GAME in Trouble
- Thread starter MatParker116
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Strangely enough I went to a couple of GAME stores near me when I was out and about last week and I thought bloody hell there is nothing in stock all the shelves are near empty they are either doing really well or are in trouble.
I stopped going to GAME about the start of this console gen mainly due to the fact it was cheaper and easier to order online but also because of the abysmal selection of games they started to stock, unless you want the latest chart topping game you will be unlikely to find it adorning their shelves.
Mainly I think they have just lost the trust of a lot of buyers for every one staff member who actually seems to know a bit about games you get 10 whos knowledge starts and stops with COD this includes the managers. I remember a conversation with the (idiot) Manager at my infrequently visited local store he had not heard of Catherine, Disgaea 4 (or any Disgaea), Child of eden or Xenoblade Chronicles jeez man at least know a bit about the products your supposed to specialise in one game he had heard of though was MW3 which he reminded me of every time he got a chance (this was just before it was released so gotta push those pre orders) yeah anyway I left without purchasing/pre-ordering anything.
When I was in another of their stores briefly last week I was browsing their pitiful selection when a girl came in and asked a member of staff who made Assassins Creed to which he replied er yeah thats by Eidos so she pleased with this misinformation then asked if they did any other games because they would be just as good right? on hearing this he just said yeah should be, have a look on the wall there if it says eidos on the front its by the same people. I was going to inform her that she had been told an absolute load of bollocks but I didnt think she would care really maybe she will mistakenly expand her gaming horizons instead.
Yeah anyway the only thing I buy from GAME now is the actual consoles themselves but its about time they went they should have concentrated on offering a good service with knowledgeable staff that could have proved a counterpoint to online sales digital and hardcopy wise instead they tried to take them on and it seems arent faring to well.
I stopped going to GAME about the start of this console gen mainly due to the fact it was cheaper and easier to order online but also because of the abysmal selection of games they started to stock, unless you want the latest chart topping game you will be unlikely to find it adorning their shelves.
Mainly I think they have just lost the trust of a lot of buyers for every one staff member who actually seems to know a bit about games you get 10 whos knowledge starts and stops with COD this includes the managers. I remember a conversation with the (idiot) Manager at my infrequently visited local store he had not heard of Catherine, Disgaea 4 (or any Disgaea), Child of eden or Xenoblade Chronicles jeez man at least know a bit about the products your supposed to specialise in one game he had heard of though was MW3 which he reminded me of every time he got a chance (this was just before it was released so gotta push those pre orders) yeah anyway I left without purchasing/pre-ordering anything.
When I was in another of their stores briefly last week I was browsing their pitiful selection when a girl came in and asked a member of staff who made Assassins Creed to which he replied er yeah thats by Eidos so she pleased with this misinformation then asked if they did any other games because they would be just as good right? on hearing this he just said yeah should be, have a look on the wall there if it says eidos on the front its by the same people. I was going to inform her that she had been told an absolute load of bollocks but I didnt think she would care really maybe she will mistakenly expand her gaming horizons instead.
Yeah anyway the only thing I buy from GAME now is the actual consoles themselves but its about time they went they should have concentrated on offering a good service with knowledgeable staff that could have proved a counterpoint to online sales digital and hardcopy wise instead they tried to take them on and it seems arent faring to well.
And what made you pre-order with them over Amazon, Shop.to, Zavvi, play, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco or Sainsburys? Each of which will sell the exact same game cheaper or offer some slightly different extras. The savings you make can go towards the inevitable DLC we'll get.BrotherSurplice said:
But it won't be a quick 'oh. where did my local game shop go?' it'll be a slow and painful death. The problem Game are facing now is the same one that Woolies faced a few years ago. Like I said earlier. Give it to the end of the year.
is it creepy that i think i know where you're talking about? :SPinhead Larry said:
OT: Meh, never went into Game much, or Gamestation for that. They always seemed to charge a lot for new games, even if they had been out months. GAME still sells Skyrim for £40 where i live and i find it frustrating that they sell the game for that much when i can go to CeX and purchase it used for £25.
I'll be sad if GAME goes under. Unlike everyone else in this thread so it seems. I've never had a problem with my local one. The staff are nice and helpful and I've only had good experiences buying from them. Slightly pushy sales tactics but I guess nowerdays that's to be expected from every shop so I ignore it.
...So do you mean to imply that there aren't any mom-and-pop or independently owned game retailers in the UK...? Still, sounds like you're set with Amazon but for classic games their prices can be somewhat ridiculous.MatParker116 said:
Isn't this the European version of Gamestop? Hold on, going to check their site.
Strangely couldn't find their site, but I remember Total Biscuit saying that it was so I'm just going to roll with it until I'm in a coffin.
Isn't this a good thing, though?
Strangely couldn't find their site, but I remember Total Biscuit saying that it was so I'm just going to roll with it until I'm in a coffin.
