As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

February 23, 2009 -

Like everyone else, gamers are suffering during the current hard times. Some, in fact, have been forced to pawn their consoles to meet basic needs.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the recession is keeping pawn shops supplied with game consoles and TVs on which to play them:

Ace Pawn Shop manager Chris Banul said business is up and he's seeing more high-end items brought to the Bloomington shop for collateral, or sold outright, as the economy has worsened.

"We're seeing a lot of expensive video game systems, PlayStation 3s and X-Box and others, and a lot of LCDs (flat-screen televisions)," Banul said...

Tom Haggerty, co-owner with wife Cindy of TomCat's Pawn in Bloomington, said their store has been getting lots of flat screen TVs and game systems. He said those items are selling fast...

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Comments

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game ...

Submitted by Kamil on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 04:36.

It is surely of no surprise that not only banks are targeted by phishing attacks, but nearly anything that can be scammed. We already commented on the rise in attacks targeting virtual worlds and especially massively multiplayer online role-playing GAME (MMORPGs) in earlier posts. The growing market for virtual currency and player accounts does attract new scammers. It’s the nature of things that if something becomes popular to use, it will also become popular to attack.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game ...

Submitted by Kamil on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 03:15.

The term 'recession' is a much dreaded term these days because everything bad that is happening to the economy is because of the recessionary economics that the world finds itself. We have all read about the collapse of the Lehman Bros and Freddie & Mac and merchant banks too have not been able to escape the effects. As a result electronic merchant systems have taken a beating.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by CamillaS on Thu, 04/02/2009 - 23:32.

Many people are force to pawn their valuable things due to the financial hardship and it’s not a big surprise if the number of the people doing this is increasing. For many, this is the only way to ease their burdens. Nevertheless, you can avoid this if you just know how to handle your personal finances appropriately. You might not have ever heard of him, but you'd probably want Bryon Trott as an adviser for your finances. One of his clients is Warren Buffet, the investment wunderkind who has managed to turn a profit for 20 years in a row on the stock market. Apparently the cash advances he was getting from his current holdings weren't enough, as he is leaving his position at Goldman Sachs, to begin his own merchant banking fund, focusing on business investments. Sounds like Bryon Trott would be quite the man in your corner. Read more at http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/30/byron-trott-start-mer...

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game ...

Submitted by ScorpSt on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 02:25.

Holy Crap, news about my town! I got to get down to the pawn shops to see if there's anything good there.

______________
Ben "Scorp" Stanton

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by SpiralGray on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 12:43.

I don't understand why someone would pawn something like that when they could probably get much more money for it by selling it on craigslist.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game ...

Submitted by David on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 17:27.

Immediate cash. Craigslist involves some waiting, while a pawn shop lets you buy food right now.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by Paulrus on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 12:02.

I tried to pawn some of my duplicate Antari cartrages, but no one takes them. Now i'm stuck with 4 copies of Space Invaders.

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I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by DavCube on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 09:29.

I might sell my NES, but i don't know about anything else right now. I don't even have a PS3 yet. I WILL get one, if only for the up-and-coming necessity for a blu-ray player.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game ...

Submitted by Overcast on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 09:16.

Hopefully not too long, I'll be in the market for a PS3 soon, since the Garbage Xbox 360 ran into a hardware failure not covered by their 'extended warranty'.

Nice games, but that console is such a piece of junk.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 08:18.

I wonder how long before they become over run with PS3s.

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 07:56.

So does this make them "PWN Shops"?

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: As Recession Deepens, Pawn Shops Take in More Game Systems

Submitted by Paulrus on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 12:01.

Sounds like a plan.

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I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Shout box

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

james_fudge: I think Evan killed it. He's a great guy and super smart.10/17/2014 - 6:38pm

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