Game (UK Retailer) Discussion

[Brad]

Thought this was a bit of interesting news. GAME is apparently planning on opening stores dedicated to pre-owned copies of games, called "Gametronics".

 

GAME is planning to open dedicated pre-owned stores, a new report has revealed.

 

The retailer is initially planning to re-develop two of its stores to sell pre-owned games only, as well as tech devices such as tablets, MP3 players and TVs, according to MCV.

 

Trading as Gametronics, the first two stores will open in Lincoln and Cambridge, but the brand could expand to other areas where there is more than one GAME store.

 

Customers who trade products at Gametronics will be able to use their credit in GAME stores.

 

The retailer hopes that the stores will make it easier to trade and more affordable to upgrade to next-gen.

 

GAME reported a 90% increase in annual like-for-like sales for the six-week period ending January 4.

 

Boosted by a 213% growth in online transactions, total sales were up by 83%, generating estimated profits of £30 million, an increase on the £20m predicted last May.

 

Subsequent reports suggest that the retailer is poised to return to the stock market.

 

Last year it opened its first dedicated Xbox store.

[x]

 

Though I'm not a pre-owned game guy, I can see where this move is coming from, especially since GAME has been going upward in terms of business performance recently. Good thing Microsoft didn't go through with DRM, hohoho.

[AlphaRuby]

Sounds like a neat idea.

[Detective Shadzter]

If their pre-owned stuff is as cheap as CeX and not GAME, then it'll be a good move, otherwise there's no point. 

 

Also, they need to sort out their pre-owned games policies before I buy another pre-owned game from them. I've bought pre-owned games from them over the past year where the discs have been scratched up pretty bad and then when I trade them back in, I've been made to take £1 off the trade in value to repair the disc before I can trade it in. Now, I look after my discs and definitely didn't add any more damage to these discs, so I think this is nothing more than a dishonest tactic to get more money.

 

If discs have to be cleaned up before they're allowed to be sold, then why was I sold damaged ones multiple times from different stores?

[Jolt_TH]

If they are like ceX I'll probably buy some from there, would help rack up the GAME points for those preorders

If it works I can imagine them putting one in Merry Hill , considering there are two GAME stores there...whoever thought that was a good idea? Although one seems to sell mostly 2nd hand games anyway

[Detective Shadzter]

If they are like ceX I'll probably buy some from there, would help rack up the GAME points for those preorders

If it works I can imagine them putting one in Merry Hill , considering there are two GAME stores there...whoever thought that was a good idea? Although one seems to sell mostly 2nd hand games anyway

Still not as bad as when there were four in total when they were running the Gamestation brand, too. There were three GAME stores and one Gamestation. 

[Mr Loopone]

From the sounds of things, it is going to be a mix of CeX and Cash Converters/Generator (the latter in terms of what they mentioned of TVs and stuff). Well there's plenty choice already and adding another second hand place while giving more competition is also going to make it harder for games that came with a code and finding one that hasn't been used especially some like that Castlevania Collection where it was DLC codes and I think the disc for Lords of Shadow (or finding new games if Game and Grainger Games stop selling new games in stores).

 

If the prices are within Game level especially higher than new, then it gets a bit silly and redundant ending up if it really takes off with another Game/Gamestation scenario where they went into administration for having too many stores not learning their lesson. However if the prices are within CeX/Cash Converters level, then it is an alternative option. Yes, sometimes Game do sell a game cheaper than CeX and have known that to happen (even the time when I bought PES 5 for the Xbox for 24p while it was £1.50 at CeX, weirdly enough still having the CeX price tag on it) however it is a case of looking around. If it does open in my area, will give it a look though.

 

Just hope that they have a standard of pre-owned quality, I have known games for CeX where it is inconsistant. From almost brand new as in played once and not again to games that are badly scratched even on Blu-ray discs, missing instructions (fair enough on newer games but older ones depending on the game are needed) to the point of unfit for sale (such as some original Xbox games that I took back and Ridge Racer 7 where the disc was ready to fall apart using a Grainger Games example) to even American versions by mistake.

[Brad]

Just hope that they have a standard of pre-owned quality, I have known games for CeX where it is inconsistant. From almost brand new as in played once and not again to games that are badly scratched even on Blu-ray discs, missing instructions (fair enough on newer games but older ones depending on the game are needed) to the point of unfit for sale (such as some original Xbox games that I took back and Ridge Racer 7 where the disc was ready to fall apart using a Grainger Games example) to even American versions by mistake.

 

This is probably the biggest reason I'm not a pre-owned game type of person, purely through the fear of the quality you'd get from the product, especially on DVDs which buddies of mine have certainly had multiple issues with before. A standard quality of what they'll expect and sell from pre-owned titles would be worth adding an extra one or two pounds to the asking price for me, plus they could offer those who do hand in higher quality games bigger rewards, such as in store credit plus point bonuses.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Game are selling limited edition pheromone fuelled underwear. 

 

Images of people in their underwear at the link.

 

Because nothing is sexier than wearing white undies with the GAME logo slapped on them.

[AlphaRuby]

Uh... 

[Lucky]

Are they doing trade-ins on them?

[TheOcelot]

Where's the Sonic underwear!

 

"Girls are getting in on the action too - the guilty secret applies just as much to women (19%) as it does to men (26%).  Similarly a quarter of gamers (24%) admit that their partner has accused them of paying more attention to their console than to them.”

