Dr Zhivago
Member
The Game in Sheffield Fargate is closing tomorrow, so the new one will be the only one in the city centre. Guess they did learn.
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Rumour: GAME stores to close?
- Thread starter AHA-Lambda
- Start date
Just off the top of my head, books are probably a bit easier to market as a luxury item. Books appeal to readers of all ages which helps with high-street passing trade, whereas gamers are a bit more concentrated in demographics. You have elderly readers who want physical editions with large type, and readers who value the design and typography throughout which is different to a disc in a box covered in logos. Large-format physical books for toddlers/children are expensive to post, don't have much digital competition and make great gifts for almost any child. The postage costs on a new hardback mean that buying at launch in a bookshop isn't that much more than buying online as books aren't expensive enough to hit the free delivery point on Amazon but virtually all retail games are.Ah, sorry, missed the sarcasm there.
I think the number pre-ordering games is still there (for the most part), but they're now moving to Amazon. The fluidity Amazon gives you with orders - no hassle cancellations/returns, not charging until dispatch - plus the fact that Amazon sells so much other stuff means it's becoming a one-stop shop.
Yeah, agreed, which is why I keep banging on about footfall. They don't need to make their prices as cheap as Tesco, just cheaper than they are now. Lower the prices by 4 or 5 quid, and the sheer number of people that go into the stores would (should, anyways) give an uptick in overall revenue. As it is now, I'm sure they get a lot of people going in and just walking out again empty-handed, because the prices are just a bit too much, even for the average Joe, or parent buying a Christmas present..
Game/retail game sales are a weird one, though, so you can't tell. Waterstones almost lost it when Amazon started to make it big in the UK, but they're doing really well now. Their prices on books are more expensive than online, so you'd think they'd be dead, but not a bit of it.
It's the high discounts on back catalogue items that really differentiates e-readers from retail. Once Waterstones realised that their limited shelf space and e-reader book prices meant that they couldn't compete on back catalogue, and they had to focus on the few strengths of retail products, it might have been an easier job to turn the ship around. However, few of those meagre advantages of book retail apply to Game, which doesn't have a pre-school and an older/elderly audience both wanting heavy physical copies that don't fit easily through letterboxes.
I rarely buy books there except to buy children's books for my daughter, but it's great as I can read the book start to finish and check to see exactly what the entire product is like before buying, something you can't do with a game. Their children's sections are often pretty good and well stocked with new items and the classics, and it's good to browse when it's a genre I'm still learning about. I just find Waterstones much more pleasant to browse in than Game, maybe because I find books intrinsically more attractive than plastic boxes. Also that black/gold/white store design is a bit nicer, they have the space for the lost art of actual displays, and with so many hundreds of physical books it's an easier way of finding out about new releases than just having Amazon reflect my main interests back at me. Browsing in Game is a bit pointless when there are so few retail releases these days that I've got a pretty good idea what's coming out. It's not like I'm going to find a bargain in either, but at least I might see a book I haven't heard of and can check a book is appropriate for a child throughout in a large bookshop due to the greater range they carry and the nature of the product.
This is all just arse-pulled theory from a book/game retail customer though. At least I still see people of all ages from families with babies to the elderly in Waterstones, whereas in Game I mainly see kids not old enough to be able to shop online trawling through the pre-owned DS games.
Bumping the thread because this is interesting news that could point to troubles at GAME:
EGX partners with Amazon for 2016 show
This was basically GAME's turf, they had their own retail hub at EGX last year (and years prior? I forget), and now Amazon is confirmed as the exclusive retailer for the expo.
Pretty major blow.
EGX partners with Amazon for 2016 show
This was basically GAME's turf, they had their own retail hub at EGX last year (and years prior? I forget), and now Amazon is confirmed as the exclusive retailer for the expo.
Pretty major blow.
Eurogamer were pretty pissed that Game is hosting its own event quite close to EGX and even in the same venue, so that's probably the reason.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/game...ingham-nec-just-four-weeks-before-egx/0163656
I saw the email and though it was odd that GAME weren't returning as they've been there for some time now and were increasing their presence year on year. Seems likely of a sign they weren't in as secure a position this year.
That said maybe they are going all in with GAME Fest this year and are giving it a miss?
