Game Group suffers from "extraordinary" economic times

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 16 November, 2011

Big games tailing off quicker than they used to.

Game, which has closed 37 stores this year, has blamed decreased sales and revenue on what it describes as "extraordinary" economic conditions.

Shares in the specialist retailer slumped after it said it would miss sales and profit targets.

Sales in all categories were down 10.6 per cent for the 41 weeks to 12th November: software, hardware, second hand sales and accessories. This figure accounts for day one sales of behemoth Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

"This is ahead of the overall video games market, which was down 12.3 per cent in the same period," Game said.

Online sales remained stable, however. 28 per cent of total sales now come from the second hand market, which operates at a 40 per cent margin.

Game has now lowered its forecast for the financial year. It expects revenue will be down 7 per cent.

"Major software titles are launching in line with first week expectations, but are then seeing a quicker tail-off than historically experienced," Game said. "Customer footfall and basket sizes are down reflecting wider consumer uncertainty."

Game is exploring digital sales as it attempts to combat the decline. It also launched the GAMEwallet in October. Game boss Ian Shepherd said: "The overall video games market remains very challenging, despite strong title launches, and our guidance today reflects the extraordinary economic times in which we are operating.

"Game has outperformed the market, reinforcing our position as market leader, and I am hugely proud of our teams. They remain focussed on delivering our strategy, controlling costs and driving operational cashflow, and we remain well placed to benefit in the medium term both from the next console cycle and the growth in digital and social gaming."

Game will report its crucial Christmas period results on 11th January.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (137) Latest comment 6 months ago

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  • rockavitch #1 6 months ago

    When you are £5+ more expensive than everywhere else when selling games it's no surprise people are going elsewhere, people are not buying less, they just aren't buying it from you.

  • Beetroot_Bertie #2 6 months ago

    I guess Game will be devoting even more shelf space focus to 2nd hand games then :(

  • Sodding_Gamer #3 6 months ago

    Not to mention their poor website and delivery. Never pre-order from GAME. I know that now.

  • megalomaniacs4u #4 6 months ago

    rip off merchant suffers from poor pricing strategy as customers finally get a clue?

  • JohnnyWashnGo #5 6 months ago

    I stopped using Game when I started using the Internet which was around 1999/2000. They are expensive and never seemed to have the games I wanted in stock.

  • ejstyles #6 6 months ago

    Battlefield 3 for £42.99 at Camden High Street Game on launch day. THAT'S an extraordinary economic condition.

  • Skooch #7 6 months ago

    GAME are to games what Blockbuster are to DVDs. More expensive and less choice.

  • Monkey_Puncher #8 6 months ago

    Gameplay who are also owned by GAME I find are infinitely better for pre-orders and pricing. Always get me games a day before release day and the postage is free.

  • jonfon #9 6 months ago

    You reap what you sow, Game.

  • Whitster #10 6 months ago

    I dislike using Game but since they've closed the Gamestation in Barking it's the only place I can get new releases on a friday. That said however their trade in deals have been pretty good of late.

  • wayn3h #11 6 months ago

    Well I can't say I'm surprised to see people voting with their wallets in this less than ideal economical climate. Personally, I have spent more this year on gaming than I ever have. Albeit in online retailers and Steam (that summer sale was bleddy awesome eh?).

  • TeaFiend #12 6 months ago

    I sometimes walk into Game and look, then realise it is all cheaper elsewhere and wonder why I am there. At least with Waterstones I can read a bit of the books first then go buy them from Amazon, before I end up with something like Duke Nukem Forever.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #13 6 months ago

    One retail outlets sales is a bit anecdotal to be taken as evidence of games sales being on the slide, more likely there not as competitive as online retailers, more people are waking up to the fact that not only are games cheaper online 9 times out of 10 you get them a day early too.

  • menage #14 6 months ago

    We're doomed!!!

    Seriously, if everybody keeps on saying times suck they will eventually. Self fullfilling etc.

  • BillyBrush #15 6 months ago

    they're not as bad as people make out. The high street retailers go...digital rises...and in future you can be burned for the whole 40 quid when you buy a shite/boring game that got 8/10..sounds like a fun future..Who is greedier, GAME, or EA?

    ..And is that copy you have of LA noire really worth more than a paltry £6...really? i'd suggest it's probably not, that's why the market reflects it. These stores provide growing room for an industry that produces 50 turkeys for every 5 great games. Game allow the castlevania lords of shadow type games to get along ok, not polarise the people who didn't like it...get a sequel...they soften the lense on the low quality aspects of games, by lowering the burn. They're alright really.

  • Tryhard #16 6 months ago

    Shopto FTW.

  • Stifler #17 6 months ago

    @Monkey_Puncher not for me - still waiting for my copy of Halo anniversary :(

  • abigsmurf #18 6 months ago

    You put a massive focus on pre-owned games in your stores and you wonder why people aren't paying top dollar for recent games any more?

  • midnight_walker #19 6 months ago

    @BillyBrush And is that copy you have of LA noire really worth more than a paltry £6...really?

    No, of course it isn't, and Game know this. It's worth about £18, which is what Game charge for it pre-owned, and pretty much what I can make myself if I cut out those thieving fuckbags.

  • captain_Carl #20 6 months ago

    Only thing GAME is good for is going for a wander while your mother/sister/girlfriend is in some shit shop.

  • Redeye #21 6 months ago

    Sainsburys FTW...better launch prices by far, and no harrassment by clueless cretins.

  • Ryze #22 6 months ago

    In other words:

    Tesco and Asda are stealing our sales, too.

    People are also broke, and spending money on things like food and fuel.

  • Guitarnerd87 #23 6 months ago

    Game are terrible now, had to go there to get ICO + Shadow of Colossus and despite having racks full of the boxes they only had one copy left. So people behind me were going up with boxes off the shelves to be told there was none left. Also took them about 5mins to find the sodding disk, even cex are better now, and thats saying something.

  • Labatyd #24 6 months ago

    This sorry excuse for a retailer can FOAD as far as I'm concerned, had to use them as they were the exclusive distributor for Forza 4 LE. Will now dedicate any relevant space I can find to say how shit they are. Three times I've asked a support question (regarding VAT) and all three times it has been ignored.

  • Wizard83 #25 6 months ago

    Dear GAME

    you are a bunch of robbing bastards.

    your trade-in prices are shit, 40% mark up on 2nd hand games is a scandal and your Release day prices are a joke.

