So... GameStop is f**ked

CiDeRmAn

Closing down in a town near you...

I guess Sony will have to find somewhere else to sell the PSVR2

RobbingBandit

10% off almost everything started yesterday they will be increasing that with all stores potentially closing on or by June 24 means Zelda maybe under €60 by next weekend when it's released.

o1s1n

I wonder will we see any strange delights dug out of warehouses and back rooms appearing randomly in bargain bins like those Jaguar games years ago.

RobbingBandit

Unboxed 3ds ds Wii Wii U PS3 and 360 games have popped up in a few shops for €1 each 90c now with the discount.

I have asked if there is anything strange being found and unfortunately if it is it won't be on the system so hopefully they will add a generic code for items like that as there has to be a treasure trove of stuff.

Retr0gamer

Are all stores closing or something? The Gorey store recently closed which is a pain as I've no local place to buy games anymore.

The Last Bandit

Navan store closed before Xmas, so the whole lot are going now ?

the_amazing_raisin

Swords store is going

Didn't see in the news if all the stores are closing, they said in the past that any underperforming stores will be shut

Can't see how any of them are doing well at the moment, so I expect they might cut it down to 1-2 stores plus the online side of the business

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554637#Comment_120554637

One in Bray is closing down too, have a mate keeping an eye out for anything interesting that might pop up.

The last time I was in there many years ago it was more of a Funko Pop shop than anything else. A far cry from the days when it was just shelves and shelves of videogames. They're really more like geek shops now than the videogame shops of old.

cython

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554637#Comment_120554637

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554725#Comment_120554725

Based on the following notice on their website, I don't think it's unreasonable to think they see their days operating in Ireland as being very numbered: https://www.gamestop.ie/notice

In particular this bit: "GameStop will cease pre-ordering of some upcoming items and those who have pre-ordered already are asked to present your receipt in store to receive a full refund of the deposit paid in cash in connection with your pre-order. Customers who have paid their deposit in connection with upcoming products using their store credit will be offered a discount corresponding to their full trade-in value on the next purchase."



the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554728#Comment_120554728

I suspect the merch store was the only way it could survive, digital downloads and gaming subscriptions have really made buying physical games pretty irrelevant, so it's down to selling the extra crap like Pokémon plushies and monster hunter figurines

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554773#Comment_120554773

True, it's very possible that all stores are closing and they're just trying to be stealthy about it

ShaneU

Only gamestop could do 10% off on a closing down sale. Good riddance.

RobbingBandit

All stores apparently gone by end of June the sale amount will increase in the coming weeks but what the **** kind of intellectual thinks closing down 10% reductions is a good idea.

The site page now has a massive banner everything must go on it.

RobbingBandit

They upped the price of loads of stock too in the past couple of days and weeks New Tales from The Borderlands was €25 on all consoles now it's twice as much with 10% off

Mr.Saturn

Scrolled through Funko after Funko on their site only to be met with the scaldiest discounts on stuff that is still cheaper elsewhere.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554961#Comment_120554961

I'm a bit concerned that when future civilizations are excavating our remains out of the dirt in thousands of years, they'll think we somehow worshipped Funko Pops.

There's literally no real reason for them to exist. They'll be like the Easter Island statues. A completely bizarre oddity.

DarraghMUFC

What do you mean you don't like getting 10c off a €15 funko? Gamestop - scummy to the end

RobbingBandit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554780#Comment_120554780

My switch memory card slot broke last week physical games ftw

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555297#Comment_120555297

I like physical copies of games too, but after getting a PS plus subscription I've been playing most games as digital downloads. There's a few games I regard as keepers and I'd buy a disc copy, but a lot of them I'll get for free, play once and forget about it

For the publishers it's a bit of a no brainer, they can either pay manufacturing and distribution costs and split profits with a retailer, or just chuck them on a server somewhere and enjoy all the profits for themselves

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555054#Comment_120555054

I'm pretty sure there's already some people worshipping them, so future generations won't be wrong 😂

80s Synth Pop

Have a pre order for the new zelda collectors edition and the amibo next week. Hopefully they still ship them.

ShaneU

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120556640#Comment_120556640

https://www.gamestop.ie/notice

Only Zelda preorders will be honored

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555325#Comment_120555325

Yeah It really does depend on the platform.

With the Switch, I can't bring myself to pay full whack for a digital game that's linked to just one console with no ability to resell - when I can get a physical copy for the same price (or sometimes less!) and do so much more with it.

I'll usually download games on special offer or cheaper indie ones, but my big titles for the Switch have always been physical copies.

Jack burton

I'll be able to get to my local gamestop monday and see whats there. Be very interested to see if anything interesting comes up

I was talking to a friend yesterday and I was wondering if this means we'll see a gap for maybe some indie gaming shops in Ireland?

CiDeRmAn

Called into the GS in Blanch yesterday.

Seemed like a busy spot!

I picked up Klonoa for the Switch, with a whole 2.99 off, and spent that on a couple of lousy unboxed 360 games, one of which went straight in the bin.

I might be that some branches have decent stuff, but then again, I am not sure it is worth the effort to go and look

Mr.Saturn

Knew it was going to be shite, went to my two nearest and can confirm it was, in fact, shite. No treasure trove of PS3 era stuff in Liffey St or Stephen's Green.

RobbingBandit

I think Dundrum has a basket of €1 unboxed games

the_amazing_raisin

I doubt there'll be many hidden gems to be found, I think GameStop have been doing a pretty serious effort over the past few years to offload older stock

CiDeRmAn

It'll be interesting to watch how the discounts work over the following weeks, might see signs of desperation in their discounting and might also see the warehouse emptied of everything they can shift, so I'd continue to watch

the_amazing_raisin

Surely they would just sell the contents of the warehouse to someone like Smyth's?

