Tag: Retail
News Retailer GAME Is Reportedly Ending In-Store Pre-Orders
GAME Wallet is also ending
UK retailer GAME is reportedly ending in-store pre-orders in what feels like yet another baffling move as it further integrates itself into the wider Fraser Group. As originally reported by TechRadar Gaming (thanks, Eurogamer), existing pre-orders or deposits for products due to release before the end of January 2025 will...
News Retailer GAME Reportedly Ending In-Store Sales Of Physical Games And Hardware
Update: Report "categorically not true", says GAME
Update [Mon 24th Jun, 2024 12:45 BST]: GAME has provided a comment to Eurogamer to state that the report from Gfinity eSports is not true, stating that it will continue to support the physical gaming market. "This reporting is categorically not true. GAME continues to support the physical gaming...
News Retailer 'GAME' Is Ending Its Reward Programme And Elite Membership
Gosh, what next?
Retailer GAME has announced that it will be ending its GAME 'Reward' programme along with the GAME 'Elite' Membership scheme (which is essentially a paid tier of the former) on 31st July 2024. Essentially, then, following this date, customers will no longer be able to redeem any points accumulated on in-store and online purchases...
News Staff At UK Retailer GAME Reportedly Facing Redundancies
Most employees now under zero hour contracts
Staff at UK retailer GAME are reportedly facing redundancies as the firm moves most of its workforce under zero hour contracts. As reported by Eurogamer, it's not currently known how many employees will be laid off, but it's understood that all non-managerial staff will now be on zero hour contracts...
News GameStop Hit By Layoffs As Analyst Predicts 'Unsustainable' Sales Decline
Share price also takes a tumble
GameStop has announced that it has made an unspecified number of job cuts as it grapples with a sharp decline in revenue. As reported by Reuters (thanks, IGN), the firm saw $1.794 billion in sales for its fourth-quarter of the fiscal year; a fairly drastic drop from the $2.226 billion earned over the same period the...
News Famous Seattle Retro Gaming Store Has Been Hit By Armed Robbery
Store relocation now being considered
Pink Gorilla Games, the famous Seattle-based retro gaming store, has been subjected to armed robbery, forcing the owners to consider relocating after 17 years. As reported by our friends over at Time Extension, the incident occured on Monday night, during which a hooded and masked man demanded money and...
News 'Video Game Swap Shop' That's Saving People Thousands Reaches Business Award Finals
"We have saved the UK general gaming public almost £400,000"
Video games aren't cheap, and if you only have a modest source of income then buying new ones isn't something you can do regularly. There are, of course, high street stores which offer trade-ins against other titles, but the part-exhange price is almost always far less than the resell...
News GameStop CEO Reportedly In Line For A $179m 'Goodbye' Deal This Summer
Shares linked to tenure, not performance
The GameStop stock market drama from the beginning of the year certainly had its share of dramatic ups and equally dramatic downs, but it's fair to say that prospects for the video game retailer have been gloomy for several years now. The rise in digital purchases and alternative online retailers over the...
Feature Why Open A Video Game Shop During A Global Pandemic?
How one man is bucking the trend
2020 may have been a bumper year for video game sales, but it's impacted other businesses in a very negative way. Cinemas and restaurants have been forced to close to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and while video game sales have been buoyant thanks digital and online purchases, physical retail stores with no means...
News Nintendo New York Store Windows Smashed During Riots In Manhattan
Fifth day of unrest in New York City reaches Rockefeller Center
It is a grim scene as police stand guard outside of shattered windows at Nintendo New York, surrounded by a backdrop of protesting and unrest – a stark contrast to the colourful contents of the flagship store inside. On Monday evening, rioters had broken the windows of The Nintendo...
"We are working in unprecedented times"
UK video game retailer GAME has furloughed its staff on full pay until the end of April due to the coronavirus outbreak but cannot say for sure if they will have jobs beyond that point. GAME was forced to close every one of its 247 stores on March 24th when the UK government issued a call to shut all retail...
"It's becoming very tiring and frustrating for a lot of us"
This weekend, countless UK Switch owners will flock to their local GAME store to pick up a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, despite the fact that the rest of the country – not to mention much of the world – is currently in the grip of a coronavirus outbreak which is forcing people...
News UK Retailer GAME To Close 40 Stores In "Rationalisation Programme"
Chain faces a "a challenging retail market"
UK games retailer GAME – the only dedicated store of its kind on British high streets these days and certainly the only store prepared to accept socks as payment – has said that it "intends to close" 40 stores in what it is branding a "rationalisation programme". The chain – which has weathered...