    Regards

    An ex customer

    ps putting 2nd hand games on the chart shelves for £2 less than the brand new one next to it is bullshit.

  • FortysixterUK #26 6 months ago

    Like many high street retailers, selling games at full retail price turns people off.
    Perhaps an even sillier practice GAME do is to also sell their second hand stuff for outrageous prices.
    I like their occasional exclusive package deals, but they are few and far between, and often offer too little and cost too much.

    I wonder how much of this recession you can blame on the landowners shops stand on?
    If land rents, rates etc, were severely dropped, surely it would cost a business a lot less to rent said ground. This in turn would mean better prices for retail customers and better salaries for staff ?

    Another train of thought :-
    I think you need a high street presence for companies, otherwise you will end up losing the benefits of online shopping differences, as the online prices start to become more similar to retail.

    As I understand it, the government are already looking to close a tax loophole that allows Amazon, Play.com etc to use Jersey as a tax break haven.

    This would immediately mean everything they sell would go up in price by 20%.

    What we need is for every country to simply state that they are not paying back any more debts and cancel all existing debts of their citizens, resetting the financial world to zero. Then let's rebuild that financial world with better safeguards in place.
    Property prices would collapse, and countries would then have to rely on their physical gold and jewel supplies, much like the USA does with the financial reserves in Fort Knox.

    Anyway...vote for me.

  • pigsy2400 #27 6 months ago

    I saw PGR3 in game the other day for £15!! Even Blockbuster ave it for £3!! That is a micro-cosm of what is wrong with GAME

  • simsini #28 6 months ago

    I used to work at Electronics Boutique in 2000-2, and at the time, there was a big catalogue of titles available. Now if you want a game that is more than a couple of months old, they will only have preowned, and it will invariably be only £2 off the new price. If you check Warehouse Deals on Amazon, their used prices are around 20-25% off the new price, sometimes even more.

    On the high street, HMV stock a far better range of games, and in fact, my local Tesco Extra now sells more new games than Game do. Not to mention the fact that Tesco give you a sealed game, not one that has been sitting in their draw collecting dust.

    I went instore recently and saw a new copy of NHL 12 for £44.99, which is on their website for £37.99. Madden 12 is similar, £29.99 instore and £22.99 online. These price differences cannot be justified, especially when stores such as Blockbuster sell for the same price online and instore.

    Just a few very obvious reasons why they are struggling, nothing to do with market conditions.
    Edited by simsini at 16/11/11 @ 11:47

  • BillyBrush #29 6 months ago

    @midnight_walker

    Yes you can sell it on Ebay...but not for 18 pounds, for £10 instead of £6. This is my issue, people think the things they have are worth more than they are. I can buy la noire new off amazon for £18 quid, why would i want to pay that for your shit 2nd hand copy with no dlc code...I wouldn't, which is why your copy is not worth what you think it is...try selling it privately...£10. These stores take a cut...of course they do, they want to make money off the transaction...it's possibly not as much as you suggest though, that's my point...these stores reflect what the market will bear, unfortunately for them the market is a bit delusional as to what a 2nd hand game is worth, especially one with a used up online pass (thank you ea)

  • FuzzyDuck #30 6 months ago

    My personal grievance with places like Game is the fact that you're hassled to buy stuff you don't want.

    Now i don't mind being offered a product/service in any shop that i'm not aware of but when i say no thanks, i actually mean no thanks, not ask me 5 bloody times!

    Seen a really funny incident once - the poor guy behind the counter was promoting disc insurance to a customer on a PS3 game. The customer responded 'but you convinced me to buy second hand because you told me Blu-rays are almost indestructible!'.

    Oops :rolleyes:
    Edited by FuzzyDuck at 16/11/11 @ 11:47

  • simsini #31 6 months ago

    @Skooch I find that Blockbuster are actually the most competitive high street retailer. New release Blu-rays are consistently £14.99 and games are very keenly priced, especially preowned.
    Edited by simsini at 16/11/11 @ 11:54

  • node #32 6 months ago

    "exploring digital sales"

    Bit late to the party, aren't you chaps? Good luck with that!

  • nickthegun #33 6 months ago

    "Bricks and mortar store more expensive than the internet shocks EG commenters". Movie at 11.

  • iamtheoneneo #34 6 months ago

    lol @ Game, so now they want to explore digital sales after slamming steam and the like? whatever....I hope this company rots to the ground.

  • Toothball #35 6 months ago

    @Sodding_Gamer

    I had to order the Forza 4 LE from Game after they managed to steal all the copies. Cost over the odds, but it did arrive a day before launch which wasn't so bad.

  • TelexStar #36 6 months ago

    @Monkey_Puncher Gameplay are owned by Game? What the hell? Since when? I had no idea! I've ordered from Gameplay for years as their service was always very good, pre-orders arrived a day early and you got a decent cash back rate through Quidco.

    I've never quite understood how two different arms of the same company can operate completely different levels of service.
    Edited by TelexStar at 16/11/11 @ 12:54

  • Chester #37 6 months ago

    Conversation with Game (instore):

    Me: Can I cancel my MW3 Pre-Order please?
    GS: Can I ask why?
    Me: 'cos you're going to charge £44.99 for it
    GS: How do yo know that?
    Me: It's called the Internet..you should look at it, it's fun!
    GS: But you'll be missing the Intel Pack and Double XP
    Me: But I don't need a crappy little guide, an avatar suit that will look like a 'cry for help' and Double XP I can buy, in-game, for one of the 6 Prestige Tokens
    GS: So where are you going to get it?
    Me: Sainsburys for £28.99..£16 cheaper
    GS: How did you find that out?
    Me: The Internet (seriously, you should try it..)

    ..and they wonder why they have problems..Seriously? £44.99??...fully expect negs for buying from a Supermarket but hey! times are tough, y'know..

  • whatfruit #38 6 months ago

    Fuck you GAME you caused my local independent games retailer to shut down because you priced them out then increased price once they were gone.

    They used to repiar amigas, stock retro games(snes, nes, megadrive, master system, neo geo pockets, supported dreamcast for a long time) and they actually gave a damn.

  • KungFuSpoon #39 6 months ago

    There's a lot of hate/venom for GAME, if you don't like them don't shop with them.

    I can't say as I have a big problem with them myself, other than the occasion exclusive deal for a particular version or extra content which isn't exactly limited to GAME.

