News - GAME announces that it must close 60 stores in the UK by 2013

[HEXUS]

The company, which comprises one of the few dedicated gaming chains, hits hard times.

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[shaithis]

and so it begins.

For me, it's the refusal to move with the times. They should have launched a "cheaper then the highstreet" digital download service a LONG time ago and sold vouchers in-store. I think they would have kept sales a lot higher then they are currently.

Still, tesco and asda are normally my choices if I do buy a physical box......mainly due to prices and launch-night availability......but I think the last box I bought was Black Ops.....that was over a year ago......since then online prices have gotten too low for me to consider the high-street.

[crossy]

Does this spell bad news for the gaming industry? Is GAME perhaps a victim of increased growth in the on-line segment? Or has it toppled under its own weight and a tradition of inefficient operations?

I suspect that it's a hell-sent combination of supermarkets and Amazon that's largely responsible for GAME's problems. In the past I've seen our local Tescos, Sainsbury's and Asda all doing "the latest thing" cheaper than GAME did. In fact, they also seem to be adept at matching GAME's previous advantage - namely the "exclusive content".

Then of course there's Amazon - it's just too darned easy to click n' buy. The price of the incidentals - e.g. XBL points cards - is usually cheaper in the supermarkets and Amazon - which isn't helpful for GAME I guess. I also can't help wondering if the current persecution of the second hand market by the game publishers (by using one-time-only DLC) isn't also to blame somewhat.

My local GAME store went last year, and the trade pushed to one in the next town. Luckily some of the staff from the closed branch later turned up in our local Gamestation. Personally, I hope the group manages to pull through, because I think it'd be a sad day if they went under - I for one would miss the advice and help I've received from my local GAME and now local Gamestation store - "service+" that I definitely wouldn't get from the local supermarkets, HMV or Amazon.

[cheesemp]

There are three reasons they are in trouble:
1) One or 2 GAME stores plus a Gamestation store in every minor city/town (Salisbury, Southampton and Maidstone to name the ones I know). Why have three when one would have done
2) Online/Supermarket - GAME just ignore the competition - even their online presence is expensive compared to others
3) Ignoring gamers like me who aren't interested in trade ins and just want to pick up some half decent offers.

[edvinasm]

It's a tough market. Steam, EA and some others got it right. Electronic copy is a way to go. No second hands, no free stuff. Want to play - buy. Unless you have a crawling Internet connection that is.. Don't know much of PS3 and XBox 360 games. Chances are Game was trying to make too much from second hand sales. Pity the staff though. Hopefully they will find "home" somewhere else.

[crossy]

There are three reasons they are in trouble:
1) One or 2 GAME stores plus a Gamestation store in every minor city/town (Salisbury, Southampton and Maidstone to name the ones I know). Why have three when one would have done
2) Online/Supermarket - GAME just ignore the competition - even their online presence is expensive compared to others
3) Ignoring gamers like me who aren't interested in trade ins and just want to pick up some half decent offers.

1) I got told (by someone in GAME) that Gamestation was their "budget" brand - more focussed on pre-owned. Certainly seems to be true to an extent from what I've seen - GAME seem to get the prime locations. That said more than one of each per town seems excessive.
3) That's exactly what I liked about my (now-closed) GAME - because I was a "regular" they'd often suggest a cheaper option, (e.g. a barely used "pre-owned" copy at a tenner less). Good to see that - with the transfer of staff - that the local Gamestation is continuing that tradition.

[ZSTom]

I used to shop at Game's high-street stores up until a few years ago. Now I do all my shopping online, and Game's online store is rarely the cheapest.

I did recently buy a Logitech Force GT steering wheel for PC/PS3 from Gamestation, though. Their price was about £20 cheaper than elsewhere.

As previously said, it's hard to compete with Amazon's prices and convenience. Very simple order process and the site sells pretty much everything at great prices, so I shop there a lot, which also means I can actually remember my login details when I need to buy something.

