The Game Group is to close a number of its UK Game and Gamestation branches, as well as all Game concessions in Debenhams stores.
The company told Edge that it plans to seek employment opportunities for all 247 affected workers.
Game said in a statement: "We regularly review our entire store portfolio, including our concessions, to maximise the opportunities to reach customers while also ensuring that the business is running as effectively as possible.
"As a result of this review process, and the tougher market conditions that we face in 2010, we have announced our intention to close 12 Game stores, 6 Gamestation stores, and all 25 of our concessions in Debenhams stores. In each location, we have detailed plans to support the customers and employees.
"... With deep regret, we have had to offer redundancy to 247 employees. We will do our utmost to redeploy roles if possible, and have started consulting with all affected employees in the 43 sites."
Hmm, there's a Debenhams Game, a main Game outlet and two Gamestations in my town. All within about a 5 minute radius. I wonder if any of these will close.
It's never good to hear about people getting laid off.
I buy games from gamestation as a last resort really, usually the supermarkets are selling new releases cheaper. Which is probably hitting gamestation hard. I feel sorry for the people losing their jobs, but gamestation have been ripping people off for years with trade in prices. So I find it hard to feel sorry for them.
I stopped going to gamestation when an employee asked 'what's a mega drive?' when I asked to buy the one in the window (came with a mega cd and sonic cd for like 30 quid bargin)
There are two game stores in most shopping centres, its sad that people lose their jobs, but maybe Game stores should look after their customers better. And treat them with respect.
I stopped going to gamestation when an employee asked 'what's a mega drive?' when I asked to buy the one in the window (came with a mega cd and sonic cd for like 30 quid bargin)
Hah. That's even better than when I asked for a copy of The Last Remnant in Game. The guy seemed very puzzled by it all, and replied "The Last... Gremlin??"
Bolton town centre has two Games and 1 Gamestation, 1 more 5 mins drive away next to Reebok Stadium and a futher 3 more 10 mins up the road in Trafford Centre.
I stopped going to gamestation when an employee asked 'what's a mega drive?' when I asked to buy the one in the window (came with a mega cd and sonic cd for like 30 quid bargin)
Let's all hope that he's one of the 247, then.
Yeah, Game's throwing a lot of money away by running several stores in so many town centres; I'm suprised they're not shutting more down to be honest.
Although this does kill one of my summer job prospects...
My personnel favorite was when I was asked which console I wanted MGS4 on
Of course I said the 360, after a few minutes of me chuckling, the gimp behind the counter said they must be in the back, as he went to get me one I walked of grinning like a cheshire cat.
game, gamestation and blockbuster are the epitome of ripping us off, havent baught anything from them in ages altho my last purchase was from gamestation cause they had a deal for mw2 if you traded the original in!
But ye for me its mainly the supermarkets or amazon cause they got a gigantic amazon warehouse in swansea which is like half hour away so even when i don't pick next day delivery i get it next day anyway...sweet! lol
Feel sorry for people who are losing their jobs, but to be fair, my few trips into those places quickly revealed that most of the clueless muppets that work at Game and Gamestation have no right being there in the first place.
Secondly...
People still buy their games from obsolete over-priced high-street shops? What the f**k, Britain? Those places should have gone out of business the day after Amazon and Play opened up shop.
i personally prefer going to gamestation as they sell antique games (n64, snes gb etc) as well as new games. Their prices are usually cheaper than GAME's and trade in rates are better as you dont need to worry bout packaging as long as youve got the game.
Annoying thing is the nearest gamestation is in Watford for me (i live in north west London) and that has 2 game stores and CEX nearby. If i go to Harrow, which is closer, then there is a big GAME store and a debenhams with one and a CEX to
i personally prefer going to gamestation as they sell antique games (n64, snes gb etc) as well as new games. Their prices are usually cheaper than GAME's and trade in rates are better as you dont need to worry bout packaging as long as youve got the game.
Annoying thing is the nearest gamestation is in Watford for me (i live in north west London) and that has 2 game stores and CEX nearby. If i go to Harrow, which is closer, then there is a big GAME store and a debenhams with one and a CEX to
We have two CEX's, one of which is directly opposite one of the Gamestations! There's also a few indies and two HMVs, so I suppose I can say that at least there's no shortage of choice! Although I tend to buy games online these days.
Any job loss is unfortunate but its the way of things. And there are as many eejit customers as staff. That said, I only ever use Gamestation as a last resort because I've rarely ever had good service there and the staff give the impression they couldn't care less. Gamestation is the only store I've ever had to return goods that are faulty. Game I have better impressions of though only really buy discounted in there. My main sources are Amazon and Asda/Tesco, its simple, they tend to be cheaper.
It would be nice if all those slagging GAME sales assistants realised there are actually those who know a great deal about games and do thoroughly enjoy keeping up to date with all the latest info.
