Recently, a report surfaced claiming that GAME will cease selling physical games and hardware in the ‘stores’ it operates across the United Kingdom. For a while, GAME has been seemingly ramping down operations by issuing redundancies and zero-hour contracts, shutting down stores, and pulling back to ‘concessions’ inside Sports Direct and House of Fraser units across the nation.
However, following the emergence of the report, GAME’s representatives quickly rushed to set the story straight, stating that the claim is ‘categorically untrue’ and that the firm will ‘continue to support the physical gaming market’.
Long Way Down
GAME was a shining gem of the British town centre, with everyone using the label as the go-to spot for consoles, video games, peripherals, and even advice on the latest games. Now, it’s a shadow of its former self, resigned to selling mostly toys and gadgets to an ever-shrinking customer base. Most recently, the firm stopped buying and selling used games and hardware, which for several years had been a staple of the business.
Then, in another downturn, it was announced that GAME was ceasing operations of its reward card-based system, which had been running for almost two decades. Along with that came the shutdown of GAME Elite, the ‘boosted’ reward card experience that offered customers several key benefits.
The latest claim to surface was that GAME was preparing to stop selling boxed games and brand-new hardware in-store, but this report was deleted by the company almost as soon as it appeared. It doesn’t seem like that’s too far away from becoming the reality, though.
For more of the latest Insider Gaming news, you can read about a popular streamer defeating a boss in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC with her brainwaves, and sign up to receive our newsletter.