    Trade-in values and used game prices are shit everywhere, it's a mugs game (no pun intended) especially if you're trading in a game less than a week old I've slready seen used copies of Skyrim on sale. Like anything you have to shop around, I have seen some right bargains at GAME whilst at CEX round the corner the same second hand game is a tenner more, on the other hand I found a new copy of a game for a fiver less in HMV than a used on in GAME, swings and roundabouts.

    And the 'hassle' you get in GAME, some would call that an attempt at customer service, and it really depends on the particular member of staff and/or the store manager. For instance the manager of the GAME near where I work comes across as a bit of a slimy insurance salesman type and as a result so do his staff. The staff in the GAME near to where I live on the other hand are helpful and pleasant to talk to, they still have to do their sales and trade-in spiel not unlike the people at WHSmiths who try to sell you chocolate with every purchase.

    If their sales strategies don't work they'll change them, and to have a specialist retailer is useful for older or more niche titles or the occasional gem of a discovery you wouldn't make online, they might adjust their prices to be more competitive, they might not. But I think it'd be a shame to see them go, if only because of their occasional mark-down clearance sales, I got EDF for £3 that's pound for pound the most fun I've had on my 360 I think.


    @whatfruit If it wasn't GAME it would've been a supermarket or another retailer, that's high street retail. An ASDA near to my nan got into a pricing war over chickens with a local farm shop, each would lower it's prices day after day to out do the other. Eventually the ASDA manager went to the store to find out how the farmer could afford to undercut ASDA when they were selling chickens at a loss. It was a vegetable farm.......
    Edited by KungFuSpoon at 16/11/11 @ 12:34

  • 32768Colours #40 6 months ago

    @TelexStar

    Its probably because Gameplay aim to sell to the people in the know, whilst Game essentially exist to suckerpunch the average punter who thinks a "specialist" should be a more reliable. Its like people who buy a PC from PC World and then get duped into buying all the tech support, insurance, additional security software, etc because they "know what they're talking about.".

    I haven't shopped in Game for years. I genuinely hope I've done my bit for damaging their market share!

  • brseg #41 6 months ago

    Its kind of amazing that Game exist at all on the highstreet. Selling 2nd hand products for *more* than they cost new elsewhere :/

  • Madder-Max #42 6 months ago

    over priced new games and inflated pre owned prices and a sly trade in thing(where they can gross 70 odd quid on one game) just points at blatant profiteering. £50 for dead Island standard edition when £38 in Asdas.) they have fucked themselves up.

  • Rack #43 6 months ago

    It's not surprising GAME are suffering but it's depressing to see how much the whole industry is down. Retail is falling dramatically, online is stable, digital is growing but still tiny by comparison. This in quite possibly the best year gaming has ever had in terms of quality? Not good.

  • Lucodeath #44 6 months ago

    Sounds like HMV With there pricing policies, big greedy companies never learn.

  • Clive_Dunn #45 6 months ago

    @nickthegun - I think we all understand the difference between e-tailers and traditional retailers. The issue here is that Game continue to struggle to define what area they want to excel at.

    Currently they neither offer the range of product to be considered a specialist, or the pricing on the AAA games to compete with supermarkets or e-tail. Add in a dysfunctional online service and you've got a bit of a mess.

    You don't have to compete in all areas, but doing a good job in one would be a nice start.

  • HL706 #46 6 months ago

    If they didn't staff there stores with cunts they may get on better. In the past moth they refused my Batman: Arkham City because it was exclusive to Tesco (cut off your nose to spite your face much?) and refused to price match HMV on trade-ins as they weren't a local competitor. Which is quite ironic as clearly their competition caused me to drive a couple of miles and get myself a far better deal.

  • jonfon #47 6 months ago

    @nickthegun
    In my case I found Game 5-10 dearer than the video chain across the road for PS3 games. Plus the chaps across the road didn't try and flog me the second hand copy instead or say "This is a very long game. Do you want to buy disk insurance for a fiver?" as Game did when I bought Red Dead Redemption off them in January (for 50 euros!, it was my first PS3 purchase and I was young* and naive**).

    *This is a lie.
    ** This isn't
    Edited by jonfon at 16/11/11 @ 13:16

  • stormbringer_2011 #48 6 months ago

    GAME have always been a terrible store. Sold me a few games as brand new that were clearly second hand. Unless it's common practice for games to come on ready scratched discs and with scribbled levels codes in the back of tatty booklets. Getting a free pube in my copy of Left 4 Dead was jolly decent of them though haha.

  • nickthegun #49 6 months ago

    @Clive_Dunn - "I think we all understand the difference between e-tailers and traditional retailers" - I think if re-read the preceding comments youll find that isnt true.

    I do agree with game not really knowing what their niche is, though. Buying gamestation and then utterly homogenising it didnt help either or that could have been their niche arm quite happily.

  • Machetazo #50 6 months ago

    @simsini From EB to Game, is like day to night in terms of selection, general knowhow/interest, trade prices.

    I also agree with the poster who said about going in to Game, and swiftly wondering why you still are there, once you realise the game you want isn't there (how many times. TOO many), and if you do find it it usually comes with an off-putting price tag that makes online all the more appealing, and lessens the aspect of convenience that would otherwise persist over that method.

    Like Kung Fu said though, there is a degree of swings and roundabouts with them, though. Everyone's mileage probably varies as to how they find things.
    Edited by Machetazo at 16/11/11 @ 13:47

  • stormbringer_2011 #51 6 months ago

    who'd have thought that hatred could bring people so close together. group hug ()

  • TelexStar #52 6 months ago

    @nickthegun - that's more than likely down to their practice of keeping the disks inside manuals and in draws. It always wound me up as i felt I had to check every disk when I bought it.

  • Stratix #53 6 months ago

    As long as you can buy games online cheaper than in store, Game gets no business from me.

    Yes, I know that stores are expensive to run, but I don't fancy paying a premium to be served by some brainless moron. This might not be the case for all of their stores, but it certainly is for my local.

  • azic #54 6 months ago

    As much as I would hate to see game staff lose their jobs, if game does die it will be better for gamers.
    What are they going to do digital sales on? Oh the PC.. the platform they have shut out for so long.
    FUCK YOU GAME FOAD

  • Munkeh111 #55 6 months ago

    @Sodding_Gamer You must have just been unlucky, I almost always get games the day before launch from them

  • Shagsmith #56 6 months ago

    Probably because you charge so much, you chuffing swines.

  • kinky_mong #57 6 months ago

    The sooner this shithouse company fucks off and dies the better.

