Game (UK Retailer) Discussion

[Detective Shadzter]

Dropped by Gamestation Stourbridge during my lunch break to say bye to the staff and to give them a card wishing them all the best for the future. The girl I mentioned in my last post there says some of the staff might be able to find jobs in other Gamestation stores.

Their advertising canvas thingy said "At least we get to say goodbye", which really says a lot for how poorly handled and rushed these closures are. It went on to say that today was their last day and that they thank the people of Stourbridge for their custom ever since they opened.

They've said their final goodbyes on Twitter and appear to have deleted their Facebook page.

https://twitter.com/#!/gsstourbridge

I wonder if any more closures will happen.

[Detective Shadzter]

Looks like these closures might be more widespread; both GAME stores in Wolverhampton have been closed down, with the Gamestation left remaining.

https://twitter.com/...648301040865280

@Gamedigital game Wolverhampton closes today :(

— nikki (@mi_shmash)

June 23, 2012

Their Twitter account has been deleted.

http://twitter.com/GAMEWolves

[PaddyFancy]

It makes me feel even worse to turn down a staff member's offer of help when they kindly ask these days.

[Detective Shadzter]

Just found this from earlier this month.

GAME could close "handful" of extra stores; New openings also planned

http://www.mcvuk.com...t=Google Reader

On top of the previously mentioned Stourbridge and Wolverhampton closures, people in the comments say the below stores have or are closing:

Gamestation Northwich

Gamestation Salford

Gamestation Stockport

skinnykitten says:

I think a store re-opening in Sheffield is on the cards, noticed an advert for a store manager for GAME for a 'flagship' Sheffield store.

[Covskin]

Gamestation is dead.

GAME has confirmed the news and said that the rebranding will take place between September and October. 122 Gamestation outlets will be transformed into GAME stores, making for 341 in total in the UK.

I suppose it was on the cards ever since their money woes began, but it unfortunately becomes that classic (tragic) tale of an upstart business getting bought out by the bigger competitor and dying a few years later.

[- Eternal Paradox -]

Just found this from earlier this month.

GAME could close "handful" of extra stores; New openings also planned

http://www.mcvuk.com...t=Google Reader

As sad as this is for the people who lose their jobs, it doesn't really make much sense to the GAME group to have more than two shops open. I know places that have both a GAME and a GameStation (my town being one of them), and when you go into them, there's not much difference! It doesn't really make sense to have two shop serving the same purpose.

[Lady Soniko]

i'm not surprised to see Gamestation kicking the bucket, they are way overpriced now, went into York's store last week and my god, the prices for games as well as pre-owned titles were extortionate!

i feel bad for the people losing their jobs, but not for the greedy ass companies behind their employment.

[Blue Blood]

I read this the other day. Are all the GameStation stores becoming GAME? Because that would mean we'll go from 2 GAMEs and a GameStation to simply 3 GAMEs here in Peterborough. Ugh...

i'm not surprised to see Gamestation kicking the bucket, they are way overpriced now, went into York's store last week and my god, the prices for games as well as pre-owned titles were extortionate!

i feel bad for the people losing their jobs, but not for the greedy ass companies behind their employment.

Prices in both stores tend to be exactly the same anyway.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Badnik Mechanic]

You know today, I was in Game, a woman came in and was trying to bring back a pre-owned game. She'd opened the seal and said that it was damaged. The girl behind the counter actually managed to convince her that it was her own fault, that the damage had been caused by laser burn and that it wasn't sold like that and couldn't offer her a refund... Managed to see the 'laser burn' when I walked past, gotta say.. if that was laser burn then game should just throw out it's entire second hand stock, they sell games in worse condition that that lady's was.

Also I think that the Sales of Goods act would have actually been in the lady's favour had she known her rights, the game return policy is extremely questionable at best.

The girl in the store then tried to convince a young lad to buy the 'care package' version of Black Ops... dear god if they had tried that sales tactic with me I would have smacked her with the care package. Just completely in your face and so pushy... "You can upgrade from the normal to the care package you know for only £60!" (Really!? Only £60!) "Why not upgrade to the hardened first... then decide on the care package later?" (I think he just wants the game love) "With the care package it comes with lots of cool stuff!" (Yeah, digital extras and a helicopter that will get you an asbo if you use it), Why not pre-order the care package (OH MY GOD! Leave him alone!). He ended up leaving the store, no order placed... and you know she's recieved 'instructions' to do that sales thing... way to go game... you just lost a customer that day.

As for the Gamestation re-branding. I wondered if something was going on. Anyone been into a Game/Gamestation recently? Theres a sale on, only the prices are a lot lower than they would normally be. Some PS3 games were only £3 each (nothing too amazing though they were all trophy enabled games), Oh yeah, should also point out, the prices in Game are A LOT more expensive than Gamestation these days.

Anyone noticed they're not offering pre-orders of every single special/collectors edition anymore. Wonder if this means they'll sell/bin/destroy all the instore display banners and 'what-have-you' Every shirt, every badge, every sign, everything which says 'Gamestation' on it is doomed to the garbage.