News Despite The Recent Bankruptcy and Layoffs, Retailer Toys 'R' Us Might Be Making A Comeback
Reorganisation to take place
The auction which aimed to sell off assets for toys and games retailer Toys 'R' Us has been cancelled as part of a potential move to revamp the brand and revive the business. According to court papers which were filed earlier this week, and reported on by the Wall Street Journal, the lenders currently in control of the...
News UK Retailer GAME Sees Revenue Rise Thanks To Switch, But Profit Is Down Year-On-Year
Profit down by 25.5 percent compared to the previous 12 months
UK high street retailer GAME has announced increased revenue for the past financial year, but has also reported that profits are down. Revenue was £517.4 million, but profit before tax fell from £16.5 million in 2016/2017 to £12.3 million in 2017/2018. This drop-off has been...
News Toys R Us Is Closing All Of Its US And UK Stores
So long, and thanks for all the toys
It's been coming for a long time, but we now have confirmation that beleaguered retailer Toys R Us is shutting all of its US and UK stores. Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States last year, but was hopeful that a buyer could be found or that its current debts could be restructured in a...
News Toys R Us Is Preparing To Liquidate Its U.S. Business, Reports Claim
The curtain falls
Beleaguered toy retailer Toys R Us is preparing to liquidate its bankrupt U.S. operations, it has been claimed. Bloomberg is reporting that the move comes after the company - which was declared bankrupt last September - failed to find a buyer or come to any deal regarding restructuring its massive amounts of debt. The report comes...
Feature Remembering Toys R Us, The '90s Gamer's Paradise
As the toy chain circles the drain, we remember its contribution to gaming
Retailer Toys R Us has been in dire straits for some time now, with the US side of the operation filing for bankruptcy in 2017. This week has brought us the news that the UK arm of the business is going into administration, putting 3,000 jobs at risk. You may view this news...
News Rare's Local Video Game Store Is Closing Its Doors After 24 Years
The changing nature of games retail claims another victim
The way we buy games is changing, with digital sales slowly but surely taking over from physical. That means the landscape of games retail is gradually shifting, and all stores - from the big to the small - are feeling the pinch. With that in mind, we're sad to report that UK store Extreme...
News Nintendo Has Reportedly Delayed the Roll-Out of 64GB Switch Game Cartridges
A move that may disappoint some publishers
The Nintendo Switch has, overall, had a wonderfully successful 2017. Like any new device on the market, however, there have been some issues of varying scopes, one of which has been the 'Switch tax', in which some retail games on the system carry higher price tags. It's a topic we explored in detail,...
News GAME Praises Nintendo and Talks of 'A Constant Supply of Stock' for Switch
Retailer CEO talks up Switch prospects for the festive season
Nintendo, with the exception of the relatively niche Xenoblade Chronicles 2, has pushed out its big-selling retail games ahead of the festive shopping season. It's also been ramping up its production in order to ensure that retailers have enough Switch systems to meet demand - now the CEO...
News Nintendo Of Europe Isn't Happy About Broken Street Dates
Stock now being shipped to retailers closer to launch
Nintendo of Europe has revealed that it will be shipping stock closer to launch to avoid games being sold to consumers early. The company confirmed the news to Gamesindustry.biz, stating that it is "constantly reviewing" its shipping schedule to ensure that games are not sold before the official...
News More UK Gamers Picked Switch This Year Than Xbox One
Still way behind the PS4, though
The Switch's incredible first year has seen the system beat everyone's expectations - including Nintendo's - and stories of sell-outs in North America and Japan are commonplace. One territory where the console is selling somewhat less swiftly is the United Kingdom, which, traditionally-speaking, has never been a...
News UK Retail Hails The Positive Impact Of Nintendo Switch
"Switch has provided a most unexpected shot in the arm this year"
UK trade publication MCV has been speaking to online and physical video game stores in the region about 2017 in game retail, and unsurprisingly, Switch ranks quite highly as one of the year's highlights. GameSeek’s CEO Stephen Staley states that the Switch launch was the high point...
News Sports Direct Buys 25.75 Percent Stake In Embattled UK Retail Chain GAME
"GAME is pleased that the strategic value of the group has been recognised"
Controversial UK retail chain Sports Direct has purchased a 25.75 percent stake in GAME, the UK's biggest high street video game specialist. Despite its dominant position in the UK video game market, GAME has endured a difficult year. It recently posted a profit warning,...
