Article says Gamestop to close 500-600 stores this year

[Sailorneorune]

I like to pick up games locally when they're ridiculously expensive online, usually courtesy of the Amazon Marketplace Wishful Thinking Society. For this, Gamestop can be very good. If you have a particularly good store, the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful (and it's not their fault that the 12-year-old standing behind me wants GTA instead of Zelda ) and will do all they can to help out. I had the Henderson GS order a copy of Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley from another KY GS due to its ridiculous online price. A week later, I had Harvest Moon. Disc only, but it beats paying $50-60 (and probably still getting it disc only).

One of my anime bargain hunting buddies is helping me get a complete one, though... so I guess this disc only copy needs a new home, but I really appreciate the Henderson Gamestop helping me out. If Gamestops do close, I hope the one a quarter-mile away from my home is spared. They've only been open about 18 months, but they're great.

[sloan]

Not to be a jerk about this, but this "article" is pure speculation. It's not like any of those retailers have even announced earnings for last year and while I have no doubt Best Buy and Gamestop are facing some financial issues as a result of the economy, both had pretty decent holiday sales. While I'm sure Best Buy and Gamestop may close stores this year, it's silly to speculate about it before anything is announced. In addition, didn't we just have a huge Gamestop bashing post this past week that had to be closed?

I do not deny that the article is speculative at best, but it is interesting to ponder. Also, I knew nothing of the other thread when I posted this one and never intended it as a bashing of Gamestop, just thought it would be of interest to people on this forum.

[IHatedSega]

I too hope Gamestop goes out of business.

[retroguy]

I too hope Gamestop goes out of business.

It's never gonna happen, so you can stop now.

[IHatedSega]

It's never gonna happen, so you can stop now.

I saw you like it, but honestly, it needs to die.

[Griking]

In all seriousness though I think them buying out EB games is what is the problem here. Most eb games turned into game stop and now there is more game stops then there is really needed in some areas like for instance in Burlington area vermont we have about 160,000 people to cater to. There is 3 game stops. I think we can deal with closing 1 of them.

I certainly won't be sheding a tear for Gamestop but this is a valid point.

There were three Gamestops in the Crystal Mall alone in Waterford CT up until about a year ago when their leases ran out because of this.

It's nice to see a new Gamestop complaint thread posted, it's almost been a whole day since the last one was locked.

I don't see a Gamestop complain thread. I see a thread about current events having to do with Gamestop.

[GhostDog]

I do order new games off Amazon quite often. But when it comes to older used stuff, I really prefer to see the item in person first to check whether the disc or cartridge is in a condition I find acceptable. I will use eBay if I have to, but I got badly burned back in the Dreamcast days and I've never quite gotten over that. I ordered Samba de Amigo for Dreamcast - the sambas I received never worked properly, and the game was a pirated copy. Despite filing a dispute with eBay, I never got anything back, and the seller got away with it. And it was someone who'd had a 100% positive feedback and had quite a few sales.

When it comes to used games on Amazon, I see a lot of high shipping prices and a lot of sellers that don't seem to describe the item in enough detail. Maybe if you're buying in bulk the shipping pays off? Though I had a friend who contacted a seller on there about bundling a bunch of cheap games together to save on shipping and he got a flat-out "no" in response. I also see a lot of older games on there for ridiculous prices compared to eBay or Gamestop's used selection.

I love online shopping for anything new, don't get me wrong. But I just balk when it comes to used games, which is where Gamestop does well. At least when a used game or piece of equipment you buy there doesn't work, you can actually return it and not be hassled. With online shopping, you have to worry about shipping it back, and dealing with a seller who may just refuse to deal with it.

I buy games used from Amazone Warehouse deals when they're listed as "like-new." I have bought a handful of PS3 games from them and have not been disappointed. They're described accurately. While it is risky buying used online, the couple of times that certain items weren't described accurately from other sellers online I'd just message the sellers and let them know that I felt it wasn't described accurately and point out my reasons. I had no problems getting a refund and one person even let me keep the game.

[Oldskool]

As much as I hate gamestop, its bad news for the industry. A lot of bad stuff going on lately. THQ, Junction point, zipper interactive, etc. just release one bad game and they close. Nintendo not making profits??? Sony and microsoft too. Best buys closing stores. Something is wrong...

Tablets are taking over. Laptops, Desktops, Tv and handheld gaming consoles are the next in line to die off. F'in BS.

