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7-Eleven to sell games 24-7-365

Gamers with a penchant for Slim Jims and Yoo-Hoo may have noticed something different on their last trip to the 7-Eleven: a selection of the season's biggest games, including Fallout 3, Guitar Hero World Tour, and Gears of War 2. Although those games are only available "while supplies last," they are by no means the end of the retailer's plans for the industry.

7-Eleven announced today its full-fledged entry into the gaming retailer market, saying that games are now a regular part of the chain's stock, right up there with Slurpees and potted meat food product. In addition to games, 7-Eleven is selling prepaid cards for a variety of massively multiplayer online games, as well as Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network. In charge of the initiative is Michael Jester, the company's category manager for gaming and electronics.

"This is not just a holiday promotion for us," Jester said in a statement, "but a brand-new product line-up that will be available year-round. We may not be a total entertainment destination...yet, but we're hoping to expand our selection beyond the high-dollar, hot-selling games to include options for all budgets, like value-priced video games as well as DVD movies."

If 7-Eleven is going to be carrying games regularly, the convenience store's employees may need a bit of additional training. Along with numerous online reports of stores breaking release dates for their current slate of games, GameSpot employees were able to procure copies of Gears of War and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King before their official launches.

As for why 7-Eleven would get into games, the company said that its customer demographic "skews heavily" toward men in the 18-34 age range, which overlaps nicely with the gaming consumer population.

172 Comments

  • Daishi512

    Posted Nov 30, 2008 5:12 pm PT

    Wow, sounds like you guys are on the rag, do they even have 7-eleven in europe? Anyways, its a great way to get more people to come into their stores instead of those late night stoners looking for something to do away with their munchies.

  • spartan----117

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 1:32 pm PT

    Uh guys, maybe Killkill3 was making a joke about his fellow Europeans?

  • martianrobot

    Posted Nov 27, 2008 11:35 pm PT

    killkill3.... Working 35 hours a week is lazy? I think that's a fairly reasonable weeks work, though I work at a university and do 39 hrs during term time.

    Not everyone in the world is a slave to a corporate entity. Some people like to have lives outside work. Not our fault in Europe that American employers don't really give a damn about their workers and unions are more or less banned or are allegedly corrupt fronts for organised crime.

    By the way, don't mean to rub this in, but how much leave do you get a year? I get 35 days, plus public holidays, oh and a week or so off at Xmas. Plus if I'm ill in the long term and cannot work, I get up to 6 months sick leave on full pay.

    Humorguy basic: what killkill3 said is not racist, just dumb. And a lot of Americans ARE fat ba****ds, but we're rapidly catching up with them in the UK.

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Nov 27, 2008 12:14 pm PT

    killkill3 - that's a racist statement! How would you like it if I said all Americans were fat ba****ds (assuming your American!). Storeas are open for a lot longer than 35 hours a week. All across Europe you have 24 hour supermarkets that sell games, and when any big game is released, I see plenty of pictures of lines of people outside European game stores at midnight where the the store will be OPEN to sell it!

    And in any event, this is just marketing as the internet has been able to offer 24-7-365 shopping for years!

  • killkill3

    Posted Nov 26, 2008 6:59 am PT

    Awesome, wished they had 24/7 shops here in continental Europe, these lazy ba****ds only work 35 hours a week

  • msudude211

    Posted Nov 25, 2008 3:21 am PT

    This is a great idea. Many times I want to pick up a game, but my local Best Buy or Gamestop will be closed for the night.

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Nov 24, 2008 6:11 pm PT

    That's awesome! I love getting Slim Jims and Fallout 3 at the same time. It's really smart though. Since a lot of young people come into 7-11, and a lot of young people play video games as well. Genius!

  • Fareru

    Posted Nov 24, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    Well this is a good idea! Although selection will be an issue, if I know they're gonna be getting the new game I want... I can get my game, chips, pop, and all my "all nighter" supplies in one run!