    My most recent horrible experience with them was a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to see if anywhere close to me had a copy of Dead Island for a reasonable price as the copy I ordered from Zavvi had an expected delivery time of a month (ridiculous). I went on the Game site to see if I could find a number to ring the store in Camden to ask the price and if they had any stock. The site gives a number next to each store, but they're all identical. That's right, it's just one automated system that you have to go through millions of options, none of which are what you want.

    I finally got to an option where I could check the price of the game, which was £27. "Great!" I thought, "It's only £2 extra than the Zavvi copy which is fair enough to actually play it now rather than in a month's time". So I made the journey to the Camden branch to be met with 5 or so copies all bearing the price of £40. That £27 price stated was for a pre-owned copy. At no point on that call did they mention that was the pre-owned price.

    The happy ending to the story is a few days later I happened to be in an Asda which had the game, new, for £25. Yay for massive all encompassing supermarkets!

  • azic #58 6 months ago

    @KungFooSpoon
    Lets just list a few reasons why I hate Game.

    1. Game Hate the PC and treat it like shit.

    2. Game are the reason games with a few exceptions get released on Fridays in the UK.

    3. Game are the cause of the stupid unlocks on digital games on the PC. They hate the PC but when its a big one they make sure the publishers lock it on steam so that there is no reason to buy on steam if you want before hand, and they inflate the price by making the publishers charge more, or threat not to stock it.

    4. Game are the reason why ME3 is £49.99 on the PSN store but only £19.99 in-store.

    5. Pre-Order a Pre-owned game!

    6. Pre-Order never on time!

    7. With few exceptions, brain washed and badly informed staff.

    8. Over inflated prices

    9. Uses Metobli or whatever it is called as its on-line DD system, which is arduous and useless. Why not just sell Redeemable steam/origin/PSN/Live codes which get you the game and a cut of the pie for Game itself, rather than crying about it and then trying to stifle it for all but themselves.

    10. Self entitled, and a obvious profit before all attitude.

  • bobfish09 #59 6 months ago

    40% margin on preowned, that is more than Publisher+Developer combined make on a new game :(

  • spenner #60 6 months ago

    Have not been in a GAME in years. Went in the other day and paid a fiver plus a copy of Batman, and they gave me Skyrim. I for one, like them right now

  • GreyBeard #61 6 months ago

    A quicker tail-off on new titles, how unexpected when every seller has jumped on the used-games gravy train. And yeah, 40% margins (VAT free), and to think some jackasses call pub/dev greedy.

  • Sharzam #62 6 months ago

    You do have to wonder what will happen to retail as we go digital.

    Just look at PC gaming as companys are scared of piracy they have increased DRM which in turn kills second hand sales. As a result their only is new PC games which also has the knock on effect of increasing digital sales as cant trade them anyway.

    If we go back a few years before the pre owned market boom, and the internet was slower and look at PC game shelf space which would often take up many rows. Now go into somewhere like Game and look at the PC section its only a few Blizzard games and mass market stuff like The Sims.

    Historically PC gaming has lead the way in general gaming, whatever happens on PC tends to filter to consoles in a few years eg Online gaming, VOIP, Shooters etc.

    On a semi related thought, with so much focus on console gaming now and companies developing for the console so much (such as the amount of games stil using DX9). I wonder how the future will look in general as developers are not nessarily using the PC as a testing ground for future tech. Will the next round of consoles even be that big of a leap compared to prevous generations ?
    Edited by Sharzam at 16/11/11 @ 14:20

  • local_celebrity #63 6 months ago

    Finally, a good news story.

    Unlike Woolies, you won't be missed.

  • azic #64 6 months ago

    @spenner
    Batman AA or AC?
    If the new Batman, then I bet they love you too. You just gave them an almost brand new game which I bet will be resold as new and you paid them for a bending over too!

  • layleeloo #65 6 months ago

    Game suffers from ridiculous pricing. The end.

  • xMrBrown #66 6 months ago

    @Sodding_Gamer I Find there website really good and there delivery fast and when i preorder i always get my game a day early.

  • layleeloo #67 6 months ago

    @Chester NOTHING wrong with buying from a supermarket. Independent shops are hard come by today so if its a choice of national chains like HMV, Game, BB's etc - then I will choose the Supermarket as they always have better deals. Sainsbury's is shit hot at the moment for deals. I got my BF3 from there with 2100 points for £42, like you say BF3 was cheap at £29 (PROVIDING you spent £30 elsewhere in store).

    I got my Skyrim from there at £36.99 outright so Sainsbury's are on a roll at the moment.

    Although supermarkets are cheap like your MW3 example - a lot are with conditions but hey - if you shop at the supermarket like I do Sainsbury's, then spending £30 on other crap which you need anyway is neither here nor there. :)
    Edited by layleeloo at 16/11/11 @ 14:26

  • kidscruff #68 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 09:51:15 12-12-2011

  • Stagga #69 6 months ago

    The only reason I've used Game recently was because I been given a £50 Gift Voucher. And even then it was hard to part with it (and the rest) for 2 copies of BF3 on the PC knowing that if I'd ordered from Amazon they'd have been £16 cheaper. If they go under it's because they're uncompetitive and while it's a shame that people will lose their jobs (mind you some of those people will be the guys who think it's fine to pretend that putting price labels on games behind the counter is far more important than getting on a till and serving the increasingly long line of customers..so screw them!) I won't really shed a tear at the demise of this bullying, overpriced chain.

  • spenner #70 6 months ago

    @azic Batman AC. But I dont feel bent over. I paid £30 fo AC, completed it, did as many of the challenges I could be bothered to do, and then swapped it for Skyrim on launch day. May pick it up again when its in the bargain bin to replay it on higher difficulty.I couldnt care less if GAME sell it for more than £30, and that someone else is supid / lazy enough to pay for it. I got Skyrim on launch for £35 and free play on Batman for a week first.

  • arcam #71 6 months ago

    GAME is virtually the last gaming specialist retail chain left in the UK. I am surprised to see people rooting for its demise, and even more surprised to see supermarkets hailed as the saviour. They are completely clueless and have absolutely zero interest in the industry or its products. They would drop them in a second if that shelf space could be better utilised selling Hobnobs or tampons.

    This would be very worrying to me, if it weren't for the fact that we're in a transitional period anyway so it's unlikely the supermarket giants will ever become the main place people buy their games. But its sad nonetheless.

  • KungFuSpoon #72 6 months ago

    @azic

    Lets address your issues.....