I feel like the stores will just be getting rid of whatever they have and not getting any new stock unless there's pre-orders coming in before they shut down

RobbingBandit

I'll buy at clearance prices but the days of going in to buy stuff to flip are dead and gone CeX have slashed the prices for trades there will be a few gems I'm sure but I'm too old and too tired to bother any more, all I want is Fire Emblem Three Houses Shin Megami Tensai V and Persona Strikers for Switch may the gods provide them and strike down any who get in my way.

CiDeRmAn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120576228#Comment_120576228

The first half had me thinking "The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long".

But the second half had me thinking "No wait, there he is!"

CiDeRmAn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120576170#Comment_120576170

I'd guess the haircut they'd take on the new stock would make it worth shifting at a discount instead to customers

Mr.Saturn

Both Gamestops I went to were advertising they're still getting in new stock/releases during the fire sale, for what it's worth.

Dunno if anyone saw, but they have little posters around the shop explain what your 10% off equates to — in case you need it broken down how scaldy it is.

RobbingBandit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120579940#Comment_120579940

A rose by any other name 🤣

I'm still the man that brought them to their demise

RobbingBandit

Ponzi in charge of gamestop

The ironing is delicious

Hungry Burger

Have to say I passed one of the shops today and thought the “10% off, Everything must go” sign just summed up rip off Ireland.

80s Synth Pop

phew they had the zelda preorder stock today thankfully.

Had a look around while there. 20% of all xbox games and 10% off all other games. Nothing at all off consoles.

Retr0gamer

I remember when hmv shut it was 50% off everything at least. Picked up haunting ground for PS2 half price and it was only out that week.

Mr.Saturn

Wonder if the returning HMV are going to be dealing in games again, seem to be mostly a general pop culture shop/vinyl craic in the few UK ones I've been in since they ran into trouble — not really going to hold out hope that it'll be a return to the glory days of finding 20 quid Muramasas tucked between 50 copies of Duke Nuke'em Forever. I know they still sell games on the website, mind.

The only location listed on the job spec is Arbour Hill in Dublin, which would certainly be a novel location if nothing else.

https://ie.indeed.com/jobs?q=hmv&l=&from=mobRdr&sameL=1&utm_source=%2Fm%2F&utm_medium=redir&utm_campaign=dt&vjk=1b37cddd49896e40

johnny_ultimate

Bringing back HMV seems like a bit of a cursed proposition - not sure what they expect to happen compared to last time.

I am a fan of the HMV-owned Fopp in the UK though. Doesn't deal with games, but has a great selection of and deals on Blu-Rays from the specialist/boutique labels. TBH, that seems like the only sensible way to approach any physical media shop these days - appeal to the enthusiasts - but not sure that market is big enough even in Dublin.

Mr.Saturn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120588283#Comment_120588283

I mean it's overserviced as is, unless they've got a trick there to distinguish themselves from the likes of GDs, Tower and the indies dotted around the city. At least they're limiting themselves to one location on this relaunch, reckon that must've expedited their second demise trying to recapture the glory days. Might've made a better run at it had they limited themselves to a few of those mini-XV/HMV stores.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120588271#Comment_120588271

Betcha they'll bring back games but only cartridges and floppy disks to appeal to the retro crowd 😂

the_amazing_raisin

So I noticed the signs are now saying up to 20% off, but all the games are still max 10% discount from the looks of it

johnny_ultimate

I just picked up Octopath Traveller 2 on PS5 for 20% off as had a small One4All voucher that was starting to burn money every month.

Switch games still were 10% only though.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592012#Comment_120592012

Ah yeah I was just looking at the Switch games and newer PS5 games. How that you mention it, I think there was a 20% off sign on the slightly older PS5 games

Lemming

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120588271#Comment_120588271

HMV [stores] in England don't do any gaming stuff, other than novelty card games like 'Exploding Kittens' or 'Cards Against Humanity' and some board games. It's all films, music, tshirts and punko-pop thingies (or whatever they're called) and the like. Even then, the selection can be a bit 'meh'. Used to have all those sections for film categories fir example, and now it's all jsut one amorphous blob which makes finding random stuff that might interest you all that bit more of a chore.

Tbh, I find myself not really wandering into HMV much these days as a result of all the changes they have made; the glory days are long, long gone.

Mr.Saturn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120593439#Comment_120593439

Had a feeling alright, even the HMV UK website only seems to deal in the bigger hitter games the same way Tesco did after the great clear out.

Lemming

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120593610#Comment_120593610

Tesco [UK] has near-wiped out its electronics & media selections. I have two of their 'extra' stores within a reasonably convenient distance and ever since they ditched their third-party (or whatever phrase they used to describe "partners") stuff from their website, it was met with a near similar fate in-store with much of their electronics stuff vanishing. It wasn't exactly like they had impressive selections of stuff but there was, for example a definite console section (as pitiful as it it was), some "PC gaming" stuff (mostly headsets and keyboards), and then general electronics stuff. Now, it is further down-sized and I am struggling to think of the last time I saw anything other than one of those free-standing promo displays with a couple of new console releases in them.

This is Tesco rationalising their supply chains as a cost cutting measure post pandemic. I can see the logic; they've just been particularly thourough in swinging the proverbial axe.

Mr.Saturn

This sale is almost in danger of getting interesting, 30% off on PS4 and 20% on Switch on Liffey St. Noticing different stores are reducing at different rates, wonder if it’s at shop’s discretion or an indication some stores are closing before others.

ShaneU

HMV coming back to Henry street, hopefully they sell games again