Gamestop classifies itself as "essential retail" and won't close the stores.

[Yoshi178]

well it seems like EB Games is currently staying open in Australia with reduced hours.

the OP in this thread is a bit misleading. from what i understand, Gamestop and EB Games reason for calling themselves "essential" retail is because aside from selling games, they also sell work from home type equipment such as webcams, keyboards and audio equipment. which even OP's Kotaku article mentions.

now obviously that isn't the main stuff they sell and a pretty poor reason to call themselves "essential" type retail. but at least they're using that "work from home equipment" angle as their reason for staying open instead of saying that videogames are essential. as we all know they're not.


At the same time i don't believe the Australian Government is being as tight about the lockdown as what Trump is being like with in the USA.


what confuse's me the most is why things like wedcams or even keyboards are even "essential" type equipment in the first place. you don't need latest and greatest tech to be able to work from home. hell i'm on a shitty bottom of the range laptop. and even without webams and audio equipment, you can still message people through things like facebook messenger, skype and e-mail. keyboards for desktop PC's would be the only real thing that is required to work from home, and even then, shitloads of other place's sell keyboards besides EB Games. why is EB so essential?


oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders will release on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

 

[Hawki]

oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

Funny thing about that. I pre-ordered RE3 from JB-Hi Fi. I tried to convert it to a delivery order (I was going to pick it up originally) but they can't, as the order doesn't technically exist yet or something. Right now, I'm just hoping JB stays open long enough for me to pick it up, otherwise, I could miss it.

Only silver lining is that I used a JB gift card that I got for Christmas to cover the cost, so I technically haven't lost the money from my own account if it happens.

 

[Yoshi178]

oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

Funny thing about that. I pre-ordered RE3 from JB-Hi Fi. I tried to convert it to a delivery order (I was going to pick it up originally) but they can't, as the order doesn't technically exist yet or something. Right now, I'm just hoping JB stays open long enough for me to pick it up, otherwise, I could miss it.

Only silver lining is that I used a JB gift card that I got for Christmas to cover the cost, so I technically haven't lost the money from my own account if it happens.

at the moment my pre-order list consists of Persona 5 R, Final Fantasy Remake, No More Heroes 3 and Xenoblade Chronicles Definititive edition which are the only things with confirmed 2020 release dates.


will be interesting to see how Nintendo handles announcing release dats in their Next Nintendo Direct which has been rumored to be happening on March 26 (27th in Australia)

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

gd on mister Pennsylvania for putting foot down with a firm hand into the face of this ugly avarice. nothing quite like a universal crisis for bringing out ppls true colours

 

[Marik2]

Hopefully they burn to the ground.

 

[Dalisclock]

now obviously that isn't the main stuff they sell and a pretty poor reason to call themselves "essential" type retail. but at least they're using that "work from home equipment" angle as their reason for staying open instead of saying that videogames are essential. as we all know they're not.


At the same time i don't believe the Australian Government is being as tight about the lockdown as what Trump is being like with in the USA.


what confuse's me the most is why things like wedcams or even keyboards are even "essential" type equipment in the first place. you do don't need latest and greatest tech to be able to work from home. hell i'm on a shitty bottom of the range laptop. and even without webams and audio equipment, you can still message people through things like facebook messenger, skype and e-mail. keyboards for desktop PC's would be the only real thing that is required to work from home, and even then, shitloads of other place's sell keyboards besides EB Games. why is EB so essential?

I haven't been in a Gamestop in Years(for a number of reasons, their treatment of employees being one of the biggies) but from what I remember they sell gaming keyboards and mice and such, not the kind of thing you use for "work from home" and far overpriced for anything but gaming. Not to mention it's a fraction of their stock anyway.

Also, at least as of right now, the US isn't on Lockdown and Trump hasn't issued any orders to that effect. Quite a few US states, particularly the populous ones like California and New York, have issued their own Stay at Home orders but there's no federal lockdown in place.

Partially because it would likely be unenforceable by logistics alone and partially because Trump only cares about this because it's fucking over the economy and his likely reelection chances. He was acting like it would just go away on it's own just a few weeks ago, "like a miracle" and he's already talking about trying to go back to normal in a week or so, like this is suddenly going to be better by then.

