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A host of retailers have explored ways to take a bit of specialty retailer GameStop's vicelike grip on the US used-game market, but few have fully embraced the practice. Toys "R" Us today entered the fray in earnest, introducing a nationwide gaming trade-in program that will buy back titles from vintage consoles, as well as the latest platforms. The retailer tested the program in limited fashion earlier this year.
Finally, a place to take all those Intellivision games in the closet.
Customers will be able to bring in their games (in original cases) and trade them in at the store's guest services desk for gift cards redeemable at Toys "R" Us stores (including Babies "R" Us) and the chain's Web site. In addition to games from the current handhelds and consoles, Toys "R" Us announced the Atari 2600, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Nintendo NES, Intellivision, and Sega Genesis as being among the list of "more than 25" systems for which it will purchase games.
A Toys "R" Us representative did not immediately return requests for the full list of systems. A sales clerk at one store told GameSpot the retailer isn't buying back hardware and isn't selling used games at its stores at the moment.
Toys "R" Us will advertise the nationwide campaign in Sunday newspaper circulars beginning this weekend. The retailer characterized it as the latest example of its expansion beyond traditional toy store businesses. The store now sells a variety of non-toy items, from iPods and digital cameras to netbooks and GPS systems.
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