Something that I have noticed over the years is many people that pre-order games or even just buy new don’t cash in those code vouchers that come with the games to get the free DLC. Now I buy new whenever I can but I also don’t hesitate to buy used if it’s a good deal. I raid the local Gamestop every month looking for cheap games to add to my collection.

Many times I will get a game that still has the code vouchers for whatever pre-order bonus came with it. So I go home and right after I peel off all those Gamestop stickers I fire up the console and input the code like some kind of lottery. What I have found is most of time it has not been redeemed and I just scored some free DLC. Of the ones I have tried, only twice have I not been able to get the item, and I try a lot. Most of the time it’s only a new skin or a slightly better starting weapon but other times it’s been full games.

I just bought two more Vita games, Call of Duty and Final Fantasy X/X-2. Call of Duty came with a voucher that had a code for a free copy of the PSP version of Call of Duty. So as I do, I went to the PS store, put the code in and viola, scored a free PSP game.

When I bought FFX the Gamestop sticker mentioned that it did not come with FFX2. The Vita cartridge was only for FFX and there was a code for the second game. I asked the guy behind the counter if they were sure the code had been used and he apologized. He said it was just traded in and he forgot to trash the code for FFX-2 since it was most likely used. They just assume the code had been redeemed. As he went to grab the voucher out of the case to trash it I stopped him and asked if I could have it anyway because you never know. Good call by me, as soon as I got home I entered the code and smiled as I watched my copy of FFX-2 download onto my console. To be honest I would have been fine with just FFX, but now I have a reason to finally try and finish FFX-2.

Whenever I go to Gamestop to buy used and I know a particular game came with pre-order bonuses or something else cool I check to see if the case still has the voucher and purchase that one. Sometimes the clerk will switch out for another at the counter depending on their managers policy so I make sure to tell them I want the case I brought up with the manual(I always get a manual if available) and voucher in it. They have always obliged.

I love playing this game when I shop. It makes it more exciting. Next time you buy used and it comes with a code voucher try it, you may score some free DLC that the previous owner decided they didn’t want.