (provided by Dominos @ Dominos.ca) at 5:00pm.
- Street Fighter 2 tournament (original arcade cabinet) at 6:00pm.
- Discounts for anyone that brings us a present.
& possibly more TBA.

Tournament structure to be announced soon (see Facebook group). Prize for winner is $50 Gamedeals credit for each tournament.

We are happy to be able to celebrate 4 years of providing the Vancouver area with cheap games in an fun atmosphere, and in a climate of economic uncertainty where our competitors are constantly going out of business, we've expanded both in-store & online to make Gamedeals your #1 source for games. We couldn't have done it without our awesome customers who not only buy/sell/trade with us, but also tell their friends & co-workers about us, wear our T-shirts to events & continue to support us day after day, year after year. This party is for you guys, so come & enjoy it with us.

Random new news & things.

2010-05-14T20:30:00-04:00

First off... we're switching our "I shop at Gamedeals" Facebook group to a "Gamedeals Video Games" Facebook "Page". So if you haven't already, CLICK HERE & "Like" it!!!

Also... we've added a ton of new games this week (some mentioned in our Twitter feed - which gets updated more than the blog).

Furthermore... we are considering adding a game room to host regular tournaments on a big LCD tv. We have the space, but the question is do you guys have the interest? Some of the games we're looking at include: Super Street Fighter 4, Smash Bros, Bomberman, Halo, Guitar Hero, Goldeneye, & Mario Party. If you're interested, please let us know in the comments section of the update on our facebook page (link above), as well let us know if there are other games you guys want to see us run a tournament for.

On top of that... we will be celebrating our 4-year anniversary on Saturday, May 29th. We're still working on the how/what/who of the event, but consider this a "save the date".

One more thing... E3 is a month away, we will be there, anyone got any good parties for us to attend (on the Tue/Wed. nights)?

Pictures of newly expanded storefront.

2010-04-28T03:28:00-04:00

Some people have asked for pictures of the newly expanded store, so here you go...

There is still some decorative stuff & a bit of tweaking to do, but you get the idea... it's MUCH BIGGER now. Come & take a look.

New things in-store & online.

2010-04-24T18:45:00-04:00

We've added a ton of games in-store & online.

- Hundreds of games from NES - Xbox 360.
- SNES/NES power supplies
- Genesis (Mark 2) AV Cables
- Gamecube Controllers
- Other random cables & accessories from our order
- Controllers / accessories for older systems (3DO/TG16/etc.)
- PSP Go system (New & Used)
- Some different DVD's
& more.

FREE STUFF with online orders this weekend!!!

2010-04-16T21:40:00-04:00

For those of you left out of our "in-store only" sales over the last few months, here's a promotion for you:

Starting tomorrow (Sat. April 17th) and for the rest of the weekend, every order from our online store will include a free gift. What's the gift you ask? It's a surprise random thing, could be a collectible, maybe another game, who knows. The more you buy, the better the stuff.

Also: At a random time tomorrow, 4 games will be dropping to door crasher prices & other titles will get random price drops throughout the day. Whomever posts this to RFD and/or CAG will get a PM a bit before it goes up (for first dibs).

That is all.

Fallen soldiers.

2010-04-16T00:15:00-04:00

As of the last week or so, 2 local video game stores have gone out of business...

Play N Trade Kitsilano... is packing it in & moving their stock to their Squamish location (same owner). My sympathies to their staff (some of which were friends of Gamedeals) whom are now looking for work, but that store is one we're glad to see gone.

Cheeky Monkey Games... was a small store downtown run by Mark (very cool Brit). We liked him, and his store will be missed.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the independent video game store business (or any indie store business for that matter) is a difficult one, and it's important to support your local stores (as opposed to the big chain stores) if you want them to survive. They are what gives our neighborhood culture and generally provide products/services far better than what the big box stores do. Something to think about.

Grand re-opening of Gamedeals Video Games v3.0

2010-04-09T23:52:00-04:00

Not to sound like an "Extra Sugar Free Gum" commercial or anything but DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN, GAMEDEALS IS NOW DOUBLE THE SIZE!!!

We knocked the wall down, put in some new carpet, and made Gamedeals bigger. It's been a long 4 days (the longest we've ever closed since we opened almost 4 years ago), but we're almost ready (and are staying here into the late hours of the night to finish it). I'd like to thank the "friends of Gamedeals" that helped us out today & over the last few days, as well as our customers for being awesome and allowing us to continue to grow.

To celebrate our grand re-opening, we will be doing "NO TAX" on anything in the store this weekend (Sat/Sun)!!!