News Beleaguered UK Retailer GAME Blames Lack Of Switch Stock For Profit Warning
"The level of supply to the UK market has been lower than expected"
UK specialist video game retailer GAME has issued a fresh profit warning, as well as issuing a statement which lays some of the blame at Nintendo's feet. The struggling chain - which is the UK's largest (and some would argue, last) major video game retailer - cites a lack of Switch...
News Three Months After Launch, People Are Still Queuing For Nintendo Switch Consoles In Japan
Demand remains sky-high
Nintendo may have pledged to increase production for its Switch system after incredible demand worldwide, but the supply chain is still somewhat choked in Japan, with weekly sales dropping from around 45,000 to approximately 25,000. Units are selling as soon as they arrive in store and Japanese fans are becoming increasingly...
News UK Retailers Hail Fantastic Nintendo Switch Launch, But Stock Is Tight
"Switch can establish itself as a successful third console in the market"
The Nintendo Switch has gotten off to an impressive start in the UK, selling around 80,000 units - double what the Wii U managed - but there are hints that stock is going to be tight over the next few weeks. HMV's head of technology and games Phil Browes spoke to MCV about...
News Pre-Order Puyo Puyo Tetris, Get Some Fancy Keychains
As the old saying (doesn't) go
Puyo Puyo Tetris may be old news to Japanese players but the fact that it's finally coming to the west is certainly something to celebrate - and if you're keen enough to be contemplating a pre-order then you'll be pleased to know a neat bonus is being offered in North America. Pledge your cash now and when the game...
News The Wii U Generated Just 2.1 Percent Of UK Games Market Revenue In 2016
3DS did better with 6 percent
The UK physical games market fell 15.8 percent to £1.78bn in 2016, according to the latest figures from GfK. Sales of PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS and older systems suffered a considerable drop, falling by 27 percent. Home consoles generated £503m of revenue in 2016 compared to £689.5m in 2015. The only exception was...
Rumour Target Will Sell Nintendo Switch For $299.99, 15 Titles Possible At Launch
Placeholder listings generate more chatter
Yesterday we reported on a rumour which suggested that the Nintendo Switch could retail for $249.99 in North America - the source being an employee at retailer Best Buy. Now it's the turn of rival store Target, which apparently has a placeholder listing for the console on its stock system with a price of...
News GameStop Joins In With Premature Nintendo Switch Pre-Orders in Europe
Shame there's no final price, or bundle specs, or actual details...
We're just days away from what will presumably be a substantial set of reveals and details on the Nintendo Switch, yet retailers continue to struggle to hold their nerve. Last year we reported on GAME opening pre-orders in the UK with a bonker's placeholder price of £999.99. Some...
News GameStop Says Nintendo Switch "Intent To Buy" Matches That Of The Xbox One
"I think it really got tremendous potential as a game changer"
GameStop's quarterly financial conference call took place recently, and during the call the Nintendo Switch unsurprisingly came up as a topic of conversation. GameStop's executives were very positive about the system and its potential impact on the games market, and revealed that it...
News UK Retailers Optimistic About Nintendo Switch, But Lingering Doubts Remain
"The storage space is high up on the list of questions"
With more than 23 million people tuning into the Nintendo Switch preview event, there's clearly a lot of interest in Nintendo's new console. While some irksome questions remain - questions which won't be answered until January - the mood among players appears to be positive, and that upbeat...
News Nintendo Switch Will Create "A Fantastic New Way To Play", Says GAME Digital CEO
"SWITCH is another example of Nintendo differentiating its experiences"
Yesterday Nintendo finally showed its new home console to the world, a system which mixes portable and domestic gaming in a unique new way. It hasn't taken long for the industry to react, and Martyn Gibbs - CEO of UK specialist retailer GAME Digital - has voiced his opinion on...
News GAME Boss Has Nintendo NX Launch Earmarked As "Major Event" In 2017
Well, duh
The boss of the UK's only remaining major gaming specialist has stated that the release of the Nintendo NX will be a "major event" in the retailer's 2017 calendar. UK chain GAME has good reason to be hopeful about the console's commercial chances - it has seen its own profits fall 81 percent over the past year due to "prevailing trading...
Feature Pay A Visit To Rare's Local Indie Video Game Store
"They used to come in to buy their latest game to go in their vault"
The English market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch can chart its history as far back as the 11th century and owes its rather unusual name to the Norman Conquest of England around the same time, when the settlement - then known as plain old Ashby - became the property of the La Zouche...
News US Online Retailers Enjoy a Pokémon Merchandise Sales Spike During GO Craze
"It feels like the ’90s all over again"
Since Pokémon GO arrived and went viral in early July plenty of businesses have benefitted. Nintendo saw its shares spike and, despite a drop-off, still settle at a higher point than before the app's release. McDonald's in Japan has seen increased revenues with help from a GO tie-in, and even smaller...
