how long until EB is eaten by Gamestop?

[pragmatic insanester]

my edge card expired two months ago and i'm not sure if i should renew it or not.

[Brisco]

Should be finalized around September or October with the EB stores changing into Gamestops late this year or early next year.

[PDorr3]

what happens with a mall that has both syores? there will be two gamestops? I also have a gamestop and ebgames literaly 5 minute drives from one another around where I live. How will this be handled?

[aaron7]

I thought this already happened! :hmm:

Both EB's near me are now GameStops.

[Trebuken]

The Dayton Mall in Ohio has a Gamestop and a Funcoland, which is just a pseudonym for Gamestop. Your mall may do the same if it is profitable enough for them.

Trebuken

[Dangerboy]

I have 2 Game Stops and 2 EB Stores all with a walk across the street of each other (2 in mall, 2 outside of mall).

To be honest, only Game Stop head honchos know for sure. I'd assume they'ed take the EB locations (seeing how, at least in my area, every EB store KILLS the GS ones visually/stock wise) and then just toss in their underpaid staffers in the EB employees' places.

There would be quite a few stores closing. As far as things like Edge Cards and such, they'd probably honor them or just switch them over.

Just Pray Game Stop decided to adopt EB's inventory set-up. All computerized/district look up Windows based vs not having inventory count/DOS based.

I weep.

[Griking]

I'm surprised that they're going to rename the store at all. Most large monopolies like to give the impression that there's competition while there really isn't. Kind of like how HP produces their Pavilion line of home computers AND the Compaq presario models as well even though they're the same company. I get people in my stores all the time who say that they want to purachase a HP computer because they don't like Compaq or vice versa not knowing that they're getting the same company either way.

[kainemaxwell]

We've got a Gamestop, EB and EBX in my mall. Wonder if one them will close or both. Be nice they combined fact of EB's service and the fact that they don't thorw manuals away with Gamestop...

[ubikuberalles]

I'm surprised that they're going to rename the store at all. Most large monopolies like to give the impression that there's competition while there really isn't. Kind of like how HP produces their Pavilion line of home computers AND the Compaq presario models as well even though they're the same company. I get people in my stores all the time who say that they want to purachase a HP computer because they don't like Compaq or vice versa not knowing that they're getting the same company either way.

That's not why HP has two lines of PCs. Compaq is a recognizable brand name that still sells product. HP would lose money if they dropped that line. If there was any danger of HP becoming a monopoly from the merger with Compaq then the government would have blocked the merger before it happened.

[Griking]

I'm surprised that they're going to rename the store at all. Most large monopolies like to give the impression that there's competition while there really isn't. Kind of like how HP produces their Pavilion line of home computers AND the Compaq presario models as well even though they're the same company. I get people in my stores all the time who say that they want to purachase a HP computer because they don't like Compaq or vice versa not knowing that they're getting the same company either way.

That's not why HP has two lines of PCs. Compaq is a recognizable brand name that still sells product. HP would lose money if they dropped that line. If there was any danger of HP becoming a monopoly from the merger with Compaq then the government would have blocked the merger before it happened.

I don't want to drag this conversation too far off topic but personal computers is the new HP's most UN-profitable division. I doubt that they would loose a thing if they consolidated their PC lines into one brand name.

The only downside that I see with the takeover of EB is that EB used to sell used audio CDs and computer games while Gamestop didn't deal in these areas.

[PDorr3]

Its sad, I think the prices in gamestop will go up now, since there will really be no more competition ofr them...I also prefered EB games way more than gamestop.

[SuperNES]

when it does happen i'm gonna see if i can snag me one of those EBgames neon signs outta the dumpster! that would look awesome in my room!

[nildem]

Rumor has it that some of the redundant EB and GameStop stores will be converted into those 'MovieStop' stores that have been mentioned for awhile.


Its sad, I think the prices in gamestop will go up now, since there will really be no more competition ofr them...I also prefered EB games way more than gamestop.

Hopefully Blockbuster will soon get their 'stuff' together and challenge them in the used game market.

[Big Papa Husker]

Hopefully Blockbuster will soon get their 'stuff' together and challenge them in the used game market.

I wish at least one of the stores in my city would become a Gamerush.

[hades]

Not looking forward to this merger myself, but to go slighty off topic:

I'm in Canada on my honeymoon and made my wife go with me hunting for a gaming store. (I've just about beat Metroid fusion, but zero missions is next to step up to the plate!) We stopped at an EB a couple miles from my hotel and I was in shock of what I saw. Intellivision games (boxed, in good condition even), Atari 2600 and 7800 games were in the "vintage games" bin. They were $7.99 CDN though for every game (2600 Pac-man even!) so it was just an interesting thing I never got to see from the Pennsylvania EB stores I've been to. Sega CD and SMS games were thrown in there too boot. :-)

And also the Edge card from the US doesn't work in Canada. :(

Sorry for the slight derail -- was just a bit of a shock to see this.

[ubikuberalles]

I don't want to drag this conversation too far off topic but personal computers is the new HP's most UN-profitable division. I doubt that they would loose a thing if they consolidated their PC lines into one brand name.


Actually, I think it's very on topic. What HP did is very appropos to what Gamestop is doing.

No doubt, HP's line of computers are their most unprofitable division in the corporation. That's exactly why they bought Compaq. They wanted to have a bigger share of the PC market and buying Compaq would help in that goal.

Did it succeed? I don't know but wiping out the Compaq line would be a big mistake. Let's say, for example, Compaq sales are $100 million (don't know what they really are) and HP closes down the line. Will the HP PC sales increase by $100 million from that removal? Of course not. Chances are it would increase by only $20 million or less with IBM, Gateway and Dell picking up the other sales. Many Compaq owner would absolutely refuse to buy an HP computer. HP would lose a lot of money simply closing the Compaq line and the stockholders would be VERY cross.

The same situation applies to Game Stop. If they just close down all the EB stores or just convert them to Game Stop stores, they may lose a lot of money. It all depends on the local market conditions. There may be many EB stores that outperform the Game Stop stores in the same area and simply closing them down would be foolish. Also, the stockholders may become VERY cross and the CEO doesn't want that to happen.

Of course I could be wrong and the executives of Game Stop are a bunch morons and they'll lose a lot of money when they close all the EB stores. If I were a Game Stop stockholder, I'd be nervous right now. :)

[classic gamer]

It would be nice if they would keep the merger behind wraps and leave the EBgames stores labeled as such so I can fool myself into thinking I still have a good local gamestore to go to.

[Oobgarm]

Of course I could be wrong and the executives of Game Stop are a bunch morons...


I'll go with this option. Seems to be the most reasonable.

Everyone should do themselves a favor and locate a Gamerush store near them if there is one, and transfer their business there. Their deals on trades and used games can't be beat. They even give more in trade for most titles than anyone else. They're a bit behind the 'curve', so to speak.

I personally loathe Blockbuster, but damn if their ignorance in the games market doesn't benefit me. I'm all for that.

[SoulBlazer]

Frankly, I don't care. Why? Well, I buy and sell all my used games on Amazon and only get new pre-ordered games from my local EB, espeicly PC games, which you HAVE to pre-order if you want to get your hands on them. So all of this does'nt affect me one bit. If my EB turns into a GameStop, no worries. See how simple it is when you're a gamer and not a collector? LOL 8-)