I am so frustrated about all of this!
As a gamer and a collector, I’ve enjoyed the various special editions of games that have been released throughout the years. Just looking into my crowded office would be an indication of this. Sure, they cost me extra to acquire, but I’ve felt they were worth it. So when I heard about the Metroid Dread Special Edition and that preorders were live, I jumped at the chance to pick one up. Except there was an added challenge that made things impossible. I’m sure most of you know what I am referring to. Yep, those damned scalpers who utilized their army of menacing bots and picked every store clean. And then promptly put them all up on eBay for double or triple the asking price. Yes, friends, all of the Metroid Dead Special Edition pre-orders are completely gone. Oh, and the amiibos too.
Check out “Everything We Know So Far About Metroid Dread“
I hit up every store I could think of to get the Metroid Dead Special Edition. Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Amazon, Gamestop, all with no luck. Ok, that’s not completely true. I once had one in my cart at Walmart, and as I attempted to check out, it magically disappeared. Whatever happened to actually placing something in someone’s cart and giving them a few minutes to check out? I know some stores do this, but it seems that it’s just not a thing when it comes to the bigger stores. Believe me; I’m severely upset over the situation.
Given the current situation and the rise of bots ever since COVID-19 became a major obstacle for collectors like myself. I shouldn’t be too frustrated, yet I am. Sure, we’ve seen bots being deployed to take advantage of exceptional items for some time. I’m sure those in the sneaker game know exactly what I’m talking about. Meanwhile, the gaming scene, for the most part, wasn’t that affected. However, there’s a reason for that. Until the past year, most gaming-related stores like Gamestop or big brand stores like Best Buy and Target would give gamers the chance to pick up items in stores. On certain items, they could only purchase that in-store. With COVID-19, things changed and they needed to for a good reason. Though, these changes made it easier for anyone who had access to a bot to have their way with most it not all storefronts.
Now scalpers or anyone else armed with a bot could swoop down and score whatever item they wanted, in a fraction of time that it would take us, mere humans. We’ve seen it time and time again; Nvidia graphic cards, PlayStation 5’s, Xbox Series X and Series S’s, and anything else that’s worth some value. Now things that were somewhat reasonable in price are out of reach for many of us. Or, in my case, I could pay the inflated eBay asking price, but I refuse to. I refuse to empower these scalpers, no matter how bad I want the Metroid Dread Special Edition. And FYI, I really want it.
I’m a huge fan of Metroid, and I have been for years. That and I’m a sucker for a good art book.
Yet, at the same time, I also am blaming Nintendo for this mess. Why Nintendo, you’re likely asking? Sure, that’s a reasonable question. Nintendo is notorious for only releasing a certain amount of collectors or special editions. This is nothing new from the company; they’ve been doing this for years. Check out my previous article on how few collectors or special editions from Nintendo have made it over to the West. Even if they do eventually get released over there, there are so few of them that it feels like Nintendo is forcibly trying to create a false supply and demand. But if you head overseas, there are tons of them to be found — you have to pay the shipping fee to get them here, kept that in mind. I never understood why Nintendo treats the two regions differently as they do, but it isn’t delightful, to say the least. This shouldn’t be the case in the first place, but I digress.
In any event, here I am, still trying to track down a copy of Metroid Dread Special Edition of my very own. I thought my search was over, as Walmart’s website said they had a few in. Yet when I tried to order it, the website kept telling me it wasn’t in stock. Despite the website saying they had two in stock. I imagine some other poor soul or maybe a scalper was attending to purchase it the same time I was. Well, whoever it was, they won, and I lost. Adding yet to more frustrating on my part. In the end, I suppose I’ll give up eventually. But one thing is for sure. I will not pay any damned scalpers to acquire it. If I go without, then that’s what happens.
What about you? Did you also try to acquire the Metroid Dread Special Edition? If so, did you manage to snag one, or are we sharing the same destiny? Let me know in the comments.
Metroid Dread releases on October 8th, 2021, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
