In the video game industry it's not uncommon for certain consumers to be able to get their hands on a key title a few days before release. The days leading up to a blockbuster video game launch are filled with hype and excitement, and eager gamers will do whatever they can to secure their favorite titles. The most recent example was the launch of Activision's record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 last November. GameStop confirmed at the time that it broke the game's street date without Activision's permission because "in select markets...other retailers had broken street date."
In a new interview with IndustryGamers, Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) Chairman Bob Geistman (who serves as Senior VP, Sales & Marketing at distributor Ingram Entertainment), commented that this sort of behavior is unacceptable and is a setback for the video game industry. "The industry made real progress on common street dates in 2009. Unfortunately, some retailers did not honor the street dates, which was a setback for the industry," he lamented. "The EMA is currently evaluating a means for the publishers to track these violations so repeat offenders can be more easily identified and addressed."
Geistman also commented that video game publishers should reduce their output. Quite frankly, there's a lot of crap flooding the shelves in your local Best Buy. It's in everyone's best interests for publishers to raise game quality. "I know this is easier said than done, but putting out fewer but better games would be a start (i.e., quality over quantity)," he said when asked about achieving cost efficiencies. "They should also recognize what their core competencies are, and possibly outsource those functions that are not core to what they do or work together to reduce redundancies." [Note: To be clear, Geistman did not say anything about Best Buy specifically. That was our own comment.]
Check out the full interview with Geistman for more insight into the supply chain.
