GAME Watch: Fewer stores, new app & now Steam codes!

GAME has such a hold on the UK Market that you can tell that in an attempt to not go under, they will indeed sell off they're overseas stores. I would feel very sorry for the people who loose their jobs, but i wouldn't be upset if GAME goes under here.

My local store hasn't had any new titles in Ages. Never even got the Sly Copper HD collection on PS3. Poor excuse of a company
 
Doesn't look good for Game at all. It's hard times for everyone, I can't see why Game in particular are going under when it should apply to Grainger, Bee, Gamestation and every high street gaming outlet.

We don't know what Game's balance sheet looks like. They could be living on an overdraft. If their sales are down, then investors may be demanding a "restructure" i.e. closing/selling unprofitable stores. They seem to have spread themselves very thinly by having multiple stores in the same town. The per week rents on some units will be astronomical - think of what one store would need to sell just to break even.
 
1. We don't know what Game's balance sheet looks like. They could be living on an overdraft.

2. They seem to have spread themselves very thinly by having multiple stores in the same town. The per week rents on some units will be astronomical - think of what one store would need to sell just to break even.

1. I think that's a fair assumption, given the comments quoted above about discussions with their bankers. A usual indication that they're either in breach of their banking covenants, or are heading towards breach.

2. Quite so. Someone pointed it out above - and I assume at least part of it must stem from the merger and acquisitions of other shops, whose leases they can't get out of. It's madness though - in the shopping centre near where I work, there are two GAME outlets, one directly above the other on different floors :facepalm: Plus they have a Gamestation a few minutes walk down the road, outside the centre.

It's not tenable in the long term - but I assume that they must have worked out that it would cost them more to try to get out of the leases early.
 
A new challenger appears!

New and Used Xbox 360 Games, PS3 Games & Wii Games | Grainger Games

In our shopping centre Grainger Games and GAME are across from each other and GAME have a white board outside saying they will match GG and you get GAME points :facepalm: reeks of desperation!

I didn't realise GG were such a big chain TBH 68 stores nationwide :eek: fairplay!, not so bothered about losing GAME as a high street retailer now lol.

Did yo ever see this: How an Unknown Games Retailer Committed Suicide at a Gaming Awards Event | Gizmodo UK

If Game do go then thats the last store that I can pick up a game with. My local Tesco and Asda have a very small collection. Last week Game Stop closed also.

I have noticed how empty my local game store looks :confused:
 
Feature: Death on the high street: Is this the end for specialist games retail? - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

This article pretty much nails it.

Tesco and Asda are happy to sell games at cost price - or even at a loss - to get you in-store. GAME cannot afford to do the same. Nor can it compete with the crazy discounting seen online. FIFA 12 was available for between £45 at GAME and Gamestation at launch last September. The same game could be found for under £38 online and, amazingly, just £25 in the supermarkets.

Supermarkets core competency isn't selling games, but they'll sell it at cost or at a loss to get you in and at the end of the day they aren't paying extra rent to do so.
 
GAME/Gamestation going under would pretty much kill the 2nd hand market over here. For me it would probably mean i buy my new games new online and then seek to swap them on here.

Maybe the AVForum could come together with a new way of moving on our games to other members that benefits everyone?
 
BenchyUK said:
Maybe the AVForum could come together with a new way of moving on our games to other members that benefits everyone?

there is the classified but a game swap has been tried many times and unfortunately failed with each attempt :(
 
Gotta be honest, I was more bothered when Woolies went under....Mmmmm Pick 'n' mix!!!!!!!!!!
 
Matty507 said:
Gotta be honest, I was more bothered when Woolies went under....Mmmmm Pick 'n' mix!!!!!!!!!!

Wilkinsons has a better selection :)
 
Feature: Death on the high street: Is this the end for specialist games retail? - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

This article pretty much nails it.



Supermarkets core competency isn't selling games, but they'll sell it at cost or at a loss to get you in and at the end of the day they aren't paying extra rent to do so.

The supermarkets can only benefit from Game's demise. As much as Game's prices were not attractive, I don't relish a situation where the supermarkets dominate as the walk-in retailer for games.
 
The supermarkets can only benefit from Game's demise. As much as Game's prices were not attractive, I don't relish a situation where the supermarkets dominate as the walk-in retailer for games.

Why is that. What do GAME offer that Supermarkets don't?

Pre-order incentives, good trade in prices (to the detriment to GAME) and loyalty rewards is all I can think of and I don't care about them to be honest especially if the game if still cheaper to buy at supermarkets.

If GAME are to specialise in selling video games they have to do something special to draw in a crowd imo. But it was inevitable that Supermarkets would take over. My local Asda has a travel agents, pharmacy, post office, and NHS walk in Clinic.
 
i couldn't care less if any of them went under, im sick of them ripping me off on trade prices where i take a game with no scratches or marks and in perfect condition and get next to nothing.

example at gamestation - they were selling rage for £12 they offered me £4 to trade mine in.

i gave my copy to my nephew, i would rather he had it than let them rip me off.

i rent my games now and im glad i do.
 
Why is that. What do GAME offer that Supermarkets don't?

Exactly. I'm much more likely to buy a game at Asda than Game.

At least they're selling PS3 and 360 games for £40 now rather than their previously ridiculously uncompetitive £50 but I guess it's too little too late...
 
Why is that. What do GAME offer that Supermarkets don't?

Pre-order incentives, good trade in prices (to the detriment to GAME) and loyalty rewards is all I can think of and I don't care about them to be honest especially if the game if still cheaper to buy at supermarkets.

