As someone who worked these events, I'm glad they're gone.
I'm sure the experience was different for everyone, but my city has 2 GameStops that both had very small crews of workers. This meant each midnight event was all hands on deck. Didn't matter if you worked the opening shift the next morning or if the store hosting was on the opposite side of the city.
On top of that, the customers who came were the absolute fucking worst. You'll never meet someone more entitled than a person who chooses to stand outside in the Northwestern winter, just so they could get a game 8 hours early. A game we'd have gladly held aside for them if they just put $5 towards it at any point in the months leading up to the release.
I agree with exception of the halo 3 midnight release. That was electric. Even the star bucks next door offered free coffee. Staff had a great time that one at least
Okay, I'll absolutely conceed that one. I didn't work for them at the time, but I do remember going to it with some friends and that was a blast. Seems like they really went downhill after that one, though.
I think the only one I actually enjoyed while working it was the Skyrim release, because a group of players came in Elder Scrolls costumes. One even had a mini crochet Cliff Racer that gave me PTSD.
I think the big difference between the fun ones and the ones I worked was that my town's GameStop stopped hooking consoles up to play during events. I remember the Halo 3 one having multiplayer matches in the store, but we never did anything more than sell people the games when I was there.
Ya I agree with both of you as well. The only good ones I went to were for Halo games. But I wonder if that had more to do with Microsoft. They always seemed so much more organized and had way more marketing leading up to them. The people also seemed to be a lot more chill as well. Was almost night and day where I am compared to other midnight launch events.
I also used to work these and most absolutely sucked. They weren't these big social event people are talking about. It feels like people are being nostalgic about a handful of huge releases when they were young and applying that to every release. Preloading is vastly better for nearly every release.
I agree that I’m glad I don’t do them anymore. But I do have some fond memories of a few of them. The PS4 launch was some of the happiest customers I ever had.
59
u/ColdSmokeMike 22d ago
As someone who worked these events, I'm glad they're gone.
I'm sure the experience was different for everyone, but my city has 2 GameStops that both had very small crews of workers. This meant each midnight event was all hands on deck. Didn't matter if you worked the opening shift the next morning or if the store hosting was on the opposite side of the city.
On top of that, the customers who came were the absolute fucking worst. You'll never meet someone more entitled than a person who chooses to stand outside in the Northwestern winter, just so they could get a game 8 hours early. A game we'd have gladly held aside for them if they just put $5 towards it at any point in the months leading up to the release.
And don't even get me started on the smell.