I am in one of the two stores in scotland being closed (outside of all the debs stores) and have spent my entire time there giving every customer the best advice possible while telling them everything i knew about whatever game.
Not having a go and im defo not saying GAMEs a great company, just from my experience the idiot sales assistants are defo a minority. Lets just place hate where it belongs F**K YOU GAME!!!!
i wouldnt blame the supermarkets so much, the net has had the heaviest hand in this, i nearly always get my games from shopto for 2 reasons - 1. cos theyre usually cheaper 2. cos i get the game a good few days before release, play and other sites are similar....
hate to say it, but if i buy on the highstreet, I buy 2nd hand, usually from CEX. and even then it takes a good deal for me to part with my cash.
Online if i cant wait, or 2nd hand a few months later. Hey, i'm probably killing the industry, but its ok, because everyone blames pirates and not 2nd hand obsessives, so I'm guilt free!
Good riddance!Idiotic staff (never heard of Ico) and profit made from 2nd hand sales that doesn't benefit the games industry.I say,shut the lot of them.
I am in one of the two stores in scotland being closed (outside of all the debs stores) and have spent my entire time there giving every customer the best advice possible while telling them everything i knew about whatever game.
@Beheaded. Sorry about your job mate, hope you find another. Can only speak for myself but there's a fair sized Game store near me where most of the full time staff absolutely know their stuff, are very willing to chat about games and can genuinely help. Only over Christmas were there temps who really didn't have much idea. But that's normal in most stores.
the gamestation in my town is run by stupid elitist geek types who no nothing about games, or retail whatsoever unless its got owt to do with final bleedin fantasy, at least when they get retro stuff in they price it for peanuts. I bought a copy of snatcher for .... £3.00 and sold i for £60 foooooolllllsssss !!!!!!
Its GAME's fault, there is a MASSIVE over saturation of game and gamestation stores in most towns / cities.
They obviously can't justify it, in Norwich we have a GAME and gamestation literally 100 metres apart, and then another GAME a few mins walk away, with a debenhams across the road with....you guessed it, ANOTHER GAME, thats 4 stores all within spitting distance.
They used to have another gamestation another few mins walk away, but that closed recently, 5 stores in the same town centre is massive overkill.
It would be nice if all those slagging GAME sales assistants realised there are actually those who know a great deal about games and do thoroughly enjoy keeping up to date with all the latest info.
I am in one of the two stores in scotland being closed (outside of all the debs stores) and have spent my entire time there giving every customer the best advice possible while telling them everything i knew about whatever game.
Not having a go and im defo not saying GAMEs a great company, just from my experience the idiot sales assistants are defo a minority. Lets just place hate where it belongs F**K YOU GAME!!!!
Sorry to hear your store is closing. I'm lucky and my store is staying open.
When it comes to slagging off the staff then I will defend them to the death…. But not the Xmas temps, the ones I had last year had no idea as where asking me stupid questions like “When is Mario Bros, Wii coming out on the PS3?”. Really, one of my temps asked me that and they meant it! The staff in both the stores I have worked in have always known what they were talking about or at least knew someone to ask (most likely me).
Oxford has a Game and a Gamestation only two doors apart, and another Game only three minutes' walk away. Can't see them all surviving. It's tough, but the Internet (or the supermarket) is cheaper 9 times out of 10.
i personally prefer going to gamestation as they sell antique games (n64, snes gb etc) as well as new games. Their prices are usually cheaper than GAME's and trade in rates are better as you dont need to worry bout packaging as long as youve got the game.
Annoying thing is the nearest gamestation is in Watford for me (i live in north west London) and that has 2 game stores and CEX nearby. If i go to Harrow, which is closer, then there is a big GAME store and a debenhams with one and a CEX to
I still cannot understand how Game was allowed to take over Gamestation. Talking about having a monopoly. I feel sad for people losing their jobs but I have no sympathy for Game what so ever. Arrogant is one word I would use to describe my local. I still cant believe I had to argue with the manager over how I have to charge my psp via the usb cable as my charger wont charge it for some reason. My usb cable has the charge pin on it aswell as the usb bit that goes into the psp. But having more than one outlet in the same town unless its a city does seem a bit overkill. Now I can understand them having a Gamestation in the same area. But any more than that is just not good business sense.
I couldnt belive that Game were allowed to but out Gamestation either. Gamestation offered good value for money and were outpricing Game. Then Game bought them and the prices went up..........crazy.
Maybe there is too much oversaturation now compared to when there was nothing at all and games were sold in WHsmith.
You cant help but feel that Game have created this situation and you have to feel for the workers that are losing the jobs, but as many people have exampled in this thread, In sutton we have a Game and a Gamesation, and in Kingston we have 4 Games shops.
Unless im preordering then most of the games I but now are from blockbuster, because they are much cheaper, and if you are not worried about buying the game on the day of release you can get them much much cheaper than anywhere else.
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