But anyway, nice one Game, you've not only managed to ruin your own corporation, but you've just cut off the last thing which gave your business a sense of identity and fun. I look forward to shopping in your lifeless pink and white stores which are about as exciting as a telephone booth and contain all the joy of government department for boredom.

.... Anyone think SSMB should set up a Game store? we could call it 'The Games Stadium' Shadzter can handle our press/promotions, T can handle the merch and I'll decorate the store!

[Flameburst Vulpix]

I use to use Game for all my gaming purchases.

Then this happened and I switched to using HMV.

Much better service and fairer trade-in prices.

Just saying.

[Detective Shadzter]

Awww, Gamestation's going? I've always preferred Gamestation over GAME. Staff seem to be more knowledgeable in the ones I've been in and are generally gamers themselves.

[Scott]

I LOVE Gamestation, it was THAT game store that stood out from others back in the day!

Back in Summer 2006, I went to the Gamestation in Stirling, I had saved and saved for a DS Lite waiting to go buy it, my mum took me to the Stirling Gamestation in case I seen something that interested me more. When we entered the shop, I beamed with happiness; a smile only nostalgia could deliver, tonnes and tonnes of old retro games. At the end of the day, I said "fuck it" to a DS Lite and came home with a SEGA Saturn, Sonic Jam, Alien Trilogy and Bust a Move 3, it was a great day! (Despite my room being an absolute mess)

Also if it wasn't for Gamestation in Falkirk, I probably wouldn't have my Game Gear Which I loooooove!

Gamestation's staff were actually gamers! Gamers who knew what they were talking about! On the day I bought my Game Gear from the Falkirk Gamestation (the one more local to me) a couple of months after opening, I was signing the form and stuff and I remember the staff member telling me how the sound doesn't work and that it was a common issue and in my head I was thinking "kudos to you for acknowledging that, really!" Also I love how the staff in Gamestation just be themselves, you could walk in one day and see a staff member with a huge green mowhawk and it wouldn't seem out of place as it was the norm for Gamestaton. You enter GAME and it's boring people in suits (or the employee polo-shirt) who don't seem to know jack shit about games other than Mario belongs to Nintendo or think "Lulz Angry Birds R C00L"

Also on note of the Prices, Gamestations was always cheap, like Amazon cheap while GAME and HMV were competing for Scrooge of the Year Award until GAME bought them, then over time Gamestation got more and more stingier with the prices averaging with 3 or 4 major price cuts a year.

Then came the inevitable crisis....

Though not every GAME store closed, it seemed like more GAME stores closed than Gamestation stores and now Gamestation's getting re-branded? As GAME no less? Setting itself up for further failure me thinks.

The Golden Age of gaming and gaming retail is over, welcome to the new age...and the new age sucks.

...Unless you use Amazon...

[Stacy]

A GAME not too far from where I live is closing thankfully we still have a Gamestation and I have just read this topic again to find that all Gamestation's are going to be become GAME'S, why couldn't of it been the other way around?

[JezMM]

Lol, while I appreciate a liking for the Gamestation aesthetic, I do find it a little funny how upset people are, like, preferring the staff in Gamestation's etc.

Pretty sure the staff aren't gonna be replaced. It'll be the same people, same prices... just different colour scheme, lol.

[Detective Shadzter]

Lol, while I appreciate a liking for the Gamestation aesthetic, I do find it a little funny how upset people are, like, preferring the staff in Gamestation's etc.

Pretty sure the staff aren't gonna be replaced. It'll be the same people, same prices... just different colour scheme, lol.

I didn't really think about that in my initial reaction lol! Still prefer the Gamestation look, though :-/

[Badnik Mechanic]

Pretty sure the staff aren't gonna be replaced. It'll be the same people, same prices... just different colour scheme, lol.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Not sure if anyone has been. But it looks liek Game/Gamestation are having another clear out sale.

Nothing as epic as the 'oh shit we're out of business' sale. But some nice bargains. Managed to snag Alpha Protocol for £2 (complete copy looked as new). Also saw Killzone 2 for the same price and a few other games under the £5 figure too.

[Scott]

Yeah, it's been there for a couple of weeks, the reduced prices are still stingy! The sale prices are what the prices of the games should have been originally.

[Lady Soniko]

Gamestation actually had a slogan going on called "Meet The Gamers!" i actually spoke to my local Gamestation staff before it closed down about it, and they told me each member of GS are indeed hardcore gamers with more than basic understanding of each game genre, they feel more comfortable to approach as they're like us, gamers with favourite and not-so favourite games... their homework is to play games, offer tips on how to help a gamer in distress, sort technical problems out etc. they're fun, each have their own personality and don't bombard you with sales tactics, out of all the time i've been shopping in both stores, i can only name 1 time i was dissatisfied with Gamestations attitude to Game, the time i bought Blazblue and was called a pervert by the cashier because i chose it over Tekken, because of "animu girls with big boobs" so i immediately shot him down as he was playing DoA behind the desk, laughed and said "what does that make you if you play a fighting game where the majority of the cast are busty women?" needless to say i reported him, and later found out he was an Ex-Game employee whom Gamestation took on out of sheer pity, irony eh?

