GAME group goes into administration

[localzuk]

Thing is, they didn't maximise profits - they drove those who are looking for other things out of the store. So, it was a bad plan plain and simple.

[mthomas08]

 

Personally, I'm not that bothered. Game employees, at least the ones I've spoken to, have no idea what's going on game-wise. They're overpriced and usually packed solid, so it's a nightmare trying to look for anything. [Asking for help usually gets a blank stare...]

 

I'm just waiting for the clear out. Then, I may grab a Vita or 2... if they're really cheap. Which they wont be.

 

And smell bad because their air con has no maintenance?

 

I buy from Play.com and may shop around, not a fan of Game their prices do seem high although their PC game offers have been the only thing I ever buy from them. You know the 3 PC games for £15 kind of offers. With Internet sales going up and up and their prices much better then shops why buy from them? Unless they actually do nice offers.

[X-13]

Thing is, they didn't maximise profits - they drove those who are looking for other things out of the store. So, it was a bad plan plain and simple.

 

I know.

 

I didn't say they did it well... I was just saying what I think they were trying to do.

 

 

And smell bad because their air con has no maintenance?

 

No air con.

 

Shop gets hot >> parents get confused/annoyed/tired >> more likely to submit to children demanding games.

 

 

I've actually seen it work.

 

"FINE! You can have the game..." Then once outside, that look decends on their face. The look of "Why did I do that?"

Edited March 22, 2012 by X-13

[sonofsanta]

The range thing is more to go with current gamers, though. They don't want old games. They want the newest, shiniest games with the best graphics.

 

So, old[er] games don't interest them. As they spend the most [CoD and the like], places like GAME focus on them to maximise profits.

 

I don't think that's true. This thread/site speaks otherwise, and the success of gog.com, and Kickstarter revivals, and the re-released classics on PSN such as God of War and Ico/SotC, and the outcry when backwards compatibility gradually got removed on the PS3 (and iirc, 360). I think claiming that all gamers want is MW and FIFA is just believing what the mainstream media talk about, and we all know they haven't got a clue when it comes to gaming.

 

A record store wouldn't stock only the top 40 singles and albums, the whole point of them is the range they offer, the back catalogue, the obscurities you can find in them. And as a specialist retailer, GAME should have done the same thing for video games. If their perception was that people only bought MW and FIFA, then it was their responsibility as the main games retailer to push a wider range and get people interested in games two or three years old. It's in their interest! If people only bought those headline games, they're only coming into store twice a year, and those are the games most likely to be sold as loss-leaders by supermarkets anyway. You can't compete with them on price and quantity, so you damn well better compete on service and range. God knows their stores had enough floor space, they just left it empty. Their layouts had more in common with a trendy clothes or furniture shop than a record store.

 

Gamestation were much better in this regard, but I fear have now been dragged down by the sins of the father.

 

And as @localzuk says, clearly it didn't work anyway...

 

EDIT: and as you said above while I was typing this, not saying you're stupid for believing it... saying they were stupid for ever believing it. It's purely and simply strategic mismanagement that has brought them down. For the biggest retailer of a growing entertainment sector to collapse is appalling.

Edited March 22, 2012 by sonofsanta

[bondbill2k2]

The amount of times I went into game and actually argued with staff when they tryed to sell me a game I knew I didn't like often completely unrelated to my purchase. Up-sale ahoy in their eyes, the last time being COD:MW3 with the clerk trying to sell me the special edition sets and Xbox live points to purchase COD ELITE! He goes on to tell me what elite was... I explained I knew I've worked for a competitive computer game retailer before and play my fair share of games along with keeping up to date with new games and deals, this package is not something that interested me, I then explained how my expectations were low for MW3 but I was only getting it to play multilayer with my mates. The clerk did not like this, being either a huge fanboy of the series or receiving commission he began to get rather annoyed saying nothing beats it its the best game out there. Last purchase from there!

 

 

Hoping for a Woolworth's style fire sale, which was a real SELL EVERYTHING effort. As

I loved walking into woolworths asking how much for the till and finding out it was £80...not that I wanted or needed one. However the large red bull can shaped and themed freezer for £50 was tempting for my bedroom or even the office now!

Edited March 22, 2012 by bondbill2k2

[Oaktech]

I loved walking into woolworths asking how much for the till and finding out it was £80...not that I wanted or needed one. However the large red bull can shaped and themed freezer for £50 was tempting for my bedroom or even the office now!

 

I got a lifesize cardboard standee of paul bettany for a friend of mine for £3 (the kirsten dunst one had already been sold!), last seen advertising the wimbledon film, and a load of shelving for the garage for £50 when woolworths went down...

[X-13]

The amount of times I went into game and actually argued with staff when they tryed to sell me a game I knew I didn't like often completely unrelated to my purchase.

 

^ This.

 

Looking at FF[whatever... the long newish one.] and asking about whether Arkham City DLC will be available as cards [Like they do with CoD map packs and Fable III]...