 

Well, duh...

 

“It can be tempting to dip into a game for a few minutes, lose track of time while the dinner is on the table and then get caught in the act. Hopefully the GAME On range of undies can be a more welcome distraction to help bring couples together.”

 

This underwear will probably keep couples apart.

[Crash]

 

 

This looks really painful. Those poor game cases and discs!

[Badnik Mechanic]

 

Where's the Sonic underwear!

 

 

Ah cheeky baby!

[Badnik Mechanic]

Well heres something interesting thats going to impact on every company in the UK.

 

When GAME went into Administration, it didn't pay it's rent bill.

 

Now the landlords who own the buildings that GAME trade in have taken them to court and argued that they should be paid their rent since GAME is no longer in administration and trading well.

 

The Courts agreed. 

 

GAME has to pay over £3 million in unpaid rent.

 

http://www.toyworldmag.co.uk/news/2014/02/game-loses-landmark-case-over-unpaid-rent-row

[Badnik Mechanic]

Erm... GAME... why have you removed the Wii U section from my local store? 

 

I popped in today since the store had tons of balloons outside and wondered if there was some kind of giveaway going on.

 

Well... the first thing I noticed where the guys on ladders putting up the new security cameras.

 

The second thing I noticed was a huge new section called something like Game Tech, which... if you imagine a giant glass display case that runs the length of the shop, it was filled with phones, consoles, headsets, etc. etc. If you have a CEX store, you know that weird tech area they have, imagine that only on a much bigger scale... or something like Cash Converters display cases.

 

The third thing I noticed was this huge new part of the store was in the place of the Wii and Wii U section... and then I noticed... the entire store had no Wii or Wii U games.

 

Everything has gone, the Wii U demo pod, the displays, the signs for DK TF, the lot has gone, the only clue I had that they used to sell Wii U stuff was a second hand one in the game tech area.

 

 

Anybody elses store had this happen?

[AlphaRuby]

Erm... GAME... why have you removed the Wii U section from my local store? 

 

I popped in today since the store had tons of balloons outside and wondered if there was some kind of giveaway going on.

 

Well... the first thing I noticed where the guys on ladders putting up the new security cameras.

 

The second thing I noticed was a huge new section called something like Game Tech, which... if you imagine a giant glass display case that runs the length of the shop, it was filled with phones, consoles, headsets, etc. etc. If you have a CEX store, you know that weird tech area they have, imagine that only on a much bigger scale... or something like Cash Converters display cases.

 

The third thing I noticed was this huge new part of the store was in the place of the Wii and Wii U section... and then I noticed... the entire store had no Wii or Wii U games.

 

Everything has gone, the Wii U demo pod, the displays, the signs for DK TF, the lot has gone, the only clue I had that they used to sell Wii U stuff was a second hand one in the game tech area.

 

 

Anybody elses store had this happen?

Not mine.

 

Well, one of them anyway, not sure about the rest.

[Detective Shadzter]

Woah! Never thought GAME of all places would stop selling Wii and Wii U games. I'll have to have a look in my two local stores tomorrow. I did notice the one that had a Wii U pod had gotten rid of it when I went in last week. The other used to have one on the actual Wii U shelf display thing, but it's been gone for a couple of months or so now, with the GamePad holder thing just there empty.

[Badnik Mechanic]

I probably should have also mentioned.

 

The store in my town used to be the Gamestation Flagship store, and it's absolutely huge. So it would make sense to put this game tech place in there.

 

The smaller store still had posters/cut outs outside for DKTF, never went in it but I assume they still had Wii U stuff... But I was just amazed that it came at the sacrifice of the Nintendo section.

[Doctor MK]

GAME getting rid of the Wii and Wii U sections now would be a completely stupid move. The Wii U I could just about understand due to the poor sales so far, but with the potentially massive Mario Kart 8 just two months away (and with an enticing Limited Edition announced only yesterday) and Donkey Kong doing relatively alright in the charts by recent standards... it's a console that's only going to get bigger and better this year unless something goes catastrophically wrong. It'll never be PS4 or Xbox One levels of big, but by the end of 2014 it'll likely be able to hold its own.

 

As for the Wii section - I'm sure there's still a pretty big market for new/preowned Wii games. Every time I've been into my local GAME lately there's been someone browsing the Wii games, and it's still the number one console for the casual crowd.

 

Hopefully your situation is the exception rather than the rule, Hogfather, because otherwise... I'm pretty dumbfounded.

[Detective Shadzter]

If GAME do stop selling Wii U games, they're going to upset folks who have deposits down on pre-orders. I say this, because knowing them, they'll only give store credit rather than refunds. I currently have £5 down on a Watch Dogs Wii U pre-order. If I'd known the Wii U version was going to be delayed, I wouldn't have pre-ordered, at least until closer to release.

[Detective Shadzter]

Just been to my two local stores and the Wii U section is still around in both stores. The store I mentioned with the removed Wii U pod even has the pod back out and available to play. The other store still has a console and no controllers out, though. The latter store was a pain to get inside today, because they had a big display promoting TitanFall right at the front of the store with just two small gaps at either side to squeeze by. I'm sure that's got to be breaching some rules for disability access and fire safety. 

[PaddyFancy]

Been in my local GAME in Belfast city centre, they still had the forward middle section dedicated to Nintendo, with the rear middle section focusing on PCs, entire left and entire right for Xbox and Playstation respectively.