Video game publisher Square-Enix and online gaming service OnLive recently announced an agreement regarding the new Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  Inside all new PC copies of the game, one will find a coupon good for free access to the game via OnLive (similar to Valve and Sony teaming up to offer free Steam copies of Portal 2 with each new PlayStation 3 copy of that game).  Unfortunately, GameStop chose not to participate in the promotion and has taken it upon itself to open up new, sealed copies of the game and remove the OnLive coupon.  The resealed games are then sold as new.  GameSpy has the details behind this outrageous action:

[GameStop public relations representative Beth] Sharum said she needed to further research the issue before providing a detailed response. However, she did confirm GameStop intentionally removed the OnLive coupons.  "Square Enix packed the competitor's coupon with our DXHR product without our prior knowledge and we did pull and discard these coupons," Sharum said.

Why doesn't GameStop want to participate in this promotion?  It could have something to do with the fact that the company is working on its on OnLive-type streaming game service.  Obviously, it doesn't want its customers checking out the competition with a free coupon.  I hope that anyone who bought Deus Ex from GameStop and is missing a coupon will raise hell as far up the company's corporate ladder as possible and that everyone else in the market for this game will take their business elsewhere.  This kind of product tampering must not be tolerated.  Even if you don't intend to use the coupon, it's a matter of principle.