Opinions are split on Hasbro's new GI Joe film, now simply titled GI Joe: Retaliation. Some remain optimistic that it will succeed where the first failed (mostly by not casting Marlon Wayans). They've hired on some big names, with The Rock playing Roadblock and Bruce Willis cast as Joe Colton, the original GI Joe. Others are less optimistic. There have been three Transformers movies of questionable quality, one failed 'Joe movie, and trailers for a, well, unique take on Battleship. Or the fact that the director Jon M. Chu's claim to fame are definitely notsummeractionmovies. Other fans have chosen to throw all logic and reasoning out the window; upon hearing rumors casting wanted two young, African American girls it was assumed infamous Cobra operatives Tomax and Xamot had been re-imagined as female toddlers.
Gamestop took flack yesterday over the release of Deus Ex: Human Revelation. Publisher Square-Enix and OnLive had previously announced the inclusion of a voucher for a free OnLive streaming version of the game. GameStop -- quick to promote their new streaming service, Impulse -- decided they would not carry the this voucher. The solution? Open each game, remove the coupon, and put them back on the shelf. Oh, and claim that still counts as 'new' condition. After fans called them out on these shenanigans the game was pulled entirely -- a move that feels more like a face saving maneuver over the PR backlash they received. You can't fault the company for not carrying a product that advertises a rival service; but if a GameStop employee opens the case, removes part of the product intended by the developer to go to the consumer, then puts it back on the shelf, that's no longer a new product. Gamestop should know that's not a new product. And where do all those vouchers go? Is management making sure employees don't take them home, like most inserts and freebies? Finally, there's the question of whether a bonus OnLive game even hurts sales of GameStop's Impulse. These are people who already paid for a physical copy of the title; it doesn't seem likely they be back to re-purchase the same game.