If GAME are to specialise in selling video games they have to do something special to draw in a crowd imo. But it was inevitable that Supermarkets would take over. My local Asda has a travel agents, pharmacy, post office, and NHS walk in Clinic.

If GAME go under, there's less competition which means there will be less incentive for supermarkets to offer those perks you've listed when they don't have a rival. Sure, ASDA has a High Street under one roof but you say that as if it's a good thing. Maybe if you want one company calling the shots on all those activities, then vote for ASDA.
 
They need to adapt to the market; find out what is working for other stores. I bet they could have been more competitive, but having games for £45 on release is too much. They must have quite a large buying power to stock all the stores in the game group (and the online ones too!).

- Change all high street and online stores to Game.
- Just have one store on each high street and one online shop
- Buy in bulk and price competitively.
- Have more regular weekly deals on relatively new titles.
- Adapt prices in light of other stores (like Amazon do with their price matching at the moment).
- Train staff properly: make sure they are knowledgeable and helpful
- Stop stores smelling like teenage boys' bedrooms.
- Have a larger 'demo' area with a selection of consoles and games to try.
- Charge less for used games.
- Tap into other gaming mediums, such as browser, facebook, tablet and smartphone games. Perhaps setting up an app store?
- Regular gaming competitions that attract people into the store.
 
I find Gamestation to be more of a pain than GAME online wise due to the fact there website is complete garbage, I ordered a reward card maybe 4 months ago and havn't got nothing everytime I try and go to there support page I get "Sorry something has gone wrong.......Nothing to get worked up about". The problem with high street stores is as someone else said it's the property rent, heating, electric, staff, etc but still no excuse for some of the prices I got modern warfare 3 hardened edition in store and it was £10 more which is quite abit, I dont mind maybe £2 a time but £10 difference is abit you know
 
If GAME go under, there's less competition which means there will be less incentive for supermarkets to offer those perks you've listed when they don't have a rival. Sure, ASDA has a High Street under one roof but you say that as if it's a good thing. Maybe if you want one company calling the shots on all those activities, then vote for ASDA.

supermarkets always compete with each other, so it's not like Asda will hold the monopoly and then there is always online stores so it is not doom and gloom for game. They just need to re-structure and re-think.
 
tbh, GAME offered such poor service that I'm not surprised that they are in the poo. From the general feeling on these forums, not many others are too fussed about their potential demise either...
I used to use GAME, but when Kinect came out, I asked a staff member in one shop if I could see a demo of it (it was all set up) to be told "nah, the demo area's too small to show you it", er okay genius, how to expect me to buy it without trying it then? I then tried the same question in a completely different shop in a completely different area of the country to be met with an almost exact answer!!
With customer service like that, I'd rather look at my laptop and buy games that go into a shop!
 
I know what you mean by that that there not all like that, my local game had a kinect demo set up and you were free to go in to try it as you wished, and they were always friendly aswell really got on with to of the shop floor staff and the manager.
 
Posted on MCV :-

Hours of speculation about GAME's survival are hopefully over as the retailer has brokered a new deal with its lenders.

The Board of GAME Group this evening announced it has 'concluded discussions with its lending syndicate and agreed revised terms for its facilities'.

While GAME has agreed to 'operate within lower limits of its existing facilities than was previously available', the new arrangement around its finances means the firm will continue to trade.

The news comes after days of unofficial reports that said the retailer was facing problems with credit insurance covering new stock moving into stores and paying for new releases.

It was forced into having to issue a statement this morning responding to the speculation.

Most importantly, the renewed support from its stakeholders and lenders means the Board is confident GAME will meet its covenant tests for the period to 31 January 2012 when tested on 27 February 2012.

At the start of the year the group had confessed it may not meet the tests.

The Board now expects that the loss before tax and non recurring items will be around £18m for the year to 31 January 2012 - a figure actually lower than analysts had been speculating.

Ian Shepherd, CEO of GAME said "We're pleased to reach agreement with our lenders, but should be under no illusions about the challenges in our market or the hard work that is required to deliver our strategic plan."
As part of the new deal with its lenders, GAME has agreed to provide an updated strategic plan - which this time its lenders will get a say in approving.

The plan will cover all aspects of the business's activities and strategy, including its overseas operations, a move it hinted at this morning.

GAME has 665 stores internationally (573 in continental Europe, and 92 in Australia), plus 610 in the UK and Ireland.

A year ago, the firm laid out a plan to embrace digital content in-store and be a more proactive specialist retailer. But a downward turn in the overall games market for boxed games in the UK has dampened the impact of CEO Ian Shepherd's vision for the chain.
 
Which is a lot more than you can say for the staff of GAME, they either dont have a clue what games are out or are coming out, or they simply dont care.
I wouldnt be surprised if most of them didnt even like games!
I dont get why they should know everything about games or even like them just because theyre working in a videogame shop.
Why do gamers expect this of videogame shop staff? do we expect the staff of asda to know all 57 varieties of Heinz? Are the staff at kwikfit expected to have a passionate interest in tyres? should we not allow people to work in petrol stations if they dont drive?
 
I dont get why they should know everything about games or even like them just because theyre working in a videogame shop.
Why do gamers expect this of videogame shop staff? do we expect the staff of asda to know all 57 varieties of Heinz? Are the staff at kwikfit expected to have a passionate interest in tyres? should we not allow people to work in petrol stations if they dont drive?

because it is a specialist gaming shop. If you wanted no customer service then you'd shop online. You wouldn't go to richer sounds to be greeted by sales staff who have no clue in the industry they're working in, or would you?
 

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