Gamestop Closing 120 Stores

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**Ahtman**

Sauce

Universally beloved video game vendor GameStop has announced plans to close about 120 of its 6,457 game stores by January of next year, GamesIndustry International reports. The company will presumably trade in the excess inventory of its unwanted stores for a disappointing cash payout. CEO Paul Raines explained in a presentation to investors that GameStop has grown weary of the whole video game thing, what with the imminent collapse of the physical-media game market and all. So the company is focusing on expansion of its other subsidiary chains, Spring Mobile and Simply Mac. To justify this new emphasis on cell phones and Apple products, Raines compared his company to VF Corporation, which started out as an underwear company but evolved by acquiring a number of jeans makers. In both cases, it’s simply a matter of the businesses understanding their core competencies: VF Corporation specializes in products that cover your ass, and GameStop specializes in products that seem more expensive than they ought to be.

**LordofHats**

I'd debate the universally beloved part (unless that's supposed to be sarcasm).

I find it odd they've decided not to push their digital edge more.

**SagesStone**

Universally beloved video game vendor GameStop

Oh wait it's not April 1st.

**Sigvatr**

Closing 1.85% of their stores really doesn't sound like big news to me.

I also smiled at the "beloved" part.

**LordofHats**

Like many street corner business, this isn't a shock. Gamestop overexpanded, even when used games were still a market they could rely on.

**Ahtman**

Sigvatr wrote:
Closing 1.85% of their stores really doesn't sound like big news to me.

I also smiled at the "beloved" part.

In and off itself it isn't a huge loss, except for the 4-500 people out of a job, but I imagine is just the tip of the iceberg. I wouldn't be surprised if we get more stories of closures over the next few years.

**timetowaste85**

My old town's gamestop had unscrupulous sales reps, and I had to turn one in for not discussing return policies properly. Meanwhile my sister's current gamestop is run by awesome staff who know how to take care of customers. It's hit or miss, just like GW stores, I'd imagine. That said, Gamestop is usually my last choice to go to for games.

**KingCracker**

n0t_u wrote:
Universally beloved video game vendor GameStop

Oh wait it's not April 1st.

Exactly the right way of it

**Deathklaat**

Universally beloved video game vendor GameStop has announced plans to close about 120 of its 6,457 game stores by January of next year, GamesIndustry International reports. The company will presumably trade in the excess inventory of its unwanted stores for a disappointing cash payout

I cant really say i feel bad for them, their stores suck, their selection sucks and their staff are laughable at best. I hope some of the ones to close are in my area as we have 3 within a mile of eachother.

I am a bit confused about this whole imminent collapse of the physical-media game market. Majority of consoles will still have physical copies, some will have the ability to download. Even PC games still have physical copies but the CDs just have the downloader for the online network (bnet and steam as examples). Its not like they sell PC games anyway. What they will be losing will be the used game market and seeing how they gouged people with that i am a bit glad they are going to have to take a dissapointing cash payout for their store stock. Guess they will know what it feels like being their customer trading in games.

**Melissia**

Universally beloved video game vendor GameStop

Who the feth wrote this?

Oh, it's AVClub, so it's sarcasm. Nevermind.

**fishy bob**

Good riddance. Too bad it's only 120.

**LumenPraebeo**

The only gripe I have with them is they don't sell PC games. I've never been a fan of consoles. I built this dam computer and have upgraded it so much over the past 8 years. Heck, not a single one of its parts is from the original, not even the tower. It is better than the xbox, it is better than the ps2, and in perhaps another 2-3 years, it will be better than the xbox1 and the ps3. The only consoles I will ever consider are the handheld, fit in hands portable nintendos. (those things are amazing

) Gamestop has made a mistake by catering to only console users. I hate them for it, I honestly do. 8 years ago, I would have gladly paid them $30 for a PC game. It was the easiest way to get a CD. I hope they regret not offering PC gamers service. And I hope they take that regret to their graves.

**Ruberu**

This does not surprise me. I went away from console games about 2 years ago. I mostly play computer games at night now, mostly. Plus places like Best Buy and some local stores you can buy all kinds of electronics and games at the same time, so there is no need to go to a game only store.

**LumenPraebeo**

Ruberu wrote:
This does not surprise me. I went away from console games about 2 years ago. I mostly play computer games at night now, mostly. Plus places like Best Buy and some local stores you can buy all kinds of electronics and games at the same time, so there is no need to go to a game only store.

Yea, but where I used to live, Gamestops were a lot closer than Best Buys, and where I live right now, they still are, plus they have the capability to offer a large variety of PC games, they just chose not to. I have no clue why, every fifth customer that walked in asked if they sold PC games.

**Ruberu**

Some live closer than others, some places have more stores than others. I have 3 Gamestops, 1 Best Buy, 2 Targets, 2 Walmarts, and 3-4 other stores all within a mile of me for games. And I have Steam for computer which makes it a lot easier.

**djones520**

Sigvatr wrote:
Closing 1.85% of their stores really doesn't sound like big news to me.

I also smiled at the "beloved" part.

Still a lot of jobs being lost. The closest store to my home closed recently. Not sure if it was related to this.