Wal-Mart Surges in Video Game War

In one of the most aggressive moves the video game industry has seen, Wal-Mart announced it would slash prices on 50 game titles in a temporary sale. The price cuts could affect competitors Toys R Us, Best Buy and GameStop, the last of which saw the price of its shares tumble 8.26 percent the day of the announcement. The discount retailer is offering $10 off many of the most sought-after games this year, including "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," "Assassin's Creed II," and "New Super Mario Bros. Wii." The cost of Wii games will be lowered to $40 and Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 games to $50. Wal-Mart is also offering a $50 gift card with the purchase of a $199 Wii console. Although it has traditionally favored “everyday low prices” over temporary sales, since October, the store has been announcing fleeting deep discounts in a bid to lure GameStop customers.