    1. Game Hate the PC and treat it like shit.

    - This is bigger than GAME, the PC is simply not as popular with mainstream releases. Supermarkets have similar small or non-existent sections for PC, shops like any business cater for what their customers want.

    2. Game are the reason games with a few exceptions get released on Fridays in the UK.

    - No. They've always been released on a Friday, long before GAME were the only large chain games retailer, it's the same for films. It's a market convention because it allows for increased sale over the weekend.


    3. Game are the cause of the stupid unlocks on digital games on the PC. They hate the PC but when its a big one they make sure the publishers lock it on steam so that there is no reason to buy on steam if you want before hand, and they inflate the price by making the publishers charge more, or threat not to stock it.

    - GAME do not command the market, it goes further then just them and extends to game retailers worldwide, publishers and console developers don't want to alienate their key high street promoters worldwide by cutting them out of the loop with online digital distribution. Not just yet anyway.


    4. Game are the reason why ME3 is £49.99 on the PSN store but only £19.99 in-store.

    - See the above.

    5. Pre-Order a Pre-owned game!

    - This is stupid I agree but they're only serving a market consumers have demanded, if it wasn't worth their time they wouldn't do it. As I said pre-owned market is a mugs game, sellers get nowhere near it's worth and buys pay over the odds for used products but it's a problem consumers have created by being too lazy to deal with selling it themselves.

    6. Pre-Order never on time!
    - Not true, my copy of Halo Anniversary arrived on Monday, my brothers copies of Gears 3 and Arkham City arrived on release date. GAME don't control royal mail and the delays they cause, yes it annoying when an online pre-order doesn't arrive on release date but I've had it happen to me from GAME, Play, Amazon and Shop To. It's not a unique issue and if you're that bothered rock up to a store at midnight or go during on the day.

    7. With few exceptions, brain washed and badly informed staff.

    - That's retail, it tends not to attract the best and brightest and the odd bright spark in retail tends to not want to be there. If they didn't try and sell you their shit they'd be out of the job like any shop that doesn't make quotas consistently or is losing money.

    8. Over inflated prices

    - Don't shop there, if enough people vote with their wallets then their prices will be more competitive.

    9. Uses Metobli or whatever it is called as its on-line DD system, which is arduous and useless. Why not just sell Redeemable steam/origin/PSN/Live codes which get you the game and a cut of the pie for Game itself, rather than crying about it and then trying to stifle it for all but themselves.

    - Why not just go to these sellers direct? GAME are not likely to get the codes for less than Steam are selling them direct to customers by a large margin even if they get wholesale discounts, and even then I highly doubt any retailer would sacrifice their margin to undercut steam by a few pence.

    10. Self entitled, and a obvious profit before all attitude.

    - Most companies put profit first, and when they own the largest market share of an industry they tend to be pretty arrogant. Take Sony before the PS3 launch with their CEO claiming they knew it was more expensive then all the competition but people would work harder to get extra money to buy it.



    You seem to be under the impression that GAME is in control of the worldwide games industry, setting release dates and fixing prices. While I dare say it has it's say on these things or tries to these are factors governed by retail as a whole or just the convention of the market. GAME alone isn't making your downloads more expensive, Royal Mail is fucking up your deliveries and like with film it's just the convention that games are released on a Friday.

  • doragonpawwa #73 6 months ago

    Thats what you get whenever you cash in with the casuals and over-price tings, its nice in a way since Game needs to change imo, give lesser known gems more space or something and don't sell... CDs... >.>

  • Nismo400R84 #74 6 months ago

    went into game the other only cos they do the small batches of points and thought I would have a look at the new ace combat,they where charging 39.99 so I didn't bother .Went into grainger games they where selling it for £25.00 new

    Where the fook do GAME dream there prices up ? It would be so bad if they offered price match like there sister store gamestation

  • Madder-Max #75 6 months ago

    "Don't shop there, if enough people vote with their wallets then their prices will be more competitive."

    Umm obvously not the case. The have a strop and close stores instead

  • WE5T1EZ #76 6 months ago

    This is why I can't wait for the future. I would rather pay full price digital download and let Microsoft or Sony take all my money to invest in more games than pay some stupid high street store that over prices my second hand copy of a game that I don't get full access to because I didn't buy it brand new!!!

  • polaris70 #77 6 months ago

    40% margin on used games is an absolute disgrace and pure greed. No wonder the economy is in tatters with the greed of big companies trying to fleece every last penny out of you. I buy all my games new now on principle, I just wait until the price drops a bit.

  • WE5T1EZ #78 6 months ago

    oh and us customers wont lose out to shops bidding for exclusivity DLC. WE'll all just get the same games. Bring on next gen!

  • Darren #79 6 months ago

    I stopped using GAME for my pre-orders earlier this year when stuff released in the shops on Friday started arriving late on Saturday and even the next Monday! Turned out from some reading around that they've switched from first-class to second-class postage. I now use ShopTo.net instead, who aren't always cheaper I'll admit, but do offer an excellent, efficient and quicker service, including mobile text notification of dispatches and excellent live support.

    Personally, I think GAME need to be far more competitive as they've become a little too complacent I think. The internet has made it very easy for people to shop around for the best prices and deals and this is one area I feel GAME are lacking. Also their redesigned website is awful and the Orders list no longer shows the titles of the games you've ordered making it a chore to look through if you have a lot of pre-orders like I did before I switched to ShopTo.net in the summer.

  • captainrentboy #80 6 months ago

    As an employee of Game, let me just point out what a bunch of detestable cunts 95% of you sound right now.
    Hoping that thousands of people lose their jobs just for, well, doing their jobs.
    Stay classy, wankers.
    :)

  • eltonpr0n #81 6 months ago

    I never understand people who get all passionate and angry over a retailer. Like all retailers Game make mistakes. Get over it and shop else where.

    I don't particularly like Asda. Do you see me calling them cunts, and praying for all their shops to close? No I shop in Tesco.

    While this might sound childish I really wish some of the idiots in here wanting Game to out of business feel the harsh of reality. I wonder how they would react if their employer struggled and as a result found some cunt on the internet wishing it would vanish resulting in them losing their job. I lost my job a few years back due to my employer going under and its not exactly fun. I imagine that a lot of the posters with this attitude are kids living at their parents.

    It is also amusing to see people hail Shop to and the supermarkets as being some form of different entity. Wake up call.. Shop to and the supermarkets are interested in one thing YOUR MONEY. Nothing else. The honestly don't give two fucks about your well being.

