Thanks for nothing RockStar

As a member of generation X, I've always rooted for the underdog. As I've grown older I've also cheered for the little guy. This is why I was such a fan of RockStar games in the past. An upstart within the video game industry - they broke from conventional video gaming (if there is such a thing) and presented a unique product to the masses - Grand Theft Auto.

Very few hardcore gamers have resisted the allure of the violent GTA sandbox. This type of wanton free-roaming video-game violence can be quite a bit of fun, and I've found, a great way to blow off some steam. If you disagree with my opinion of the cathartic effects of such a game, that's fine, but you can't deny that the GTA has been a technical and fiscal juggernaut.

So it is apparent I am a fan of RockStar's games - and that will continue for the forseeable future. (Well except for Manhunt - that may be a little too dark for me... I must be getting old...)

As you can imagine, I was thrilled with the release of GTA 4 - I couldn't wait to get it in my store and on the shelves. I read each article and viewed each early release screenshot. It looked like RockStar had delivered another great game (I'm still impressed by the graphics given the size and detail of the current incarnation of Liberty City...)

We had a few pre-orders and were considering doing a midnight launch when I found out the bad news - RockStar would not be delivering GTA 4 to my store for street date - the first day of sales!

My research into why I was being denied this opportunity from my distributor yielded only that a other independent stores in our confederation had broken street on a previous release. So what happened? Myself and many, many, other independent retailers were denied receiving the game because of a situation we had absolutely no control over.

This seemed unfair to me - I've always respected street dates. Why was I being punished? Furthermore, withholding the game impacted my business significantly on GTA 4 launch day - something a small independent retailer really can't afford!

Determined to find out more information, I decided to contact RockStar and their parent company, Take 2 Interactive. Over the last couple of months I have emailed quite a few addresses at both companies with absolutely no reply whatsoever.

Will I continue to play RockStar games? You bet! Will I continue to order them from distributors? Definitely! Will I take a chance on RockStar and order a game that doesn't look quite up to snuff? (RockStar's Ping-Pong game comes to mind...) Absolutely not. Am I the only retailer that will do this? Definitely not.

Granted, it's doubtful anyone from RockStar will even read this. However, I'm an optimist - so to whoever reads this from RockStar - take another look at how you treat the little guys - a little bit of attention and consideration given to a small retailer or game player can bring huge returns in loyalty and dedication. Isn't that worth the extra effort?