Best Buy Launches Nationwide Video Game Trade-Ins

Electronics retailer Best Buy has rolled out its new video game trade-in program nationwide, offering a $20 gift card with select titles to help offset the fact that GameStop gives more credit on average.

Best Buy’s new trade-in program goes wide this week, launching in nearly 600 locations around the country, with more in the coming months. Customers in participating stores will be able to take their games to the customer service counter or, in select locations, a dedicated trade-in counter, swapping their used titles for store credit. Game consoles and game accessories are also tradable. It’s a large improvement over the kiosk-based program they tested earlier this year.

Customers can also trade-in games online at the video game trade-in web page, where credit values will mirror those in-store, a fact that paints a pretty sad picture.

For instance, Red Dead Redemption, a fairly popular title, trades-in at $19 at Best Buy. GameStop gives customers $24 for the same title, plus added value for members of its premium program. Super Mario Galaxy 2 trades for $17 at Best Buy, and $25 at GameStop