  • eltonpr0n #82 6 months ago

    @captainrentboy But they don't need to worry if Game vanishes! All other retailers care about their well being and not the bottom line;p

  • stbens #83 6 months ago

    I used to use Game mail order an awful lot as I buy a great deal of games. Back in the summer, however, when they changed their website and cocked everything up, I switched to Shopto and so far they have been brilliant; cheaper prices (usually), helpful staff and very fast deliveries. I also use my local Asda as well as they often have some good bargains. Game used to be a good place to shop in but now it's being killed off by by on-line retailers and the supermarkets.

  • The_B #84 6 months ago

    I don't get how Game apparently seem surprised at the quicker tail off, when them themselves do these "QUICK! TRADE IN THAT GAME YOU ONLY BOUGHT LAST WEEK FOR THIS WEEK'S NEW GAME AS IT'S THE ONLY CHANCE YOU'LL GET A REASONABLE AMOUNT FOR THAT GAME FROM US ANY TIME SOON." - they've devalued games to the point where they've brought it upon themselves, quite frankly and if their prices were reasonable enough in the first place they wouldn't might not feel compelled to offer those sort of promotions.

  • midnight_walker #85 6 months ago

    @eltonpr0n Shop to and the supermarkets are interested in one thing YOUR MONEY. Nothing else. The honestly don't give two fucks about your well being.

    Yeah... but they're interested in less of it than GAME, and that's all that matters. I don't give a shit who I buy from as long as a) the price is right and b) they get my stuff to me on time. I would buy from Satan if he got a game to me on a Wednesday.

  • Capa26 #86 6 months ago

    As an employee of GAME let me say this... not all of the staff are cunts.

    The attitude of each GAME store is different depending on the manager/deputy manager, but the whole up-selling pestering problem? Let me say this, we get bollocked if we don't remember to ask each customer about pre-owned, pre-orders, trade-ins, the website, loyalty cards and attachments. It's the job. Sometimes it is helpful to someone (a lot of GAME customers don't know the difference between a Wii and a DS, they are all Nintendos to them) as they might actually need a second controller or HDMI cable, and sometimes the person will be a bit more knowledgeable and be okay without the assistance, but we still have to ask, that is part of the job.

    Pricing/targets/policies come down from head office not the general staff. Some staff have no idea about gaming and some are stupid. But, when 95% of sales are to mums buying violent war shooters for 10 year old shit-starts, who then get annoyed by the suggestion that the game might not be appropriate for their precious spawn the job can begin to fuck over your morale.

    I wouldn't buy a game in store (even with the staff discount it is cheaper online), but for people who know literally fuck all about games it's about the last place left which offers any decent customer service.

  • GuyNoir #87 6 months ago

    GAME are still in business? (It's like reading Lauren Bacall is still alive, but with less of an interest factor).

  • superbeast2010 #88 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • superbeast2010 #89 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • malforian #90 6 months ago

    I have just Finished working for GAME and to be fair ..... This is not suprising at all

    The company is so badly run, with NOONE knowing anything about Gaming, for example:

    The star wars console gets delayed, announced on this website ........ The company only officially tells staff TWO weeks later !!!!!!!! I mean they are a games company and they dont even know about games!

    There new in company stratagy is "Dedicated to Gaming" when we asked "is Dedicated to Gaming putting Dead Island upto 49.99 because its it short supply".... they peddle the line "well its in short supply so we can charge more"

    Yes and piss off every customer that sees it ..... everything is for short sighted gains..... The stories i could tell lol

  • TheTingler #91 6 months ago

    Customer footfall and basket sizes are down reflecting wider consumer uncertainty
    I don't know, I'm pretty certain I know why people don't shop in GAME. Maybe something to do with the fact that every single online retailer, GAME's own online store included, offers cheaper prices.

  • superbeast2010 #92 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • eltonpr0n #93 6 months ago

    @midnight_walker Jesus Fucking Christ. Did you just say that Supermarkets are less interested in our money than GAME? What naive planet do you live on? You do realise that Asda is owned by Walmart.

    The reason supermarkets reduce prices on games isn't for your or the games market benefit. They are used as loss leaders to get you in their door. Their profit comes from selling groceries at obscene mark ups. Which we all buy on a weekly basis, or perhaps when you pick up your game for a Fiver cheaper than Game.

    As for shopto. Well since you seem to know their level of interest in my money I am going to have to presume you are a member of their board.

  • moloading #94 6 months ago

    Hope these guys go bust - despise them with a passion!

  • overcorpse #95 6 months ago

    GAME closed in my town,they wont be missed.

  • malforian #96 6 months ago

    @superbeast2010 Guess??.... yes thats right ZERO people just laughed at us... rightly so

    So instead of selling the game at 39.99 and selling out we upped the price and sold none lol

  • Toothball #97 6 months ago

    @arcam

    I was just thinking that. Despite any reservations I might have about game, I'd much rather see their ongoing presence on the High Street than to see no gaming shops there at all. I like to see gaming acknowledged in the real world, especially in the form of buildings. Makes it feel more like a real hobby.

  • Madder-Max #98 6 months ago

    If game were concerened about their own employees losing their jobs then they would not act like profiteering cunts and would actually have a sustainable approach tpo the market......as well as have someone at the top who understand gaming.

    As an employer itis their responsibility to secure the firm and jobs as best as possible. using the job loss as an emotive argument is a bit unfair

  • cowell #99 6 months ago

    WOW! A lot of GAME-hate here.

    They're not perfect but it'll be a sad day if there is no specialist retailer on the high street. I'll never buy my games from a supermarket. It just seems wrong to me and will only help to shrink the range of titles and diversity of the market.

    I like buying my new release games in a store, especially on day one. I have little confidence in any of the online stores which seem to be able to deliver a new release anywhere between Wednesday and Monday. For the sake of saving a fiver, I'll buy it in the shop thanks very much.

    I live and work in major cities, so availability is always good. For me the only thing they could do better is be clear which titles they aren't stocking in stores, but I have only ever encountered that problem once.

  • Daeltaja #100 6 months ago

    Not a fan of GAME and generally shop in Gamestop. Their stores have a very unpersonal feel and seem to be designed around appealing to casual Wii gamers. Plus the fact that they're pretty expensive and the staff hound me as soon as I step foot in the shop.

  • razzastuta #101 6 months ago

    @Kung-Fu Spoon

    Given what the article is saying I think some people are getting the message and shopping elsewhere...but you must allow for those who have had bad experiences with GAME to vent their frustration (well those with credible viewpoints). I went to GAME once, they treated me badly, I never bought or shopped from there again. Easy decision for me. Some others are perhaps more forgiving, give GAME a second chance and then experience disappointment a second chance. Regardless, there is no excuse for poor service, it's what it is - and people complain.

