Gamestop: Victoria's Secret for Men

With Christmas coming, holiday shopping has been in full swing. Being the world-class shopping partner that I am, I was recently asked to accompany a friend to a strange store you may or may not of heard of called "Gamestop". Gamestop sells used and new video games, video game systems, and accessories that go with video games. It is basically the mecca for all video game aficionados, or from what I learned at Gamestop, they go by "gamers."


Now, I never had any brothers and I don't date nerds so I have never really understood the appeal of playing video games. I mean, there is a whole world of fresh air and possibility outside why do I need to spend hours of my day indoors (unless there is a marathon of The Office on television, obviously)? From my shopping experience however, I have realized that I may be standing alone with this thought.

During my time standing in line at Gamestop 3 days before Christmas I overheard some interesting conversations and tidbits of information about this complex world of video gamery.


First (1), at Gamestop an 8 hour video game is considered to be short (i.e. "a quick play," Eight hours. Eight. Really? Does this not blow your mind?) Second (2), there are 3 main different video gaming systems and none of their games are compatible with one another. Now this one makes sense to me as to why they wouldn't work with one another as I am not that technologically inept. However, what is crazy about this is that I bet kids in school now choose their friends based on which video game system is compatible with their own. It's an entirely new form of discrimination! I feel the effects already as I do not own any gaming system. This must be why I am blogging right now and not spending my day with people. Which brings me to my third (3) discovery, video games can now be hooked up to the amazing Internet with headsets and everything so players can talk to other players from anywhere. I guess videogamers aren't so lonely after all with their indoors and carpal-tunnelled controller hands!


After at least 30 minutes of observation while standing in line (I am a good friend, this line was long), I realized that Gamestop to me was like Victoria's Secret is to men. (Ew. Not in that way.) What I mean is that I felt as clueless and uncomfortable in this store as many men feel in Victoria's Secret. And don't lie men, you are not James Bond and not suave when buying your lady friends sexy brassieres. I used to work in Victoria's Secret and have silently laughed at and found amusement in watching uncomfortable men ask for help (or just wander aimlessly until you ask them if they need help, then proceed to look really ashamed because they do need help but wish they didn't). But I have now been humbled because I now understand what it is to have absolutely no idea what you are looking at in a store.

Gamestop: Making smart girls feel stupid since 1994.