News Nindie Favourites Coming To Wii U Disc Under Nintendo eShop Selects Label
FAST Racing NEO and SteamWorld Collection leading the charge
The Wii U eShop has really punched above its weight during its short lifespan with many excellent Nindie games (and a few terrible ones) being made available for lucky gamers to download. Some of our favourites are Shin'en Multimedia's FAST Racing NEO and Image & Form's SteamWorld Dig...
News Retailers Expect Pikachu And Pals To Be Big Sellers This Christmas Thanks To Pokémon GO Fever
Pokémon 3DS games sales rose by 145 percent last week
We already know that Pokémon GO has caused a spike in sales at retailer GameStop, but it would appear that the beneficial effect of the mobile title is bigger than previously assumed. The increased interest in Pokémon has triggered a spike in 3DS hardware and software sales in the UK, with...
News Someone At Nintendo Expected The Wii U To Shift 100 Million Units
"The thinking was that because Wii sold well, Wii U would follow suit"
The Wii U has sold just over 12.5 million units to date, and will go down as one of Nintendo's most disappointing hardware releases - from a purely commercial perspective, at least. However, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima - a man who has previously revealed that he was...
News UK Toys-To-Life Market Slumps 12 Percent Year-On-Year
Revenue down despite the addition of Lego Dimensions
2015 was the biggest year yet for toys-to-life products in the UK, with £129m generated from such games and figurines. However, increased competition and flagging interest has forced some outlets to slash prices, so while these toys are still selling, the revenue generated by them has fallen by...
News US Retailer GameStop Hoping That Nintendo NX Can Arrest Decline In Hardware Sales
NX market "could" be worth $7.5 billion
GameStop's quarterly earnings call took place yesterday, with the company revealing that total sales have dropped 4.3 percent to $1.97 billion, while hardware sales have fallen by 28.8 percent. The fall was attributed to the small number of AAA games in the first quarter of this year. However, the company...
Random Store Shelves Appear To Be Filling With Pre-Owned Copies Of Star Fox Zero
"Time for a little payback!"
Star Fox Zero appears to have been met with a rather mixed reaction since its launch. We rather liked it, but some other sites didn't - and a cursory glance online seems to suggest there were plenty of fans who expected something a little different from the game. It would appear that some of these players have either...
News Wii U "Disappointing To Everybody" But We're Excited About Nintendo NX, Says GameStop CEO
"I hope that they come out with something exciting and innovative"
The Wii U was a disappointment to retailers, gamers and Nintendo itself, claims GameStop CEO Paul Raines. Speaking to list, Raines admitted that the console simply hadn't performed as expected, but he was keen to point out that Nintendo as a company should never be counted out:...
News EB Games Australia Opens Up Nintendo NX Pre-Orders At $999
That's a placeholder price, of course
Nintendo might not be launching its NX console until March 2017 and won't be showing it off at this year's E3, but that hasn't stopped the Australian arm of EB Games opening up pre-orders for the mysterious console. The store has the NX listed at
News GameStop COO Claims New Console Launches Are "Imminent"
"As usual, we know more than we can share"
GameStop COO Tony Bartel has perhaps given the biggest indication yet that Nintendo NX will be launching in 2016. At a recent GameStop event, Bartel spoke about company growth and let slip that "console launches" are coming this year: Although we have not modelled extensive growth for new innovation in...
News Zavvi's 20th Anniversary Pokémon Pokébox Is Now Available For Preorder
Limited to 500 units
UK online retailer Zavvi is producing a special Pokémon-themed "loot" box to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the series. The store has 500 Pokéboxes up for grabs, and you can pre-order one of them today for £29.99. Inside there are "exciting items commemorating both the classic series and the anniversary itself". This...
News GameStop Survey Suggests We'll See Nintendo NX Within The Next 12 Months
Or "a new console from Nintendo", if you'd prefer
Nintendo will be revealing more about its next console this year, but ahead of any official announcement we've been inundated with rumours, speculation and some reports that seem to suggest that
News Skylanders Superchargers Nintendo Combo Packs Are Exclusive To Smyths Toys In The UK
£24.99 a pop
Donkey Kong and Bowser were surprise additions to the Skylanders Superchargers line-up, and have recently been re-launched independently from the starter packs they were originally bundled in, making it easier than ever for amiibo collectors to get their hands on them. The packs are now available in the UK, and are exclusive to Smyths...