Even if you're not looking for anything in particular, come by & say hello, and marvel at just how big our store is now. There is more to come later this year as well with a new pricing structure, special events, parties & more. See you soon.

Gamedeals is closing...

2010-04-01T03:07:00-04:00

... for a few days next week for renovations. We pride ourselves on being open every day, but unfortunately from the 6th-9th of April we will not be here to save you money on video games. Big changes are happening at Gamedeals (and change is good). After examining some of the flagship indie game stores in other cities, we are growing to serve you better (by borrowing some of their best ideas).

As part of this growth, we will be permanently closing the "Expansion Pack".

So for the next 3 days, everything in the Expansion Pack is ON SALE:
- DVD's are "Buy 4 get the 5th one free" ($5 each or 5 for $20)
- Everything in Dan's showcases are 40% off!!!
- Import games are still 50% off.
- Everything else is 25% off.
ONLY FOR 3 DAYS!!! April 1st-3rd.

Once the "Expansion Pack" closes, we will only be keeping the DVD's, so if there's anything else you want (toys/collectibles/etc.) now is your chance to get it.

We will re-open on Saturday April 10th with a "Grand Re-opening" party (more details to come).

In the meantime, we are OPEN during the holiday weekend (Friday-Monday) so come on down.

MARCH MADNESS SALE!!!

2010-03-19T19:36:00-04:00

It's March & we've gone MAD!!!

EVERYTHING IN GAMEDEALS IS:
BUY 2 GET THE 3rd FREE!!!

For every 2 items you buy (Consoles/games/accessories/collectibles/etc.) you get a 3rd one for FREE!!! We have some big plans for this year and big plans cost big money, so from now until the end of the month you guys can come & buy all our good stuff at a fraction of the price of our competitors. Also: All of the Import Games (that we moved into the Expansion Pack) are 50% off (not B2G1).

FINE PRINT: B2G1 sale only applies in Gamedeals (not in Expansion Pack or online). We reserve the right to limit quantities & some exceptions may apply. No dealers. The free item is the cheapest of the 3 (some people still don't get that).

OTHER THINGS:
- We have A LOT OF GOOD THINGS in stock right now!!!
- We are adding a ton of stuff to the Expansion Pack this week (more DVD's, more Toys, more everything) so come & take a look.

FINER PRINT: We at Gamedeals mean no disrespect to people who are "mad" or are suffering from "madness" and the catchy title of our sale (as used throughout history) is meant in good fun and not a slight to people suffering from "the madness". If you or a family member are "mad" or have "madness" please seek medical care (after coming to Gamedeals for our kick-ass sale).

LOTS of new games in stock right now!!!

2010-03-17T01:39:00-04:00

I just got back from vacation and we've spent the day flooding the store with new games, literally hundreds of titles across all platforms. The online store will be getting a major influx as well tomorrow. Some crazy awesome things in stock.

ALSO: Come & check out our Expansion Pack next door, we've added lots more collectibles, DVD's, Laptops & more, as well we're buying DVD's (a few or an entire collection) and Blu-Ray's.

ONE MORE THING: We are in need of a contractor that has experience with permits & some electrical (to put a few doorways in the wall between our spaces). If you know anyone, let us know.

Gamedeals is no longer hiring!!! UPDATE #2

2010-02-09T19:37:00-04:00

Gamedeals Video Games is hiring as part of our expansion. Part-time to start moving to full-time later in the year.

Things we're looking for:
- Experience in retail (especially indie stores).
- Familiarity with video games, movies, and other geek culture.
- Know how to use a computer (inc. Excel, we use Mac & PC)
- Have a cell phone (or willing to get one).
- Be over 19 years old (we hold a lot of meetings in bars/pubs).
- Lots of availability (or at least a consistent schedule).
- Be awesome.

Bonus points for these things:
- Have a drivers license & vehicle.
- Already be a customer of ours.
- Be an ex-employee of a competitor with inside knowledge we can use. ;)
- Be even MORE awesome.

Email us at info@gamedeals.ca with a resume and if we want to interview you, we will set up a time next week. Thanks.

UPDATE: Over 100 resumes so far, we have selected 16 people to interview & they have been emailed. If you didn't get picked, don't feel too bad about it, we had a lot of good people apply and as much as I'd like to interview all of them there just isn't time. If you haven't applied yet (and are awesome) it's not too late to email a resume.

UPDATE #2: And then there was one... official announcement coming soon.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games promotion!!!

2010-02-08T13:18:00-04:00

We are giving away 3 copies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics game for PS3. Here's how to win:

1. Make a purchase at our online store: http://www.gamedeals.ca during the Olympic games and you are automatically entered into a draw.