    @ Captain Rentboy

    I don't think anyone personally wishes anyone to be made redundant given the current economic time (at least I hope not), but whilst you work hard perhaps it's fair to consider that some GAME employees/executives "let the rest of the side down"? You can't just point the finger at Joe Public - your employers are perhaps even more to blame, given some areas of their business model. If the figures are there to see, and the public aren't investing in GAME, surely the employer is more to blame? You can't completely criticize the game-playing customer for taking their business elsewhere, surely?

    Discuss.

  • Xboxfanuk #102 6 months ago

    "Major software titles are launching in line with first week expectations, but are then seeing a quicker tail-off than historically experienced," Game said. "Customer footfall and basket sizes are down reflecting wider consumer uncertainty."

    Perhaps that's because you can pre-order the USED copy now. Maybe if GAME didn't bite the hand that feeds it so hard gamers would be keen on buying new. Alas many of us buy new from GAME and sell to CEX.

  • KillerBaSe #103 6 months ago

    @midnight_walker Actually its currently selling at £12.99 and in a 3 for 2 offer

  • PearOfAnguish #104 6 months ago

    Do they really try to sell disc insurance?

  • Paulie_P #105 6 months ago

    Game is exploring digital sales as it attempts to combat the decline. It also launched the GAMEwallet in October.

    It also increased their prices and left quidco. They've almost lost a customer in me but there is a girl in the Game in my town that's really, really fit. Like really fit.

  • Bombonera #106 6 months ago

    @PearOfAnguish yeah they do. I also remember them trying to sell overpriced console insurance with new PS3s and 360s.

  • MaybeLater #107 6 months ago

    The real tragedy of GAME is that they have all the tools necessary to succeed, yet they repeatedly fail to utilise them. They don't respect their product, their staff or their customers- they won't take advice and they won't own up to their failings. In short; they're toxic.

    Much of the decline of retail VG specialists can be laid at their door- they drowned the very people and model which could have saved them from their fate under a bloated purple cloud of corporate blandness.

  • superbeast2010 #108 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • LLT_taz #109 6 months ago

    Game do have some good bundle offers but their average price is rubbish. i got UC3 for £32 from tesco at game it was £42.... come on...
    and all the bullshit you get.. do you have a game card. would you like to order a new game. or you are allowed this product for on £5(which with discount is still expensive.) NOOOOOO i dont want all that shit, just the Game......

  • Dark_Era #110 6 months ago

    Disc insurance?, this so shows how long its been since I actually bought from a game store. They actually try to flog that? So what for an extra £5 if my disc gets scratched I get a new one?

    I think blockbuster does some neat prices if you pre order from them. Got forza, assassins creed, and on Friday saints row 3 for £35. And they give you store vouchers too. But the supermarkets still dwarf them on most titles.

  • alan_stealth #111 6 months ago

    Maybe that's because GAME are a bunch of cunts, they are the worst retailer ever, typically catering for people who don't have a clue about computer games, and now those people buy their copy of Modern Warfare at Tesco's because it's cheaper.
    Bad luck.

  • thefishmonger #112 6 months ago

    I am not surprised by this news but I do feel for the potential job losses that are surely to come in the very near future. It sucks to a younger employee at the moment!
    GAME do not seem to be competing aggressively enough with other online retailers but then again, GAME have to pay overheads like shop rental and other associated bills for their stores. Makes business sense to close more stores and focus improving their online operation(s).

  • Sephi #113 6 months ago

    They still have baskets?

  • byakuya83 #114 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:03:41 30-03-2012

  • SheffAl #115 6 months ago

    I hope Game go bust but Gamestation survives. They were alright back in the day.

  • Totza #116 6 months ago

    They deserve everything they get :) haven't bought from GAME since 2005 or so, fuck them

  • PaulieWaulie #117 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 14:23:40 06-01-2012

  • nataku17 #118 6 months ago

    i don't particularly hate GAME but this comes as no surprise, i had an interview there a few weeks back and during the interview the manager told me they wernt after people who knew about games, just people with enough knowledge to say whats on the shevles and what could go with a purchase.

    this really shows as i went to a GAME store recent looking for Dragon Quest V for the DS and while one member of staff looked in the draw the other guy outright said that the game was never rereleased on the DS and that only DQ VI, IX and Joker were out on DS...

  • midnight_walker #119 6 months ago

    @eltonpr0n No, I said they are interested in LESS OF my money than Game. i.e., they generally want less of it in return for the shiny new game of the week. And that's fine with me.

  • malforian #120 6 months ago

    @superbeast2010

    No they don't look at why everyone hated them ...... They just don't get it at all

    Inside the company they look down at tesco , asda " let them sell fruit" is the line we heard all the time " people want service not cheaper games " I kid you not that is what they think . And we at store level scream back No it's cheaper games they want it's a recession!

    But try don't listen ..... They love us harassing customers .... Not surprising as the top 2 guys are bth from vodaphone and will basically turn the game stores into the same Harras customers style shopping

  • revis84 #121 6 months ago

    Hardly bought anything in store unless the deal is good (I recently won Bodycount from IGN which is the worst game I've ever played, so traded in and payed £9.99 in store to get Space Marine) the website has good deals more often than not though (Dead Space 2, £9.99 on 360).

    The internet is the best thing that's happened to me personally for buying games, the savings are shocking when you see what the prices are in store-always makes me chuckle at Xmas when the queues are mental and folks are paying over the odds for a 2 month old game that is half price on Play or Amazon-and 99.9% on the time, sealed-yes I am one of the strange folks who want their games NEW & SEALED.

    And no, I do not want to buy the guide to go with the game I have just bought, and no I do not want to buy a Wii as I already own one.

    Grrrrr.

