GAME Loses Microsoft and Activision, But Sony Sticks Around

[Andy Chalk]

GAME Loses Microsoft and Activision, But Sony Sticks Around

Microsoft and Activision have joined the long list of publishers to keep their stock out of GAME stores.

It's hard to imagine things getting Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 console [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116269-GAME-Puts-Itself-on-Sale]. The games may not be the biggest blockbusters ever, at this point every lost title hurts.

Or maybe it doesn't. Game's situation is so dire at this point that the loss of more publishers, even big players like Microsoft and Activision, might just be the 1,001st cut. Would the presence of the new Big Game Hunter or Kinect Rush really be of any aid to Game's fortunes? I rather doubt it.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Sony is standing by Game, at least for now, providing the retailer with PS Vita systems and copies of the new Twisted Metal. And Game CEO Ian Shepherd remains defiant; referring to the latest print edition of MCV, which featured a modified version of the Game logo and the line, "Time runs out for the U.K.'s super-specialist," Shepherd posted on Twitter [https://twitter.com/#!/IanAShepherd/status/180288152567685120] a photo of the magazine modified to say "We're not gone," describing it as "the cover MCV should have done."

via: VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2012/03/15/game-not-gone-says-ceo-ian-shepherd/]


Permalink

 

[Electric Alpaca]

Sony remain because they aren't idiots.

Game and GameStation are still the forefront of High Street video game purchase. People will still visit the stores, with more footfall attracted by the fire sales.

Whilst in there, people will be more inclined to buy new games due to the "Saving Money" paradox (saving money that you wouldn't have spent anyway). The less options available, the more likely the customer will choose your product.

The average shopper doesn't pay attention to the whys and whyfors of corporations, so the assumption will be made that these are the only new games.

GMG will be saved and these nails will be remembered when the coffin is reopened, and it wouldn't surprise me if special privileges were granted (such as double loyalty points on Sony product purchases) when this is all said and done.

It isn't clever to annoy your stockists unless it's a dead certainty they're gone. Capcom and EA were within their rights, but the timing of Microsoft and Activision is ridiculous.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

 

[VonKlaw]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

Can't help but feel this is pretty much the ONLY reason Sony haven't pulled out.

 

[Plinglebob]

Sony remain because they aren't idiots.

Game and GameStation are still the forefront of High Street video game purchase. People will still visit the stores, with more footfall attracted by the fire sales.

Whilst in there, people will be more inclined to buy new games due to the "Saving Money" paradox (saving money that you wouldn't have spent anyway). The less options available, the more likely the customer will choose your product.

The average shopper doesn't pay attention to the whys and whyfors of corporations, so the assumption will be made that these are the only new games.

GMG will be saved and these nails will be remembered when the coffin is reopened, and it wouldn't surprise me if special privileges were granted (such as double loyalty points on Sony product purchases) when this is all said and done.

It isn't clever to annoy your stockists unless it's a dead certainty they're gone. Capcom and EA were within their rights, but the timing of Microsoft and Activision is ridiculous.

While your optimism is all well and good, without a buyer Game is almost certainly going to go under and when that happens, suppliers like Microsoft and Activision are at the back of the line when it comes to debt repayments (if there's any money to pay the debts). While I don't blame the suppliers, I really think its time for Game to be taken round the back of the shed and shot.

 

[hashtag]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

I stopped reading there and laughed. I'm mature.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

I stopped reading there and laughed. I'm mature.

You're such a child

 

[hashtag]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

I stopped reading there and laughed. I'm mature.

You're such a child

I know lol and when I saw this

Can't help but feel this is pretty much the ONLY reason Sony haven't pulled out.

I lost it with laughter.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

I stopped reading there and laughed. I'm mature.

You're such a child

I know lol and when I saw this

Can't help but feel this is pretty much the ONLY reason Sony haven't pulled out.

I lost it with laughter.

Damn it, now I'm laughing.

 

[TimeLord]

...nor will the limited edition Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 console [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/game-blocked-from-stocking-star-wars-xbox-360-console/092768]

Oh man, I was in GAME yesterday and they had posters and deals for ordering this all over the place. Seems they are going to have to take them all down now!

