Game admits buying 3DS stock from Tesco

The popularity of Nintendo's new 3DS handheld was always going to result in stock shortages, but it's emerged that high street retailer Game has been willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure it has enough stock.

The staff over at Eurogamer received some documents showing that Game authorised its staff to purchase additional stock of the device from Tesco, taking advantage of a £175 + game bundle, and then sell it on as pre-owned stock.

In response to the document, a Game spokesperson told Eurogamer: 'Some of our stores wanted to move quickly last weekend to build their pre-owned stocks of 3DS at the same time as their local competitors, so we gave them a process to do that. It was not mandatory, and happened in small volumes.'

While stores weren't explicitly ordered to buy up Tesco's stock, the fact that it was authorised company-wide by Game's head office at all is still astounding. By doing this, Game staff took competing, cheaper stock out of the market, while selling its own more expensive bundles.

Have you had trouble getting your hands on a Nintendo 3DS? Does this kind of activity surprise you? Let us know in the forums.