Walmart has announced the sale of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, the video game franchise's latest installment, next week. The game will start selling on Nov. 3, 24 hours ahead of its official day of release.
The nation's biggest retailer now also sells authentic pre-owned video games at its 1,700 retail stores out of the total of 5,000. The company began accommodating game trade-ins in March. In the summer of this year, it started to venture into used games in some of its select stores.
"With 117 million gamers in the U.S., we are constantly looking to provide new and game-changing offerings to those customers," said Laura Phillips, Walmart's SVP of entertainment.
Walmart adds that they are focusing on the pre-owned market now believed to be a $2 billion industry.
Walmart's trade-in program for video games offers customers a sort of store credit. The store credit is in the form of a gift card and can be redeemed when customers turn in their old, used game titles.
With Walmart's used game program offer, the retailer would be adding more competition in the used games market, which is now extensively supported by the number one game retailer GameStop Corporation.
Also on Nov. 3, Walmart is giving 50 percent more for its customers who are trading in any of their pre-owned video games in order to purchase the Call of Duty title. They can also get twice the trade-in value after trading in any pre-owned video game with the purchase of PlayStation 4.
At 10 p.m. local time on Nov. 2, Walmart is hosting in-store activities in over 2,800 retail stores. These events will feature early play competitions in some select stores and special freebies, which include free game patches and posters.
Players will also be given access to an in-game exclusive exoskeleton in exchange for certain purchases, such as specially marked Doritos products, Diet Mountain Dew and Mountain Dew in 24 packs.
"Customers will be able to visit Walmart for all of their video game wants -- whether they're buying a hot new release like Call of Duty or purchasing a pre-owned game at a great price," said Phillips.
The Call of Duty game is said to retail at $59.96. Customers who choose to purchase online can pick up the game on Nov. 3. It will be available beginning 12:01am in over 3,600 Walmart stores.
