Gaming The GAME Group: is there any hope left?

Well, unless RBS gets more helpful to the buyout from the owners of Comet (Opcapita), Game will go into administration at the weekend.

There are already a number of companies looking to asset strip anything of value so I doubt there will be any public sell-off of the stock.

 

F*** 'em. Serves them right after the s*** they pulled with Space Marine.
I have'nt shopped there in years, the service was always poor, price normally too high and the selection of PC games limited to little more than train simulators, the various Sims expansions and Wow.

 

Shame to see Game disappear in a way after all these years but tbh i won't really miss them much.

 

England: is there any hope left?

 

Haven't shopped in Game regularly since about 2000 when broadband started to come out and viewing videos and reading reviews online became a real possibility.

Downloading games may be the future but apart from sale periods downloads are regularly more expensive than boxed copies. Losing competition just means download pricing will remain high.

I think the future of high street gaming in 10 years or so there will be VIA totem poles and advertising boards when you watch a video and touch your usb key device against it and it downloads the game ready for you to transfer to your gaming system.

 

I overheard *cough somewhere there may be some US interest. Lots of places looking at franchising now to cover costs of running a business. Game also own Gamestation so they will be affected as well, 4days left but I dont think itll be gameover just yet.

 

i have 2 game stores and 1 gamestation in my local shopping cent a max of 10 min walk from each other i have always tried to buy my games form a game store and have sadly but admitedly been a box gamer rather than pc gamer (this is changing lol ) with the way games are going on pc and future consoles in regards to digital download and the talk flying about the net about the next next gen games consoles not allowing pre owned games and the restrictions that MAY take place in physical gaming and media its really only a matter of time before stores suffer. you add the fact that consumers are fully aware of online buying than the have ever been. its a shame to see game suffer and another high street brand go legs up.

 

Game announced in a statement to the London Stock Exchange:

 

Insert coin(s) to continue.

 

Game have only themselves to blame. If they didn't predict the demise of hardcopy games 5 years ago they were being myopic. This is what Game should have done:

1) Invested in the development of a digital distribution platform, a la Steam or Green Man Gaming or whatever. And reinvent themselves as a Game downloading service.

2) Retain all their contacts with the hardcopy publishing industry and maintain some warehouses so that those gamers still insisting on having something tangible to hold in their sweaty little calloused-fingered hands can still buy something and have it delivered to their door.

3) Maintain a handful of flagship stores (but be prepared to get rid of them too if need be) for people who want to actually touch and feel before they buy - but I bet this is a dwindling number.

4) Sub-let, terminate the lease on or sell all other (if not simply all) properties and stores.

If they did that 5 years ago, they would be a formidable presence in the digital download retailer marketplace, and still be able to provide the few gamers who want physical items with those physical items. The rent they could charge for most of their properties alone would generate a significant revenue stream.

Just sayin'.