Isn't this a good thing, though?
The franchises of GAME in Australia i have dealt with have always been pleasant exchanges.
i would be sad to see them go
i would be sad to see them go
Eh, doesn't bother me. I don't buy any games in a brick and mortar store these days. Feel somewhat sorry for the people who relied on it, but I really couldn't care less about the store itself. If its brick and mortar here in Aus, it's ripping you off.
Im kind of neutral about this for two reasons:
-I hate game for having poor refund policies regarding PC games(I managed to get an incredibly buggy version of Mass Effect 2; I checked my system requirements on yougamers.com, it passed, I had an IT guy check my pc; no problems, and yet the game was unplayable(EDIT) and they refused to give me a full refund)
However;
-Their sales on pc games are quite good; a month ago, Shogun 2 Total War was only £17.49, and even the smallest GAME store will have a section for PC games.
-I hate game for having poor refund policies regarding PC games(I managed to get an incredibly buggy version of Mass Effect 2; I checked my system requirements on yougamers.com, it passed, I had an IT guy check my pc; no problems, and yet the game was unplayable(EDIT) and they refused to give me a full refund)
However;
-Their sales on pc games are quite good; a month ago, Shogun 2 Total War was only £17.49, and even the smallest GAME store will have a section for PC games.
To be honest I've bought from game once in a few years and that was a special offer. They just don't offer anything that would make you buy from them. Their prices are consistently the highest out of all videogame retailers and they do nothing to combat that.
Gamestation is owned by the same company but still puts out better and more frequent deals, HMV can afford to knock a little off the price and their selection is at least as good as GAME's. Grainger Games and Game Exchange are more expensive and on their way to failing because of it.
If GAME goes down I won't much care because their approach to getting new sales is very lax.
Gamestation is owned by the same company but still puts out better and more frequent deals, HMV can afford to knock a little off the price and their selection is at least as good as GAME's. Grainger Games and Game Exchange are more expensive and on their way to failing because of it.
If GAME goes down I won't much care because their approach to getting new sales is very lax.
The fact that games retailers are struggling so much now is unfortunate. I know that things are going toward digital distribution (I myself, use Steam quite a bit), but there will always be people (like myself) who still prefer the tactile glee of owning a physical product.
For me, tearing off the plastic, opening the box, and reading the manual is part of the experience...
For me, tearing off the plastic, opening the box, and reading the manual is part of the experience...
As others have said, never quite been sure about the hate for GAME...
At least where I live it's pretty much the only place you'd want to bother going to for console games, your other option is Electronics Boutique AKA EB Games... *shudders*.
But yeah, never had an issue with ignorant staff, bad pricing, screwy used copies or the like, but you can't really judge an entire company from one branch.
As for the lack of PC games... we have Steam, if I bought any games from a physical store I'd just end up using every no-cd and anti-drm crack possible anyway >.>
At least where I live it's pretty much the only place you'd want to bother going to for console games, your other option is Electronics Boutique AKA EB Games... *shudders*.
But yeah, never had an issue with ignorant staff, bad pricing, screwy used copies or the like, but you can't really judge an entire company from one branch.
As for the lack of PC games... we have Steam, if I bought any games from a physical store I'd just end up using every no-cd and anti-drm crack possible anyway >.>
This sums up an important issue with modern consumers and problems the gaming industry faces on the whole. Maybe you're too young to understand the consequences of going down the cheapest route time and time again, both new and second hand.Drop_D-Bombshell said:
Just for a comparison; the PC gamer's darling Steam is currently selling Skyrim as a digital download for £35, only £5 cheaper than Game is selling a hard copy for consoles... don't forget those console copies also come with a £10 premium for either Sony or Microsoft, then printing, distribution costs, etc.
First of all, I couldn't care less about the problems the gaming industry has, for what it's worth it's the industry itself and piracy (which is fueled by the industry) that's killing the industry, not the used games myth. If i want it, i'll get the cheapest deal, not everyone's got money pouring out of their arse you know, i rarely buy any games. You wouldn't go buy a £10,000 car when you can purchase the same model for £7,500. Also, I didn't specify how many times i buy games pre-owned, so your arguement falls flat on its face there.GoaThief said:
Second, i COULD buy Skyrim on Steam, but the thing is: I don't want to. My hard drive is already packed with Dawn of War series and Valve games, so i'll buy it on console and save some disc space, plus waiting ten hours for it download and pray my graphics card can handle it doesn't seem ideal when i can pop it in my Xbox and be killing Dragons within ten minutes. I don't see why you would bring up Steam considering i have it. If I wanna buy it on Xbox, that's my decision.
Third, there's nothing wrong with the modern consumer, they've always been like this. They can't buy new games, they wait for it to come down in price or go to a RETAILER and buy it cheaper. Simple. And I'm old enough to understand the situation of the industry and the repercussions of buying used (there aren't any), and i don't appreciate you using age as a level of intellegence.