This is the reason. GAME are investing a lot in GAMEfest
Azure Phoenix
Member
That and they are also pushing Insomnia ridiculously hard.
thekiddfran
Member
Good that company has gone to complete thrash the last few years.
Shit about the job losses though
Shit about the job losses though
Roberto Larcos
Member
CeX.
That's even true for GAME themselves. Wanted Football Manager last year, saw it on their site for £20 (boxed). Went in-store and it was £30. Asked them about it, they told me to buy it online.
Ended up buying a digital code from somewhere else. Couldn't be arsed paying for delivery and waiting a week extra.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Roberto Larcos
Member
Sure, but for consumers it's absolutely fine. The new copies will continue to enter the market through Tesco / Amazon / ShopTo and the like - then CeX mops it all up. Lack of competition may be a little worrying, but GAME have hardly been keeping them on their toes for the last few years anyway.
Also, people are giving the supermarkets a bad rep. You'll find anything in the top 10 charts (for PS4 / Xbox One) there, which is what most people are buying. Granted there's not much for Wii U, but that may turn around if the NX takes off. You'll also struggle for boxed PC games and more niche stuff, but those people are accustomed to going online anyway. And the prices aren't any worse than GAME (usually).
Argos too have pretty much every major release, as well as a fair few more minor ones.
There's Grainger Games, but they've been becoming more and more like Game recently - they started off a good £10 cheaper than our local Game for new releases, and that gap has slowly closed until now they're £1 cheaper at best, usually the same price.
They've even gone down the route of stocking all manner of second hand gadgets like Game tried, going so far as to rename our local store "Trade Nation". Now it's basically a CeX that sells the odd new game at full price.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
You were replying to someone who was explaining why so many publishers were throwing exclusives GAME's way - that's why.
For them it's not about competition so much as having a viable bricks & mortar retail presence. Of which GAME is the last bastion in many parts of the country.
Roberto Larcos
Member
Again, I'd highlight Argos as a decent place to get new games on the high street. Every decent-sized town seems to have one, you can order into store for collection, and they seem to have a fairly varied stock. Prices aren't even that bad for new games. Again, comparable to GAME.
Which town has a GAME, but doesn't have an Argos (or two or three)?
LordRaptor
Member
I just got an email from shopto that they're now selling nintendo eShop download codes - these were previously Game exclusive, right?
Yeah but they haven't been exclusive for a while. Cdkeys have been selling them for about a year odd. GMG started selling them earlier this year.
linkandzelda
Member
Nintendo's online store also had them. Very glad about this GAME and Nintendo rarely if ever discounted below eShop prices. Shopto already have done. Fire Emblem DLC is cheaper for instance.
Barkley's Justice
Member
Owes them mad monies?
Game were consistently cheaper than Nintendo for a long time. And you still got the Nintendo Network Premium points as well. Good times.
Visualante2
Member
Hang on, several years ago HMV was occupying this space. And I'm not sure it's a massive blow. They just had some temp staff loitering around demo kiosks saying "do you want to pre-order it with us?"
Maybe if GAME stop sponsoring the BAFTAs I'll raise an eye brow. edit. Oh they may have already stopped sponsoring BAFTA
Toadthemushroom
Member
Great find!
So here's the story: I didn't pre-order Fire Emblem Fates, and wanted the game digitally at a markdown. So I remember going to GAME's site and not seeing the digital version for sale, indeed, the option to "download" the game is absent for this game. I thought maybe this was because Nintendo of Europe wanted to see what the full effect of their My Nintendo promotion for the eShop version of the game (20 gold coins for a tiny 10% off the £40 RRP) would be.
But it turns out that GAME isn't selling Kirby: Planet Robobot as a download, either.
Meanwhile, Shopto is selling digital Planet Robobot for £27, about £8 less than the RRP. And Shopto has Fire Emblem Fates as a download code for £30, for £10 cheaper than the eShop price of £40.
So here's the main point: I think Nintendo has ditched GAME as a supplier of digital codes for new games, and have adopted Shopto instead.
GAME continues to sell download codes for games older than FE Fates, probably because Nintendo's download-codes-at-retail system works differently to other publishers': The retailer buys the codes at wholesale from Nintendo, but shoulders the admin and billing costs themselves, which has meant that both GAME and Shopto have sold their codes at a price below the eShop RRP. Other platform holders shoulder the billing costs themselves, the retailer acting as an intermediary of sorts.