[Collector_Gaming]

Tablets are taking over. Laptops, Desktops, Tv and handheld gaming consoles are the next in line to die off. F'in BS.

As soon as I found out about this through my cousin



I thought yep.... Gaming as we know is screwed... Good bye regular consoles.... Good bye physical media....

Meaning your IOS and android device is capiable of running a full 3d rendered sandbox style game. I mean granted the graphics are old The game was made 10 years ago.. But still I can play this on my cell phone and not give a shit. Its gotta make nintendo and sony cringe about their portables a bit to know that cell phones and tablets are basically knocking on their door wanting to join the party.

[retroguy]

I don't care what the marketers say, cell phones are NOT game consoles and NEVER WILL BE and trying to convince people that they are is idiotic in the extreme. Before I quit reading, I could tell the EGM reviewers thought so too and were faking their enthusiasm for the Iphone games they reviewed because they were obligated to. I felt kind of sorry for them.

Now I'm perfectly willing to accept that phones and tablets can coexist alongside real gaming machines, but the day they replace them is the day I abandon gaming forever and stick to retro stuff only.

[Collector_Gaming]

I don't care what the marketers say, cell phones are NOT game consoles and NEVER WILL BE and trying to convince people that they are is idiotic in the extreme. Before I quit reading, I could tell the EGM reviewers thought so too and were faking their enthusiasm for the Iphone games they reviewed because they were obligated to. I felt kind of sorry for them.

Now I'm perfectly willing to accept that phones and tablets can coexist alongside real gaming machines, but the day they replace them is the day I abandon gaming forever and stick to retro stuff only.

Although I agree with you to some extent.... What do you call the N-Gage? A cell phone or console.... or can we dive into the H word? (Hyrbid)

[retroguy]

I'd call the N-Gage an experiment. If pressed, I would classify it as a game console with cell phone functionality tacked on. I seem to recall that they used the games as the selling point and the phone was sort of a bonus. You didn't have to use it as a phone, but you could. The Iphone, on the other hand, is a swiss army knife that can do many things but is primarily advertised as a phone and therefore not a game console.

[Greg2600]

I agree that Gamestop just simply had too many stores in close proximity. My guess is they are nearing an end to contracts of all those absorbed EB stores, partly. Most people won't notice the closings.

[IHatedSega]

As long as consoles try to be computers theyre screwed. Theyre cheap bad computers now. They should have only stuck to playing video games. The industry is not going to be taken over by handheld phones though.

[Collector_Gaming]

I'd call the N-Gage an experiment. If pressed, I would classify it as a game console with cell phone functionality tacked on. I seem to recall that they used the games as the selling point and the phone was sort of a bonus. You didn't have to use it as a phone, but you could. The Iphone, on the other hand, is a swiss army knife that can do many things but is primarily advertised as a phone and therefore not a game console.

Well what about the Ipad which is pressed as a multimedia device which todays consoles are actually pressed as now with capabilities of watching movies, listening to music, surfing the internet (specially with xbox finally jumping on board with their IE browser now on the system). Surfing todays social networks ect ect ect.

The fact of the matter is times are changing and believe me I for one am not liking where its going. But right now its like a locomotive stuck on full throttle with the lever broken off to slow it down. Sadly we are gonna have to accept it or just get left behind. And I for one don't know where I stand on that split decision.

[Collector_Gaming]

But to drive myself off that last topic but keep as to why this is all going down as to why gamestop and alot of other chains are in trouble is simply internet downloads.


Every single person who uses the internet and has a credit card/debit card (Which btw you don't need a bank account anymore for since you can buy those preloaded Visa debit cards at stores. Virtually making physical money also a thing of the past.) has this the choice to make when buying their goods

Lets say I want the latest Three Days Grace Album

I could either A. Buy it at the local record store or Best buy or FYE or Walmart/Kmart/target. Which is going for 12 dollars at best buy if i was to goto the local best buy and buy this on cd in person.

or B. Goto Amazon.com and buy it for a dime cheaper on cd....
Or i could buy it for 8 bucks in MP3 format. (or 11 dollars if i absolutely needed that booklet)

Or C. Itunes which is 8 bucks as well.

What would you prefer?

Not only that. But now we have services where you can listen to most albums for free without the government knocking on your door for violations thanks to services like Spotify.
and free streaming radio which we can have on our mobile devices such as Pandora.

Its the same scenario with movies and games and everything else in this world.

As i said before.. Times are changing and I think we are standing on some very shakey grounds in hopes to accept these changes. Lots of what ifs to answer.

