GameStop Removes OnLive Coupons From Deus Ex

GameStop has ordered its employees to open up new boxes of the Deus Ex: Human Revolution game title to remove the included OnLive coupon. The offer gives customers, who purchase the regular PC version of the game, a free OnLive version, encouraging them to try the OnLive cloud gaming platform. This didn't sit well with GameStop, as cloud gaming is certainly competition for video gaming dollars.

In an email from GameStop Field Operations Manager Josh Ivanoff, employees were asked to "Please immediately remove and discard the On Live coupon from all Regular PC versions of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Our desire is to not have this coupon go to any customers after this announcement."

GameStop has officially confirmed that it is pulling these coupons, stating that Square Enix, the game publisher of Deus Ex: Human Revoltuion, pre-packaged the coupons without first informing GameStop. When asked by VentureBeat, a GameStop spokesperson said:

"We pulled the coupons because, like all retailers, we prefer not to promote our competitors and their competing offerings and services in our stores. Unfortunately, the coupon was packed without our prior knowledge."

Additionally, GameStop has its own cloud gaming ambitions as digital distribution of game titles is increasingly eating away at the company's core business of buying and selling physical copies of games. However, OnLive expects to offer more combo package deals like this one that will give customers a digital copy that they can access anywhere when they purchase a physical copy. Some of those upcoming titles include Batman: Arkham City, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Space Marine, and Saints Row: The Third.

[via VentureBeat]