Bloodborne's a terrifying game at the best of times – especially when the Blu-ray is replaced for a Christmas Pan Pipes compilation CD. We're squinting at the legitimacy of this NeoGAF post, but it seems authentic enough to warrant coverage here on Push Square. According to user Messofanego, he picked up a shrink-wrapped copy of the PlayStation 4 exclusive from GAME Epsom earlier today – only to find some festive audio inside.
"Belated April Fools on someone's part? It's 2nd April, and I'm not laughing," he wrote on the gaming forum. "Whoever did this as an ill-advised prank, I had to pay £55 for this prank. I'd only find it funny if the Christmas CD actually played Bloodborne and I might even keep it for jokes, but the PS4 said that it was an unsupported disc." Bizarrely, when returning the game to the shop, he found himself in line with another infuriated customer – whose copy of Battlefield Hardline came with some seasonal songs, too.
Unfortunately, neither the retailer nor Sony is willing to accept the blame. "The GAME employee says it can't be their fault because it was sealed and they didn't tamper – it came from Sony," the post continued. "He gives me a slip for the PlayStation Support telephone number. I come back home, and am puzzled at why this wasn't sorted then and there with at least a replacement. I call up PlayStation Support, and a dude named Jack tells me that it's not a problem with Sony – it's the retailer or the game developer's issue."
The user then went on to post the seal that the game came in, which looks legit to us. It's possible, then, that this could be a gag spanning all the way back to manufacturing. Either way, we suspect that this poster won't be feeling especially festive right now – especially seeing as this story is so downright bonkers that it's hard not to laugh.
[source neogaf.com]
Comments 27
I doubt it's true. and Why would they not open it and check before leaving the store (assuming it is a used copy).
@NomNom It was a sealed copy with the original 'PS4' branded seal on it.
Could've been tampered with...it's totally possible with just everyday tools. I once bought a PC game new, opened the shrink wrap on a seam with a knife, installed the game, then sealed the package back with a sliver of double-stick tape. Looked totally legit! Returned it for $60. Difference with me is that I returned the disc, and the game didn't have a key (this was a long time ago) so whoever ended up with it didn't get screwed over.
Used to happen in the states with Intellivision gaming cartridges, people would take them out, put a deck of cards in and reseal them and return as unopened. As a kid I bought a game, I think Horse Racing and there was the deck of cards - the store did take it back, but people were more trusting in the early 80s.
Should have went digital...
I once bought a sealed 3ds Zelda 25th anniversary edition only to find out there was a bar of soap in it! I'm not making this up! What I think happened was that someone bought it, took out the 3ds and sealed the thing again. Although this is way easier to forge than a sealed PS4 game, I did not expect it and you wouldn't believe how I felt: I got all warm and red and almost contacted the store right away...but then I realized there wasn't a soul in this world that would believe my story, just like the guy in the above article. I decided to return it, but knowing I would buckle under the pressure I asked my mom to do it, without her knowing bout the bar of soap. Got my money back in the end, but I'll never forget it and haven't bought a thing at that store ever since.
Another reason to buy games online from the Playstation store instead of retail. Prevents coaster-ing your games too.
If you thought bloodbourne was the hardest thing to come out of a ps4 case, try getting past song 3 playing pan pipes in a row - only for the hardcore.
Wow this is my worst gaming fear!! Some people just want to watch the world burn I guess, that's cruel. Lol. But funny.
If true, it's weird that another customer was there with the exact same problem, and it was a different game. To me, that sounds like someone at the store is having a laugh.
@ShogunRok I am guessing that an employee at the store has some sticky fingers.
My friend worked at Gamestop and a few of his Co workers were caught doing something similar to that. They would use a box cutter slice the plastic enough to get the game out and then take a lighter to reseal the factory seal.
@Tasuki crazy.
@Tasuki Oh that would piss me off if i bought a game and that happened to me. Did they get fired?
Doesn't the receipt say who sold the game and what store it came from?
At least people could avoid the store in question or the employee.
It would also have been something if we found out the copy of Battlefield Hardline had Disc 1 of Christmas Pan Pipes as this one had Disc 2.
I wonder if the same employee sold both people the games in question.
As I've seen this kind of thing while working retail, I know that some people buy this stuff, open it up, take out the game or movie, put in something that has no value, re-shrink wrap it back up (yeah, the right plastic wrap and a hair dryer can do it all), and then take it back to the store, get a full refund but still have the game. It's not really anyone's fault, it's the first person that actually bought the game and returned it that way.
@Alpha yeah they got fired apparently it went all the way up to the assistant manager. The only ones that didn't do it was the store manager, my friend and one other employee.
"The GAME employee says it can't be their fault because it was sealed and they didn't tamper – it came from Sony,"
BZZZT! WRONG!
Listen kids, if something like this ever happens to you, DO NOT LET SOME SNOTTY NOSED CHECKOUT BOY FOB YOU OFF.
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 means that goods sold in shops MUST match their description. If the box says "Bloodborne" but the contents are "Cliff Richard's Christmas Panpipes", the retailer - GAME in this case - must give you either a replacement or a refund at your request. Or they are BREAKING THE LAW. It is completely IRRELEVANT that the goods were shrink wrapped - your contract for buying the game is with the shop, not with Sony.
Insist on your rights. Don't be brushed off. If the spotty teenager behind the till doesn't give you a refund or replacement, politely but firmly ask to speak to his manager.
If the manager isn't helpful, don't give in! Mention the Sale of Goods Act. Ask him if he knows what "Trading Standards" is. 9 times out of 10 even the most recalcitrant of retail representatives will give you what you want after 5 minutes of you politely but firmly insisting on your rights. Even if they are genuinely ignorant of the law, most of them don't have the time to argue with you, so they'll usually fold when you show that you're not going to just walk away.
Just don't be rude and don't take no for an answer!
SORRY for being SHOUTY, but retailers - through ignorance, laziness, or a bit of both - screwing over their customers really makes me HISS. You deserve BETTER, you wonderful PushSquarers.
Tell em SuperCat sent you.
@SuperCat get em super cat!
@Mega-Gazz Coastering a Blu-Ray is nigh impossible, unless you are deliberately trying to destroy it.
I laughed way too hard for way too long at this
"cash tendered"
Well I was going to say try a chargeback but...
Not too difficult, some shrink wrap and a heat gun will fool pretty much anyone. Feel bad for the guy but unless he opened it in the store, there's no real way to prove it wasn't him. Can't trust anyone these days with these things sadly. Heck I've spent well over 5k at my local game store over the years and know all employees, managers on a first name basis and if this happened to me I wouldn't hold it against them for saying sorry but we can't.
@SuperCat Correct.
@Pastry I have a 2 year old boy. I rest my case.
Also, you can lose a blu-ray, etc etc. Playstation store is safe, you get what you ask for, and you can re-download at any time.
@SuperCat lol
@SuperCat You're damn right SuperCat, and this goes for anything. Mention trading standards enough times, and most places will cave. The ultimate tactic when you know that you're being screwed over.
I once bought a new copy of GTA from Game store and got it home to find nothing but a scrumpled wrapper inside. Taking it back I imagined they'd think I was just trying it on and was after an extra copy but in all fairness they replaced it for me. Strangely a few months later, from an online store, I had exactly the same happen with a DVD, again just a scrumpled wrapper but they refused to believe it. The DVD incidentally had cost £3. Who'd try a scam for a £3 DVD? Now I only buy digital. Far safer.
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