The posible truth behind the early releases

[Big Daddy Zac]

Now we all have heard of Bioshock already being sold in some stores. We all have posted threads condemning the stores that released copies of the great game and stating that the managers of those stores are probably fired by now. However I am presenting you a thought that may or may not sway your blame on the people involved. So please read and discuss this thought so we can put to rest the confusion and anger and focus on enjoying this magnificent game that 2K and Irrational games have worked their ass off to bring to you within a weeks time. Please keep in mind that by creating this thread I have no intentions of degrading or insulting the creators of Bioshock and their companies.

Okay, so we know that some copies of Bioshock have been sold at some stores around America. I find it very strange that no reports on legal action being taken by 2K and Irrational games have been reported. All we have received is a small note from Ken Lavine advising us to stay away from spoilers in the forums and begging those who do have the game not to ruin the experience for others. Fair enough. However it does sound weak, like shouldn't they be furious? It is my belief that 2K and Irrational games do not have the ability to take any further action. When asking a manager, of a store involved, why they sold copies of Bioshock prematurely they simply stated that the boxes the copies of Bioshock came in didn't have release date forms with them. Now having heard multiple cases of this, I have been led to believe that 2K and Irrational miss packaged or forgot to include such forms and without having done this they cannot take any action apart from correct the stores and calm the fans. If there is anyone being fired at the moment, it would be the peoples within the packaging department of 2K and Irrational games.

[THE F3AR IN YOU]

.......the wall of text hurts my eyes......

[shocked]

Now we all have heard of Bioshock already being sold in some stores. We all have posted threads condemning the stores that released copies of the great game and stating that the managers of those stores are probably fired by now. However I am presenting you a thought that may or may not sway your blame on the people involved. So please read and discuss this thought so we can put to rest the confusion and anger and focus on enjoying this magnificent game that 2K and Irrational games have worked their ass off to bring to you within a weeks time. Please keep in mind that by creating this thread I have no intentions of degrading or insulting the creators of Bioshock and their companies.

Okay, so we know that some copies of Bioshock have been sold at some stores around America. I find it very strange that no reports on legal action being taken by 2K and Irrational games have been reported. All we have received is a small note from Ken Lavine advising us to stay away from spoilers in the forums and begging those who do have the game not to ruin the experience for others. Fair enough. However it does sound weak, like shouldn't they be furious? It is my belief that 2K and Irrational games do not have the ability to take any further action. When asking a manager, of a store involved, why they sold copies of Bioshock prematurely they simply stated that the boxes the copies of Bioshock came in didn't have release date forms with them. Now having heard multiple cases of this, I have been led to believe that 2K and Irrational miss packaged or forgot to include such forms and without having done this they cannot take any action apart from correct the stores and calm the fans. If there is anyone being fired at the moment, it would be the peoples within the packaging department of 2K and Irrational games.

Because their bean counters have already done the math and figured this into their equations and it probably does nothing to hurt their bottom line.

Suing toys r us is not easy as they would have to show intent. It was not the stores intent to put the product out early and it was not done maliciously, it was an accident.

So it would be very hard for 2k to prove malice in this case. Plus the game will be selling and in full swing long before a judge would even hear arguements.

Better to do what they did and sit and wait...

[DisBTaylor11289]

While this is a very valid theory you said that no legal action has been reported, it may have been we just don't know about it. However I have heard from my boss at Gamestop that Toys R Us did get fined a considerable amount of money. If 2K and Irrational can come up with something as amazing as Bioshock I don't think that they would do something as careless as not include a form saying when to put it out on the shelves.

[Aftrthought051]

TRU will be fines and lose money, but no stores will close and TRU will not go bankrupt from this one breach of contract. Humans are fallible, and TRU will lose money in the deal. (2K slaps TRU manager on the hand ruler, "Bad Boy, you're in time out, no dinner, and I'm taking your allowance for the next 10 yrs."

[unkown soldier]

seriously. hows a couple games going to affect the massive flood of people buying this game. i know there are the few loser who read the ending and will never buy this cause theyre idiots. 3 days

[Big Daddy Zac]

TRU will be fines and lose money, but no stores will close and TRU will not go bankrupt from this one breach of contract. Humans are fallible, and TRU will lose money in the deal. (2K slaps TRU manager on the hand ruler, "Bad Boy, you're in time out, no dinner, and I'm taking your allowance for the next 10 yrs."

DAMN FALLIBLE HUMANS! IF ONLY THEY WERE MACHINE OR EVEN HALF MACHINE THERE'D BE NO SCREW UPS.......THIS HAS NO SUGGESTIONS OF QUAKE 4 HAPPENING *looks around nervously*

[Death]

It was 6-4 days before release. Whats the point. By the time it got in court the game would be out and Ken can take his money baths.

[Kyorisu]

.......the wall of text hurts my eyes......

Wall of text crits you 3000 damage.

[Big Daddy Zac]

It was 6-4 days before release. Whats the point. By the time it got in court the game would be out and Ken can take his money baths.

In return, what's your point? This is a forum and I wanted to bring up a thought that had crossed my mind, a thought that I put forward quite well I might add. We are here to discuss opinion, not banish each others thoughts.

[Big Daddy Zac]

A thought just occurred, do I use 'thought' too much. Bah! I think to much. don't let this go off topic.

[Dero501]

The Toys R' Us where I got my copy told ME the release date was the 15th. Now if you ask me I doubt they would just say that so the chances of it being a mix up between toys r us and 2k is a high possibility.

[fish99]

.......the wall of text hurts my eyes......

Lol, yeah I'm not reading all that

[jimmy5150]

My boss at EB told me that along with fining both TRU and target, 2k is cutting them out of their bioshock shipment...and that's across the whole corporations, not just the stores that sold early. So if you ask me, their store not getting any more copies of bioshock is punishment enough, along with the hefty fines.

[animeglobo]

if there selling video games, then they should know when the games are supposed to come out. i mean, when i worked for ebgames, i knew when almost ne game came out if u asked me on the spot. its ur job to know this Toys-r-us. even if there were no forms, thts just stupid.

[Sheisjustaglitch]

2k is just fining the TRU and other stores who sold it before street date, why make it more of a hassle than it is by taking more legal action?

[AddMPtoBioshock]

A thought just occurred, do I use 'thought' too much. Bah! I think to much. don't let this go off topic.

It happens lol.

Now, I can tell you one bit of information that I know for prolly' a 90% fact.

I mentioned this in the sticky thread but I'll mention it here also...

I know a few people... These people tell me that the boxes they get do indeed have big ol' stickers on them saying "do not sell" etc etc. All street dated products have this on them as well and reiterated on some kinda packing manifest within the boxes.

The simply fact of the matter is that all those warnings amount to nothing.

The "golden rule" I'm told, is if the stores computer system allows it to be sold, then it can be sold.

All modern shops have a computer system that knows the street dates of whatever the product may be (or should I say, should know lol).

Normally this prevents something from being sold whether you want to or not. This is the ONLY prevention mechanism that is worth a damn. All other rely on human intervention to enforce. Like, putting certain boxes in certain places to keep them separated etc etc.

So, if the computer lets the kid sell it to me, he will do just that.

The company he works for is at fault for screwing up.

[lukehenke]

sounds to me like its 2k's fault either way because either they failed to sufficiently inform the stores about the street date, or they didnt take any kind of action against the stores, and they didnt try in anyway to have the games be returned (maybe they're lazy),but when you think about it why would toys 'r' us sell mature games, when only 2 year olds shop there