[Brewster0101]

Game/Gamestation overheads of renting shops must be massive compared to the overheads of the likes of Amazon for their buildings. They simply can not complete anymore, they can't be saved as a traditional retailer on the high street, much the same for HMV/Waterstones.

These store brands need to merge into larger outlets like supermarkets or PC world. They simply can't compete as a high street retailer against online competition. If they have told shareholders they can survive then they are kidding themselves.

[Rob_B]

they'd often suggest a cheaper option, (e.g. a barely used "pre-owned" copy at a tenner less).

With recent releases it would always be £2 in my experience, I'd rather buy the new copy for that difference, although they were still a good £10-£15 more expensive than a lot of other places so in the end I'd buy nothing...

[Unique]

There are three reasons they are in trouble:
1) One or 2 GAME stores plus a Gamestation store in every minor city/town (Salisbury, Southampton and Maidstone to name the ones I know). Why have three when one would have done
2) Online/Supermarket - GAME just ignore the competition - even their online presence is expensive compared to others
3) Ignoring gamers like me who aren't interested in trade ins and just want to pick up some half decent offers.

game bought gamestation a few years ago, so they ended up with loads of stores that were near each other, which was pretty pointless. i presume G bout GS at the peak of games retailing, so they are struggling now

it might help HMV out a bit with store closures though, as they might get more game business, until everything shifts more towards downloads and away from physical media in music, movies and games

[danroyle]

With recent releases it would always be £2 in my experience, I'd rather buy the new copy for that difference, although they were still a good £10-£15 more expensive than a lot of other places so in the end I'd buy nothing...

my game store is the same it usually £40 new and £37.99 preowned on a new game.

For my it was the way just seemed to give up on pc gaming my loacal gamestation has a top 10 pc games and then a pile of games for 50p like sensible soccer and neverwinter nights. The top 10 is not very good as its never updated. I had to get them to specifically order in batman arkham city for release as they had no plans to stock it. i only got it from them as i had £30 on a card to use.

My game store is the same top 10 games but not exactly sure when they last updated it certainly not recently.

So i gave up on game and gamestation completely.

[Phage]

Reminds me of the British motorcycle industry c1977.

[keithwalton]

game bought gamestation a few years ago, so they ended up with loads of stores that were near each other, which was pretty pointless. i presume G bout GS at the peak of games retailing, so they are struggling now

it might help HMV out a bit with store closures though, as they might get more game business, until everything shifts more towards downloads and away from physical media in music, movies and games

They also brought out electronics boutique 10 or so years ago. Which is where most of there multiple stores came from.
Currently there is two games, and a gamestation within half a mile of each other in southampton. There was a 3rd game up until about a year ago which was less than 100m from another store (it was inside a mall that's now as good as empty)

They should of cut down the stores a long time ago as they had too many. The major one does seems busy enough to me at weekends.

[MrBozack]

Game only pay people £24 for their (complete) Wii consoles. They then sell them for much, much more. How can ruthless business tactics like that make a loss??

[Unique]

They also brought out electronics boutique 10 or so years ago. Which is where most of there multiple stores came from.
Currently there is two games, and a gamestation within half a mile of each other in southampton. There was a 3rd game up until about a year ago which was less than 100m from another store (it was inside a mall that's now as good as empty)

They should of cut down the stores a long time ago as they had too many. The major one does seems busy enough to me at weekends.

i haven't seen an EB store in about 10 years. the only one i remember turned into something else years ago. wasn't EB an offshoot of virgin megastores?

i prefered gamestation to game as it did a bit more second hand stuff, as opposed to the "pre-owned", with retro stuff for older consoles and stuff like that in the window. whereas game was mostly "pre-owned" xbox/playstation titles, but gamestation was usually cheaper for both new and second hand on anything i wanted to buy. both gamestations i knew are closed now

[shaithis]

Game only pay people £24 for their (complete) Wii consoles. They then sell them for much, much more. How can ruthless business tactics like that make a loss??

How many people do you think sell them a complete Wii console @ £24?