  • necronaux

    Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:59 am PT

    This really sounds like a bad idea. As if 7/11 don't get robbed enough, now they'll have a few dozen $60 games in stock. Any 1 game has got to be the most expensive item in the store. And if this does take off, there will be a ton more cash in the registers, making 7/11's even more desirable targets for thiefs. I'm sure employee thefts will rise too (it's one thing to steal sips from the slurppie machine, but something at a 7/11 that'r really worth something, has gotta be really tempting to someone making min. wage...)

  • stealth89

    Posted Nov 24, 2008 10:33 am PT

    ha. cool.

  • Jono901

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 5:58 pm PT

    @rockngame73
    a 5 minute car ride to 7-11

  • pidow

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 8:44 am PT

    I don't think I would buy from 7-Eleven, I mean, getting sticky stuff,food, etc, on the game would make me mad as hell...I'll stick to the Game Stores!.

  • rockngame73

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 8:43 am PT

    I live a 15 minute walk from 7-11 this is a bit exciting
    but i also live a 10 minute car ride from a great gamestop...........
    what to do......

  • lamprey263

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 1:31 am PT

    I'll be sold if my $60 game comes with some free 7-Eleven taquitos and/or a slurpee

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 10:56 pm PT

    Dammit, now that gives me one more reason to be mad as hell I live in a location that don't have 7-Elevens.....

    I need to move back to Va. I'm tired of missing out of the 7-Eleven goodness.....now not only can I still not get a Slurpee but no video games either!

  • FoxExecutive

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 3:43 pm PT

    Heck yeah, get myself a large Slurpee, a Slim Jim, and Gears of War 2.

  • Sheiko

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 10:56 am PT

    More competition means consumers benefit. Hopefully we'll get better incentives.

  • hollin24

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 10:03 am PT

    haha slim jims and a yoo hoo

  • gamer18033

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 9:47 am PT

    do they sell playstation network cards yet? some game stores still don't have those in stock.

  • remark666

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 3:59 am PT

    the prepaid card is a good idea, i'd buy a game or two in support, pretty good news i guess, gamestop guys r dicks most of the time anyway

  • Francision69

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:14 pm PT

    Sounds convenient!

  • smithy1185

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 6:07 pm PT

    I saw that they were doing this when I stopped at a 7-11 in a nearby city a few weeks ago. At the time it seemed quite strange but I'm sure they will probably sell.

  • bulletsword

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 4:28 pm PT

    this is a weird idea, but i wouldn't mind being able to pick up some slurpees and games all in one go.

  • SkinnyGodfather

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 3:49 pm PT

    Some liquor, cigs, and the new Battlefield 3 all in the same stop.
    NICE! Gotta love 7-11. Even if the one in Bowie MD is open 7-11. LMAO!

  • Ardontious

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    7-11 selling videogames? Sure, why not? lol

  • garey017

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 12:32 pm PT

    racerx: I think you mean knock OVER a 7-11. But if not, please explain how you knock up a 7-11. On second thought, don't...

  • grigjd3

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:30 am PT

    This is a good business decision. Games continue to sell pretty well despite the crappy economy. 7-11 wants a part of that.

  • smilyretart

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:26 am PT

    This is a wonderful idea. I live on campus and me and my buddies want video games. We never get out to Gamestop, but we always get out to 7-11. This is a great idea, although the comment about theft is very likely and scary as well.

  • racerx719

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:23 am PT

    ROFL and VenomRitual Thats EXACTLY what I was thinking... If I was going to knock up a 7/11 Im about to make double the profit

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:13 am PT

    You know, i don't see a problem with this from a consumer perspective, but it's 7-11. Not many people will think 7-11 for video games...plus 24/7 stores get robbed a lot in the middle of the nights...so you adding an incentive to rob a 7-11 in the dark hours of the night. Plus with the US in the middle of a recession and economic down turn, crime is more prevalent and will make 7-11 a larger target. Word to the employees working nights, quit now and go work elsewhere, otherwise you will be at gun point if not once, then very often too.

