Game in Trouble

[DANGERMAN]

ruh-roh

UK high street retailer Game has "lost credit assurance with most of its publishers," meaning it won't be given stock of upcoming game releases, a source has told NowGamer.

If true, it could have a huge impact on the upcoming PS Vita launch, as well as anticipated games such as Mass Effect 3, SSX and Twisted Metal.

Game struggled over the traditionally profitable festive period last year, with year-on-year sales down 17.6 per cent in the UK and Ireland for the eight weeks ending 7 January.

Our source said Game has "lost credit assurance with most of its publishers," and "won't have stock of the upcoming releases."

Update:

this week's new releases, such as Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and Soul Calibur 5 are currently moving through Game's distribution centres for launch on Friday.

Game isl talking to publishing partners - including Sony - regarding future launches, for which the retailer has big plans, Soffe added.

He also clarified that credit insurance is an option for publishers, and that the industry "has been supportive" during the last few weeks.

http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1228070/uk_retailer_game_publishers_to_withold_new_games_source.html

[Sly Reflex]

ruh-roh

UK high street retailer Game has "lost credit assurance with most of its publishers," meaning it won't be given stock of upcoming game releases, a source has told NowGamer.

If true, it could have a huge impact on the upcoming PS Vita launch, as well as anticipated games such as Mass Effect 3, SSX and Twisted Metal.

Game struggled over the traditionally profitable festive period last year, with year-on-year sales down 17.6 per cent in the UK and Ireland for the eight weeks ending 7 January.

Our source said Game has "lost credit assurance with most of its publishers," and "won't have stock of the upcoming releases."

Update:

this week's new releases, such as Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and Soul Calibur 5 are currently moving through Game's distribution centres for launch on Friday.

Game isl talking to publishing partners - including Sony - regarding future launches, for which the retailer has big plans, Soffe added.

He also clarified that credit insurance is an option for publishers, and that the industry "has been supportive" during the last few weeks.

http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1228070/uk_retailer_game_publishers_to_withold_new_games_source.html

I went to GAME's (yes both of them) and the Gamestation in Leeds today. The staff in both GAME's were really on edge, and the shelves looked sort of empty. They Had FF dummy cases out, but no games to buy. Soul Calibur was a no show.It was a complete and utter shambles. Gamestation looked totally fine though, they didn't look to be any problems there at all.

[Sambob]

This should have its own thread, I totally missed this. Potentially massive news, although i suspect it will be saved by some corporation. It used to be my go to store, really fond memories of GAME stores when I was a kid, they replaced my local Electronics Boutique back in the day and now it looks to have gone full circle. Certainly in the last year I dont remember getting much from them, id go in to have a chat but prices were ridiculous and they started to get late with their pre-orders.

[Manicm]

They seem to of overstretched, they really shouldn't of brought Gamestation from Blockbusters. A couple of other bids from other buyers would of helped Gamestation survive the split from blockbusters but no game had to leap in and have a monopoly on game sales.

Problem with game is they keep taking pre-owned stuff even when they have 50 copies of the same thing in the shop, there prices are too high in store, even there online store is often cheaper than the instore stuff!

I can see them going to online only at some point and just gamestation surviving, a bit like the curry's dixons type of thing, HMV will end up the same way as well!

[Sly Reflex]

You've just described what GAME normally looks like. It's probably unrelated but I haven't seen Saints Row 3 in any shops new in weeks.

Awaiting stock, they didn't press enough copies for demand.

[Sly Reflex]

So the downfall of the company is that they alienated customers? Because that's sort of how I feel, I'd never really think of making GAME my first stop for purchasing now. Online outlets just put them to shame.

[Sly Reflex]

I think staff is a shop by shop basis problem. I've had people I know work there and they were fine, and I've had some great chats and service from some of the people working there over the years. I've had some horror stories from some of the people working there too, although they tend to be in the minority. The constant forced sales patter is annoying as fuck though. It wouldn't be the first time I've walked because they have been to forthcoming trying to flog me stuff.

[Sly Reflex]

http://spong.com/article/26264/Friday-Deadline-for-GAME-Stores-Selloff

GAME has been seeking potential buyers for its overseas business - and any interested parties have until Friday to put their money on the table.

News broke last week about the specialist retailer's financial troubles, and the company announced that it was looking to farm off its operations outside of the UK. That's more than 600 stores dotted around Australia, France, Spain and Portugal.

Of course, the obvious thing to speculate is that US retailer GameStop will step in to purchase the stores. Well, maybe not actually, but that didn't stop MCV from asking the question. A spokesperson for the company pretty much gave the industry equivalent of a 'WTF' - "We do not comment on market rumours or speculation."

Guess we'll have to wait til Friday then.