Azure Phoenix
Member
No idea about digital full games on the website (or Kirby), but the add-ons for Fates are available and I'm pretty sure the full game download was being sold in-store.
linkandzelda
Member
Cheaper on Shopto though. But yeah I don't think Nintendo have dropped GAME for digital codes though.
Looking at GAME now there are a few games that are cheaper by £2 but most are the same price. Certainly not consistently cheaper.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Not surprised, pretty much everything is cheaper on Shopto. I'm still sour over them "dispatching" multiple games that never showed up and the resulting fiasco though, so I buy from smaller online stores even though it costs a bit more.
Council Pop
Member
People who say GAME are failing due to high prices or bad customer service etc are missing the point- stuff like that is not why retailers fail, generally. That's just what you see as a customer, but ultimately GAME sell at RRP- just as Grainger Games usually do now, as someone pointed out. These are just high street prices (as compared to supermarket or online).
Plus, the customer service in GAME is pretty much what you'd expect at any chain like that. It may not be great, it may even be bad, but its nowhere near spectacularly awful enough to stop people going there. That would take something like a high profile media story about abusive staff or something, not general crapness. I realise there have been a few media stories about pre-order failures at GAME but I'm talking about stuff big enough to carry in tabloids and BBC news etc, not just Kotaku UK.
GAME is just the games shop like HMV is the CD shop, and it'll be internal management issues as to why the store is failing. My partner's dad is a manager of a Waterstones, and they've turned stuff around massively in the last few years, despite books being much cheaper online. And ok, part of that is a slightly improved image but it's mostly down to deals with suppliers and how the company is structured.
It's the same with HMV, who are doing amazingly after almost shutting down for good a few years ago. And the publishing and music markets have really declined over the past decade, whereas the video game market has grown exponentially. I'm sure the physical market is suffering due to downloading games, but it'll be nothing compared to the changes in music buying (and illegal downloading) over the last decade. I think GAME's failures are due to pretty boring internal stuff.
Plus, the customer service in GAME is pretty much what you'd expect at any chain like that. It may not be great, it may even be bad, but its nowhere near spectacularly awful enough to stop people going there. That would take something like a high profile media story about abusive staff or something, not general crapness. I realise there have been a few media stories about pre-order failures at GAME but I'm talking about stuff big enough to carry in tabloids and BBC news etc, not just Kotaku UK.
GAME is just the games shop like HMV is the CD shop, and it'll be internal management issues as to why the store is failing. My partner's dad is a manager of a Waterstones, and they've turned stuff around massively in the last few years, despite books being much cheaper online. And ok, part of that is a slightly improved image but it's mostly down to deals with suppliers and how the company is structured.
It's the same with HMV, who are doing amazingly after almost shutting down for good a few years ago. And the publishing and music markets have really declined over the past decade, whereas the video game market has grown exponentially. I'm sure the physical market is suffering due to downloading games, but it'll be nothing compared to the changes in music buying (and illegal downloading) over the last decade. I think GAME's failures are due to pretty boring internal stuff.
Wonder if Gamestop is next...
core gamers are flocking to best buy and amazon because of their excellent discount programs. Gamestop refuses to come up with a system that can match it.
I guess they will all convert into POP! stores and hope that floats them? And what when that bubble bursts?
core gamers are flocking to best buy and amazon because of their excellent discount programs. Gamestop refuses to come up with a system that can match it.
I guess they will all convert into POP! stores and hope that floats them? And what when that bubble bursts?
Messofanego
Banned
Death to GAME.
"were"
Games that cost £49.99 on the eShop were £42.99 from Game at one point. £39.99 ones were £34.99 I think? They obviously stopped at some point, but as I said, it was great when used with the Nintendo Network Premium points feature.
Indeed that is their problem their prices are insane
They haven't. Source: I work for GAME
I like how people in here have conveniently ignored the fact that this "source" in the article is completely wrong about this, in particular the Mirrors Edge stock being just for preorders.
Go to any GAME store over the next couple of days and you will see plenty of stock.
Toadthemushroom
Member
For some reason Shopto has decided to jack up the price of all their digital versions of retail Nintendo games:
e.g. £40 RRP eShop games are now £40.85.
A game Shopto was selling for £27 before (Kirby) is now £37. And so on...