Until recently, I worked at a store that sells books, movies, video games, and more. My coworker would price video games way off market value. When I tried to tell the boss, she said:

Boss: “Well, he knows a lot about video games. I’m sure he knows what he is doing.”

Even when I showed her clear examples, she still would say things like:

Boss: “Well, it all still sells.”

For the record, they have the worst video game sales in the district by a lot.

The thing is, despite being a video game nerd, [Coworker] had enormous bias and flat-out ignored policy. Just like with books, if a game is still in print, then it should go out for half-price. Not only did he refuse to do that, but he also refused to look up current prices, so you would find a game that is sold new for $20 and he would have it used for $29.99.

If he liked the games, the price went up. If he didn’t like them, they went down. With loose games, he just went with his gut. He even priced PC games that were opened and needed a code.

If I ever said anything, he would say:

Coworker: “I work here and have enough money to buy anything in there. If they can’t afford it, that’s on them.”

What does the price being too high have to do with how much money people have?

The last batch of games to come in before I left were loose Pokemon games. The person who bought them even left a note saying how much each of the games should go out for. Did he use those prices? H*** no. No one knows as much about gaming as he does, so he adjusted all the prices down. “Why?” you may ask. Well, he informed me that adults don’t play Pokemon and kids won’t pay much for them.

On my last day, I bought a copy of “Pokemon Black 2” for $16 with my discount. Technically, it’s a $100 game, but [Online Retailer] has it for $200, so I went with that price. After buying it, I showed the manager the great deal they gave me and she became visibly angry. She said she would talk to him about it, but last I heard she had said nothing to [Coworker]. But she did tell the regional manager that I had taken advantage of them.

It is the day of a new video game release. I have been indecisive about whether to get this game or another coming out shortly after, which means I’ve neglected to get a preorder. In retrospect, given that most of my local retailers open in the 7:00 am to 9:00 am range, I shouldn’t have been surprised that the game is sold out when I go out at noon on Friday to buy it.

My last stop is a small retailer that I usually visit looking for outdated games or peripheral equipment. The owner/usual cashier is an amicable guy that I’ve gotten to know somewhat well. When I arrive, the owner is absent; in his place is a woman I don’t recognize.

Me: “Hey, do you have [Game]?”

Woman: “No, we’re sold out; all we’ve got left is preorders.”

Me: “Ah, man. In that case, I’m gonna browse a bit.”

I move to peruse the secondhand games section. I’m the only one in the store at this time, and the woman speaks to me while I’m browsing.

Woman: “We were pretty much sold out in half an hour. Then there were two hours of, ‘I know you have more; hand it over!’ It’s f****** stupid.”

Me: “Yeah, launches for big games like this tend to be crazy. I always feel bad for the people who have to deal with outraged, ‘What do you mean you’re sold out?!’”

Woman: “Seriously. You’d think people would stop buying s*** like this so fast.”

Warning lights go off in my head, and I bite my tongue, hoping she’ll take the hint and stop talking. Wishful thinking.

Woman: “Honestly, what sort of dumba** buys a game when it first comes out?”

Me: *Unable to stop myself* “Maybe people who want to play the game?”

Woman: “And what exactly does anyone get out of playing a game so soon after the game comes out?”

Me: *Counting on my hands* “Not having to avoid spoilers as the entire community goes apes*** over the plot, being able to enjoy what you’ve been looking forward to instead of listening to other people enjoy what you’ve been looking forward to, and being able to make your own judgments about the game instead of listening to all the loudmouthed haters who take issue with anyone liking what they don’t like.”

Woman: “All the people who care about bulls*** like that are the reason games like this have server slowdowns.”

Me: “[Game] is not an online game; there are no servers to slow down. There are way more offline games than online ones.”

Woman: “What about the price? What sort of dumba** pays [price] for a game?”