 

"Can I interest you in MW3?"

 

 

The hell? Where did that come from? I didn't mention CoD as an example of DLC cards. The cards were next to me... and there were no CoD ones anyway, so I was pointing at Fable III.

[andy_nic]

Think I will be off to GAME Saturday morning I have some money on a card from trade-ins and a load of points on my reward card.

I’ve not been happy with game for a long while.

What happened to the “be the first to play” stuff I recently pre-ordered got to me a week later.

But this one did it for me I pre-ordered a game I got told by email it was not going to be available and so my pre-order was cancelled. Week later money had been taken from my bank account and a game turned up 2 days later. Customer support didn’t see what the problem was.

[bondbill2k2]

What happened to the “be the first to play” stuff I recently pre-ordered got to me a week later.

But this one did it for me I pre-ordered a game I got told by email it was not going to be available and so my pre-order was cancelled. Week later money had been taken from my bank account and a game turned up 2 days later. Customer support didn’t see what the problem was.

 

Even at their peak they never delivered on their first to play promises on my pre-orders. Shopto.net hands down is my place for pre-orders often receiving them 2 days before official release and good prices. My little brother who is only 16 didn't know better and pre-ordered Fifa street at GAME, then the week before release is told he won't be getting a copy from GAME as EA wont stock them passing the blame to EA which we all know EA have good reason for this! Pre-ordered on shopto less than a week before release and received 2 days before official release plus it worked out £5 less than GAME.

 

EA also put a notice on Fifa 12 telling those who pre-ordered from GAME to get the game from shopto, amazing or other online retailers.

 

 

^ This.

"Can I interest you in MW3?"

NOOOOOOOOO they love their COD I traded it back in later that week on their only decent offers get 'X' game for £5 when trading any of the following games... This case was trade MW3 in and get Battlefield 3 for £5, deal! I also had a discussion related to Batman arkham city when the staff member wanted me to purchase the guide for the game I then explained I didnt see the need as Id rather enjoy the game completing it on my own. He then trys to tell me I should trade it in and get the special edition from them because it has BONUS SKINS!!! Oh S##T how much I want that bonus texture for my character, yea sure i'll give you my hard earned cash for that. I hate pre-order DLC bonus content when its worth while (not very often) but the whole texture/skin craze sucks. They even had a guide just about how to get the DLC textures!

 

Just looked on their site they are now taking pre-ordereds for the £359 star wars console and Diablo 3 £69.99, stop promoting these expensive packs so much they won't sell that well just get average game prices down!

Edited March 22, 2012 by bondbill2k2

[Rawns]

I'm not someone who quivers with excitement at the though of getting a game at 1 minute past midnight and then rushing home to be one of the first to play. I'l happily wait a few days/week, or longer if I deem it to be too much. However that's one of the things I love about Steam. I pre-ordered something on it (can't remember what as it was a while ago) and it downloaded a week before. On release day, logged into Steam, waited for it to activate the game (a few seconds) and then I was away. Happy days!

[korifugi]

I remember the old days, the Jan sales they used to have - going into the (admittedly packed) shop to find that there was the gem of a new game at about £3-£5. The old "this week on offer" games, where each week a single, relatively new title was £10 with any other purchase. Staff were helpful, liked more of a range of games than CoD, and were actually nice to talk to.

 

I went in recently though. After getting grunted at by an employee for being in his limited field of view, I was almost leapt on by another employee whos enthusiasm I can only put down to whatever glue they had managed to find licking boxes in the storeroom. I did, however know what I was looking for and managed to fend him off.

 

All I was looking for was a copy of Batman: Arkham City for PS3, but the price of their preowned copy alone was sufficient to cut that visit short.

 

Luckily for me - there's a Grainger Games close by, who in Derby seem to be taking quite a lot of business from the Game group. It's not hard to see why.

Edited March 22, 2012 by korifugi
Why, oh, why did I put Asylum and not City?

[Dos_Box]

Well, it now officially 'in' administration: BBC News - Game Group goes into administration

 

TBH, I think anyone trying to sell games on the high street should learn alot from Games Workshop. There should be more 'hands on' with new games, not simply looping trailers with 'Not actual game footage' listed at the bottom of the screen. Have multiple platforms all availble to test games on, and take a lesson out of Games Workshop's books. Have after hours gaming sessions and get people in the shops. Gaming needn't be a solitary pursuit and getting a loyal customer base is one (almost) guarenteed way of keeping afloat when times are tough.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Dos_Box

[localzuk]

Well, it now officially 'in' administration: BBC News - Game Group goes into administration

 

TBH, I think anyone trying to sell games on the high street should learn alot from Games Workshop. There should be more 'hands on' with new games, not simply looping trailers with 'Not actual game footage' liested at the bottom of the screen. Have multiple p[latforms all availble to test games on, and take a lesson out of Games Workshop's books. Have after hours gaming sessions and get peole in the shops. Gaming needn't be a solitary pursuit and getting a loyal customer base is one (almost) guarenteed way of keeping afloat when times are tough.

