did eb and gamestop suddenly merge

[Poofta!]

i was at gamestop the other day and the brochures/catalogs in there were for both EB and Gamestop, i went to EB and sure enough they had the same prices/catalogs.

did i fall asleep and suddently these two merged.... wtf.

[Schenley]

I wouldn't say it was "suddenly". This has been happening since roughly April. A quick Google turned this up:
Article (http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/04/18/news_6122418.html) (Google is your friend)

I think it's going to be another year or so before the merger is completed.

[njiska]

No we've known about this since the spring. Don't know how you missed it.

[Darren870]

Yea, Umm it happened almost a year ago. Barnes and Noble bought EB. They own Gamestop already.

[tylerwillis]

i was at gamestop the other day and the brochures/catalogs in there were for both EB and Gamestop, i went to EB and sure enough they had the same prices/catalogs.

did i fall asleep and suddently these two merged.... wtf.

Bah... you just fell into a timewarp. Nothin big. Happens to me all the time.

[goatdan]

Yeah, it sucks. Now instead of competing against each other, they'll use the same price lists. It seems like for the time being at least, they'll keep the different names.

I told one of the managers at the EB that I most like going to that it was kinda sad to see that, and she promised me that if nothing else, it would be the same crew and that they wouldn't rip me off ;)

[mikeetler]

I think it's going to be another year or so before the merger is completed.

The merger was completed in October. The transition to all one line of stores is what's going to take a year or so. The EB HQ is West Chester, PA is one of the first things closing so all operations will be based out of TX.

[mikeetler]

Yea, Umm it happened almost a year ago. Barnes and Noble bought EB. They own Gamestop already.

Gamestop is not wholy owned by B&N and hasn't been for a number of years. GS is a publicly traded company, as was EB. GS "merged" (read "bought") with EB. B&N has nothing to do with the deal.

[NE146]

Aside from the early 90's, these days I couldn't even tell you whether I'm in an EB, Gamestop, Babbages, or Software Etc (if that's even still around) even if I'm standing in it. LOL

They're all basically like a single generic nondescript store to me now and have been for years.

[donkeykong1]

Aside from the early 90's, these days I couldn't even tell you whether I'm in an EB, Gamestop, Babbages, or Software Etc (if that's even still around) even if I'm standing in it. LOL

They're all basically like a single generic nondescript store to me now and have been for years.

I agree, they are all the same.

[Trebuken]

EB employees that few changes will occur until after Christmas, and probably not until the end of the fiscal year, and until holiday profits are known. They did tell me that EB and Gamestop have drastically different computer (inventory) management that will likely be a long time in coming together. Name changes for stores are expected, but does not mean they will drop the EB Games logo...

Later,
Trebuken

[mikeetler]

Aside from the early 90's, these days I couldn't even tell you whether I'm in an EB, Gamestop, Babbages, or Software Etc (if that's even still around) even if I'm standing in it. LOL

They're all basically like a single generic nondescript store to me now and have been for years.

Maybe that's because Babbages and Software Etc merged some ten+ years ago and became Babbages Etc. Then Barnes & Nobel bought Babbages Etc and started opening the Gamestop stores to compete with Funcoland. EB then made a play for Funco and was beat out by B&N. Once that deal was complete, Babbages Etc was folded into Funcoland and the name was changed to Gamestop and began tradin publicly.

[Diatribal Deity]

Yea, Umm it happened almost a year ago. Barnes and Noble bought EB. They own Gamestop already.

Gamestop is not wholy owned by B&N and hasn't been for a number of years. GS is a publicly traded company, as was EB. GS "merged" (read "bought") with EB. B&N has nothing to do with the deal.

Yes, but who has controlling interest in the company. James Kim and family had controlling interest in EB through some holding company. Until you really research it fully, you don't know who's running what. ;)

[mikeetler]

Yes, but who has controlling interest in the company. James Kim and family had controlling interest in EB through some holding company. Until you really research it fully, you don't know who's running what. ;)

The Kim family is out from everything I've seen. They've only had a financial interest in the company for the last ten years or so and since the shares were converted to Gamestop shares they now hold a minority stake in Gamestop, nothing more. The CEO and president of the "new" company are the current CEO and president of Gamestop.

[DonMarco]

EB employees that few changes will occur until after Christmas, and probably not until the end of the fiscal year, and until holiday profits are known. They did tell me that EB and Gamestop have drastically different computer (inventory) management that will likely be a long time in coming together. Name changes for stores are expected, but does not mean they will drop the EB Games logo...
We've already got a a few "GameStop" Madcatz controllers... Being so close to a Wal-Mart Supercenter, I'm pretty sure my store will become a Gamestop.

I think the EB computer system and inventory system are going to stay, from what I've gathered. Nothing confirmed, though.

The merger has been going on forever. I remember talking about it to some GS guys and they were all like "haha, GS bought you out!" and I was like "haha they did the same to you!" Which was technically true, as the store was a Babbages like 4 years earlier.

EDIT: lol (http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000003070036)

[mikeetler]

The merger has been going on forever. I remember talking about it to some GS guys and they were all like "haha, GS bought you out!"

The whole thing was done in six months (began April 17th 2005 (announced the 18th) and closed October 8th 2005). I wouldn't call that long at all considering they had to get FTC approval.


and I was like "haha they did the same to you!" Which was technically true, as the store was a Babbages like 4 years earlier.

Except the company is one and the same. They have been gradually re-branding most of the Babbages stores to Gamestop unless there are multiple stores in a very close distance.