Sell EarthBound, Get Rich!

I dunno about you, but I find it strange that they decided to use EarthBound as the image for Super Nintendo games. The other systems all have major (or at least very well known) titles, and the Super Nintendo gets EarthBound. I can only assume that it’s gained a lot more popularity than I realized.

Also, the title of the post is missing the important third step:
1. Sell EarthBound
2. Get Rich
3. Lose EarthBound

Is it really worth it?

My guess is that they used EB because it’s probably got the highest profit ratio for them, so they want moms and grandparents and non-game-knowers to recognize that one more than others. That’s what I would’ve done if I were a professional marketer working for them at least.

“It’s so smart it’s evil!”
EXACTLY!

This is aggravating.

The prices here are so that they can profit when they once again resell the games. However, rather than keep these games in circulation within their own community, people -will- go with armloads because it’s the most publicized method of getting rid of these games. So, these go to a distributor and are marked up by a cursory glance at eBay which does not necessarily correlate cost to actual scarcity.

The second thing that aggravates me is that these people will be gouged, terribly. They could sell their lot for a greater price on local classifieds if yard sales or flea markets won’t pick them up. Resalers will still get a hold of them, but at least the folks selling them won’t be taken advantage of.

I wouldn’t mind so much if it meant a lower purchase price at chains that do dabble in these games – but it won’t. And a fair few truckloads will be destroyed.

Damn! ..and I just sold my EarthBound cart for 49 cents.

I also think it’s hilarious that they will give you the same price for a crap atari 2600 pacman as they would Smash Bros 64 and EarthBound?! ..but Sega Saturn games for .75?

Weird.

This : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D02c_tKscSo

What’s truly ironic is this…

Most people who own Earthbound from its original sale probably bought it from Toy R Us…

Toy R Us was always where I got my games as a kid. I even got my N64 from them… and Toys R Us was the only store I remember seeing Earthbound in…

This really makes me glad I didn’t get that job a Toys R Us a few years back, this is a horrible thing to do to people!!!

I now officially hate Toys R Us, I hope they burn in hell.

Lets DDoS thier servers!

EBay > Toys R Us.

Earthbound is half the price of if I were to sell E.T. to my game store.
…That says something.

Ahahaha, wow!
I guess you’d have to be not in the know to sell your copy of EB for 50 cents. Anyone who was a fan would know better…!

@TanSunn: I’d think the steps would be more like
1. Sell EarthBound
2. Get Rich
3. Lost EarthBound
4. Regret Selling EarthBound
5. Cry until it stops hurting
6. Never stop crying

That’s so amazingly evil! ;_;

Toys R Us truly hates us…that is unless we give them Earthbound.

Who came up with such a diabolical scheme?! No good can come out of this!

…

Anyway, that bit of nerd rage aside, I don’t think anyone would fall for it.

HOPEFULLY, they aren’t evil enough to buy broken EB cartridges to sell to unexpecting gamers? Not that I plan to sell my broken EB cart.

wow, these guys are bigger rip-offs then Gamestop because my cousin sold them a stack of X360 games(about as tall as 5 feet) and he only got about $100 back. What were they thinking?!

I am so appalled by this, people who make money off of other people’s ignorance is…very low.

Earthbound is a generic game?!
Yeah, I saw this on Digitalpress yesterday, quite a rip-off.

Also, how are dreamcast games worth less than Saturn games?

Wait, can you buy these games from Toys R us too? because I’m looking for more classic games.

Rayman 2 seems like a more generic game to me. The Game Boy game is even more generic, since I can’t even read the title! Were they shaking the game when they took that picture?

I wonder how much they’ll give you for an old Atari ST game, like Brataccas.

That’s it. This is the final proof that I need that eBay is better for selling things than anywhere else. I mean, really? Sure, it’s a “great” scheme, but what’ll happen when someone walks up to them and says “WTF?” (not just for EB) and then spreads the news around all over the internet?

I hope someone did that already. This is pretty much on par with that stupid eBay guy selling those roms.

WTF Toys R Us!? This isn’t 1995. 50 cent buybacks are not acceptable. I got better deals at Funco Land for games nobody wanted.

“Well, if this stuff is valuable, then back to the leaky basement it goes. Hmph!”

The thing I find funniest about this is that Toys-R-Us basically says EarthBound is worth the same as Superman 64.

Better yet, they’re saying Corpse Killer for Saturn is worth more. You could get more money selling a downloaded EarthBound rom, as was proven in an earlier update on this site.

They only give you 50 cents for EarthBound. Atari Pacman I understand but EarthBound?

We had a NES and bunch of games on the closet, not that they were exactly mine. My parents, homever, got rid of them without a warning and I don’t know where they took them. I guess they probably just busted them on the nearby garbage can instead of eBay. 😛

I don’t understand why everyone seems so indignant about this. Toys-R-Us isn’t specifically offering a paltry amount for the relatively valuable Earthbound. They’re offering a paltry amount for used SNES games in general (hence “Generic Game”). That’s fair, since 99% of used SNES games really are worth diddly squat. The second-hand market for 15-year-old video games is hardly a big business, so I can’t imagine why anyone would expect Toys-R-Us to research the scarcity and value of every single game.

Yeah, it’s weird that Earthbound ended up being the representative for SNES games, but so what?

Maybe Toys R Us secretly wants their own authentic EB cartridges without purchasing them at eBay for outrageous prices, so some evil fiend within the company came up with this brilliant, and terrible (for the customers), plot.

Even though they’ll be purchasing other games and systems along side EB, that’s just their way of keeping up this front in order to accomplish their real goal. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

Or not. In reality, they’re just jerks. Big jerks who were once part of my childhood. How sad.

