WTF happened to the PAL We Love Katamari?

[Nisa]

It seems that no game store is getting any significant amount of stock in. I work in one of the busier GAME stores in Scotland and we only got 2 copies in since launch, one of which was pre-ordered by me months ago, I also learned today that the biggest store in Glasgow (Sauchiehall Street) recieved 1 copy this week.

Whoever is distributing the game in the UK needs a boot up the arse.

[Generic_Chaos]

Whoever is distributing the game in the UK needs a boot up the arse.

That would be EA.

[EvilBoris]

More Proof that EA actually WANT to kill off all originality in gaming.

[the_dude]

It's sad that a publisher the size of EA can't get the finger out when it come to games like We Love Katamari. To be honest, i would urge anybody to buy NTSC US/C PS2 and put all the PAL nightmares to end. PAL PS2 = not worth a ****!

[Commander Marklar]

I think EA understand the market perfectly and have done the game justice by releasing it in the first place.

[lurch996]

More Proof that EA actually WANT to kill off all originality in gaming.

Why would they publish it then?

[EvilBoris]

THey are so evil they bought the rights and only produced just enough copies to cover the cost.

That means no other company can profit from it.

Petty Evilness

[MattyD]

I've been wondering about this too, not to mention counting my lucky (Katamari-based) stars that I pre-ordered. My local shop only got five copies.

It beggars belief that a company should pay substantial sums of cash to licence a product for general release, and then proceed to, um, not sell it.

I thought about writing an article about this and maybe phoning up the relevant people to see if I can't get to the bottom of it all. If the problem really is this widespread maybe I will.

[Generic_Chaos]

I think EA understand the market perfectly and have done the game justice by releasing it in the first place.

I agree. EA really aren't as bad as some people would have you believe. I mean, not only did they release WLK in big black borders land when no other publisher worth their salt would (not even the so called saviors of original gaming, Ubisoft), but they've also published plenty of other original and well-received titles (albeit to varying degrees of success) and least we not forget, have made publishers like DICE practically household names.

EA deserves credit, maybe not your respect, but certainly some credit.

[fiendicus_prime]

EA are probably right, but it's really depressing that the UK public aren't interested in things like Katamari.

Still, they do seem to be taking absolutely NO risks with the marketing of this game, i.e. don't.

[anephric]

I only saw this in stock in indie games shops in town today - sod all presence in Game.

[Big Seany]

Am buying the Jap version instead, although the scrummy artwork may tempt me to go PAL as well. Jesus - this, Psychonauts, PS2 has got it going ON!

[Taurine]

Why are people blaming EA? Surely the number of copies delivered to any given store will be the number of copies ordered by that store's purchasing manager (who could be the store manager or someone at head-office). EA don't dictate how many copies a shop chooses to stock.

Could someone with videogames retail MANAGEMENT experience comment on this? Are games stock paid for up front or supplied sale or return? Does the publisher have much of a say?

[HaHaUK]

My Gamestation has had 5 copies since last Friday. Last I checked, none had been sold. Seems to be going down the Ico route.

[anephric]

Could someone with videogames retail MANAGEMENT experience comment on this? Are games stock paid for up front or supplied sale or return? Does the publisher have much of a say?

I was a RETAIL MANAGER of a GAME/DVD SHOP and our STOCK LEVELS were dictated by the SIZE OF OUR BRANCH and the local AREA MANAGER. If I wanted to ORDER IN EXTRA COPIES of a game I liked the look of/wanted to shove in CHAV'S FACES they actually had to be sourced from a SEPARATE SUPPLIER to OUR BULK ORDERS.

We PAID FOR ALL OUR STOCK. Revenue sharing, sale or return and the like did not occur. This was several years ago, mind, before I escaped the inexorable scuzz that is retail management.