It sounds like they are trying to jettison anything that could save the business.

[Sambob]

Unless its the overseas stuff that have put them in trouble, because they certainly werent always that bad, to have been able to actually get a monopoly on the highstreet retail circuit.

[TopGunKnacker]

im looking for a different job anyway!

i think you have to seperate the sales patter from whether the staff are knobs though, you can get in a lot of shit off the boss for not doing the hard sell

do you have a loyalty card

do you have anything to trade in today

would you like that new game u want preowned instead?

would you like some microsoft points for dlc or an extra controller for 2player?

would you like to make any preorders?

have you checked out our online store?

grooooan

[Cyberpunk]

I pretty much only use Gamestation or CEX on the high street. Usually for new games, I shop around on the net.

[Sly Reflex]

http://spong.com/article/26278/UK-Retail-Hit-Game-Makes-HQ-Redundancies

The life of High Street Retailer the Game Group - owner of Game and GameStation video game shops - goes from bad to worse with news of lay-offs at its Basingstoke HQ.

Already in a state of financial flux, the company has confirmed that it will cut 46 jobs from its Basingstoke HQ.

A spokesperson told MCV, “The proposed restructure will result in around 46 fewer roles at our central support centre in Basingstoke.

“Our proposed new structure will change the way that we operate and will enable us to be significantly more efficient in our relationships with suppliers and customers.

“We are giving our full help and support to the colleagues who are affected by these proposed changes.”

Good luck to everybody involved.

Oh dear.

[retroed]

I haven't shopped in GAME for a very long time, it has to be said. I do go in Gamestation quite a lot, though.

We're fucked if GAME go down the pan. Gamestation may have to follow suit, and things aren't looking great for HMV either. Then we'll be stuck with supermarkets for our real life game purchasing, who only tend to carry the five latest games on each format, if that. I'm hoping GAME pull through, despite how much I hate some of their policies.

[DANGERMAN]

if Game did go I could see download retail games becoming a much bigger thing, sold through the likes of Amazon as well as PSN/XBL

That being said someone will buy some part of them, they are too capable of making money to just disappear. At the very least Gamestation will be sold off

[Sly Reflex]

Bad news like this snowballs though, doesn't it? Why would you want to buy from an ailing company? If the item is faulty you are screwed if they go under. People will be playing stay away which means GAME loses more money. It becomes a downward spiral that they won't be able to beat.

[DANGERMAN]

one of those things that could just be a coincidence, or this could be the first title affected by Game's bad credit

Via Eurogamer

GAME is not stocking Tekken on 3DS, Eurogamer can reveal.

Tekken 3D Prime Edition, out today, will not be sold in any GAME store nationwide or on the GAME.co.uk website.

A GAME source told Eurogamer Tekken was delayed because distributor Nintendo had not sent the stock to GAME's warehouse in time for launch.

A memo was sent to staff this morning notifying them of the game's lack of availability. Our source couldn't say when the stock would turn up.

When I worked in a failing company we quite often used to have stock fail to turn up. I'd hope Nintendo would at least do Game the courtesy of telling them they aren't getting stock because they're out of credit, but we used to only find out companies hadn't been paid when we rang them about stuff not arriving

[Manicm]

The only competition for game is currently online, highstreet is now a joke for buying games. For example the new Resi Evil on 3ds, i haven't seen this on the shelf anywhere, including game. I had to use zavvi for my copy. Get the feeling this is now the way forward.

[TopGunKnacker]

granger games is a big competitor in places that have them. supermarkets too, to a much lesser extent

[radiofloyd]

Beleaguered high street retailer GAME is to shut 35 stores as part of a restructuring drive, according to MCV.

A spokesperson commented that it has a "detailed plan to help customers move to another local store or online" and hopes to redeploy staff where possible.

The chain currently has 610 outlets, which it intends to reduce to 550 by Christmas 2013.

It's also closing down its Gameplay.co.uk online store. From 1st March all customers will be redirected to Gamestation.co.uk instead.

"So that all of our customers can enjoy the benefits of the new online platform that we launched last year, Gameplay customers will be served through Gamestation.co.uk from March 1st 2012, including customer support for their purchases," said the spokesperson

"All new orders will be directed through gamestation.co.uk from that date. We're talking to our customers who access our online community through

Gameplay about this today, and look forward to welcoming them to the growing community at gamestation.co.uk."

The retailer is in the midst of some well-documented financial difficulties after it lost credit insurance with its banks. This has led to many new releases not being stocked.

GAME Group Marketing Director Anna-Marie Mason discussed its predicament with Eurogamer at length yesterday.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-22-game-to-close-35-stores

[Sly Reflex]

It's looking bad.