Since Rez, I’ve been a big supporter of unique games. It was one of those acclaimed, loved-by-all treasures that somehow was never made readily available. Finding a copy was like finding a forgotten $100 in your pocket - painful in rarity and to be cherished above other experiences.

Someone has heard the cries for more. According to GMR Magazine, Sega will be running more copies of Rez. I can hear the dismayed screams of collectors who paid in blood for their copies, and the joyful shouts of all those who have fruitlessly scoured the shelves for it. However, a hurdle remains that could silence the joy.

This hurdle has only become obvious to me over the last few days, with another game that shows signs of following in Rez’s footsteps. Katamari Damacy, a game I learned about on Penny Arcade and have since heard nothing but praise for, has barely come out and it’s already difficult to find. This problem isn’t restricted to my location, either, as I initially suspected. Few people on the entire continent seem to be able to find it, and the lucky ones have resorted to purchasing multiple copies and shipping them to less fortunate gaming comrades.

Why is it so difficult to find? It just came out, so there are certainly copies available. Well, the stores simply aren’t ordering them. I stopped by my nearest GameStop to look for it, only to be told it was a “C Priority” game (rated A - D, apparently) and they didn’t get any copies.

What? Not a single copy of a brand new game? Then how am I supposed to play it and love it and tell all my friends to get it, thereby adding to the word-of-mouth marketing? I understand that the game may take some time to build momentum, by virtue of its sheer oddness, but to not order a single copy of a newly released game falls somewhere between heresy and war on heaven. At either end, it’s not cool.

I have my fingers crossed that it won’t always remain so bleak. I can’t bear to see the starved looks of gamers without sustenance. Sega’s recognition of demand for Rez is a start. The next step will be to convince store managers to order risky games. These games, sublime in their originality and enjoyment, should never be allowed to fall through the cracks.

- Jinx