The End Of GAME/GAMESTATION (Europe)

Post by **rjay63** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:09 am

If anyone has been following the gaming news in Europe, they would know that the Game Group business (who own GAME and GAMESTATION) have gone bust. While the reasons behind this are fairly obvious, I do have fond memories of buying various Dreamcast games from either store. My best one is buying Shenmue 2 early as they had just ignored the release date and put it straight out (probably as there were clearing out their DC stock).

Anyone else have memories of these stores back in the DC days?

Post by **DCUltrapro** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:02 am

I'll be the first to say that I hate what has happened to Game, they have been royally shafted by the games publishers and the big super market chains, though I probably didn't help the situation much as I mostly bought games online when buying them new.

I have VERY fond memories of Game and its various franchises, I even remember when they had Electronics Boutique as a store and they asked the country which name to keep on their stores.

Also mostly I remember Game for being the place I reserved and bought my Dreamcast on release AND all major games that would come out, such as Shenmue, Skies, Soul Calibur etc, I can remember being SOOOO excited and stoked about all the DC titles that would be on the way and I would reserve all of them and go into the store to pick them up and I remember my excitement at FINALLY having the game in my hands

I mostly remember the DC release day in October 1999, what an amazing day, I'll never forget coming home with my brand new DC in the giant Game bag, I also used to trade in games etc, bought my Xbox from them, traded it in for my 360 etc... always used them for everything until the last 5 years where I simply buy games online and trade them in CEX...

I'm really going to miss Game stores.... BASTARD EA!!!

Post by **Neohound** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 3:10 pm

I didn't realise that it was both Game AND Gamestation !! That's HARSH

I've got loads of points tied up at both stores, I'm wondering if it's too late now. Are they shut already ?

Holy crap, I've got loads of great memories of both stores. My first Pre-ordered game, the tons of DC games bought at both stores, waiting in the rain with my son over the last few years to pick up various versions of COD, Getting my GBA on launch day etc etc

I still go in those stores occasionally to get discs repaired, buy s/h stuff, talk to the staff lol but mainly I now shop on the internet or visit my local import game shop.

Post by **dark** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:30 am

I guess they are in insolvency proceedings or something? That's what it looks like from the webpage. Some bricks and mortar stores might still be operating for another few days - hurry and go on a shopping spree with those points!!! (and tell us what you get)

Post by **DCUltrapro** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:45 am

they went into administration because they couldn't find a buyer, and this is due to the fact that the publishers and big retail chains like Tesco and Sainsburys changed the ball game. Innitially game stores would receive an ordered batch of the games, and would pay the publisher when they sell them, sending back any unsold (correct me if I'm wrong) now the big guys like Tesco just buy them outright at the start and sell them all across their hundreds of stores at competitive prices, Game and Gamestation can't compete and then EA decided they wouldn't allow Game to buy/stock anymore of their games... bastards!!

Post by **dark** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:21 pm

That sucks, but the reason I ever went to game retailers rather than buying games at Wal Mart or other giant department stores was that the game retailers had way more to choose from - while the giant everything stores just had whatever the latest purported hits would be. Additionally, the game retailers would have pre-owned versions that I would buy to save money, while the everything stores were brand new copies only. Oh well, guess there just weren't enough people like me

edit: then again, the internet fills the space left by that demand, as it's much easier to find uncommon and unpopular games, and get reasonable deals on them online via amazon/ebay and the like. I can't even remember the last time I saw Dreamcast games for sale in real life - must have been circa 2004/2005.

Post by **DCUltrapro** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:06 pm

yeah man, I was the same when I went to Game, pretty much exact reasons why I would enjoy going to Game rather than Tesco!

Post by **rjay63** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:01 pm

Thank you for your replies everyone. Yes, Game Group (who owned the GAME, Gamestation and gameplay.co.uk brands) were put in administration last Monday. Reward/Elite cards were originally suspended however reports say they are now being accepted again but only for pre-owned stock. I would check out http://www.mcvuk.com/news/tag/game at regular intervals as things do change.

As you may be aware a lot of software companies stopped selling their latest titles to GAME/Gamestation. The biggest was EA with Mass Effect 3. However the group have been in serious trouble since late 2009 when the stock market turned against them. As well as supermarkets and the internet offering cheaper prices, Game Group had big rent liabilities. In my town circa 2004/2005 we had 4 GAME outlets and 1 Gamestation! Now we are left with the just the one GAME outlet after administration. My thoughts are with the (very young) staff who have been let go; more for the unemployment line!

Oh, last DC game I saw in a shop: Tee Off for 50p at Cash Exchange (pawn shop)a few months ago...I bought it of course!

Post by **Neohound** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:35 pm

I guess I should get down to one of my local branches ASAP ! Last time I went to Gamestation they had a box full of DC games upstairs and out of sight. There were a couple of games I don't own........so this could be a good time to strike !

Tee-Off Golf is a terrific game. Not very original, but nice and cutesy, highly addictive and huge fun, especially multiplayer. I've got the Pal version but also the Japanese game with the extra courses expansion disc - pretty neat.

Post by **DCUltrapro** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:26 am

well to be honest, I think a lot of it they may have brought upon themselves, I remember in Watford there was a CEX, Gamestation, Game and EB, then Game took over EB and we had 2 Game stores, then they took over Gamestation and before you know it we have 3 stores and the company can't afford to run them as they are totally saturated... they should never have bought out gamestation, at least CEX will remain until they destroy the preowned game industry

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