 

Agree 100%.

[Rawns]

Think I'll wonder down there on lunch ad see what's going on sale-wise.

[Michael]

To be honest, I think this was always on the cards. It's not just Game, but other retailers too.

 

Rates have gone up, VAT has gone up and sales in general are down. It just isn't sustainable to sell games using the business model they have.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens to Computer Exchange (CEX) as they're in the same business.

 

The likes of Play and Amazon are doing extremely well, but I question for how long. It's only a matter of time before games are no longer sold on a physical disc, but streamed to a console. This'll mean game manufacturers will make even more money as they cut out the middle-man retailer.

[Garacesh]

TBH, I think anyone trying to sell games on the high street should learn alot from Games Workshop. There should be more 'hands on' with new games, not simply looping trailers with 'Not actual game footage' listed at the bottom of the screen. Have multiple platforms all availble to test games on, and take a lesson out of Games Workshop's books. Have after hours gaming sessions and get people in the shops. Gaming needn't be a solitary pursuit and getting a loyal customer base is one (almost) guarenteed way of keeping afloat when times are tough.

As a Warhammer 40,000 player (which TOH hates ) I couldn't agree more.

 

-snip- It will be interesting to see what happens to Computer Exchange (CEX) as they're in the same business.

 

The likes of Play and Amazon are doing extremely well, but I question for how long. It's only a matter of time before games are no longer sold on a physical disc, but streamed to a console. This'll mean game manufacturers will make even more money as they cut out the middle-man retailer.

Well, CEX doesn't just deal with the 'top 10' like GAME did.. Serious nostalgia when you can waltz in and buy an N64. I'm okay with this.

As for the final point, Steam seem to be doing well at that. Not only is it good to not have to worry about a physical disk that can get bork'd up, but it's all-over easier which people always love. I've wondered why other retailers haven't done this. And then BOOM. EA Origin. Which everybody hates. xD

[Bromcom_John]

Well, it now officially 'in' administration: BBC News - Game Group goes into administration

 

TBH, I think anyone trying to sell games on the high street should learn alot from Games Workshop. There should be more 'hands on' with new games, not simply looping trailers with 'Not actual game footage' listed at the bottom of the screen. Have multiple platforms all availble to test games on, and take a lesson out of Games Workshop's books. Have after hours gaming sessions and get people in the shops. Gaming needn't be a solitary pursuit and getting a loyal customer base is one (almost) guarenteed way of keeping afloat when times are tough.

 

My main gripe with GW is their steadfast refusal to stock half of their game lines in the actual shops!

Plus the absolute denial that they even have an RP line of games (ok they are published under license by someone else but they exist and are damn popular).

That just screams loss of sales opportunity by cross matching products.

 

But then again I remembed the heady days of yore when GW where a games Hobby shop and not a catalogue shop

But it doesn't seem to have curbed their particular brand of plastic sprued success!

[CAM]

GW is horribly expensive but then again, so is the video games industry! Plus GW are kind of running a high street monopoly at the moment in the tabletop wargame business. I reckon if another manufacturer was sufficiently big to have their own store, they'd have to bring their prices down a few notches.

 

As for trying games, that was commonplace at one point but the consoles in video game shops appear to have been dying out.

[Garacesh]

As for trying games, that was commonplace at one point but the consoles in video game shops appear to have been dying out.

Ah, I remember getting demo disks for PS1 out of magazines...

[Rawns]

Ah, I remember getting demo disks for PS1 out of magazines...

 

And Demo discs in PC magazines.

 

Hell, I remember buying PC games when they came in giant cardboard boxes. The joy of opening them to find a tiny CD-ROM case in there. I could only fit 7 or so on my shelf. Most of them were the games from the 'Unreal' series. I treasured them like a third leg.

[bondbill2k2]

It will be interesting to see what happens to Computer Exchange (CEX) as they're in the same business.

CeX Only deal in pre-owned products which are purchased from customers for either cash or store credit. Having worked for Cex a few years ago while at uni they only purchase products with cash in the tills which are skimmed off to the safe every few hours and banked every few days once it reachs a certain target often several thousand depending on sales. When customers are told they cannot buy cash items at the moment this is true the till staff cannot, its not to say the store has no cash!

 

If your lucky you can still find some retro games in cex, we were however in 2010 told not to accept PC games in the large cardboard boxs they must be in a DVD case

Edited March 26, 2012 by bondbill2k2

[CAM]

Ah, I remember getting demo disks for PS1 out of magazines...

 

That's a take home and try experience which you can still do now. Game booths were an in-store try and buy.

[sonofsanta]

Just been up town now on a doomed quest to get some other bits and bobs, and the GAME store here is closed - doors locked and handwritten signs up on the door.

 

[Bromcom_John]

What did the signs say?

[sonofsanta]

What did the signs say?

 

Just CLOSED