The UK retailer GAME has entered administration, and according to reports from The Game Business, the few of its remaining standalone stores will be closed. It’s been on the decline for some years now, with hundreds of stores closed over the last decade until it became part of the Frasers Group in 2019. Whilst the company focused on its online presence and integrated itself into other stores (namely Sports Direct and House of Fraser), there were still a few GAME shops left standing. These are now to be closed, leaving the United Kingdom without a dedicated nationwide store to buy new games.
UK readers might be quick to point out the abundant high street presence of CeX, another British retailer that sells games, but there are two distinct difference between the companies. GAME primarily sold new and sealed products, whilst CeX sells almost exclusively pre-owned goods, and the former was exclusively game focused with other toys and gamer memorabilia as an accompaniment, whilst CeX focuses broadly on technology, in which gaming is just a small part. There are still many local businesses that sell video games too, but there’s no longer a national chain that dedicates itself to gaming.
GAME will still operate online, and will also continue to sell within Sports Direct and House of Fraser, but its standalone high street presence looks like it’s gone for good. It’s disappointing to see, as the last two decades saw an explosion of nationwide gaming stores such as Grainger Games that all eventually went defunct and out of business. Now, the leading name in the business is out too.
How do you feel about the closure of the final GAME stores? Where do you like to buy your new games from? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments down below or on social media, and stay tuned to GameObserver for more breaking gaming news written by and for humans.
ObserverCrew Picks
bserver
bserver