Like what does this mean for brick and mortar stores outside of course fashion and grocery (well unless they create a simulation that will simulate yourself with said article of clothing on...).. And then in turn what will happen to our economy then. think of the millions of hard working americans let alone the possible billion or so world wide residents that will be told they no longer have a job because the internet took it in the retail business. The only thing that will survive is factories producing the product and the development studios developing media (websites, movies, games, music, tv, stuff like that) and the warehouses storing product (like what amazon uses to house its product that it sends out to everyone).

And if this tanks the economy to levels I think we can't even begin to comprehend. What will that mean for us as human race. Will everything collapse on itself and hit reset. Or could this bring catastrophic destruction? Who knows. I feel this is only the beginning. And i for one will tread lightly from here on out in life till I know the coast is clear

Another thing I think that should be discussed in something like this..
I will admit its extremely stupid to talk about but I have some valid points to make to give you guys some wonder.

You guys seen the movie Wall-e right? Wonderful disney-pixar collab film about a robot left on earth after the fall of civialization and finds a possible friend or love after being visited by a female bot sent to earth to check the hazard levels of earth and to see if life can once again be established on the planet.

Wall-e finds his way aboard the space that contains the last remaining human beings of earth that been living on this thing in hopes that one day they can return to the planet and flourish life again.

First thing he notices is how everyone is super fat and constantly riding around on these power chairs that take them to where ever and they all are absorbed into the technical devices attached to said chairs. Never really making any contact to other fellow humans really.

Will this become us as our technology advances so much that it becomes our every day life commodity.

Remember how back in the 90s or before you goto a party its a social event everyone chilling hanging out and all that jazz.

Now a days its become more so something like this in a way and getting worse. Everyones staring down at their smart devices surfing the net texting playing games ect ect. Not a whole lot of physical socializing. I mean I even catch myself doing it from time to time at friends parties.

[Collector_Gaming]

I am sorry for the long post but I am a person with a ton of questions about the future in our economy and business and its practices and how it effects our lives as human beings. Because ya know we can't have a entire company get wiped out and let go 10 thousand employees and think everything is gonna be just fine.

We can't assume as we grow more and more reliant on our devices to provide everything for us in day to day living and expect life will go on as it has before without missing a step.

[retroguy]

Aside from it just being a good story in and of itself, I think Pixar made WALL-E as a warning. They were trying to tell people exactly what you just said. It's sad that no one is really listening. As for myself, aside from computer software (which I've done exactly once), I never pay for digital downloads of anything. If I can't purchase a physical copy, I either don't get it or I find someplace to download it for free. And whenever possible, I make a point of going to brick and mortar stores to buy what I'm looking for. I refuse to contribute to the digitization of our culture any more than I absolutely have to.

[Griking]

As soon as I found out about this through my cousin



I thought yep.... Gaming as we know is screwed... Good bye regular consoles.... Good bye physical media....

Meaning your IOS and android device is capiable of running a full 3d rendered sandbox style game. I mean granted the graphics are old The game was made 10 years ago.. But still I can play this on my cell phone and not give a shit. Its gotta make nintendo and sony cringe about their portables a bit to know that cell phones and tablets are basically knocking on their door wanting to join the party.

I've been saying for a few years now that Nintendo is in trouble. not that many people want to carry both a portable gaming system AND a cell phone with them. Especially when one of them can do both. Now, if Nintendo were smart they would design a Nintendo smart phone of their own that's essentially a DS in a phone. (Actually, if they were smart they would have done this a few years ago now.) And I don't mean a hand held that can make calls, I mean an actually smart phone that can play DS games.

[Griking]

I don't care what the marketers say, cell phones are NOT game consoles and NEVER WILL BE and trying to convince people that they are is idiotic in the extreme. Before I quit reading, I could tell the EGM reviewers thought so too and were faking their enthusiasm for the Iphone games they reviewed because they were obligated to. I felt kind of sorry for them.

Now I'm perfectly willing to accept that phones and tablets can coexist alongside real gaming machines, but the day they replace them is the day I abandon gaming forever and stick to retro stuff only.

I think that you're missing the point though. As I said earlier, most casual gamers don't want to carry two devices with them. A hardcore gamer may but a casual gamer will generally be just as happy playing a casual game on their phone while they're on the bus or waiting for something. People on the go didn't have an option before. Now they do. And besides, its not like Apple or Samsung are claiming that their phones are game consoles or marketing them that way. People just know that they can do games.