    Rant over WWWYKI

  • malforian #122 6 months ago

    @superbeast2010

    They dont care at all, When we put that to them all you get is

    "they come to us for the service"

    no "the Service" we are forced to push onto them is what drives them away!

    then they laugh at tesco and ASDA , "let them sell fruit" is the most pushed line in the company

    "people care for the service not Price" This is seriously what they think! we kept telling them that NO in this climate people only care about price

    we have told them all year

    Drop Prices
    Give more Trade value
    sell Preowned for less
    more bundles

    yes lower margin but then you will weather the storm and when were back to boom times yes maybe up prices a bit

    but no they just push "you have to sell more to them "

    no suprise that the top 2 execs both used to run Vodaphone and now there turning GAME and GS into customer harras stores too

  • superbeast2010 #123 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • malforian #124 6 months ago

    @superbeast2010

    Working there is a shocking experience lol I know I was a store manager :D

    See the bit about staff knowing stuff and having a good "chat" ...... See were not allowed to do this its all about

    Offer this
    Say this

    me and my assistant manager added up ALL the questions we were supposed to ask for Batttlefield 3 Launch and we had 15 ... YES 15 we were suppsoed to ask EVERY customer lol

    I never toed the company line on this and yes it cost me in sales probably and in performance reviews but it was just the wrong way to do it but they just dont see it AT ALL

    and yes like you say its shocking how they see Tesco but its honestly how they do.... they just shrug them off as fly by night competition not that they WILL destroy GAME I Said to my staff when i left .... Look for new Jobs because game will be dead before too long and they knew i was right

  • midnight_walker #125 6 months ago

    For this weeks purchases, I got Saints Row 3 (Genki Edition) on 360 for £28.90 from Tesco, and Assassin's Creed for £31 on PS3 from Sainsburys. Game MUST start taking them seriously or they will die. As some have said, I DON'T want the service they think I want. All I want is to pay less for the same game.

  • malforian #126 6 months ago

    @midnight_walker

    "As some have said, I DON'T want the service they think I want. All I want is to pay less for the same game."

    This is exactly what they don't get!

  • Paulie_P #127 6 months ago

    @Darren I was wondering why Deus Ex arrived late for me. The games normally arrived the day before release date. I have stopped using GAME since then.

  • Paulie_P #128 6 months ago

    @malforian Might've been a different store but I was one of the people who laughed at GAME and walked out when told the price of Dead Rising.

  • malforian #129 6 months ago

    @Paulie_P

    Rightly so :) i think every store got that reaction

    the worst thing about the Dead Island price change was that it was done the 1st morning ALL the managers were away at the company Conference so all we got that morning was our stores texting us to complain about it !
    Edited by malforian at 17/11/11 @ 12:30

  • whatfruit #130 6 months ago

    @Kung Fu Spoon

    Sorry if I was bit storng and you are probably right thst my local idenependent retailer would have lost eventually but it was the tatctics that GAME used that I found laothsome.

    My old shop was in a little shopping arcade just off the main highstreet and Game would send empolyees to stand at the entrance and stop people who were trading in games or ask people what game they were going to buy then under cutting them on the spot. They also refused to accept games which had been bought at the the indepenedet shop. I remeber hearing that when my shop shut down they even had a party with some prick regional sales manager. The shop had been there for over 20 years back in the 80's and the guy who ran it was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He ended up losing his business and his house and he has never really recovered.

  • malforian #131 6 months ago

    @whatfruit

    Sounds right, I know of GAME stores doing this to GAMESTATION shops ...... and there part of the same fricken company lol

  • Slipstream #132 6 months ago

    +1 Rockavitch, it's ridiculous, especially when there's usually a gamestation not too far which is £5 cheaper, and recently ADDED £5 to a couple of trade-ins I did towards Skyrim. It's a no brainer really. GAME seriously blow, how they are market leader still is beyond me. (Well actually I know mums and nans flock there because of the big purple GAME but you know...)

  • malforian #133 6 months ago

    @Slipstream Thy are market leader because they own gamestation and therefore have pretty much zero competition

    Gamestation behind the scenes is just game but with different graphics

  • Collymilad #134 6 months ago

    Ah so is this why you sell pre-owned games on for 300% profit.

    Arseholes.
    Edited by Collymilad at 18/11/11 @ 16:53

  • malforian #135 6 months ago

    @Collymilad

    Yeah when we were giving 2.50 trade on a game we were selling for 17.99 preowned it was fun with customers lol

  • manic_mouse #136 6 months ago

    @captainrentboy

    They would be losing their jobs because they work for detestable rip-off merchants that are a cancer of the gaming industry. Nobody's hoping for individual misfortune on people, but as an entity Game well deserves to die. For the greater good.

    Game (and used sales) are a classic example of the tragedy of the commons.

    ("Yeah when we were giving 2.50 trade on a game we were selling for 17.99 preowned it was fun with customers lol". - THIS. This is why Game fully deserve to die, rather than provide good service they are more concerned with ripping people off.)
    Edited by manic_mouse at 20/11/11 @ 14:31

  • Honeyman #137 6 months ago

    I don't think GAME is an attrocious retailer like many on here seem to feel. I have a couple of friends that either work or have worked at their head office, having moved over from GAME's HQ in York at the time down to Basingstoke.

    Yes there are clear issues with the business and it needs to adapt sooner rather than later to current consumer buying habits or it will eventually get screwed. Just like someone who thinks writing a novel on a typewriter is the quickest way to finish a book to release to market when everyone is using laptop keyboards, writing for online outlets, smartphones, iPads and Kindles.

    You can choose to stay stuck with what you think is the current wave of the games consumer market or you can move with the times and keep on top of where most of consumers' money is going (no surprise that is online).

    I will make an exception this Christmas by buying UMVC 3 and KOF XIII from a store if they are cheap enough. However, if they are going to charge full retail price I will just order online, work in my uninteresting job and before I know it they'll arrive in the post, allowing me to spend the saved pounds either elsewhere (like a trip to the cinema, perhaps?) or save it in my savings bank account.

    GAME needs to realise in the current climate that consumers are alwauys thinking what's best value for money when the cost of living is at an all time high (everyone's power bills are going up substantially this Winter, albeit not conincidentally I'm sure).

    So you can continue to charge 40-50 pounds for a game, or I can literally here in Leeds city centre walk across the road to the big Sainsbury's, look in the Top 20 chart, find the title I want for 30 pounds and go "okay, what do I want to do with that remaining 20 pounds I wouldn't have had otherwise.

    C'mon GAME, you're meant to be a major competitor. Compete better or evolve or you will become like some of the independent chains you've driven out of business in the last few years because they couldn't continue to compete.

    To be honest, I think you will see them incorporate their digital sales mechanisms in store in the next few years with store clerks changing their roles to accomodate and serve this model instead.

    Don't believe me? See you in a few years when you're paying for an exclusive downlaod via one of GAME's in-store download bays. It'll happen in the next five years, I guarantee.

    Now I wait for the obligatory counter arguements...