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Apparently GameStop is closing a lot of stores today

kapshin

Member
Workers getting closing kits


Feel for the workers and wish them well I just lost my job Friday it sucks. (I didn't work at GS different job)

aW4EVB7.jpeg
 

CLW

Member
New World plus TONS of bad decisions led to the company’s demise meme stock surge not withstanding there was a valid reason for all the shorts
 

Fbh

Member
Hopefully most of the workers manage to land on their feet.
Honestly at this point anyone still working at a Gamestop should be actively looking for another job.

No clue how any gaming store can survive these days, the physical market is dead for retail outside of online.

Most of these places have tried to shift the focus away from games and start selling more accessories, figures, comic books and things like that. But it hasn't been enough (and those types of products can also be bought online).

I'm personally surprised none of these big chains went into the retro stuff sooner. I could also have seen gamestop attempting something like a limted run games publishing attempt which would have allowed them to release exclusive physical games. But then again I don't know how much money there really is in that.
 

analog_future

Resident Crybaby

We're quickly reaching the point where 90+% of games are being purchased digitally, and those buying physical copies tend to buy from Amazon or the likes. And frankly. mom-and-pop videogame stores cover the rest of the gap if you really want to go to a brick-and-mortar videogame focused store.

That and Gamestop's business practices have been shit for years (gimping their rewards program mid-cycle, selling used games as "new", not offering price matching, trying to push overpriced garbage keychains/figurines/plushies, etc.. etc..). It's just clearly a dying organization.
 
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DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
The closest GameStop to me closed just a couple months ago. And it was in a very busy area in a shopping center with a strong anchor store (Target) and a bunch of restaurants that are always busy. It had been there probably 25 years.

The other closest one to me closed a couple years back.
 

ANoa

Member
Shame to see physical stores go even though I'm part of the reason since I rarely shop there anymore. Lotta memories hanging out in EBGames/GameStop and Toys R Us while my parents shopped back when I was a little kid.

I don't see them as more of a "scam" than digital stores that charge $70 for a game license that can't be resold or lent or anything. Them buying a new game off you for $30 is better than $0 you'll get for digital games.
 

Wooxsvan

Member
dangit i jsut needed it stay open until switch 2 came out... i traded in my ps4 late last year and got $375 for DE.

edit: whew just called my store and its not one that will be closing but rep did say one not to much further from me is. this is definetly pretty big set of closers
 
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I have three all within 15 mins of me and they all seem to be pretty busy. I went last time for the PS5 Pro to get it at gamestop and sell my PS5 and I was there at opening. The guy had like 5 people come in while I was trading in my console and had to keep stopping to quickly check them out. So I think that one at the very least will stay open for now.
 
I don't even live in USA so maybe they deserved maybe don't but this is sad. Because I feel a part of game culture dies with them. I'm saying this as a person who doesn't know when he latest got a physical game. Maybe 15 years ago or so.

I don't know man, the world is going to somewhere but I can't shake the feeling it gets more and more emotionless. I can't really explain.
 
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mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
The closest GameStop to me closed just a couple months ago. And it was in a very busy area in a shopping center with a strong anchor store (Target) and a bunch of restaurants that are always busy. It had been there probably 25 years.

The other closest one to me closed a couple years back.

Is GameStop doing this bad overall? That they can't even keep a store like that open.
 

bundylove

Member
I don't even live in USA so maybe they deserved maybe don't but this is sad. Because I feel a part of game culture dies with them. I'm saying this as a person who doesn't know when he latest got a physical game. Maybe 15 years ago or so.

I don't know man, the world is going to somewhere but I can't shake the feeling it gets more and more emotionless. I can't really explain.
Total ripp off place. Had nothing to do with game culture.

They should make a documentary about all their scams and questinable practices.

Imagine you buy a brand new game and they pull out the disc from their drawer and put it in the case. Brand new huh?
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
I went in to my local GameStop (which closed in the last couple months) to buy Halo 3 on launch day and the clerk gave me shit for not preordering it. I walked to the Target next door and they had a freaking mountain of copies behind the electronic counter.

They sell the exact same shit I can buy at other stores, while the experience is worse (pestering you about preorders/extended warranties/joining their rewards program, selling open copies as new, etc). Since that Halo 3 experience I only went a handful of times (preorders of Xenoblade and Xenoblade X collectors edition, trade in deal for 3DS -> New 3DS, and once when Target was sold out of Joycons).

Kinda sad that they transformed from a store I used to seek out, into one that I avoided unless I had no other option
 

peek

Member
Yeah not surprised. In my area, smaller city, we had 2(!!) always felt stupid especially since they were like a mile apart... first it was one that got closed. Then bout a few months later the other one closed too.

