Is a Gamestop Warranty Transferable? (Coverage + More)

Gamestop, besides being embroiled in the recent Gamestop stock fiasco, has always been a popular go-to retailer for the latest consoles, games, and accessories, as well as an excellent and quality selection of used titles and consoles. They also offer a warranty on the vast majority of their products.

However, the warranty that Gamestop offer is for first-time purchases and those purchases alone. It cannot be transferred to succeeding owners of the same product or device. When the warranty on any device that you purchase from Gamestop expires, it expires with the original owner only.

Now, there is not a whole lot of information available out there on whether or not warranties are transferable, however, according to Gamestop’s Twitter account, the question as to whether or not you can transfer warranties on consoles, or any other items that are covered, is in the negative.

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What is the Gamestop Warranty?

Gamestop’s warranty is not called a warranty, but rather a Product Replacement Plan (PPR). The PPR covers 8 separate categories that are predicated on the overall cost of the item that you purchase.

This is on top of the standard, manufacturer’s warranty, which is only associated with you made the console or the game, not Gamestop.

To take advantage of Gamestop’s PPR, you will have to pay a premium on the product that you purchase.

For instance, if you want Gamestop’s PPR coverage on a console that costs $399.99, you will have to pay an additional $80.

Gamestop uses a tiered program where you pay a specific cost for a device that belongs on one of the 8 tiers, defined by the price of the console.

Also, Gamestop only offers this coverage if you purchase a console in a physical Gametop store, not online.

What Does PPR Cover?

PPR is typically only offered for game consoles, not for games and other devices or products sold at Gamestop.

The PPR program that Gamestop offers is basically an expansion of the warranty that comes with the console; a warranty covered by the manufacturer of the console.

Purchasing a PPR with your console means that for the life of the console, you have one, free refurbishment service.

That means that you can bring your console in one time and Gamestop will service the console in the same way that they would refurbish a console and sell it under the refurbishment label.

Another aspect of the PPR, and arguably the best part, is that anything that goes wrong with the console for a period of 12-months, Gamestop will completely replace it with a matching console.

In other words, if your PS5 fails 8 months after you purchased it and the PPR, Gamestop will replace it with another PS5, free of charge.

Are There Exceptions to Gamestop’s PPR?

Outside of the fact that PPR is only available for consoles purchased in-store, there are some other exceptions to the Gamestop PPR.

The system must be returned at some point within the 12-month window
It must be returned in the original packaging
All of the original accessories and parts must be returned with the console
You need to have proof of purchase with you, which means the receipt since you can only use PPR from inside the store purchases

The hardest part will simply be keeping up with your receipt and the original packaging. If you decide that you want to purchase Gamestop’s PPR (and you are highly encouraged to do so since you will get a free system if anything ever goes wrong with yours) then you need to place the receipt in the original package and stow it away somewhere safe and secure.

Of course, you are signing up for something that only lasts 12 months, so if you do nothing else, take your gaming system in after 11 months have passed and get it completely refurbished. According to Gamestop, you get one refurbishment in exchange for your PPR purchase.

Even if there is nothing wrong with your console, if you take it in at the 11-month mark, you will essentially walk away with a console that is brand new, as the system will be completely overhauled, looked over, updated, and anything that even looks like it may fail replaced.

It’s like breathing new life into a system that is nearly a year old.

What are the Warranties on the New Systems?

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not purchasing a PPR is right for you, just realize that it is an expansion of an existing warranty that comes with any new game console.

Sony Playstation 5: Sony offers a one-year warranty, starting from the purchase date, on any new PS5. It is a standard warranty and covers any defects or manufacturer faults that exist or occur on the system for one year.
Xbox Series X: As a primary competitor with Sony, Microsoft offers a nearly identical warranty to that of Sony.
Nintendo Switch: Nintendo also offers a warranty that is identical to the Xbox and Sony.

So, these are the warranties offered by all three of the major console manufacturers and the PPR that comes with Gamestop purchases is an exceptional add-on that you will probably appreciate sooner rather than later.

Final Thoughts

Gamestop doesn’t offer a warranty so much as an additional add-on that is well worth the price. However, it is not transferable from one owner to another owner.

Fortunately, the value of the PPR more than makes up for it.

References

https://www.gamestop.ca/