  • garey017

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:11 am PT

    Good, any business that can sell games should. It's good for business, and definitely good for gamers. Maybe Domino's will start selling games and deliver them with the pizza.

  • VenomRitual

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 11:04 am PT

    7-11's always get robbed. now they're going to be stocking $60 games round the clock?

  • steveguttenberg

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 10:47 am PT

    They limit the amount of $20 bills in the cash register and now they're going to leave $60 games out in the open?

  • karnovrpg

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 10:20 am PT

    Great, just what the clerks want, more teen freeloaders.

  • adultgamer77

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 10:16 am PT

    The 7-Eleven have been selling the cards for awhile now. It sold Halo 3 when it came out but that was a promotion, they even had it 4 days before it was released but did not have it displayed (but I got it early).

    I was there last week and the guys told me they were going to start selling games but they are going to be behind the counter and they will be asking for ID when purchasing M rated games. I for one will be buying games there, they are very friendly and have been getting the games earlier. Luckily I have a good relationship with the guy and he calls me and give me a list of the games they are getting. Asks what I want and puts a copy aside for me.

    Companies are starting to realize that gaming is the #1 form of entertainment so why not get piece o the pie.

  • prdroog

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 10:08 am PT

    Free slurpee with purchase of game?!?!?!?! That sounds like a deal closer to me.

  • ThAdEa82

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 9:57 am PT

    You have bullet-proof glass installed lately? If not...total employee payroll = $0. Either that or get a robot to sell stuff

  • CMakaCreative

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 9:26 am PT

    All I know, best believe there will be a lot of "used" copies of new games coming soon to a GS near you, along with all the 7-11 robberies. Poor clerks, they put up with a lot of s*** already, now they're gonna have, either people begging them to break the street date or people pointing deadly objects at them so get games before the street date, on the street date & after the street date. Does this new venture come with a raise?

  • Gwarpup

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 9:07 am PT

    Heh, now along with your everyday Stop N Rob the cash register, thieves everywhere will be snagging the latest GOW title. "Give me the money in the Cash Register!!! Oh and all your stock of GOW! and hell give me all those WOW timecards too!" Quite the convenient Heist locale if ya ask me.

    Also wondering if they will charge 7-11 "convenience store" prices as well?

  • Kleeyook

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 9:04 am PT

    the games there will be more expensive than the others. it's 7-11.
    and 7-11 in Sweden open from 7 A.M. - 11 P.M.

  • LordAndrew

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:47 am PT

    Kind of cool, I guess. I wouldn't buy games there, but there are probably plenty who would.

  • phoenixbear1234

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:38 am PT

    as if 7eleven's haven't been hit enough..."Shop at 7-11 where we've put in a revolving door...walk in, grab a drink, snacks with your game and walk out...whose gonna stop you, the guy earning minimum wage??"

  • xert420

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:37 am PT

    Wish circle K would hop on board, no 7-11 in AZ

  • Djinnator

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:36 am PT

    This is a pretty good idea, but I'd still go elsewhere for my games. I live 5 minutes(drive) from a target and a circuit city

  • diablo_del_bano

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:34 am PT

    What's funny is that I've seen games and DVDs at Pilot stations and other large truck-stop style convenience stores. Some of them even sell PS2s, TVs and cheap computers! Really,it's nothing new. Most likely 7-11 will use the plastic lock box mechanism like Best Buy uses to secure the games.

  • JudgementEden

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:28 am PT

    The 7-Eleven near me has been selling games for months. Boy was I surprised when I found out they carried Gears 2 and GH World Tour. I would never buy games from that store though.

  • aRE-you-AFraid

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:26 am PT

    I don't have any seven elevens by house!

  • fourthgeartappe

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:21 am PT

    "PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!!! THIS IS A ROBBERY!!!! PUT ALL THE MONEY IN THE BAG AND......

    wait, is that Gears of War 2? Put a copy a in the bag too.

  • celidus

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 8:07 am PT

    Awesome!... except there are no 7-11's anywherenear where I live.

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