2. Post a video response to this video telling us why you want to win a copy of this game. Be sure to include a link to this video as well as a link to our website in the video description (or you can't win).

3. Send us something cool in the mail... don't care what it is, we just want cool stuff. Address is: Gamedeals (Contest), 407 Columbia St., New Westminster BC V3L1A9, Canada.

ALSO: Please share the video online, favorite it, comment/vote on it, etc.

Gamedeals is expanding... so it's sale time.

2010-02-06T02:33:00-04:00

We just levelled up...

We have acquired the space next door (formerly "Bruise") and will be expanding there in the VERY near future. Thus we are in need of showcases, display racks, couches, computers, signage, etc. to fill all of this empty space...

We're looking forward to bringing you more awesomeness with cheap DVD's, Laptops, disc-repair, and other collectibles. To do this as quickly as possible, we need a bit of extra cash... so this weekend (Feb. 6th & 7th) we're having a special sale.

- Brand New DSi systems for $149.95
- New Dualshock 3 controller & New "Facebreaker" for PS3 bundle for $39.95
- EVERYTHING IN THE STORE is Buy 3 get the 4th free (cheapest item is free).
- ALSO: We're open to offers on some of our "expensive" items (MM9 Press Kit, Steel Battalion Controller, etc.)

This sale is only for this weekend, please spread the word, thanks.

Random updates

2010-01-28T18:31:00-04:00

- Lots of new games added this week, both in-store & online.

- I'm looking for an accountant that can help me with a few tax-related things. I can do my own taxes & bookkeeping for the most part, but I just want a second opinion from a qualified professional & some help with CCA write-offs. I'd rather not go to a stranger if one of you guys can hook me up at a reasonable price.

- We're looking for promotions people (commission based) to hand out Gamedeals flyers, if you're interested drop off a resume and let us know.

Final Fantasy XIII potions have arrived!!!

2010-01-22T01:05:00-04:00

This years batch of (straight from Japan) FF13 potion drinks are finally here. Featuring characters from the much anticipated Final Fantasy 13. Get them while they last.

Also available: A limited number of last years "Dissidia" Potions, and a few of the prior years "Advent Children" drinks.

NEW & IMPROVED New stuff & re-stocks.

2010-01-12T02:57:00-04:00

We got in a bunch of stuff this week including:
- More Nintendo plushies (w/Boo, Mario, Luigi, Diddy Kong, Waluigi & more)
- GEN Mobile (Handheld Genesis)
- FC Mobile 2 (Handheld NES)
- NEW FC16 Mobile (Handheld SNES)
- Gamecube Memory cards & Controllers
- N64 Controllers
+ Piles of random games.

UPDATE: More new stuff in this week!!!
- PS3 Console & a pile of new/used PS3 games
- Lots of random cables/adapters/controllers/etc.
- NES/SNES VController adapter for Wii
- N64 Expansion paks
- More PS2/GC/Xbox games
- Plus a bunch of games I know people were looking for (that may be set aside so ask).

Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-30T19:15:00-04:00

2009 has been great and we look forward to an even better 2010. We wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope to see you soon.

Also: We will be closing early on New Year's Eve (Thursday) at 5:00pm. We will probably be in for regular hours on the 1st, but if it's not busy we may close early that day as well.

One more thing: We re-stocked a lot of things this week, and have quite a bit more to do as well in the coming week (as well as ordering more controllers/accessories/machines/etc.).

X-mas day & Boxing Weekend info!!!

2009-12-21T21:36:00-04:00

We will be OPEN on X-mas day (Fri.), Boxing Day (Sat.) and Sunday NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS (Noon-7pm), and while we don't have any special door crashers (it's been a good month so we don't have a lot of overstock on anything) we are having a sale...

20% OFF EVERYTHING!!!

Our already low prices will be ridiculously low for THREE DAYS ONLY!!!

Sale is IN-STORE & ONLINE!!!

Online sale will start at some random time the night of the 24th or morning of the 25th.

Feel free to spread the word, thanks & we wish everyone a Happy Holiday.

Random Update

2009-12-12T20:49:00-04:00

1. We just listed some games on eBay with 100% of the sale price going to Child's Play Charity (in support of BC Children's Hospital). Nobody brought anything in to donate, so we just listed some of our stuff. Next year we want to do something bigger, feel free to bring your suggestions.

2. We added a bunch of games to the storefront today (mostly Wii/PS3/360/DS).

3. We will be having a Boxing Day (actually X-mas day & the weekend) sale, details will come closer to the day.

That is all for now.