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Confessions of a Game Store Clerk

Real employees tell their real stories - the good, the bad and the unbelievably horrific

Words: Charlie Barratt, GamesRadar US

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Videogame store employees. They have to have the easiest job on the planet, right? Play videogames, sell videogames, buy videogames, organize videogames, stand around and talk about videogames. They spend their entire day goofing off and hanging around the very things they love. Seriously, how hard can it be?

With gaming bigger than ever, and the attraction to gaming related careers stronger than ever, we decided to uncover the truths behind the assumptions. Is this really the slacker's dream profession? Is it really as fun and laidback as it seems? If so, why do these lucky workers so often come across as rude and indifferent?

To find out, we gathered eight current or former game store employees and began a massive, exhausting interrogation. The discussion ranged from ridiculous rules to dorky coworkers to heartless management to... you. Yes, you, the customer, dreaded and despised above all others. Wait and see if you think that description's unjust after you've read their stories.

These game store confesssions, however, are anything but one-sided. We gave our participants free reign and complete anonymity, so revelations of wrongdoing and honest admissions of guilt are part of the package as well. Sometimes they lie. Sometimes they steal. And sure, sometimes they slack off, just like you always suspected they did.

But other stereotypes are shattered. About who they are and what they're like (hint #1: two of ours are female). About what they actually do all day (hint #2: it isn't playing videogames). And about how it truly feels to hold the "ultimate dream job." Prepare to be illuminated. Prepare to be appalled. Most of all, prepare to be entertained.

Part One:
The Store, The Management, The Rules

Part Two:
The Coworkers, The Customers

Part Three:
The Games, The Fanboys, The Aftermath, The Regret

Horror Stories:
The most bizarre, explicit and terrifying anecdotes

Note: All identities are anonymous to protect the innocent, as well as the not-so-innocent. The assigned "employee numbers," however, are consistent to each interviewee throughout.

10 Comments

lynx987 - 1 month 8 days ago

i love the stories

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climbing wolf - 1 month 7 days ago

This is my favorite article on the hole internetz.

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oryandymackie - 1 month 7 days ago

I was in the local games store and a family in Joules shirts and johdpurs were browsing games and suddenly they all shouted "Crazy Frog Racer 2! Let's get it Mum! It's a great game!" They live in their own world, don't they?

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ELpork - 1 month 6 days ago

I love this because its true.

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NubletInc - 1 month 4 days ago

dude i work in a game store and the worst things i've gone thru so far (5 months) is really annoying mentally challenged people and ABNOXIOUS kids. but thats a big SO FAR

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endotherove - 1 month 1 day ago

lol i want to be a gamestore clerk

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Finche - 29 days 20 hours ago

Its all true, the whole lot. As a "fine" and "passionate" member of the games retail business, nothing gives me more pleasure than to read that even people 1000's of miles away doing the "job" experience the same bollocks taht me and my co-workers do everyday. Its simple: Customers, most of them, are vile. At times the staff are pricks. The boss, the present one, is a tard. its actually the worst job I've ever had and yet beingt eh Assit. Manager makes it worse.

Kids if your reading this or even can read after yeras of 50 cent or "Grand Thrist Ohtoo: San Andrews" - get a proper job and stop dropping in cv's.

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jonfitt - 29 days 5 minutes ago

Moan moan moan.

Games store employees are in my considerable experience usually the worst retail employees out there.

They usually know extremely little about games which aren't mainstream console releases.
Combine this with a holier-than-thou attitude from someone who thinks they're "in the industry" (yeah, about as much as Will Wright's gardener) and you've got the most miserable experience in retail.

I'm strictly, straight in, grab the game and get out fast.

No, I don't want a flipping strategy guide, I have this little thing called Internet access.

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ELpork - 24 days 10 hours ago

>Jonfitt

Most employee's are told to push main stream poo poo.

And all the real "Core" gamers quit after about 4 or 5 months.

don't get me wrong "Game store X" is with out a second thought a crappy crappy store.

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