This happened post covid in like 2021? Nearest one is like 15 miles away. Not that I go there anymore since I made the switch to all digital. Assuming a lot of these closures are due to that too.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
I went in to my local GameStop (which closed in the last couple months) to buy Halo 3 on launch day and the clerk gave me shit for not preordering it. I walked to the Target next door and they had a freaking mountain of copies behind the electronic counter.

They sell the exact same shit I can buy at other stores, while the experience is worse (pestering you about preorders/extended warranties/joining their rewards program, selling open copies as new, etc). Since that Halo 3 experience I only went a handful of times (preorders of Xenoblade and Xenoblade X collectors edition, trade in deal for 3DS -> New 3DS, and once when Target was sold out of Joycons).

Kinda sad that they transformed from a store I used to seek out, into one that I avoided unless I had no other option
I preordered Soul Calibur 4 and the strategy guide months in advance. Full price, new. Got there and they gave me an open copy and said it was for the display. Never went back.
 

Zimmy68

Member
Good riddance. I was hoping they would have given me the reason to get a PS5 Pro but when it came out the trade in values for the OG PS5 plummeted.
They should have died 3 years ago. Bye.
 

kiphalfton

Member
Ryan Cohen taking over was the beginning of the end.

You would think he of all people would have overhauled the website, but it has gotten progressively worse as time has gone on. Which I saying something, as it wasn't that great to begin with.
 

bundylove

Member
I went in to my local GameStop (which closed in the last couple months) to buy Halo 3 on launch day and the clerk gave me shit for not preordering it. I walked to the Target next door and they had a freaking mountain of copies behind the electronic counter.

They sell the exact same shit I can buy at other stores, while the experience is worse (pestering you about preorders/extended warranties/joining their rewards program, selling open copies as new, etc). Since that Halo 3 experience I only went a handful of times (preorders of Xenoblade and Xenoblade X collectors edition, trade in deal for 3DS -> New 3DS, and once when Target was sold out of Joycons).

Kinda sad that they transformed from a store I used to seek out, into one that I avoided unless I had no other option
I pre ordered dead space cuz of the art book . Went in. Was told no game for you but here is your book since you preordered.
Took the book went to best biy ans got a brand new copy .

Then i pre ordered manhunt 2. Went to pick and was told they ran out of copies. The fuck do i preorder and give you a 5 dollar deposit for ??
Same deal, went to best buy to get a copy.
 

TransTrender

Gold Member
I went in to my local GameStop (which closed in the last couple months) to buy Halo 3 on launch day and the clerk gave me shit for not preordering it. I walked to the Target next door and they had a freaking mountain of copies behind the electronic counter.
Same thing for me except it was GTA Vice City and Circuit City. It was also $5 off MSRP because CC automatically price matched Best Buy.
 

bundylove

Member
Ya but there are no other national used game chains so them going out means ushering in a shitty digital future at which I will only do retro gaming.
We still have eb games but same shit same company.
Amazon is much better at this. Also local listings such as craig list or kijiji or what ever is close.

But yes. Its the beginning of the end. Though really, best buy has and always had much better sales and deals than gamestop
 
As much as I hate the scummy business moves this company made, it's still been ever present for me as a 1987 born gamer. I still miss shopping for new games there as a kid and teen, and I won't smile seeing it go. Fuck the internet for what it's done to the world.
 
Gamestop has always done right by me personally and i have alot of fantastic memories from their tbh. I remember going to a tournament they held locally for smash brothers brawl on release night with my dad, my brother, and me and i had an absolute blast meeting all these gamer dudes/girls. Alot of them were big retro gamers and loved talking about old school nintendo consoles, sega consoles, atari etc and i loved hearing all their memories and opinions on different games/genres. Gamestop holds so much nostalgia for me and i've met so many cool people through it that their downfall is extremely sad honestly.


it-reminds-me-of-my-childhood-sharzad-kiadeh.gif
 
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Guesclin

Member
hes actually right, hence why they are closing. they cant afford to keep open because there arent enough of your types
Don't know about the USA but in France the retail store makes a total of 0€ per game sold so your shelfs are worthless from a retail POV.

In France GAME disappeared 10 years ago, "main" gaming retail store is Micromania owned by GAMESTOP
 
Fuck 'em. I haven't bought anything from them since 2011 when Skyrim came out. I'm into niche shit where they'd only have one copy. Too many times they tried to pawn off gutted copies on me.

I've been waiting for them to die for 20 years.
 

bundylove

Member
He was just emphasizing with the people who lost their jobs at Gamestop because he also lost his job elsewhere.
Oh yeah thats different.

Always sucks. But i am firm believer everything happens for a reason and its just a new and exciting beginning for something better
 
I prefer physical whenever possible, but if digital doesn't start pushing out monopoly prices on console digital stores, I hope for good sales because digital is worth much less than I'm willing to spend on physical games.
 
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