 

[CaitSeith]

the OP in this thread is a bit misleading. from i understand, Gamestop and EB Games reason for calling themselves "essential" retail is because aside from selling games, they also sell work from home type equipment such as webcams, keyboards and audio equipment. which even OP's Kotaku article mentions.

Ha! Legal loopholes, the corporations' favorite trick to circumvent the law.

oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

I sincerely hope the Covid-19 doesn't hit you hard enough to keep you from playing them tho.

 

[Yoshi178]

the OP in this thread is a bit misleading. from what i understand, Gamestop and EB Games reason for calling themselves "essential" retail is because aside from selling games, they also sell work from home type equipment such as webcams, keyboards and audio equipment. which even OP's Kotaku article mentions.

Ha! Legal loopholes, the corporations' favorite trick to circumvent the law.

oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

I sincerely hope the Covid-19 doesn't hit you hard enough to keep you from playing them tho.

USA has a higher amount of effected people by the virus. but the Australian government is still being extremely cautious at the moment and making us all go into lockdown. so far a few things like supermarkets and take away fast food stores like mcdonalds remain open but that's about it.

i still have to go to work because i work in an outsourced call centre in the debt section for one of government areas so i still have to walk around the street and catch public transport at the moment. at the moment in my debt sectio we're helping people by modifying their payment plans and even going so far as doing payment deferrals for people

just hoping that people obey the lockdown rules so they don't eventually shut down public transport as well.

 

[BrawlMan]

the OP in this thread is a bit misleading. from what i understand, Gamestop and EB Games reason for calling themselves "essential" retail is because aside from selling games, they also sell work from home type equipment such as webcams, keyboards and audio equipment. which even OP's Kotaku article mentions.

Ha! Legal loopholes, the corporations' favorite trick to circumvent the law.

oh well at least it seems like i'll still get my Persona 5 R and Final Fantasy Remake pre-orders on time unless EB Games Australia also gets shut down in the next week just like Gamestop was shutdown in America.

I sincerely hope the Covid-19 doesn't hit you hard enough to keep you from playing them tho.

USA has a higher amount of effected people by the virus. but the Australian government is still being extremely cautious at the moment and making us all go into lockdown. so far a few things like supermarkets and take away fast food stores like mcdonalds remain open but that's about it.

i still have to go to work because i work in an outsourced call centre in the debt section for one of government areas so i still have to walk around the street and catch public transport at the moment. at the moment in my debt sectio we're helping people by modifying their payment plans and even going so far as doing payment deferrals for people

just hoping that people obey the lockdown rules so they don't eventually shut down public transport as well.

If you can or if you got the connections get some neutral disinfectant. That stuff works wonders, unless you're century our office already has it. I also recommend 90% alcohol too.

I work at an apartment complex. We're trying to ration gloves & masks, but of my own volition, I decided to get some spare gloves for my co-workers. I was able to get them at a dollar store in my neighborhood. They had a whole bunch. They weren't a buck either. Apparently my supervisors are going to pay me back. I give this advice to everyone else on the thread too. Y'all stay safe and stay clean.

 

[Yoshi178]

Just got my copy of Persona 5 R.

My EB has released it early because they don't know how long the place will stay open

Might want to call your local store first before going out @Hawki. Have no idea if this is happening at all Australian EB's or not.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

In related news: Gamestop to permanently close over 300 stores in 2020. [https://comicbook.com/gaming/2020/03/27/gamestop-stores-closing-2020/]

 

[BrawlMan]

In related news: Gamestop to permanently close over 300 stores in 2020. [https://comicbook.com/gaming/2020/03/27/gamestop-stores-closing-2020/]

As far as which stores they're going to close, it will most likely be the non prestigious stores.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

In related news: Gamestop to permanently close over 300 stores in 2020. [https://comicbook.com/gaming/2020/03/27/gamestop-stores-closing-2020/]

As far as which stores they're going to close, it will most likely be the non prestigious stores.

Probably. Even so, they still have another 5500 stores left after that. It's a deep drain with lots of circling left in it. Shit is gonna suck for the decent folks they got working for them.