Editor's Note

Walton's World

This week's issue, "Walton's World," was originally intended to be about Wal-Mart and its effect on gaming. You know, the place that distributes only the New Hotness games to the masses; the home of The Bargain Bin; the store that is likely responsible for making Deer Hunter one of the best-selling game franchises in history. Seems important, right?

I asked a few people if they'd write. The response?

*tumbleweeds and a lonely wind howling*

Anyone?

"Yeah, I, uh ... hey about the issue the week after, I'm good for that one."

Apparently, no one had much to say on Wal-Mart's effect on games. Or perhaps, it's just not safe to talk about it here, wink wink. Either way, we pulled back a bit and decided to look at games retail as a whole - GameStop, Blockbuster's Game Rush, Best Buy and yes, even a little bit about Wal-Mart.

And so, with memories of long lines and miserable crowds fresh from the recent holiday season, we offer this issue on retail and gaming. Max Steele returns this week to shed some light on the used games business and what it might mean for retail outlets. Bonnie Ruberg discusses how changes in the retail channel may herald a new era in games history. Find these articles and more in this week's issue of The Escapist.

Cheers,

-Julianne Greer