@ Carl

I guess you have a point, but it’s unusual for games like these to be sold for less than a buck when gamers can sell them for much more on Ebay. I think that’s what surprising everyone else.

How dareth they call Earthbound a “generic game!” Blasphemy!

I don’t wanna throw-up, I don’t wanna be a Toys-R-Us kid!

now that is a slap to the face to all earthbound fans

if anything, toy’s R us could be getting rich.

if anything, they LOSE money xD

Someone should go there with a bunch of E.T. carts for the Atari and see what Toys-R-Us does (they’ll most likely kick you out), either that or Awesome Possum copies!

I hear they’re all buried in a desert landfill somewhere… we must find them before Toys R. Us does!

One question though, does this mean Toys R. Us is gonna start dealing in classic games now? Man, now I really wish they had one here in Abilene.

Nope, Toys R Us stated that they are simply selling them to third parties (places like Play and Trade) for resale. Sad, really, being able to readily run out and buy these things from such a major retail chain again would have brought SOMETHING good from this…

Wait TRU is selling them to game stores?

Wow, TRU could seriously rip themselves off with this.

me: EarthBound a generic game!? this is blasphemy… this is madness!

toys are us : madness… This is SPARTA!!!!

*I get pushed into pit of worthless protoplasms*

me: AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! I FeEl HaPpY (gygas refrence!)

toys are us: master Reggie I have eliminated one of the fans OVER NINE THOUSAND to go

This may be the root of 1000 future conspiracy theories.

OH MAN! I just cashed in guys! I just got rid of that old stinky game and bought myself TWO gumballs on the way out of the store!!

Also, anyone mentioned that the game has to be boxed in order for Toy’s r us to take it?

You can sell three pages of the earthbound guide for more than that!

‘Also, anyone mentioned that the game has to be boxed in order for Toy’s r us to take it?’

-spits soda-

W-what? Only collectors keep boxed games boxed for 20 years!

Theyre gonna get nothing >>

And by nothing I mean they aernt gonna get ANY snes or whatever gmaes if they need the box.

Idiots.

… You need the box?!! Seriously?!

Everyone considering this, do the whole video game world a favor and SELL YOUR GAMES SOMEWHERE ELSE!

I’m hating this plan more and more by the post.

Ok… Thats it… 50 cents?! Cmon! Thats old and rare! Tell me thats a joke…

MAAAAN. When I was at Toys’R’Us last week to buy Scribblenauts, the door to the Mysterious Back Room was open, and I totally saw what looked like a giant stack of SNES cartridges… I really wanted to look through them for EB. =(

If I EVER got EarthBound (Which I will, I can fell it deep inside me) I would NEVER get rid of it. EVER. And when I have a son, I will let him play this game XD.

If I sell EB I can buy…

JAWBREAKERS!!!! “You guys should get the reference”

Did anyone notice that they mail you a gift card with the value of the game? You must wait 2-3 days to receive your 50 cents.

“Did anyone notice that they mail you a gift card with the value of the game? You must wait 2-3 days to receive your 50 cents.”

fail. Thats so much freaking fail.

Whats the point just hand it over the counter.

someone should go inthere and give them a ton of pirated copies >:)

Let’s sell them to Best Buy instead!

NeoNess: Yeah, I got the hint!

Man! 50 cents is stupid! No one will sell a cartridge there! Thats why I sell my stuff in Ebay and Amazon.

Wow. I’d pay £20 pounds tops for this game, as I can’t play it, but many people would buy for lots more, so… (broken or not, obvious why)

Hell, I’d buy that from Toys ‘R’ Us!!!

It IS evil! :O

What the- What where you thinking Toys-R-us?

Generic game…?
Generic game?!?!?
GENERIC game?!
EarthBound is ANYTHING but a generic game!
lol, it’s a little odd that EB is the representation picture for SNES games, not that I’m complaining.

50 CENTS?!?! Sure sell the rarest SNES Game for 50 cents. When i can sell it on Ebay for OVER 1000 BUCKS!

This is utter madness.

So, just to get this straight: Toys R Us will send you a fifty-cent Toys R Us gift certificate a few days after you give them your BOXED COPY OF EARTHBOUND.

…EPIC FAIL.

Here is what they are trying to do:

1. Get old + rare games for only $0.50 – $1
2. Wait a bit
3. Play the games
4. Sell for an outrageous price. ($6000!?!?!?!?)

Here is what they want you to do:

1. Buy the game when it is out
2. Wait some years
3. Offer it to you for a small profit
4. Check the real price on eBay
5. Regret your failure for life

Toys R us is EVIL! It charges about £10 for a STINKING PUFFLE TOY! YOU GET THEM FOR CHEAPER IN GAME!

who wants to see if someone sold and look for earthbound? risky but i think earthbound is worth it

So basically there are three steps they want us to follow:

Phase 1: Sell the earthbound cartridge at 50 cents.
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit.

Wow, they lowered this to 25 cents now 😯

Here is a better way to get rich,

1:buy Earthbound,
2:play it till Ness is a high level( 81-99 )*
3: sell on eBay.(Starting price-$50.99)
*-optional
Hope it helps! 🙂

Mabey Giygas Owns Toys ‘R’ Us.

Exactly, he wants to destroy EarthBound so he can’t be destroyed!!

@gg
Hasn’t he been destroyed 7897685 times already?

Time for spamming! Does anyone here know how to make fake boxes? We’ll get a bunch of those, print out some pirated guidebooks, then package some carts. They. Will. Never. Know. What. Hit. Them.
We might lose some money producing those fake copies, but it’ll be soooooo worth it.

@The Earthbounder

HEY. DO NOT DIS GIYGAS. I CAN HANDLE ANYTHING EXCEPT SOMEONE DISSING GIYGAS.