Okay so today I went to Gamestop because I wanted to pick up SSB and the shiny Gengar code. Well, I’ve already read some posts about GameStop insisting you need to have pre-ordered ORAS from them to get the code when the post says in large font “NO PURCHASE NECESSARY”. So here’s my firsthand account from today to attest to Gamestop’s terrible business practices.

So I went in, got SSB and went to the counter and began checking out as normal. I asked to get the shiny Gengar code, and the cashier instantaneously asked “Well, have you preordered Pokemon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire here?” which was kind of odd given that it was supposed to be, y'know, a free promo.

I’d actually pre-ordered Alpha Sapphire from them a month earlier, but that’s beside the point. Before mentioning that, I pointed to the sign and mentioned how it said “no purchase necessary”. I was just told “Sorry, but I was told we can only hand them out to people who pre-order Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire through us.”

I didn’t want to press it further since he was just an employee and had no control over it; he was just doing what he was told. So I then brought up I had pre-ordered AS from them, and they looked up my account and saw that I had, so I got the Gengar card. o3o;

Though it’s kind of sketchy, considering every piece of advertising for the shiny Gengar promo says “no purchase necessary”, but it seems most people are running into the same issue when they try to go get it….

I already Gamestop has awful business practices, but this is one of the first times I’ve really seen it in action. .-.