 

[Electric Alpaca]

While your optimism is all well and good, without a buyer Game is almost certainly going to go under and when that happens, suppliers like Microsoft and Activision are at the back of the line when it comes to debt repayments (if there's any money to pay the debts). While I don't blame the suppliers, I really think its time for Game to be taken round the back of the shed and shot.

They essentially do have a buyer, OpCapita - they've declared they're willing to buy out all company debt. It just needs to be accepted, although I imagine GMG are awaiting counter offers.

Your opinion regarding GMG being disposed of is wrong, categorically. As evil as it is popularised to believe them to be - their demise will not bode well at all for the UK game trade.

 

[Scarim Coral]

So GAME is now a PS3 exclusive game store now well for the time being? Yes I know they still got 360 and Nintendo games but with no new stock for those two they will run out of it.

 

[chinlamp]

I really wish they would preface all this with 'GAME U.K.', cos the Australian version is still fine. They've still got the Star Wars console coming, they've still got games from all the publishers supposedly leaving them, and they're not in any dire straits.

 

[redisforever]

So GAME is now a PS3 exclusive game store now well for the time being? Yes I know they still got 360 and Nintendo games but with no new stock for those two they will run out of it.

I wasn't aware Nintendo left GAME, did it?

 

[A BigCup of Tea]

I really wish they would preface all this with 'GAME U.K.', cos the Australian version is still fine. They've still got the Star Wars console coming, they've still got games from all the publishers supposedly leaving them, and they're not in any dire straits.

So do the game stores in the UK but i'm guessing they will shortly be taken down, game as a company is struggling (i believe) so if the UK stores go down it won't be long until all others fall

 

[Plinglebob]

Your opinion regarding GMG being disposed of is wrong, categorically. As evil as it is popularised to believe them to be - their demise will not bode well at all for the UK game trade.

Ok, maybe I was a bit blunt. While I agree with you that the closure of Game would be bad for the UK industry, watching it slowly die a death like it is at the moment is sad and depressing. What they need to do is have a fire sale to get rid of all outstanding stock, close down for a couple of months till they secure a buyer/rebrand, then re-open with a decent amount of publicity. Going into a Game store at the moment is really depressing because everyone knows they're in the crapper but no-ones saying anything.

 

[Bvenged]

Sony ain't gonna pull out while the Vita is still new.

How else would they rip off consumers who don't know any better?

I stopped reading there and laughed. I'm mature.

You're such a child

I know lol and when I saw this

Can't help but feel this is pretty much the ONLY reason Sony haven't pulled out.

I lost it with laughter.

Damn it, now I'm laughing.

I didn't know what was so funny, then I realised you were all being really immature :/

then I laughed too.

 

[Bvenged]

I really wish they would preface all this with 'GAME U.K.', cos the Australian version is still fine. They've still got the Star Wars console coming, they've still got games from all the publishers supposedly leaving them, and they're not in any dire straits.

So do the game stores in the UK but i'm guessing they will shortly be taken down, game as a company is struggling (i believe) so if the UK stores go down it won't be long until all others fall

Game is the biggest games retailer on the UK highstreet (there's only about 4 of them). They own the second biggest, Gamestation. The only other competitors are HMV and the internet, really. If you can't find a Game, Gamestation or HMV you ain't buying a game until you get to the internet, basically.

If Game goes down, so does Gamestation. This should allow HMV's to do better for a while, but they're not doing well either, struggling nearly as much but still surviving.

If all three go down by the end of the year, which is completely possible, pretty much the only place you can buy videogames, consoles and accessories would be at the supermarkets, or online at Amazon/Play.

But Game/Gamestation are the lesser of two evils, and deserve to go down. Publishers are the greater of two evils because it was pretty much their fault this has happened. And now nearly everybody loses out including them.

It would've been in the publishers best interests to have NOT done project $10, but instead requested a small return on all pre-owned games sold. But they play capitalism right down to the T, and when Game does the same with consumers by selling on products second-hand, they cut it off and now face the repercussions. They may have seen it as a loophole that they've cut off, but it wasn't that at all.

 

[rees263]

The game stores I've been to recently have looked in terrible shape. So many bare shelves, it was depressing.

The sad fact is that between supermarket and internet prices I have no need to go to GAME. I don't need any "specialist" help, but I bet some other people will feel the loss.