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NEWS


RETAIL INTELLIGENCE Head to www.mcvuk.com for daily market data and news. This week our Retail Biz section starts on p55


Ceasefire on Q4 price war but trade-in tensions mount


Retailers hold back Black Ops discounts in favour of aggressive pre-owned promotions – but what’s the real cost? by Christopher Dring


ANGER over trade-ins is on the rise again, as retailers turn to pre-owned to drive sales this Christmas. The expected price war


over Call of Duty: Black Ops did not materialise this week, and instead High Street stores were encouraging consumers to trade games in to get the FPS for as little as 99p. Senior publishing execs have told MCVthat they are “frustrated” to see games just a few weeks old “offered as makeweights” to help customers afford a rival title, effectively removing their games from homes. Major retailers took to the national press this week to promote second-hand offers, including deals from Asda, Blockbuster, Tesco, GAME, HMV and Best Buy (see ‘Black Ops: The Deals’). Similar activity was planned around the launch of EA’s football hit, FIFA 11. It’s a far cry from last


year, when the likes of Sainsbury’s sold Activision mega-seller Modern Warfare 2for under £25. Despite the grumbles, some industry execs accept that retail’s activity is for


the greater good of the boxed games business. “I am sure it is a reflection of business performance and strategic objectives,” said Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens.


“I am also sure they will want a healthy box goods business and their actions will be directed at growing that, improving margins, extending the lifecycle and working with their suppliers. “So, their effectiveness will be measured in that context.”


[CONTENTS] Inside this week’s MCV 12


MEDIA AND MARKETING Spotlight on Assassin’s Creed and we look at what critics say about Kinect


4 November 12th 2010 20


Retailers pushed pre-owned offers for Black Ops –not a price cut


Some industry insiders accept the activity is for the greater good of the boxed games business.





ASDA’S SECOND- HAND PLAN We talk to the supermarket giant about why it has added a trade-in offer


24


BLACK OPS: THE DEALS


In terms of offers, Blockbuster grabbed the headlines by letting gamers buy Call of Duty: Black Ops for just 99p if they were to trade-in two recently- released games.


Asda ran a similar deal, letting gamers pick up the FPS for just £4.97 if consumers gave up Fallout: New Vegas, Fable IIIor Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. HMV’s promotional plan was similarly aggressive,


offering the game for just £7.99 if the customer handed-in EA’s CODrival, Medal of Honor. In GAME, Black Opswould set you back £24.99 if you bought any other chart title, or traded in Halo: Reach, Dead Rising 2, F1 2010or FIFA 11. Meanwhile, even


electronics giant Best Buy got in on the act, putting the title up for sale at £9.99 as long as gamers gave up either F1 2010or Dead Rising 2.


CAPITAL IDEAS A round-up the most provocative moments at last week’s second annual London Games Conference


32


CRACKING CHRISTMAS MCVexamines what’s changed (and what hasn’t) when it comes to Xmas marketing


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