GAME and GameStop shares fall following Xbox Games Pass reveal

Floex wrote:I can't think of one thing on Game's website that is cheaper than anywhere else, internet shopping wise. They practically mimic the stores.

Generally speaking that's true. Occasionally they've been the cheapest somehow for things though.

I got my copy of Dragonball Fusions from them for £24.99 when everywhere else seemed to be wanting £30 for it. The game is already seemingly insane hard to get, even Amazon want £42.99 for it now.

I went into game at Christmas. It seemed to be mainly keyboards, mice and novelty stuff. I can't see myself ever buying from a games store ever again.

Moggy wrote:They might manage to hold on for a little bit but long term shops like Game are strawberry floated. They simply cannot compete with online retailers on price and so the only thing they have is the impulse or “got to have it now!” purchases. With the improvements in peoples internet connections and the subscription based models that are appearing, Game has no business model, other than possibly in hardware.

I think they will head into the second hand market. As somebody already said the stores seem more dedicated to that and it's really their money maker. They doing trade ins on phones.

It's not just their stores. Their online stores are more expensive than everyone else. Take Ghost recon for example. They are charging £45 for the normal version, whilst Simply games, the game collection and shopto all charging £40. Amazon charging £42 with £2 off for prime members.

GAME need to stop thinking this is 2004 and people are going to buy off them because of their reputation. I noticed shopto in the last few years got a bit more dearer than other retailers too. But now they gone back down similar to their prices. Simplygames and thegamecollection are probably my favourite two retailers. They usually the cheapest. Also sometimes get you Tuesday releases on a Saturday to you.

GameStop are worse. They are offering incentives to employees to stop people buying new games and buy preowned games. Employees are going as far as saying the games out of stock new.

Oddly they do some bargains every so often bought a Corsair keyboard instore for £59.99 when it was around £120 everywhere else before Xmas , but i do agree it won't be long before they are gone.

Gemini73

PES Fan wrote:
GAME need to stop thinking this is 2004 and people are going to buy off them because of their reputation.

That is a large part of their problem. The company is run by retail dinosaurs like Martyn Gibbs who still thinks high street retail, games in particular, are still as relevant as they once were. Consumers are far more savvy these days when it comes to buying and spending and GAME simply haven't grasped this. GAME have learned nothing from their collapse a few years back and clearly thought that they could just pick up the pieces and carry on as normal.

I can't even remember the last time I bought something from Game (retail or online), it's been so long now. They're just not competitive enough.

If Game Pass eats into the second hand market, at least game developers and publishers will make money from it.

Speaking of Gamestop.

Just thinking that GAME would have similar policies in corporate eyes (pushing preowned games, asking for covering game breakdown etc...)

lex-man wrote:I went into game at Christmas. It seemed to be mainly keyboards, mice and novelty stuff. I can't see myself ever buying from a games store ever again.

I don't know if this is the same in all GAME stores, but my local now has over half the store dedicated to T-shirts, action figures and other game related merchandise. It really feels like they're gearing up to reposition themselves as a game-focused Forbidden Planet type shop. They have to do something, and it feels like it could work.

Them scrapping price matching is pretty much the end for me and Game, used to do that quite a bit just so I didn't have to spend money in CEX. Shame, I have a real soft spot for them, especially after they gave me £500+ for a bag full of awful games back in the day.

Cyburn2 wrote:Just thinking that GAME would have similar policies in corporate eyes (pushing preowned games, asking for covering game breakdown etc...)

They already do the latter. Whenever someone buys a game they ask if you'd like to take out a warranty on the disc, can't remember if they charge £1 or £2 for it.

Shadow wrote:
lex-man wrote:I went into game at Christmas. It seemed to be mainly keyboards, mice and novelty stuff. I can't see myself ever buying from a games store ever again.

I don't know if this is the same in all GAME stores, but my local now has over half the store dedicated to T-shirts, action figures and other game related merchandise. It really feels like they're gearing up to reposition themselves as a game-focused Forbidden Planet type shop. They have to do something, and it feels like it could work.

I think that would work but they would have to downsize quite a bit as they're not going to sell that many t-shirts and key rings to keep as many stores as they have.

Gemini73

Cyburn2 wrote:Speaking of Gamestop.

Just thinking that GAME would have similar policies in corporate eyes (pushing preowned games, asking for covering game breakdown etc...)

Good video and his closing statement is absolutely true. High street video game retail is dying and there is nothing any of these companies can really do to stop it.

Went into my local GAME today.

They've started charging £5 to pre-order games. I knew they've been charging £20 deposit on the Switch, which is understandable I guess, and they sometimes asked for a £20 deposit for expensive collectors editions, but now it looks like in-store is a £5 deposit for just pre-ordering a regular game :lol:

Oh, and I also took this snapshot,

From charging for a PSVR demo, to charging for specific demo experiences.

Bought Forza 6 with the controller from them online today because they're accidently emailing a download code for Horizon 3 along with Forza 6 :datass:

Cyburn2 wrote:Speaking of Gamestop.

I have to strongly disagree with one point he made though - who doesn't want a Morrowind dildo? :shifty:

Gemini73

So I was out and about in town yesterday to pick up a second Slim 360 250GB (my kids have all but commandeered mine) and having only a Game or CEX to choose from I went into both to see what deals were on.

Other being empty on a Saturday early afternoon, Game were next to useless; advertising deals on consoles they didn't actually have in store and the young lad who 'assisted' me couldn't be less interest if he tried. I think i was in there a whole 5 minutes before leaving empty handed.

CEX, on the other hand, were much better and very busy. They had stock of slim 360s and the sales assistant was incredibly helpful; explaining to me how their 24 month warranty worked and that the console had been fully tested, however any probs I should give them a shout and they'll sort it out with a replacement or refund with no hassle. We even had a bit of friendly banter about PUBG as he put my sale through.

So kudos to CEX.

Game? Given the latest news in the companies fortunes I doubt they'll even be here this time next year. They'll limp through another Christmas, but beyond that I think it's safe to say they're strawberry floated.

GAME and GameStop shares fall following Xbox Games Pass reveal

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