[Detective Shadzter]

GAME announces store lock-ins
18-store trial lets you play Dead Space 3 up to a month before release.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-01-04-game-announces-store-lock-ins

 

One of their best ideas in a long while. Shame my nearest one out of the 18 is in Birmingham. If it's successful, hopefully they'll do this in more stores. 

[Covskin]

This is exactly the kind of thing GAME needs to do to keep people interested - make use of their physical presence as an advantage over Amazon.

 

Of course, better in-store prices and deals will make a world of difference too. But its a start!

[Badnik Mechanic]

So the Game Sale is on.

 

Theres a few good deals to be found, but it's the usual suspects, Brink is £3 again, theres a lot of games which arre £5, though most of them are free on PSN+ these days.

 

However there was something I noticed which was odd, which also happens to show just how much Game rip you off.

 

I needed a screen protector for my Vita, I'm sick of leaving finger-prints on the screen, so like with my Ipod touch I decided to go out looking for one.

 

Vita Screen protectors, the Game brand are £7 each! I wasn't paying for that. Then I went to an area by the counter and noticed a Gamestation branded Vita screen protector, original price £5.99, but it had a Sale sticker on it saying £3. Decided to go for it.

 

Went to the till and was only charged £2, it would seem that accessories branded with the Gamestation name are going for a lot less than what the sticker prices say. My guess is Game are trying to get rid of that stock so all what remains is Game branded toot.

 

 

Now for why it's still a rip off. When I got the same kind of screen protectors for my Ipod touch, you got 3 in a pack... and it cost about £4 and you also got a cloth with it too.

 

How many screen protectors do you get in a Game/Gamestation pack? And remember, original price is £7? ... .. .... One.

 

So I did some measuring up. Turns out that Ipod Touch screen protectors are almost the exact same size as Vita ones, yet they cost half of what Game want. Whilst I saved money because this was on offer, it's still a glorious example as to why Game are still ripping off customers.

[Sonic the Hedgehog in 3D]

One day Rawrdom went into Game and looked at the Wii game selection

 

He found it hilarious
the end

[Badnik Mechanic]

So I had an interesting morning.

 

I popped into HMV and there was this guy in there who blatently worked at Microsoft/Xbox 360. He had... well... to save time...

 

Anyway, about half an hour later I'm at the other side of the city centre and decided to take a quick look into the smallest Game store we have in Hull... and the Xbox 360 guy is there again. He's talking to the staff only now he's by the PS3 games... so curiously I had a listen. Oh and feel free to spread this around because the guys solution to Games problem was quite spectacular.

 

It turns out that Microsoft wants to promote Gears of War Judgement, and they're going all out for it. They're doing a promotion with Game in the UK which is similar to the Dead Space 3 idea. They want to have pods in the stores which people can play GOW J on... however theres a number of problems.

 

Because Gears is a tad violent and the age rating isn't something for everyone, it means that the pods need restricted access.. so they then talked about having a special midnight/closed opening, it sounded similar to the Dead Space 3 idea. But the guy from Microsoft had another 'master plan' his idea was as follows.

 

'We could re-arrange the store, we could move this display in front of the Nintendo stand and put the pods here in a ringed off area. That way people can play it during the day and it can be monitored!'

 

The manager of the game store then pointed out. 'I don't think we'll be doing that during the day, we still want to sell the Nintendo & Sony products.

 

Yes, the plan from Microsoft was to block customers access to the Nintendo/Sony products so they could play Gears of War Judgement instead!

 

Fortunately the instore staff were having none of it, one even said 'you can't move that there as it'll explose the floor wiring which is a health and safety hazard.'

 

So anyway, it looks like GOWJ will be coming to a Game store for a midnight opening soon.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Just.... look.

 

Game Prices.

 

U-Draw (second hand, No game) = £29.99

Aliens Colonial Marines = £42

Metal Gear Solid Rising = £45.

 

Or....

 

Toys R Us: U-Draw (brand new with game) £9.99

Asda/Tescos: Aliens Colonial Marines = £37.99

Asda MGS Rising =£35.

 

In fact.. Everywhere else (except for CEX) are selling every game cheaper than Game....

 

Anyone wanna predict the next collapse of this company?

 

And theres something else I've noticed too, has anyone else spotted how sometimes Game deliberately 'hide' or claim certain games are out of stock? What do I mean? Ok, remember when Game was in the shit last time and they were caught trying to flog Mass Effect 2 as Mass Effect 3? They had literally thousands of copies of that game second hand.

 

However, now that Mass Effect trilogy is out and Mass Effect 3 is free on PSN. Suddenly ME 2 has vanished from all shelfs.... But... my my... they certainly have plenty of copies of the Mass Effect trilogy box set.

 

Am I just being paranoid? Maybe... but one thing I noticed... if I buy ME2 second hand, then the digital download of ME 1 for the PS3, it's much much cheaper than buying the box set, even a second hand copy with no DLC codes. Yet a lot of people who have PSN+ (me included) would be looking for ME 2 so we can experience the full story.

 

I worked it out a few days ago, buying the trilogy for ME 1 & 2 is more expensive by a long way than just buying ME 1 as a digital download and ME 2 as a stand alone product.