Me: “People who understand the concept of price relative to value. And, perhaps more importantly, people who understand how hard it can be to get a game secondhand. I’ll gladly pay [price] to be able to play a game now instead of [higher price] to play a game when they’ve stopped selling new copies.”

Woman: “Fine, if you’re gonna be a dumba** and throw your money away, I’ll sell you [Game] right now.”

RED LIGHT! RED LIGHT! RED LIGHT!

Me: “I thought you said you only had preorders left?”

Woman: “We get a shipment on Monday. One dumba** can wait a couple of days so another dumba** can waste his money.”

This retailer has not had the best luck with timely shipments of new games; there is no guarantee they’ll have [Game] on Monday. Presented with the choice between taking someone’s already-paid-for game or browsing for a separate purchase and possibly tolerating more of this woman’s abuse, I immediately fled the building.

On Monday, I warily stopped by that retailer to see if they had [Game] yet; the owner was at the counter and recognized me. Turns out, the security cameras record audio, and he had witnessed [Woman] insulting me and other gamers like me, as well as offering to sell me an already-paid-for game. Apparently, this was not her first transgression, and she was fired.

In brighter news, they DID get [Game] with that Monday’s shipment, and the owner apparently decided my getting insulted by [Woman] was grounds to hold on to a copy for me by way of apology. I told him it wasn’t necessary… but given he already had it for me, I wasn’t gonna turn down the sale!

I overheard this at my local game retailer.

Customer #1: “Why would you play [Game]?”

Customer #2: “For the same reason anyone plays any game; they enjoy it.”

Customer #1: “But it’s rated E!”

Customer #2: “Which stands for EVERYONE. What, you think that just because something is family-friendly, that means that adults can’t enjoy it?”

I currently work at a nationwide gaming store. PlayStation 5s are still hard to get. We are getting them once a month to release on a select day, in a bundle, to the premium members of our rewards.

A kid, maybe thirteen years old, comes in during a busy moment in our store and comes to the counter. I’m collecting games for another customer.

Me: “Hi there. How can I help?”

Kid: “You got any PS5s?”

I respond as I’m still searching the drawers for games.

Me: “We are having an event this Saturday. They are going to be sold in a bundle that includes three games, a headset, and a year’s subscription to PSN. They will only be available to premium members.”

Kid: “My cousin is in the car, and he said he would give you two hundred dollars if you sell him one right now.”

I stand upright and look directly at the kid with a deadpan expression.

Me: “Two hundred isn’t worth me losing my job.”

The kid shrugs and walks out. The customer who has been waiting for me to find the games bursts out laughing.

Customer: “You have better control of your temper than I do. I would have laughed in their face and told them to leave.”

I’m in a popular gaming outlet. The cashier is talking to a kid who looks about nine or ten years old.

Cashier: “Sorry, can’t sell you that. That game is rated seventeen and up.”

Kid: “Oh, it’s for my cousin. I’m giving it to him as a gift.”

Cashier: “I said the exact same thing when I was your age and Mortal Kombat 3 came out. They didn’t believe me, either. Pick something else.”

Months later, I’m hanging around outside a mall. A girl who looks twelve or so approaches me.

Girl: “Excuse me, are you eighteen?”

I pull off my cap to reveal a badly receding hairline.

Me: “Don’t I wish! I’m not buying you cigarettes, though, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Girl: “No, no. [New Game] came out and I really want it, but they won’t sell it to me because it’s M-rated. Can you buy it for me?”

She is holding up a small wad of cash.

Me: “Listen. I did the exact same thing when I was a kid and they wouldn’t sell me a mature-rated game and my parents said no. I asked some random shmoe if he could run in and buy it for me, and I gave him the allowance money I’d been saving for months. The jerk went inside this exact same mall here and never came back out. Use your head! You have no idea who I am or who the next joker after me is.”

Girl: “Um… yeah, I guess I didn’t think of that.” *Shuffles away*

It sure is funny watching the next generation after you bump their noses in the same corners of the maze of life.